Experienced Lawyers In Louisiana

Offshore & Maritime Injury Lawyer in Baton Rouge

Home » Offshore & Maritime Injury Lawyer in Louisiana » Offshore & Maritime Injury Lawyer in Baton Rouge

Injured? Get Gordon

No Fee Unless We Win

I’ll win your case, or you don’t owe me a dime. No costs, no expenses, no fee. Nothing.

Get A Free Consult

Injured? Get a FREE Consult Now!

K+

Clients Helped

Local Attorneys

Years In Business

$1M Settlements & Verdicts

Best Baton Rouge Offshore Injury Lawyers Near Me

Free Consultation for Offshore Accident Injury Cases Near Prairieville

An offshore accident can change your life in a single shift. One moment you are doing your job. Next, you are hurt, out of work, and wondering how the bills will get paid.

Offshore and maritime injury claims often fall under federal law instead of the usual Louisiana rules. The law that protects you depends on your job and where you were hurt. A Baton Rouge offshore injury lawyer can help you sort out which law applies and what you may be owed.

At Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys, we help injured offshore workers and their families in Baton Rouge, Prairieville, Central, and across Louisiana. Our firm has recovered $3 Billion for injured clients and their families. If you were hurt on the water, we are ready to fight for you.

Get A Free Consult

Types of Offshore Injuries Our Baton Rouge Lawyers Handle

An offshore injury affects more than your body. It can stop your paycheck, strain your family, and put your career on hold. You deserve a legal team that sees the whole picture.

Our Baton Rouge personal injury lawyers handle a wide range of serious injuries, including:

Baton Rouge Offshore Injury Statistics

The figures below come from the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE), a federal agency that collects incident reports from offshore operations on the Outer Continental Shelf (federal offshore waters). Every injury counted here belongs to a real worker and a real family.

Get A Free Consult

192

injuries reported in 2025

182

fires reported in 2025

401

lifting incidents reported in 2025

Source: Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement: Offshore Incident Statistics

How Our Baton Rouge Offshore Accident Lawyers Handle Your Case

Every case starts with a free consultation. We listen to what happened, answer your questions, and talk through your options.

If you hire Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys, we handle the legal work so you can focus on healing. Our team may begin:

Reviewing your job duties and time aboard vessels
Gathering medical records, incident reports, and pay records
Reviewing safety and maintenance records
Interviewing coworkers and other witnesses
Consulting with medical and safety experts
Handling communication with insurers
Preparing your case for settlement or trial

With over 180 employees, including 130+ staff and 47 attorneys, we can put a full legal team behind your case.

Get A Free Consult

Offshore Accident Compensation You May Be Entitled To

The compensation available depends on which law covers your injury. An offshore accident compensation lawyer can look at every claim that may apply to you. Depending on your case, you may be able to recover:

Medical care
Lost wages
Reduced earning capacity
Compensation for the injury itself
Maintenance for food and lodging
Financial losses for your family after a death

Not every item applies to every claim. Seaman status has been the source of a great deal of litigation, so we build your case with work records and medical evidence from the start.

Get A Free Consult

Mistakes to Avoid After an Offshore Accident

A few early missteps can weaken an offshore injury claim. Try to avoid:

Waiting to report your injury in writing
Signing statements or forms you do not understand
Skipping medical care or stopping treatment early
Assuming you have no case because you were partly at fault
Throwing away work schedules or records of your time aboard
Posting about the accident on social media
Putting off a talk with a lawyer for injured offshore workers

Already made one of these mistakes? Do not panic. Call us so we can talk through your options.

Injured? Call Now at 888.501.7888

Understanding Offshore Injury Laws for Baton Rouge Workers

Maritime claims follow federal deadlines and fault rules. Missing a deadline can cost you your claim, so it helps to know the basics.

Deadlines to File

3 years for most maritime injury and death lawsuits, including Jones Act claims
30 days to give written notice of an injury under the LHWCA
1 year to file most LHWCA compensation claims
2 years for many maritime claims against the U.S. government

Some of these clocks start later, such as when you learn an injury is tied to your work. Talk with a Baton Rouge offshore injury attorney early so you do not lose time.

