Experienced Lafayette Personal Injury Attorneys

At The Young Firm, we limit our practice to only Maritime Law and Jones Act cases on behalf of injured maritime workers, which means that we devote all of our time and energy to fighting for people just like you. For example, we don’t handle car accident or divorce cases.

We find that focusing exclusively on maritime accidents allows us to give our clients the unique benefit of a team that is knowledgeable from all sides. Each of our attorneys is a Maritime Injury Lawyer, which means you will always be in the best possible hands.

Learn more about why we focus on Maritime Law, and how this experience helps offshore workers like you.

What Our Maritime Lawyers Stand For

We believe in educating injured workers about their rights and options which is why we offer several free books and downloads, as well as free consultations. We know that the toughest time for you lays in the days, weeks, and months immediately following your maritime injury. There are dozens of questions and it’s all new territory, which is why it’s imperative to have a maritime law expert on your side.

Though this is probably your first time dealing with maritime accident claims, we offer experienced maritime lawyers who have handled dozens of cases just like yours.  Our staff understands that seeking legal representation can be intimidating, which is a lot to handle on top of such challenges as lost wages and serious injury. That is why we are dedicated to offering personal injury lawyers who are always professional, friendly, honest, knowledgeable, hardworking, and compassionate.

Reviews from Lafayette Clients

“The entire staff of The Young Firm treated me with respect and dignity every time we spoke. I knew I made the right choice with The Young Firm when all the promises from my employer turn out to be empty. I can’t thank Tim, Jason, Rebecca, Lea and the entire staff at The Young Firm enough for all that they have done for me and my family. If you are considering a law firm that puts you first your only choice should be The Young Firm.” -Joe D.

“They kept me in the loop through emails, phone calls, and whatnot. There never was a period where I did not know what was going on, so it was a good thing that I’m here at Tim Young’s Law firm because they actually kept me in the loop with everything and kept me informed. The staff always treated me with open arms, and I never had a negative experience.” -Jarvis B.

Client Cases from Lafayette, LA

API Inspector Back Injured During Rope Swing Transfer | Confidential Settlement

After a routine inspection of a satellite platform, our client was transferred to a boat when he fell short and landed in the water. The boat on hand did not have the proper safety equipment or deckhand on board and, as a result, our client was left treading water for almost 30 minutes. During the case, we discovered that there were several equipment deficiencies that contributed to our client’s offshore accident.

The swing rope on the platform was too short to ensure a safe transfer and there was also no access ladder for our client to use to get out of the water. Despite their company doctor releasing our client back to work, a second opinion revealed that he had several back problems and needed shoulder surgery.

Ultimately, we secured a confidential settlement that covered his medical bills and helped tie him over until he obtained a different job. Since he lived in the Lafayette area, we connected him with excellent doctors in that area and he was thrilled with the treatment he received from these experts.

Botched Basket Transfer Caused Back & Neck Injury | $1.06 Million Settlement

In August 2015, our client was injured after a basket transfer went awry. As our client was being lowered down to a M/V, the basket slammed into the side of the boat knocking our client onto the deck and injuring his back.

As a result of his offshore accident, our client had to receive a lumbar fusion as well as a neck fusion. His maritime injuries greatly reduced his range of motion and prevented him from returning to work offshore. An expert in the case said it was the lack of communication between the M/V operator and the crane operator that caused our client’s accident.

In the end, our maritime lawyers were able to settle his case for over a million dollars and enable our client to move on with his life. On top of fair compensation, he received his surgery from a well renowned Lafayette neurosurgeon who we have worked with on many other cases for our clients.

Unsafe Bunk Beds Injure Client’s Ankle, Leg & Back | Confidential

At the time of his injury, our client was a 41-year-old Instrumentation and Electrical Technician aboard an M/V operated by a foreign corporation. In September of 2014, our client was descending a bunk bed ladder when the ladder slid causing him to fall to the floor and injure his right ankle, leg, hip, and back.

