Baton Rouge Maritime Accident Lawyer

Baton Rouge Maritime Accident Lawyer

When an on-the-water injury upends your life, an experienced Baton Rouge, LA maritime accident lawyer can help you make sense of complicated laws and competing insurance policies. Palmintier, Thrower, and Treuting Injury Attorneys brings years of investigation, negotiation, and courtroom experience to maritime and waterways cases involving crew members, offshore workers, and recreational boaters. Schedule a Free Initial Assessmentto discuss your situation in confidence.

Maritime Accident Lawyer Baton Rouge, LA

Maritime claims aren’t ordinary injury cases. That’s why finding an experienced Baton Rouge maritime accident lawyer is important.Whether you were hurt working on a vessel, assisting offshore, or riding as a passenger on a recreational craft, you may be dealing with federal maritime law, state law, or both. The Jones Act, unseaworthiness claims, and maintenance-and-cure obligations can apply to seamen and crew; Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA) protections may cover certain shoreside and dock workers; recreational incidents raise different questions about operator negligence, vessel maintenance, and rental or charter practices. Sorting out which rules apply, and which insurer bears responsibility, requires early, careful analysis.

Our boat accident lawyers begin by preserving what proves how and why the incident happened: incident logs, witness statements, vessel maintenance and inspection records, GPS tracks, weather and water conditions, and any available electronic or video data. If the vessel’s condition contributed, faulty radios, lighting, bilge pumps, or safety gear, we document it and track down maintenance vendors. For crew injuries, we gather medical records from the first report forward, capturing how symptoms progressed, how duties were affected, and whether the employer provided appropriate medical care and wage replacement. In passenger cases, we examine operator training, lookout practices, and compliance with safety rules, including life jacket availability and briefings.

Common pain points include disputes over seaman status, attempts to cut off maintenance and cure, or low offers that ignore future care needs and lost earning capacity. Our watercraft injury lawyers build a record that leaves little room for doubt: a clear liability story backed by logs, procedures, and professional opinions when useful, and a damages presentation that ties medical findings to long-term impact at sea and at home. Throughout, our maritime accident attorneys keep you informed in plain language and move the case forward with steady pressure.

If your livelihood depends on the water, or your family routine has been upended by a boating crash, you need a Baton Rouge maritime accident lawyerwho knows how these cases really work, from the deck plates to the claims office to the courtroom.

Why Experience Matters In Maritime Accident Cases

Maritime law has its own definitions, duties, and defenses. Experience helps you avoid common pitfalls, identify every available remedy, and present evidence the right way. Our attorneys have:

  • Over 80 years of combined legal experience, including handling cases involving the Jones Act, unseaworthiness, LHWCA, and recreational boating claims
  • Over $1 billion recovered for our injured clients
  • Early, evidence-focused investigations that secure logs, GPS data, maintenance records, and witness accounts
  • Damages presentations that address future care, work restrictions, and the realities of life on and off the water
  • Direct, accessible communication with clients and families throughout the process

“Ben Treuting with Palmintier Law handled our legal matter quickly and professionally. A great communicator, Ben kept us in the loop each step of the way. We are very happy with the outcome Ben obtained and recommend him highly.” – Erica Schirling

At Palmintier, Thrower, and Treuting Injury Attorneys, we know a maritime injury affects far more than a single paycheck, it touches your health, your family, and your future on the water. Schedule a Free Initial Assessment. We’ll explain which laws likely apply, identify all potential sources of compensation, and lay out a plan to safeguard evidence and document your losses.

If you’ve been injured while working off the coast of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, contact Palmintier, Thrower, and Treuting Injury Attorneys. You have rights under federal maritime laws, but they can be difficult to assert. Our Baton Rouge maritime accident lawyers are here to help you navigate this trying time and fight for the compensation you deserve.


Since 1975, injured seamen and maritime workers in Baton Rouge have trusted Palmintier, Thrower, and Treuting Injury Attorneys after life-changing accidents. As determined advocates for our clients with over 80 years of combined experience, we’ve secured case results totaling more than $1 billion.

