Shreveport Offshore Injury Lawyer

Offshore worksites like vessels and offshore rigs have numerous hazards and can cause accidents that seriously injure or kill workers and others on the vessels. Serious injuries can lead to numerous costs and personal losses. If you work on waterways, ships, or other offshore vessels and were injured due to the negligence of your captain or crew, you are entitled to compensation. A Shreveport offshore injury lawyer can help you investigate.

A lawyer can help you investigate for negligence and get the financial recovery you need. Employees are sometimes restricted only to workers’ compensation claims, but there are cases where they can file a personal injury claim. Injuries may be caused by carelessness and a failure to follow safety regulations, such as maintenance, inspection, and training of other employees.

An attorney can help employees and non-employees determine what their options are for filing a civil claim.

Representing Those Injured in Offshore Accidents in Shreveport

The legal team at Jacqueline A. Scott & Associates helps injured ship workers throughout Louisiana protect their right to compensation and bring Jones Act claims that reimburse them for their pain and suffering, lost wages, and medical bills. We have also helped injured workers and others injured offshore determine other viable options for compensation if an individual or company is responsible for the accident.

Having a skilled legal team supporting you after a maritime or offshore accident is crucial. These accidents can include explosions, fires, and other accidents that result in catastrophic and potentially disabling injuries. These injuries can affect you for the rest of your life, limiting your ability to move, complete basic tasks, or work. Filing a claim can provide some financial compensation for these significant losses.

Attorney Jacqueline Scott is a recognized leader in the local legal community. From 2003 to 2015, she has been included as a favorite in SB Magazine’s Lawyers Poll, a list compiled by local attorneys who have seen Attorney Jacqueline Scott in action. She has 20 years of legal experience helping those who were hurt because of the negligence of others, and she is a dedicated negotiator and assertive litigator. Jacqueline A. Scott & Associates can help you secure the recovery you need to rebuild your life.

Civil Personal Injury Claims Vs. Workers’ Compensation Claims

Offshore and maritime work is essential in Louisiana. This work is also some of the most hazardous. Offshore employees have a much higher risk of injury than other employees. Workers must be aware of their rights in the event of an injury.

Most employees can file a workers’ compensation claim under federal laws like the Jones Act or the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act. This coverage doesn’t require an employee to prove anyone at fault to recover damages. However, employees can sometimes recover additional compensation through other methods. The right legal representation can support your rights and determine how you can pursue compensation.

The Jones Act

The Jones Act protects sailors and other seamen who become injured while completing their job duties. Even job functions that were being completed on a dock or on land at the time of the injury are covered by the act. Common injuries include:

• Back and neck injuries
• Amputations
• Cuts and broken bones
• Asphyxiation
• Slips and fall injuries
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Nerve damage
• Being crushed by moving cargo
• Listing injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Internal organ damage
• Electrical fire burns
• Chemical burns
• Exposure to hazardous substances
• Toxic inhalation
• Oil rig explosion injuries
• Wrongful death

The Jones Act protects seamen who are injured on the job. Unlike traditional workers’ compensation and personal injury claims, the Jones Act has specific requirements and procedures to obtain compensation.

To be eligible for compensation under the Jones Act, workers must have job duties that contribute to the function of the vessel. In addition, vessels must be “navigable.” Examples of navigable vessels include cargo ships, barges, oil tankers, fishing boats, and submersible oil rigs. At the law offices of Jacqueline A. Scott & Associates, our first goal is to get you the compensation you need to support your family and move forward to a better future.

Types of Offshore Accidents

Offshore work uses hazardous chemicals, deals with complex and heavy machinery, and other high-risk work. Employers have a responsibility to follow safety regulations to maintain a safe workplace and limit the likelihood of injuries and accidents. Some of the common types of offshore accidents include:

• Slip and Fall Accidents: Slip and falls can happen to employees when falling from ladders and higher decks, colliding with sharp and heavy equipment, and other sorts of falls. These can be caused by slick and wet surfaces, sudden movements, and a lack of proper care and safety features.

While some may consider slip and fall accidents to be less serious, these accidents can result in puncture wounds, traumatic brain injuries, neck and back injuries, and other potentially debilitating injuries.

• Falling and Unsecured Objects: Unsecured machinery, tools, and other equipment can cause serious and fatal injuries on a vessel. Smaller objects can fall from significant heights and cause traumatic brain injuries, while unsecured large machinery can cause crushing injuries.
• Equipment Accidents: Vessels and other offshore worksites use dangerous machinery in many processes. Accidents with this equipment can happen for many reasons. If employees are not properly trained or instructed on how to use the equipment, they may operate it dangerously, hurting others or themselves.

Equipment can also malfunction if it is poorly made or designed. Machinery also becomes dangerous if it is not properly repaired. Equipment can experience significant wear and tear on an offshore site, and it is important that employers ensure the regular maintenance and repair of dangerous equipment.

