New Orleans Offshore Oil Rig Injury Lawyer
Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe PLLC represents injured workers from New Orleans and Orleans Parish, and from communities across South Louisiana and Mississippi, including people hurt on drilling rigs, platforms, and other energy job sites. If you work in the oil patch and got hurt, the first thing to settle is which body of law governs your injury, because that single question controls what you can recover and who you can recover it from.
An offshore oil rig injury lawyer in New Orleans has to sort that out before anything else. A worker burned on a land-based rig, a derrickhand whose shoulder gave out pulling heavy pipe, and a roughneck hurt on a platform in open water can all end up under different rules. State workers’ compensation, federal maritime remedies, and third-party negligence claims each have their own deadlines, their own defendants, and their own ways of going wrong if the wrong one is chosen too quickly.
Insurers and employers in the energy industry also tend to move fast. Statements get taken, medical providers get steered, and the paperwork that follows can quietly define your claim before you have spoken to anyone on your side. The sections below cover how these cases actually break down and what to do while the evidence is still fresh.
Which Law Governs Your Rig Injury: State Comp, Maritime Remedies, or Both
Not every offshore injury is a Louisiana workers’ compensation claim, and not every rig injury is a maritime claim. The answer depends on facts that sound minor but carry enormous weight: where you were working when you got hurt, what the structure was, what your job actually involved, and who was paying you. Two workers on the same platform can fall under different systems.
Workers who spend a substantial part of their time on vessels may have access to federal maritime remedies rather than, or in addition to, state benefits. Workers on fixed platforms and on land-based rigs more often fall under the state comp system. Because the line between these categories is fact-driven, the label your employer puts on you is not the final word. Employers and insurers sometimes characterize a worker in whichever way limits their exposure, which is one reason to have the classification reviewed by someone who handles these claims every day.
Our firm’s focus is workers’ compensation, and we also represent injured people in third-party personal injury and wrongful death cases. When your situation points toward a federal maritime claim that falls outside what we handle, we will tell you plainly rather than leave you guessing. What matters is that the classification question gets answered correctly before deadlines pass and before anything you say locks you in.
Why Choose Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe for an Offshore Oil Rig Injury Claim
Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe PLLC is a workers’ compensation firm that serves injured workers throughout Louisiana and Mississippi, including New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Lake Charles, the Gulf Coast, and the surrounding communities. Clients pay nothing up front, consultations are free, we advance the costs of the case, and we are paid only if we recover benefits or a settlement. Our phones are answered 24 hours a day, and we speak Spanish.
The team includes Rob Lunsford, Founding Partner, who has spent his entire legal career representing injured workers. Brad Baskin and Jennifer Priebe are partners recognized by Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers, and The National Trial Lawyers. Andrew Rueff has successfully tried dozens of jury and bench trials to verdict, which matters when an insurer will not pay a fair price without a courtroom behind the demand. Keaton Belk and Erin Heimlicher round out the attorney team. The firm has also been ranked by Best Law Firms for Workers’ Compensation Law, Claimants, in Jackson.
Our results include work for energy-industry clients: $221,000 for a land-based oil rig worker with severe burns to the lower extremities and $195,000 for a derrickhand with complex left shoulder injuries from pulling large pipes. Across all claim types we have recovered more than $100 million in settlements, including $685,000 for a surgical tech with a lower back injury and $600,000 for a construction worker with a complex back injury. Clients describe a team that listens, stays professional, and fights with the insurance company at every step.
Injuries We See on Rigs, Platforms, and Energy Job Sites
- Burns and Catastrophic Injuries: Fires, flash events, hot fluids, and equipment failures on rigs and in processing plants can cause deep burns and life-altering trauma. These claims often involve burn specialists, skin grafting, long rehabilitation, and questions about permanent disability and whether anyone besides your employer shares the blame.
- Shoulder Injuries from Pipe and Tool Handling: Derrickhands and floor crews handle heavy pipe all day. Torn rotator cuffs and SLAP tears are common, and employers sometimes call them old sports injuries or normal wear, even when repetitive heavy work caused or worsened the damage.
- Back, Neck, and Spine Injuries: Lifting, slips on wet or oily decking, and falls produce lumbar and cervical disc herniations. Insurers frequently blame degenerative disc disease, so the medical evidence tying the injury to the job carries the claim.