Put your best foot forward by trusting our award-winning legal team to fight for you. Contact our law office in Baton Rouge, LA, today at 225-401-6962. Your first consultation is absolutely free.

How Palmintier, Thrower, and Treuting Injury Attorneys Can Help After a Maritime Accident in Baton Rouge, LA

How Palmintier, Thrower, and Treuting Injury Attorneys Can Help After a Maritime Accident in Baton Rouge, LA

When you suffer an injury at sea, it can turn your world upside-down You might be unable to return to work for a period of time, which can impose significant financial stress on your life. Fortunately, you have rights as a maritime worker, including opportunities to seek compensation to help with medical bills, a loss of income, disability, and more.

Don’t stress about what to do or where to turn for help. Let our Baton Rouge personal injury lawyers take the lead and help you work toward a meaningful financial recovery. You take the time needed to get back on your feet. 

When you choose the Palmintier, Thrower, and Treuting Injury Attorneys, you put respected, AV-Preeminent Louisiana trial attorneys in your corner. Insurance companies, employers, and corporations in Baton Rouge take note when we’re hired. It forces them to take cases more seriously and, ultimately, tends to press them into offering higher settlements to our clients.

Our team will handle all aspects of your maritime accident claim from start to finish:

  • Identify the specific maritime laws under which you are protected
  • Investigate your accident and gather evidence needed to build a compelling claim
  • Enlist expert witnesses to offer testimony in support of your pursuit of compensation
  • Ensure your claim satisfies procedural requirements as established by state and/or federal law
  • Represent you during negotiations, hearings, conferences, appeals, and/or at trial

We represent injured maritime workers in Baton Rouge on a contingency fee basis. You’ll only pay for our help if we win you compensation.

Contact our law office in Baton Rouge to learn more about working with our award-winning legal team. We’re always here to help you schedule a free consultation.

What Laws Might Protect Me If I’ve Been Injured on the Water Near Baton Rouge?

Maritime law, or admiralty law, governs shipping and navigation on the high seas. This includes extending protections to workers in the maritime industry.

If you’re injured on a navigable vessel on the open waters or while working in furtherance of a navigable vessel (e.g., as a dock worker), you may have rights under one or more federal maritime laws, including the:

  • Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act
  • Death on the High Seas Act
  • Jones Act
  • Longshoremen & Harbor Workers Compensation Act
  • Limitation of Liability Act of 1851

As a worker, you may also have the right to pursue money through a personal injury lawsuit or claim for workers’ compensation benefits under Louisiana state law.

It can be difficult to understand what laws might apply to your specific situation. Our maritime accident attorneys in Baton Rouge have extensive experience helping injured offshore workers explore their rights and successfully obtain monetary awards. Trust us to help you obtain the compensation you need, too.

We Handle All Types of Maritime Accident Cases

If you work offshore or in furtherance of a navigable vessel, Palmintier, Thrower, and Treuting Injury Attorneys can help you seek compensation when you’re hurt on the job. 

Our maritime accident attorneys in Baton Rouge handle claims involving:

  • Barge accidents
  • Commercial fishing accidents
  • Shrimp boat accidents
  • Cargo ship accidents
  • Offshore drilling rig accidents
  • Marine crane accidents
  • Oil tanker accidents
  • Ferry accidents
  • Cruise ship accidents
  • Dock or pier accidents
  • Jack-up rig accidents

Contact our Baton Rouge law office to schedule a time to discuss the specific details of your maritime injury case. We will listen to your story, offer some preliminary information about your rights, and help you figure out the best path forward.

Baton Rouge Maritime Accident Infographic

What Compensation Can I Recover With a Maritime Injury Claim?

It depends on what type of claim you file. Difference compensation is available under different state and federal laws.

The Jones Act

The Jones Act requires employers to maintain their vessels in seaworthy condition. If a seaman is injured because of an owner is negligent in the maintenance of a ship, they can seek maintenance and cure benefits.

Maintenance covers living expenses during the worker’s recovery, while cure covers medical treatment. Benefits are payable until a seamen reaches maximum medical improvement or can return to work.

