Houma Back & Spine Injury Lawyer
A back injury at work is rarely treated as a single event by the insurance company; it gets treated as a question about your spine’s history. That is the first thing a worker in Terrebonne Parish usually runs into. Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe PLLC is a workers’ compensation law firm that represents injured workers across Louisiana and Mississippi, and as a Houma back and spine injury lawyer team we spend much of our time answering that question with medical evidence rather than letting an adjuster answer it for us.
Houma sits at the center of an economy built on physical labor: offshore and oilfield support, marine fabrication and shipyards, tugboats and vessel crews, seafood processing, construction, and the trucking that keeps all of it supplied. Lifting, twisting, pulling pipe, climbing, and long hours on equipment all load the lumbar and cervical spine. When a disc herniates or a vertebra is injured, the questions come fast: who pays for the MRI, who chooses the surgeon, and whether the insurer will say the problem was always there.
Spine claims are also among the most contested in workers’ compensation, because the treatment is expensive and the wage loss can last. A herniated disc that needs a fusion costs far more than a sprain, and carriers know it. What you do in the first weeks, including how you report the injury, which doctor you see, and what you tell the adjuster, can shape the entire claim.
Why Choose Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe for a Houma Spine Injury Claim
Our attorneys bring over 75 years of combined experience to claims that have been denied, delayed, or cut off, and the firm has recovered more than $100 million in settlements for injured clients. We serve workers in Houma and Terrebonne Parish, throughout South Louisiana, and across Mississippi. Consultations are free, we advance the costs of your case, and you owe no fee unless we recover benefits or a settlement for you. Our phones are answered 24 hours a day, and hablamos español.
Back and spine injuries make up a large share of the results we have achieved. They include a $685,000 settlement for a surgical tech with a lower back injury, $600,000 for a construction worker with a complex back injury, and $385,000 for a project manager who suffered back injuries after being struck in his work vehicle. We have also resolved cases for a truck driver injured in a wreck on the job, a delivery driver with a lumbar injury, and a retail supervisor with a back injury. Clients who have reviewed the firm describe attorneys who listened, stayed professional, and stood up to the insurance company at each stage.
Partners Brad Baskin and Jennifer Priebe have been recognized by Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers, and The National Trial Lawyers, and the firm was ranked by Best Law Firms in 2026 for Workers’ Compensation Law, Claimants, in Jackson. Andrew Rueff has tried dozens of jury and bench trials to verdict, and Keaton Belk and Erin Heimlicher round out the team of attorneys who work these claims.
Spine Injury Claims We See From Houma Workplaces
- Lumbar Disc Herniations: Lifting pipe, hoses, or heavy tools on a dock, rig, or fabrication floor is a classic cause. Insurers often point to degenerative disc disease; we answer with imaging, treating-physician opinions, and the specific incident or repetitive work that caused or worsened the injury.
- Cervical Spine and Neck Injuries: Crane and forklift operators, welders working overhead, and drivers in rear-end collisions are prone to neck injuries that can radiate into the arms and hands. These often lead to injections or fusion surgery that the carrier may try to deny.
- Offshore and Oilfield Support Injuries: Slips on wet decks, falls from equipment, and pipe-handling accidents in the oil and gas sector produce serious back trauma. Whether workers’ compensation or a different federal or maritime remedy applies depends on the job, so the facts of where and how you worked matter early.
- Vertebral Fractures and Compression Injuries: Falls from scaffolding, ladders, or vessel structures can fracture vertebrae and damage the spinal cord. These are catastrophic injuries that may bring permanent disability benefits and lifelong medical needs.
- Repetitive Strain and Cumulative Back Injuries: Years of heavy labor in shipyards, seafood plants, and construction can wear down the spine without one dramatic accident. These claims depend on documenting how the job itself caused or accelerated the damage.
- Truck and Vehicle Accident Spine Injuries: Drivers who work on the highways around Houma and across South Louisiana can be hurt by negligent third parties. You may have both a comp claim and a separate injury claim against the at-fault driver.
- Failed Back Surgery and Re-Injury: Some workers need additional surgery or are hurt again after returning to duty. We pursue continued treatment and benefits when the original injury is still driving the problem.
What to Do After a Back or Spine Injury at Work in Houma
Report the injury to your employer right away, and in writing if you can. Louisiana law requires notice to the employer within 30 days of the injury, and a missed notice gives the insurer an easy argument. Then see a doctor and be specific about how the injury happened and where it hurts. Records from the first visit carry a lot of weight, and a vague description such as “back pain” can be used against you later. Tell every provider it happened at work.
Keep your own file: dates, who you told, photographs of the area where you were hurt, names of coworkers who saw it, pay stubs, and every medical bill and letter from the insurer. Avoid giving a recorded statement to the adjuster before you understand your rights, and do not sign medical releases broader than you need to. Do not go back to heavy duty before your doctor clears you, and do not ignore restrictions to prove you are tough.