Comparative Fault

Being partly at fault does not end a Jones Act claim. Instead, your compensation is reduced by your share of fault. If your employer’s violation of a safety law contributed to your injury, you cannot be found partly at fault. Death on the High Seas Act claims also reduce, rather than bar, recovery based on fault, and LHWCA benefits are paid regardless of fault.

Get A Free Consult

Common Legal Challenges in Offshore Injury Claims

Offshore injury claims can get complicated quickly. Injured workers may face:

Disputes over seaman status
Confusion about which federal or state law applies
More than one company that may share responsibility
Maintenance and cure payments that stop or never start
Deadlines that differ depending on the law involved

These challenges are stressful, but an offshore worker injury lawyer in Baton Rouge can help you face them. With 679+ years of combined legal experience, our team is ready to stand up for you.

Get A Free Consult

Contact a Offshore & Maritime Injury Attorney Near Central Today

Injured in an Accident? Find Legal Help Near You

You do not have to figure out maritime law on your own. If you were hurt on a platform, a vessel, or a dock, Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys is ready to review your case and explain your options.

We help injured workers in Baton Rouge, Prairieville, Central, and nearby communities. Visit our Baton Rouge office page to learn about our location on Hilton Avenue, or see how our Louisiana offshore and maritime lawyers help injured workers statewide.

Call 888.501.7888 today for a free consultation with an offshore accident lawyer in Baton Rouge. With our No Fee Unless We Win promise, you pay nothing unless we win or settle your case. That’s the G Guarantee.

Get Gordon. Get It Done.

Injured? Call Now at 888.501.7888

Which Law Covers Your Offshore Injury?

Getting this question right early matters, and an offshore injury claims attorney can help you answer it. Each law offers different benefits and follows its own rules.

Jones Act: Covers seamen with a substantial connection to a vessel. It may allow you to sue your employer for negligence and gives you the right to a jury trial.
Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA): Covers many dock, harbor, ship repair, and shipbuilding workers. It can provide medical care and disability benefits, regardless of fault.
Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA): Covers certain non-crew workers exploring for or developing offshore natural resources. It can provide benefits under the LHWCA.
Maintenance and Cure Doctrine: Covers seamen who are hurt or become sick while serving on a vessel. It can provide food, lodging, and medical care, regardless of who was at fault.
Unseaworthiness Doctrine: Covers seamen injured by an unsafe vessel or its equipment. It may allow a claim against the vessel owner without having to prove carelessness.

What Makes Someone a “Seaman”?

Not everyone who works on a boat is a seaman. The U.S. Supreme Court has said a seaman’s duties must contribute to a vessel’s work or mission. The worker must also have a connection to a vessel in navigation, or a group of vessels, that is substantial in both time and nature.

As a rule of thumb, the Court said a worker who spends less than about 30 percent of their time in the service of a vessel in navigation should not qualify. That figure is only a guideline, and every case depends on its facts. Seamen also keep Jones Act protection when their work takes them ashore. A Jones Act lawyer in Baton Rouge can review your assignments and time aboard to help show where you fit.

Maintenance and Cure

If you are a seaman who gets hurt or sick while serving a vessel, you may be owed maintenance and cure. Maintenance covers food and lodging. Cure covers medical treatment. This duty does not depend on anyone being at fault.

Maintenance and cure is separate from a Jones Act or unseaworthiness claim, so you can pursue it alongside those claims. Courts will not let you recover twice for the same loss. The Supreme Court has also held that punitive damages may be available in the right case when an employer willfully disregards its duty to pay maintenance and cure.

Unseaworthiness Claims

Vessel owners have a duty to provide a seaworthy vessel. If an unsafe condition on the vessel or its equipment caused your injury, you may have a claim against the owner. Unlike a Jones Act negligence claim, an unseaworthiness claim does not require proof that anyone was careless. A maritime accident attorney in Baton Rouge can dig into the vessel’s condition and records.