The Longshoremen & Harbor Workers Compensation Act (LHWCA)

While the Jones Act restricts benefits to seamen, the Longshoremen & Harbor Workers Compensation Act covers a wider range of offshore workers. 

Under the LHWCA, benefits are payable to help injured workers deal with medical benefits, temporary disability, permanent disability, and vocational training.

Civil Maritime Accident Lawsuit Under Louisiana State Law

While federal maritime laws generally limit benefits to economic damages, Louisiana can offer injured maritime workers an opportunity to seek non-economic damages, as well.

If you’re able to file a civil personal injury lawsuit under Lousiana state law, you can potentially get compensation for:

  • Current and future medical bills
  • Lost wages
  • Disability
  • Diminished earning capacity
  • Out-of-pocket expenses
  • Nursing care
  • Rehabilitation
  • Funeral expenses
  • Chronic physical pain
  • Disfigurement 
  • Loss of consortium
  • Reduced quality of life
  • Mental anguish
  • Pain and suffering
  • Embarrassment
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Puntive damages – to punish a defendant for their intentional or grossly negligent conduct – can also potentially be awarded in a civil maritime accident lawsuit in Louisiana.

What Can Cause a Maritime Accident?

Seamen, shipbuilders, dock workers, longshoremen, fishermen, and other maritime workers can get seriously injured when there’s an accident on board a vessel.

Some of the most common causes of maritime accidents and injuries include:

  • Slick or slippery surfaces that cause slips and falls
  • Falling overboard
  • Unsafe loading or handling of cargo
  • Violations of state and/or federal safety regulations
  • Collisions with fixed objects or other vessels
  • Fires and explosions
  • Overexertion
  • Working on an unseaworthy vessel
  • Grounding
  • Defective work equipment
  • Drug and alcohol use
  • Failing to provide/use appropriate safety equipment

Knowing why a maritime accident happens can be important as you pursue compensation through a legal claim. Our Baton Rouge maritime accident attorneys will thoroughly investigate your case to uncover precisely how and why you were injured. This can help us identify your potential legal options for recovery and work to ensure that you’re able to maximize your recovery.

How Long Will I Have To File a Maritime Accident Claim in Lousiana?

The statute of limitations will vary, depending on what law you’re seeking benefits under.

  • Louisiana state law: effective 7/1/2024, two years from the date of injury (one year if injured prior to that date); one year from the date of death
  • The Jones Act: three years from the date of injury
  • LHWCA: one year from the date of injury
  • Death on the High Seas Act: three years from the worker’s death

It’s important to file your claim within the applicable statute of limitations. If you miss the deadline, you forfeit the opportunity to seek benefits and/or damages for your maritime accident injuries. Contact our lawyers as soon as you can for assistance.

Helping You Seek Compensation for All of Your Maritime Accident Injuries

Working on a vessel on navigable waters off the coast of Baton Rouge carries risks. When you get hurt on the job, Palmintier, Thrower, and Treuting Injury Attorneys will be there to help you make things right.

Our maritime accident attorneys in Baton Rouge can help you seek compensation for your:

  • Burn injuries
  • Broken bones
  • Soft tissue injuries
  • Spinal cord injuries
  • Nerve damage
  • Quadriplegia injuries 
  • Back injuries 
  • Neck injuries
  • Whiplash injuries
  • Concussion injuries
  • Traumatic brain injuries
  • Eye injuries 
  • Catastrophic injuries 
  • Amputation injuries 
  • Leg injuries 
  • Wrongful death of a loved one

Report your accident to your employer immediately. Some claims can be barred if you fail to provide notice within a certain timeframe. Then, seek prompt medical attention to ensure your injuries are diagnosed, treated, and documented properly.

Schedule a Free Consultation With an Experienced Baton Rouge Maritime Accident Lawyer

When you get hurt while working on the waters off the coast of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, it’s important to explore your legal options. You may be protected by one or more federal maritime laws and/or Louisiana state law. The compensation available to you can be a lifeline as you fight to get back on your feet. Palmintier, Thrower, and Treuting Injury Attorneys wants to help you navigate this difficult time.

