Standing Up for Gulf Coast Workers when Accidents Happen at Sea
Offshore work has always carried real risk, and New Orleans sits at the heart of an industry built around that risk. Platforms, supply boats, and marine construction sites in the Gulf run on heavy equipment, unpredictable weather, and long shifts. When something goes wrong out there, an injured worker can be hours from a hospital.
At Frischhertz & Impastato, we represent offshore workers throughout the New Orleans area and along the Gulf Coast who have been hurt on the job, and we bring more than 85 years of combined legal experience to that work.
Call (504) 276-6962 for a free consultation to see how our New Orleans offshore injury attorneys may be able to help you. We’ve recovered over $700 million.
Accidents that are common on offshore job sites include:
Falls from heights
Crushing injuries from machinery
Chemical exposure, fires
Explosions
Back and neck injuries from repetitive lifting or slips on wet decks
Because offshore employers and vessel owners are required to maintain safe working conditions and seaworthy vessels, many of these injuries trace back to a failure somewhere in the chain: poor maintenance, inadequate training, understaffing, or a shortcut taken to save time or money.
Our offshore injury attorneys look closely at what caused the incident, not just what happened after it. That often means reviewing maintenance logs, safety records, and communications between the worker’s employer and the vessel or platform owner. Offshore injury cases can involve multiple companies, from staffing agencies to platform operators to equipment manufacturers. Sorting out who bears responsibility takes real investigative work.
Compensation Available to Injured Offshore Workers
Depending on the nature of the job and the type of vessel or platform involved, an injured offshore worker’s claim may fall under:
Some workers are also entitled to maintenance and cure, a longstanding maritime obligation that requires employers to cover a portion of daily living expenses and medical treatment while an injured seaman recovers, regardless of who’s at fault for the injury.
Because these legal frameworks overlap and sometimes conflict, workers are often unsure which path applies to their situation, or whether they qualify for more than one form of relief. We walk clients through those options and pursue the combination of claims that fits their circumstances.
Our goal is to recover compensation that accounts for:
Medical bills
Lost income
Diminished earning capacity
The physical and emotional toll of a serious injury
A Louisiana Legal Landscape That Has Shifted
Louisiana law has changed in ways that matter to offshore injury claims. For injures that occurred on or after July 1, 2024, injured workers generally have two years to file a personal injury lawsuit, up from the one-year deadline that applied before.
And as of January 1, 2026, Louisiana has moved to a modified comparative negligence system with a 51% bar. That means a worker who is found to be more than half at fault for their own injury cannot recover compensation. These changes make it more important than ever to have the facts of a case documented and evaluated early.
Why Injured Offshore Workers Choose Our New Orleans Firm
When a client hires us, they are not handed off to a single attorney who is working alone. Our team of eight attorneys, with backgrounds that range from insurance defense to maritime commerce, works together on every case. That means more than one set of eyes reviews the medical records, more than one perspective on strategy is provided, and more resources are available when a case heads toward trial. Several of our attorneys carry recognition from organizations such as Super Lawyers, Lead Counsel, and the National Association of Distinguished Counsel, reflecting years of focused work in personal injury law.
We have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for injured clients, including offshore and maritime workers, and we have taken on large offshore operators, staffing companies, and insurance carries that would rather settle quickly than acknowledge what happened. Our offshore injury lawyers prepare every case as though it may end up in front of a jury, because that preparation tends to produce better results at the negotiating table too.
Our offshore injury lawyers in New Orleans take these cases on a contingency fee basis: you owe nothing unless we recover on your behalf. Call (504) 276-6962 for your free consultation.
A compilation of the Frischhertz & Impastato attorneys and staff at work and interacting with clients.
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