Dock, Harbor, and Platform Workers

The LHWCA covers many longshore workers, harbor workers, ship repairers, and shipbuilders. It applies to injuries on navigable waters and on nearby areas used to load, unload, repair, or build vessels, such as piers, wharves, dry docks, and terminals. Benefits include medical care and disability pay, no matter who was at fault.

OCSLA extends LHWCA benefits to certain workers hurt in operations to explore for, develop, or remove natural resources on the Outer Continental Shelf. For the seabed and fixed structures in federal waters off Louisiana, federal law also adopts Louisiana law when it applies and does not conflict with federal law.

If a negligent vessel or another outside party caused your injury, you may have a separate claim while still receiving benefits. Workers who fall outside all of these laws may still have options. Our Baton Rouge workers’ compensation lawyers can check if a state claim fits your situation.

When a Loved One Dies Offshore

The Death on the High Seas Act covers deaths caused by a wrongful act or neglect on the high seas, more than 3 nautical miles from the U.S. shore. In those cases, the personal representative of the person who died can file a claim. Recovery covers the financial losses of the spouse, parents, children, or dependent relatives. The Jones Act also allows a personal representative to bring a claim when a seaman dies from a work injury. A maritime injury lawyer in Baton Rouge can help your family understand which claims apply.

Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Results may vary depending on the facts and circumstances of each case. Viewing this website or contacting the firm does not create an attorney-client relationship.

Don’t Wait — Talk to a Baton Rouge Offshore & Maritime Injury Lawyer Today

At Gordon Mckernan Injury Attorneys, we understand that emotional and physical recovery come hand and hand after an injury or accident. We also know that you may not have the energy or time to fight with an insurance company and the complexities of your personal injury claim.

Call a Baton Rouge Offshore & Maritime Injury Laywer Near Me

How It Works

Filing a claim with Gordon Mckernan Injury Attorneys is easy!
Simply follow the steps below.

Step One

Step 2

Step 3

Get Your Free Consultation

Fill out our quick and easy form to find out if your case qualifies. Our consultations are free and confidential, and we are here to help whether you hire us or not!

Hear From An Attorney

Our team will evaluate your case and decide on the best course of action. One of our lawyers will get back to you promptly and begin the process of winning your case!

Get Gordon!
Get It Done!

Once your case has been evaluated and deemed a good fit for our firm, our team will go to work immediately on gathering evidence, building your case, and getting you the compensation that you deserve.

Excellent

          Posted on Google  
   
   keodra keekee 
 23 October 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Devin and crystal are the best. I really appreciate them helping me with my case
  
 
     Posted on Google  
   
   Darnell Odds 
 22 October 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Ann Marie and Daniel are the best ever very professional and gets it done
  
 
     Posted on Google  
   
   Paul Varnado 
 22 October 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. My AttorneyMr. Hayden Bergeron was professional, courteous, compassionate, and understanding throughout my case. He's an asset worth having on your team.
  
 
     Posted on Google  
   
   Lawrence Dunbar 
 22 October 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Everything was real profesonial and hassle free.If I had question I made one call and it was answered immediately. Very helpful and understanding
  
 
     Posted on Google  
   
   LOVE YOURSELF 
 21 October 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ THE BEST OF THE BEST!

I’ve used Attorney Tim McCray for multiple cases, and I wouldn’t hesitate to choose him again! He is knowledgeable, professional, honest, trustworthy, efficient, and an absolute BULLDOG for his clients! His advocacy goes above and beyond expectations, and his communication is consistently responsive and reliable. He doesn’t just represent you; he FIGHTS for you!

Honorable mention to his amazing assistants, Ann Marie and Emily, who are just as wonderful to work with!

God forbid I ever need an attorney again, but if I do, TIM WILL BE MY FIRST AND ONLY CALL! I trust him to fight for me and my loved ones and to ensure we receive the fair compensation we deserve. When you find an attorney you can truly count on, you stick with him. Tim is that attorney!
  