Our Baton Rouge maritime accident lawyers have over 80 years of combined experience handling complex state and federal injury cases. We’ve helped accident victims and families win in excess of $1 billion in damages.

Now, we want to fight for you. Call our Baton Rouge law office today at 225-401-6962 to schedule a free consultation.

Our personal injury law firm in Baton Rouge, LA also handles:

Maritime Accident Law Glossary

baton rouge la maritime accident lawyer crew rights

When seeking legal help from a Baton Rouge, LA maritime accident lawyer, it’s important to be familiar with terms that are unique to maritime law. These cases involve different rules and benefits than those that apply to land-based personal injury claims. Whether you’re a seaman, dockworker, or recreational passenger, knowing how certain laws and terms apply can clarify your rights and potential benefits. Below, we explain five core legal terms often used in maritime accident cases that we handle in Louisiana.

Maintenance And Cure

This is a fundamental benefit owed to qualifying maritime workers under general maritime law. “Maintenance” refers to daily living expenses—such as rent, utilities, and food—while “cure” covers medical treatment costs. These benefits are paid by an employer when a seaman is injured during service on a vessel. Maintenance and cure continue until the injured person reaches maximum medical improvement. This right exists regardless of fault, and employers are obligated to continue these payments even if they dispute other claims. Disputes often arise when employers attempt to terminate benefits prematurely or offer insufficient payments.

Unseaworthiness

A vessel is considered unseaworthy if it lacks equipment, crew, or maintenance needed for safe operation. The law does not require that a vessel sink or be unable to sail. Even conditions such as broken safety gear, poor lighting, or missing life jackets can make a vessel unseaworthy. When a seaman is injured due to such conditions, they may have a claim against the vessel owner. This doctrine places responsibility on vessel owners to maintain a safe working environment. The condition of the vessel is assessed based on the time of injury, not on whether it passed prior inspections or met general industry standards.

Jones Act

The Jones Act is a federal law that allows seamen who are injured on the job to file claims directly against their employers. Unlike workers’ compensation, Jones Act claims can be brought in either federal or state court and allow for broader recovery, including lost income and medical expenses. Importantly, the worker must qualify as a “seaman,” meaning they spend a significant portion of their work time on a vessel in navigation. The Act also imposes an obligation on employers to provide reasonably safe conditions. This law provides a separate path to compensation apart from maintenance and cure, giving injured seamen an additional legal remedy.

Longshore And Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA)

This federal law covers maritime employees who do not meet the requirements of a seaman but still work in roles connected to navigable waters. This includes dockworkers, harbor laborers, and those loading or repairing vessels. Under the LHWCA, injured workers can receive compensation for medical care, wage loss, and vocational rehabilitation. Claims must be filed within one year of the injury, and there are specific guidelines for determining benefits. Coverage applies only when the worker was injured on navigable waters or in adjoining areas like piers, terminals, or shipyards. This act fills the gap for maritime workers not covered under the Jones Act.

Seaman Status

Determining who qualifies as a seaman is critical because many legal protections in maritime law—like those under the Jones Act—only apply to seamen. Courts consider whether the worker contributes to the function or mission of a vessel and whether their work is connected to a vessel in navigation. Time spent working aboard the vessel is also reviewed, typically requiring at least 30% of total work time to be vessel-related. Disputes over seaman status are common in litigation, especially when employers attempt to reclassify employees to avoid certain legal obligations. Clarifying this status early in the legal process is essential to building a strong claim.

We use these terms daily when investigating maritime injuries, collecting maintenance records, or evaluating safety gear on ships and docks. Every word carries legal weight, and knowing what applies to your situation helps build a stronger case from the beginning. We work to gather evidence quickly—whether it’s video from a barge, ship logs, or witness statements—so the facts line up with the right legal path.

At Palmintier, Thrower, and Treuting Injury Attorneys, we’ve helped injured maritime workers in Baton Rouge, LA navigate these federal and state laws for decades. If you’re recovering from a vessel injury or dockside accident, let us explain your rights and the laws that protect you.

Reach out today for a free consultation. Our team is ready to listen, assess your case, and help you move forward with confidence.