Maritime Accidents in Baton Rouge: What Local Workers & Their Families Need to Know
Baton Rouge is a vital hub in Louisiana’s maritime industry, with thousands of workers employed on the Mississippi River, at local ports, and throughout the state’s inland and offshore waterways. From barge crews and harbor pilots to offshore rig workers who travel south to the Gulf, Baton Rouge serves as a central point for maritime labor. But with this critical role comes serious risk, and, unfortunately, maritime workers here are injured far too often.
Louisiana’s unique geography and industrial economy mean that maritime work is more than just offshore drilling. In and around Baton Rouge, many maritime workers are employed at chemical plants, grain terminals, and refineries along the Mississippi River. Others crew towboats and pusher boats moving cargo from the Port of Greater Baton Rouge to New Orleans and beyond. Still others work offshore, flying out to heliports in Houma, Galliano, or Port Fourchon before catching a boat or chopper to various rigs.
These are difficult, dangerous jobs made even more complicated by the patchwork of state, federal, and maritime laws that apply when someone gets hurt. For example, a welder working on a docked barge might be covered under the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act, while a deckhand on a towboat may qualify for compensation under the Jones Act. Offshore workers on rigs and production platforms are subject to yet another set of legal standards.
At Arnold & Itkin, we understand how these laws work and how they affect Baton Rouge families. We’ve helped maritime workers and their loved ones recover just compensation after life-changing accidents, whether they occurred on the Mississippi, in port terminals, or hundreds of miles offshore. We know that when a Baton Rouge worker gets hurt, it impacts more than just the injured person—it puts strain on their entire household.
Our job is to fight for what's fair. That means making sure employers, vessel owners, and offshore operators are held accountable when they cut corners on safety or fail to provide a seaworthy vessel. It means helping workers get the full compensation they’re owed—not just for medical bills, but for lost wages, future earnings, and the long-term toll an injury takes on their quality of life.
If you or a loved one was hurt working on or near the water, you deserve answers, along with experienced legal guidance that understands the complexities of maritime law and the realities of life in Baton Rouge. At Arnold & Itkin, we are that team. Our Baton Rouge maritime law attorneys are ready to fight for you and the justice you deserve.
Key Maritime Laws in the U.S.
Maritime occupations, such as working on an oil rig, are among the most dangerous in the U.S. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), maritime workers have a much higher risk of being injured on the job than workers in all other industries. Some reports even show that these workers have twice the likelihood of being hurt at work than construction workers.
The court system has tried to address this risk by passing laws designed to provide seamen and their families with compensation when they are injured on the job or lose a loved one due to a maritime accident. Our judicial system’s initial steps toward protecting maritime workers began as far back as 1920 with various laws following, but general maritime law still stands as the basis for seamen's injury protection.
Key pieces of maritime law include the:
If you have questions about how maritime law will impact your injury or wrongful death case, contact our Louisiana maritime lawyers. We help injured seamen, harbor workers, deckhands, longshoremen, and more. From our offices in Baton Rouge, we serve clients throughout Louisiana, along the Gulf Coast, and nationwide. We help individuals and families in places like Bunkie, Plaucheville, Columbia, Grayson, Galliano, Rayville, Many, Zwolle, Saint Rose, Franklin, Newellton, Angie, Sibley, and more.
Maritime Work Is Dangerous. That Doesn't Excuse Accidents.
Ships and offshore rigs are inherently dangerous places to work. Adding to this danger is the fact that these massive pieces of modern engineering float on unpredictable seas. Shipowners have a heightened responsibility to maintain proper safety standards aboard their vessels to keep workers as safe as reasonably possible. When employers fail to create a safe work environment, they must be held accountable for the sake of all offshore workers.
Know Your Rights Under Admiralty Law
Whether you work on a jack‑up rig in the Gulf or load containers at the Port of Baton Rouge, admiralty law grants you powerful protections. You have the right to work on a seaworthy vessel, meaning one that is properly manned, equipped, and supplied for the task at hand. If an owner or operator allows defective equipment, understaffing, or poor maintenance to put you in danger, you can bring a claim for the full cost of your injuries, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
You also have a separate, unconditional right to “maintenance and cure.” This means that your company must cover your basic living expenses and medical care until you reach maximum medical improvement, no matter who or what caused the accident. Should negligence or recklessness play a role, the Jones Act and general maritime law allow you to pursue additional damages, including punitive awards designed to punish a company for putting profits over safety.