 
     Posted on Google  
   
   natasha campbell 
 21 October 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Thank you Attorney Hayden Bergeron for working my case I give you double stars for doing what you do to get the job done Thanks 😊
  
 
     Posted on Google  
   
   W Kimbell 
 21 October 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I had the pleasure of Attorney Markel Guidry handling my case. Not only was he efficient and consistent with his efforts to ensure that the insurance company appropriately compensated me, but he also made certain that the case was resolved quickly. I highly recommend Gordon Mckernan Injury Attorneys. You can't go wrong, unless of course you never give them a call. I will definitely utilize their services again should I find myself in need.

Always amazing results!
  
 
     Posted on Google  
   
   Katie West 
 21 October 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Such an amazing team to have working on my side!!! They are so patient and kind and get you everything you could ever need !!
  
 
     Posted on Google  
   
   Molly Larpenteur 
 20 October 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Brent Robinson handled my case so well. He always communicated with me in a timely manner and guided me in making the best decisions regarding my case.
  
 
     Posted on Google  
   
   Kaiden Dawson 
 20 October 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Devin was very helpful and did an awesome job with my case
  
 
     Posted on Google  
   
   Marlene Johnston 
 20 October 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I’m grateful that I trusted Gordon McKernan to handle my injury case. My attorney, Chris Melancon was so professional, understanding, knowledgeable and informative. I couldn’t have asked for better. Highly recommend! The outcome he worked for exceeded my expectations. I only wish I’d contacted them sooner!
  
 
     Posted on Google  
   
   Kaiden Dawson 
 19 October 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Devin was awesome and very helpful, he did a great job handling my cases
  
 
     Posted on Google  
   
   marcelle murphy 
 19 October 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Awesome attorney, Jeff Watson and the entire team a great to work with.
  
 
     Posted on Google  
   
   His Grace 
 18 October 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. My Atty was Jeff Watson, he is very knowledgeable of the laws as it relates to personal injury. He has several years of experience working within the corporate and private sector. Atty Watson ensure the full value of my case was received. After being persistent with the negotiating process, he was able to obtain additional funds. Ms Donna is a very compassionate person and has a great personality. Thanks to everyone involved in this process. May God bless and keep you all.
  
 
     Posted on Google  
   
   Aaron Phillips 
 17 October 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. My experience was amazing, Eric made it simple for me as I was taking care of getting better.
  
 
     Posted on Google  
   
   Tercarla Davis 
 16 October 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Love them they get it done fast too
  
 
     Posted on Google  
   
   Barry Washington 
 15 October 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I couldn’t be more pleased with the service. This is the best law firm ever thanks to Matt Terrell and Courtney Yarbrough. Thank you
  
 
     Posted on Google  
   
   Bernice Joseph 
 15 October 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Hands down the best law firm!!!. I recommended this firm to another person and the attorney Matt Terrell took care of them. Very professional, compassionate and wonderful. You gotta be crazy not to hire them!!!!!
  
 
     Posted on Google  
   
   Ashston Lowe 
 15 October 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Get Gordon! Easy process, great people. 100% recommend.
  
 
     Posted on Google  
   
   stephanie first 
 14 October 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. +0
I loved how Mr Antonio was prompt in calling me texting me keeping me up to date with my case was solved  very fast
I've been with The law firm through serveral cases Mr Antonio Finley never disjointed me I will recommend Gordon law firm to everyone I know.  MR Finley the best Thank yall Grateful
  
 
 
  Load more
 
 
   Google rating score: 4.9 of 5, based on 6479 reviews 
 
   Verified by Trustindex  Trustindex verified badge is the Universal Symbol of Trust. Only the greatest companies can get the verified badge who has a review score above 4.5, based on customer reviews over the past 12 months. Read more

Settlements & Verdicts

Frequent Answered
Questions

Do you need a boating license in Louisiana?