The next day he tried to get out of bed for work and could not put any weight on his foot. The upper bunk bed used by our client did not meet the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Requirements as it had no guardrails or lee rails and the ladder for accessing the upper bunk was not secured in any way. Additionally, the beds did not meet the requirements for the International Labour Organization (ILO) and therefore were hazardous for the crew to sleep in.

As a result of this negligence, our client was injured, lost his job, and required reconstruction surgery for his ankle. Had the responsible parties followed the necessary safety requirements, the accident that led to these severe injuries would have been avoided and he would not have lost his 9-year career as a maritime worker.

See all of our clients’ results.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you represent injured maritime workers who live in Lafayette, LA?

Absolutely. Louisiana is home to more than 50,000 maritime workers, which means that maritime accidents happen to workers from all over the state. As the maritime industry plays such a large role in Lafayette’s economy, it’s no surprise that we have represented many injured workers living in Lafayette.

Very often your maritime case will need to be filed in New Orleans even though you may live in the Lafayette, LA area. Our office is across the street from the federal courthouse in New Orleans, which ensures that your case is filed quickly and efficiently.

Will I need to travel to your office?

For the most part, our clients only need to come to our office a few times throughout their case. Otherwise, we stay in contact primarily through emails, phone calls, and mail.

If need be, we can also come to you.

What are your attorney fees?

Most attorney fees range between 33-40% of the recovery amount.  This includes basic car wreck cases that can often settle in a few weeks. As maritime injury lawyers, our fees are the same as all well known maritime attorneys in the area who handle serious cases; 40%. Your maritime injury lawyer will advance all costs and expenses on the case, as well as investing ample time in getting to the bottom of your maritime accident.

Maritime injury cases tend to be more complicated and expensive than car accident cases, which is why fees for maritime injury cases are typically 40% of the recovery.

The fees only apply if we are able to successfully settle your case or win your case in court. Otherwise, you don’t pay anything.

What sets you apart from the personal injury attorneys in Lafayette?

Unlike a general personal injury lawyer, our office focuses entirely on maritime injury law and maritime accident victims. This means we know more about the Jones Act, maritime laws, and the maritime industry than most other personal injury law firms.

Maritime accident victims face complexities that land-based employees do not. Often, maritime accidents are the result of negligence and carelessness of vessel-specific safety regulations. We know the regulations, and we know when they’ve been broken. This is part of why we are better equipped to help harbor workers and other maritime employees with their specific personal injury cases.

With years of experience under our belt, our experienced maritime injury lawyers are prepared to handle any and all maritime accident cases. We know how to hold responsible parties accountable while getting the most out of the settlements as possible.

What kind of Maritime Accidents can you help with?

We offer services for a variety of maritime accidents and maritime injuries. If you are a harbor worker, Captain, deckhand, driller, toolpusher, OIM or any other type of maritime worker who works on a vessel, you are likely covered under the Jones Act. As one of these types of employees, our maritime accident lawyers stand prepared to help you obtain the financial compensation you deserve after injuries sustained in an offshore accident.

From commercial fishing accidents to spinal cord injuries and wrongful death, we are prepared to support you as you navigate the complicated waters of maritime claims. To put it simply, if an accident occurred on or near water, you as a Seaman (or the family of a Seaman) are likely entitled to seek financial compensation through Jones Act claims.

Who We Serve

Over the years we have handled cases for hundreds of injured maritime workers. We’ve worked with:

• Captains
• Deckhands
• OIMs
• Drillers
• Floorhands
• Engineers
• Longshoremen
• Roustabouts
• Toolpushers
• Crane Operators
• API Inspectors
  

Our clients have come to us from all over the U.S., but most of them are from Louisiana, with dozens of clients from Lafayette and its surrounding area specifically.

If you’re looking for a Lafayette Maritime Lawyer, then we may be the right firm to help you seek compensation for your maritime injuries. Still not sure? Schedule a free consultation today.

Get Answers to Your Questions