To make sure these rights aren’t stripped away, act quickly and deliberately after an offshore accident.
- Insist on medical treatment from a doctor you trust, not just the company’s preferred physician.
- Report the incident immediately but avoid signing statements or settlement papers that limit your future recovery.
- Keep copies of pay stubs, accident logs, and any correspondence with supervisors or insurance adjusters.
- Most importantly, speak with an experienced Louisiana maritime injury lawyer before the company’s investigators or insurers start shaping the narrative to suit their own interests.
A skilled Baton Rouge maritime attorney from Arnold & Itkin can secure critical evidence, shield you from corporate retaliation, and fight to ensure every dollar you’re owed ends up in your pocket.
Common Causes of Maritime Accidents in Louisiana Waters
Louisiana’s busy ports and many offshore platforms present daily dangers that go far beyond rough seas or heavy weather. All too often, maritime workplace hazards stem from negligence or wrongdoing. When this is the case, a Louisiana maritime injury lawyer can fight to hold at-fault shipowners, operators, and third‑party contractors accountable.
Some of the leading causes of Louisiana maritime accidents include:
- Equipment Failure: Rusted winches, faulty valves, and poorly maintained cranes can snap or collapse.
- Inadequate Training: High‑turnover crews are sometimes rushed onto vessels without proper safety drills.
- Slips and Falls: Oil slicks, unsecured cargo, and missing anti‑skid coatings are all OSHA and Coast Guard violations.
- Explosions and Fires: High‑pressure gas lines, volatile drilling mud, and aging electrical systems can ignite instantly.
- Collisions and Allisions: Heavy barge traffic on the Mississippi River and Intracoastal Waterway increases the odds.
- Crane Failure: Boom collapses, dropped loads, and other crane accidents aboard oil rigs and vessels can lead to catastrophic injuries and fatalities.
Maritime workers have a right to a safe work environment. If you or someone you love was injured due to hazardous working conditions, blatant safety violations, or employer negligence, our Baton Rouge maritime lawyers can help. You don’t have to face the future alone; our team is ready to fight for every penny you are owed.
The Importance of Safety & Maintenance at Sea
Vessel owners and operators are required to uphold a certain set of safety standards while conducting business. This is to ensure both the production of the ship as well as the safety of its crew.
Three crucial aspects of the ship need to be maintained under maritime law:
- Manning: This refers to the proper functioning of the staff onboard. Shipowners may be liable if an accident occurs because of poor leadership, running a vessel that is understaffed, or failing to train the seamen onboard properly.
- Equipping: This refers to the equipment used on the vessel to conduct its business. If the equipment is not properly maintained or is not provided, and this leads to an accident, the shipowners may be responsible.
- Supplying: The crew is entitled to an adequate supply of provisions onboard. Supplies need to be planned to match the length or difficulty of the voyage. Incidents regarding a lack of provisions might be subject to shipowner liability.
All of these contribute to the evaluation of a ship as “seaworthy.” When the seaworthiness of a vessel is called into question as a cause of an accident, any crew members who were injured may be able to seek retribution.
What Is Maintenance & Cure?
The courts have unilaterally found that shipowners must provide for their workers if they become injured or sick during a voyage. This provision is known as “maintenance and cure” and provides compensation for the seaman until they fully recover. If a seaman becomes injured or ill and needs to be taken back ashore for medical attention, they may be eligible to receive the wages expected to earn during the full length of the voyage. However, these are terms usually laid out in the finer points of an employment contract.
Although this law is designed to take care of qualifying maritime workers through the duration of their injury or illness, there are limitations to medical improvement, and shipowners will not be able to provide for treatment forever. To avoid the highest benefit payout, shipowners will instead resort to a maintenance rate between $15 and $35 a day or pick and choose the medical treatments they will cover. The courts, however, will generally favor a commercial shipping crewman if the integrity of the shipowners’ payout can be properly called into question in a court of law.