• Hazardous Exposure: Employee injuries can also occur from long-term exposure to hazardous materials, chemicals, or environments, leading to sickness and inhalation injuries. This exposure is more likely if containers are not inspected for damage or leaks or if personal protective gear is not provided for employees.
• Fires and Explosions: One of the most dangerous accidents on offshore rigs or vessels is a fire or explosion. Worksites deal with flammable materials and chemicals, vapors, pressurized containers, and electrical equipment, which can combine to create a potentially deadly incident. Employees who survive can be left with severe burns, blunt force trauma, scarring, and other long-term injuries.

Louisiana Jones Act Claims Attorney Protecting Your Right to Compensation

When a physical injury forces you off the job, lost wages and expensive medical bills can make it difficult to make ends meet. At Jacqueline A. Scott & Associates, we understand the financial strain our clients experience when forced to miss work while treating their injuries. Our attorneys work quickly to get our clients the compensation they need to pay their bills and support their families. Types of compensation provided under the Jones Act include:

• Lost wages
• Maintenance and cure
• Found
• Loss of future earnings
• Vocational retraining
• Physical pain and suffering
• Disfigurement
• Medical bills

Some employees can only recover compensation through the Jones Act, while others can file a civil personal injury claim. Bringing your claim to an attorney is essential to determining what forms of compensation you are eligible for and maximizing your claim’s value.

What Compensation Is Available Under a Civil Claim?

You may be able to file a civil personal injury claim if another party is to blame for your accident. This may be the manufacturer of a product that is strictly liable, or it may be a negligent employer or company. You can also hold malicious or criminally negligent parties liable through a civil claim.

The damages you can recover in a settlement or verdict will depend on the damages you sustained in the offshore accident. When you have more costly injuries and other losses, your settlement will likewise need to be higher. Most personal injury claims recover compensatory damages, which include economic and non-economic damages.

Economic damages are losses you suffer with set financial values. This includes losses such as:

• Medical Bills: Recovering the cost of your medical bills includes your current costs, as well as the medical treatment you may need in the future. It covers the cost of doctor’s visits, hospital stays, prescription medication, trips to obtain medical care, surgeries, and other treatments.

If you need physical and mental therapy in the future, those costs should be considered. Your settlement should also consider the cost of complications that are likely with the injuries you have.

• Long-Term Care: Maritime accidents can result in catastrophic and disabling injuries. They may prevent you from completing daily tasks, moving easily around, or providing for your basic needs.

If you need at-home care or to hire someone to complete certain tasks, your settlement should consider the costs of these services. If you have a long-term need for medical devices or mobility aids because of your maritime accident injuries, these should also be covered.

• Lost Wages and Earning Capacity: You lose income when you cannot work due to your injury, and these losses should be compensated. If your recovery period is short-term, you can recover the wages you should have earned during that time. If you are disabled and cannot return to work, you should be compensated for the wages you would have earned during your lifetime if you were not injured.

Non-Economic Damages

Non-economic damages do not have objective values but are assigned financial amounts based on how your injuries impact your daily life and your long-term well-being. They compensate for emotional and psychological losses. This includes damages like:

• Emotional anguish
• Pain and suffering
• Diminished enjoyment or quality of life
• Loss of consortium or companionship
• Disfigurement and scarring

When you file a civil personal injury claim on top of a Jones Act claim, the civil claim can cover the aspects that the Jones Act claim could not.

Calculating a Full and Fair Settlement

Calculating a full and fair settlement is difficult to do if you are unfamiliar with it, especially when you are injured. While you may be able to determine your immediate costs, it can be harder to know the fair value for non-economic damages or long-term economic losses. You are likely to undervalue these amounts and accept a settlement that will not cover the damages.

When you work with an attorney, you can avoid this. An attorney has substantial experience calculating these damages and determining fair settlements based on the injuries you have. Your attorney can calculate the real cost of your damages before entering negotiations and will not accept a settlement that won’t cover your losses. The team at Jacqueline A. Scott & Associates can get you the most compensation possible to help you rebuild your life and protect your future.

Why Is It Important to Work With an Attorney After an Offshore Accident?

Personal injury claims are complex and must be filed soon after an accident happens. When you are an employee, it can be difficult to determine whether you have the ability to file a workers’ compensation claim, a personal injury claim, or both. This requires an investigation that you often do not have the resources for.

The location of the accident can significantly affect your options for compensation. An attorney can provide you with the legal guidance you need and has the resources to gather the evidence you need to file a claim.

Navigating the issues of a claim is even harder when you are seriously injured. You need to rest and recover. Having the support of an offshore accident attorney allows you to do this while knowing your case is in good hands. Your attorney can ensure you meet deadlines, negotiate your claim, and take it to court if a fair settlement cannot be reached. You are more likely to have a successful case and get the most financial recovery possible when you work with an attorney.

We Care About Your Future

Our clients know that when they call, we will listen to them with concern and compassion. They also know that they can trust our lawyers to protect their rights to the fullest extent possible. Call Attorney Jacqueline Scott today at 318-746-5997 or use our online contact form to schedule a free consultation. With offices in Bossier City-Shreveport and Monroe, we serve clients throughout northeast Louisiana.

Together, we will get you the compensation you need to pay your bills and move forward with your life.