- Knee Injuries: Ladders, stairways, uneven platform surfaces, and constant climbing lead to meniscus and ACL tears that can end a worker’s ability to do physically demanding jobs.
- Fractures and Crush Injuries: Feet, ankles, hips, and hands can be broken when equipment shifts, loads drop, or workers are caught between machinery. Complex repairs often mean specialist care and long recovery periods.
- Struck-by Injuries in Work Vehicles: Crew and supply vehicles traveling to and from sites can be hit by negligent drivers. These cases can support both a comp claim and a separate injury claim against the at-fault driver.
- Occupational Illness and Exposure: Hearing loss, respiratory problems, and conditions that develop over time from work conditions can qualify for benefits, even without a single dramatic accident date.
- Fatal Rig Accidents: When a worker dies on the job, surviving family members may be entitled to death benefits and may also have wrongful death claims against third parties.
What to Do After You Are Hurt on an Oil Rig
Get medical attention first, and be specific about what happened when you describe the injury to the provider. Records created in the first hours and days carry great weight later, and a vague note like “back pain” can be twisted into a pre-existing condition argument. Name the incident, the body parts affected, and the task you were doing.
Report the injury to your employer right away and put it in writing if you can. In Louisiana, notice to the employer is required within 30 days of the injury, and no compensation proceeding is maintained without it. A formal claim generally must be filed within one year of the accident, though the period can stretch to three years from the last compensation payment when benefits have been paid. Mississippi workers have a 30-day notice requirement as well and generally two years to file with the Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Commission. Waiting is the most common way a good claim becomes a weak one.
Preserve evidence. Photograph the equipment, the area, and your injuries. Write down the names of witnesses, supervisors who were told, and anyone who saw the incident. Keep your pay records, job title, and any documents that show your duties, because those facts can decide which legal system applies. Be careful about recorded statements to the insurer, and do not sign anything that describes the accident or releases claims until someone on your side has read it.
If the carrier denies a treatment recommendation, a short clock starts. In Louisiana, a dispute over medical treatment must be taken to the Office of Workers’ Compensation on LWC Form 1009 within 15 calendar days of written notice of the denial, and the medical director then has 30 calendar days to decide. A party who wants to challenge that decision then has 45 days from issuance to file Form 1008. Missing these windows can cost you the treatment itself. Claims that reach a hearing are heard by a workers’ compensation judge at the Office of Workers’ Compensation Administration, and the worker can elect to have the hearing in the parish where the injury occurred, the parish of residence when injured, or the parish of the employer’s principal place of business. A judgment can be appealed to the appropriate Louisiana circuit court of appeal; an appeal that suspends the judgment must be filed within 30 days, and one that does not has 60 days. For Orleans Parish matters, that court is the Fourth Circuit.
Wage Benefits, Medical Care, and Third-Party Claims in Rig Cases
Louisiana comp covers reasonable and necessary medical treatment and replaces a portion of lost wages while you cannot work. Weekly benefits are tied to your average weekly wage, subject to a maximum that is set by the date of your accident and adjusted periodically. If you can return to work but earn less than 90 percent of what you made before, you may qualify for supplemental earnings benefits, calculated as two-thirds of the difference between your pre-injury and post-injury earning ability. Those benefits generally run until you are released to full duty, earn your old wages again, or reach a 520-week cap, and weeks of temporary total disability count toward that cap.
Rig work frequently involves several companies on one site: an operator, a drilling contractor, service companies, equipment manufacturers, and staffing agencies. Workers’ compensation usually limits your claim against your direct employer, but it does not shield everyone else. A negligent contractor, a defective piece of equipment, or a driver who hits your work truck can all be the basis for a separate personal injury claim that pays for things comp does not, such as pain and suffering.
Timing and fault rules matter there. For Louisiana injuries on or after July 1, 2024, the general injury lawsuit deadline is two years from the day the damage is sustained. A claimant found 51 percent or more at fault recovers nothing for causes of action arising on or after January 1, 2026, while lower percentages reduce the award proportionally. Coordinating a comp claim with a third-party case takes care, since settling one the wrong way can affect the other, including the insurer’s reimbursement rights.
Questions About Offshore and Oil Rig Injury Claims
Do I need an offshore oil rig injury lawyer if my employer is already paying my medical bills?