The Jones Act & Catastrophic Injuries
In 1920, the Jones Act was passed to help injured offshore workers recover compensation for accidents that their employers or other parties could have prevented. While maintenance and cure only covers part of an injury's cost, the Jones Act makes it possible for injured parties to receive maximum compensation. While qualifying maritime workers can seek compensation under the Jones Act regardless of the severity of their injuries, this law is most useful when a worker sustains life-altering injuries, also known as catastrophic injuries.
Common catastrophic maritime injuries include:
These injuries are notable because they have lasting implications. The Jones Act can help injured workers recover lost wages, medical care, and other expenses. It can also help them stabilize their finances with compensation for the lost ability to work, the cost of future medical care, and the pain and suffering caused by their accident.
If you have questions about your rights or are unsure whether you have a Jones Act claim in Louisiana, we can help. The best way to learn more about the Jones Act is to call our Louisiana maritime attorneys at (888) 493-1629. We offer free consultations and contingency fees, meaning you don’t pay unless we win your case.
Types of Compensation Available Under Maritime Law
After an offshore injury or loss, the bills don’t stop at emergency care. Maritime law recognizes that seamen, longshore workers, and their families can face lifelong medical costs, months or years of lost income, and the heavy burden of physical and emotional pain. Depending on the statute that governs your case—whether it’s the Jones Act, the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act, or general admiralty law—you may pursue far more than basic medical coverage. You can seek damages that account for every dollar you’ll spend adapting to life after the accident, every paycheck you’ll miss, and every hardship you and your loved ones will endure.
Below are the primary categories of compensation a skilled Baton Rouge maritime attorney can fight to recover on your behalf:
- Past and future medical expenses (surgeries, physical therapy, prosthetics)
- Lost wages and diminished earning capacity
- Pain, suffering, and mental anguish
- Disfigurement and loss of life enjoyment
- Household services and long‑term care
- Wrongful death damages for surviving spouses, children, and dependent parents
- Punitive damages when an owner willfully ignores safety rules or withholds maintenance and cure
Our firm has recovered billions by aggressively pursuing every category of damages available under maritime law. We have gone up against some of the largest offshore employers in Louisiana and throughout the United States—and, time and time again, we’ve recovered the compensation our clients needed to heal and move forward with their lives.
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Representing Victims of History's Most Tragic Maritime Disasters
The legal team at Arnold & Itkin has extensive experience in maritime law. As a leader in this area, we have been involved with countless cases involving some of the deadliest and most devastating offshore accidents. For example, after the tragic Deepwater Horizon accident, more than a third of the crew turned to our team of Louisiana maritime injury and death lawyers for assistance. We stood up for them and helped fight for the compensation that they needed to take care of themselves and their families.
In addition to the Deepwater Horizon, we were there to assist the widows left behind when the El Faro sank after sailing into a category 4 hurricane. We’ve also reached a record-setting settlement of $29 million for a family who lost someone they loved during a fatal maritime accident. It’s believed to be the largest known settlement for a wrongful death that occurred offshore. The list goes on, and we believe that it is indicative of our law firm’s passion for protecting offshore and maritime workers. To see for yourself the difference that we have made, we encourage you to visit our victories page today.
Get a Free Consultation with Our Experienced Louisiana Maritime Lawyers Today
One of the oldest law codes in the United States stems from centuries-old maritime laws. Many of these laws were designed around the dangers of the sea. Though we’ve come a long way, offshore jobs remain one of the most dangerous occupations in the world. From shipping vessels to energy production on oil rigs, American industry relies on offshore workers facing serious hazards every day.
Maritime accidents can leave you with a lot of questions, anxiety, and fear about your future. It can be difficult to know where you’re going to get the help that you need and if you will be able to take care of yourself and your loved ones. At Arnold & Itkin, we want you to know that we are here to help you through this.
Over the years, we have helped countless individuals who were in the same spot that you are now. We have stood by their side, refusing to back down when companies failed to protect them and then failed to assist in the recovery process. If you would like to get answers and take the first steps toward recovery, contact us immediately. We offer completely free, confidential consultations, and we’re ready to help you.
Call our offices today at (888) 493-1629 to schedule a free consultation with a Baton Rouge maritime lawyer.
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