It is worth a conversation. Early payment does not mean the claim is safe. Benefits can be cut off when an adjuster decides you are ready for light duty, a surgery recommendation can be denied, and a classification question can surface months later. A lawyer can also tell you whether a third-party claim exists that your employer will never mention.
How do I know whether my rig injury falls under workers’ compensation or a maritime claim?
It turns on where you worked, what the structure was, how much of your work was tied to vessels, and who employed you. Your job title and your employer’s paperwork are not conclusive. Bring your pay stubs, assignment records, and a description of your daily duties so the classification can be reviewed properly.
How long do I have to report an offshore injury in Louisiana?
Report it to your employer within 30 days of the injury, and sooner is much better. A formal claim generally must be filed within one year of the accident, with an extension to three years from the last payment when compensation has been paid.
What if I was hurt on a rig but I live in Mississippi?
Residency does not decide which system applies, but where you were hired and where you work can matter. Mississippi workers must report an injury within 30 days and generally have two years to file with the Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Commission. We represent injured workers in both states, so we can look at which state’s rules fit your facts.
Can the insurance company say my shoulder or back problem is just wear and tear?
They often do. A pre-existing condition does not end a claim if your work caused, worsened, or sped up the condition. Strong medical opinions tying your job duties to the injury are what answer that argument, and building that evidence is central to our work.
Can I be fired for filing a workers’ compensation claim after a rig accident?
Louisiana and Mississippi both protect workers from retaliation for filing a comp claim. If you were laid off, written up, or pushed out after reporting an injury, tell us during your consultation so we can review what happened.
What if the insurer denies my surgery?
In Louisiana you have 15 calendar days from written notice of the denial to file Form 1009 with the Office of Workers’ Compensation. Do not let that deadline pass while waiting for the insurer to reconsider. Have an attorney review the denial immediately.
Can I sue someone besides my employer after a rig accident?
Often yes. A negligent contractor, equipment manufacturer, or outside driver may be liable even though your employer is protected by the comp system. Those claims run on their own deadlines and can yield damages that comp benefits do not provide.
What happens to my claim if I was partly at fault for the accident?
Workers’ compensation does not turn on fault, so a mistake on your part generally does not defeat comp benefits. In a separate negligence claim for causes of action arising on or after January 1, 2026, Louisiana bars recovery if you are 51 percent or more at fault and reduces the award for lesser shares. Mississippi reduces a recovery by your share of fault rather than barring it.
Will I have to pay anything to hire your firm?
No. Consultations are free, we advance the costs of the case, and we are paid only if we recover benefits or a settlement. Attorney fees in workers’ compensation cases are limited and approved under state law.
My family member died in a rig accident. What deadlines apply?
Death benefits under workers’ compensation and wrongful death claims against third parties run on separate timelines. In Louisiana, a wrongful death claim is generally due one year from the death or two years from the day the injury occurred, whichever is longer. Speak with an attorney quickly so nothing is lost.
Serving Injured Energy Workers Across New Orleans and South Louisiana
We represent injured workers throughout New Orleans and Orleans Parish, from the French Quarter and the Central Business District to Uptown, Mid-City, Gentilly, Algiers, Bywater, and the Lower Ninth Ward. Just across the parish line, we also serve workers in Metairie, Kenner, Harahan, Gretna, Marrero, and Harvey in Jefferson Parish, as well as Chalmette and Arabi in St. Bernard Parish.
Many rig and platform workers live farther out along the Gulf, so our work extends to Houma, Thibodaux, Slidell, Covington, and Mandeville, and to Baton Rouge, Lafayette, and Lake Charles, where much of the state’s energy workforce is based. We also represent injured workers in Shreveport and communities across north and south Louisiana, and across the border in Mississippi, from the Gulf Coast and Hattiesburg to Jackson, Madison, Southaven, and the Delta.
Talk With a New Orleans Offshore Oil Rig Injury Attorney
If you were hurt on a rig, a platform, or any energy job site, you do not have to sort out the classification question, the insurer’s tactics, and the deadlines on your own. A New Orleans offshore oil rig injury attorney at Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe can review what happened, explain which remedies fit your facts, and take on the insurance company while you focus on recovery.
Call us today for a free consultation. Our phones are answered 24 hours a day, you pay nothing up front, and you owe no fee unless we recover benefits for you. Hablamos español.