In Louisiana, a formal claim generally must be filed within one year of the date of injury. If the insurer has paid compensation benefits, the period can extend to three years from the last payment, but that is an exception you should not plan around. Workers’ compensation claims here are heard by workers’ compensation judges, and Houma has its own district office within the Louisiana Office of Workers’ Compensation Administration. Under Louisiana law, you elect where the hearing is held: the parish where you were hurt, the parish where you lived when injured, or the parish of the employer’s principal place of business.
Medical disputes move on short clocks. If the insurer denies a treatment recommendation, such as a spinal injection, a surgery, or an MRI, you have 15 calendar days from written notice of the denial to file the form that starts the review through the OWC medical director, who then has 30 calendar days to issue a decision. If you disagree with that decision, you have 45 days from the date it was issued to take the next step. A final judgment from a workers’ compensation judge can be appealed to the Louisiana court of appeal, generally within 30 days. For parishes like Terrebonne, appeals go to the First Circuit, and a party may ask the Louisiana Supreme Court to review a First Circuit decision through a writ application filed within 30 days of notice of the judgment. These deadlines are why a denial letter should go to a lawyer the day it arrives, not weeks later.
How Insurers Fight Spine Claims and How Benefits Work
The most common defense is the pre-existing condition. Most adults over a certain age show some disc degeneration on an MRI, and carriers lean on that. The legal point is that a pre-existing condition does not end your claim if the job caused, worsened, or accelerated it. We work with your treating physicians to draw that line clearly and tie it to the work you actually performed.
Other tactics include disputing that the accident happened at work, questioning delays in reporting, pushing a return to work before the surgeon agrees, and demanding an independent medical examination from a doctor the carrier selects. Surveillance and social media are also used to argue you are more capable than you say. Consistent medical treatment and honest, steady accounts matter more than any single piece of evidence.
Louisiana workers’ compensation pays reasonable and necessary medical care and wage benefits while you cannot work. Temporary total disability replaces part of your wages during recovery. If you return to work but cannot earn at least 90 percent of your pre-injury wages, supplemental earnings benefits pay two-thirds of the difference between what you earned before and what you earn or are able to earn now. Those benefits can continue until you are released to full duty, you are earning your pre-injury wages, or you reach the 520-week maximum, and weeks of temporary total disability count toward that total. Weekly compensation rates are capped, and the cap is fixed by the date of your accident. Serious spinal injuries can also support permanent disability benefits and settlement of future medical needs, which is where a careful valuation of your long-term care becomes essential.
If someone other than your employer caused the injury, such as a negligent driver or a contractor who left an unsafe site, you may also have a personal injury claim. For injuries on or after July 1, 2024, Louisiana’s general period for those claims is two years, and a fault rule that bars recovery for a claimant found 51 percent or more at fault applies to causes of action arising on or after January 1, 2026. Coordinating that claim with your comp benefits protects both.
Houma Back and Spine Injury Questions, Answered
Do I need a lawyer for a back injury workers’ comp claim?
Not every claim requires one, but spine cases are different from minor injuries. If benefits have been denied, delayed, reduced, or cut off, or if you may be out of work for a long time or need surgery, a lawyer can make a major difference. The insurer has adjusters and lawyers working for it.
How much does it cost to hire your firm?
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 for you. Attorney fees in workers’ compensation cases are limited and approved under state law.
How long do I have to report my injury and file a claim in Louisiana?
Report to your employer within 30 days of the injury. A formal claim generally must be filed within one year of the injury, though payments already made by the insurer can extend that to three years from the last payment. Because exceptions are narrow, do not wait.
Can the insurance company say my herniated disc was already there?
They can say it, and they often do. But a pre-existing condition does not automatically defeat a claim. If your work caused, worsened, or sped up the condition, you may still be entitled to benefits, and strong medical evidence is how that gets proven.
Who picks my doctor for a spine injury?
Louisiana gives you a degree of choice in selecting a treating physician, and disputes over specialists, second opinions, and surgery approvals are common. How and when you choose matters, so speak with an attorney before changing providers or accepting the carrier’s referral for an ongoing back problem.
What happens if the insurer denies my surgery or MRI?
You have 15 calendar days from written notice of the denial to file the dispute form with the OWC, and the medical director then has 30 calendar days to rule. Missing that first window can cost you leverage, so bring the denial letter to us immediately.
Will I have to go to an independent medical exam?
You may be required to attend an exam by a doctor the insurer selects. These exams are frequently used to argue that your condition is minor or unrelated to work. It helps to prepare, to be accurate about your symptoms, and to have your attorney follow up with your treating physician’s opinion.
Can I get workers’ comp and sue someone else for the same back injury?
Yes, when a third party other than your employer caused the injury, such as the driver who hit your work truck. The two claims run on different rules and deadlines, and the comp insurer may have a right of reimbursement, so they need to be handled together.
What if I was partly at fault for the accident?
Fault generally does not defeat a workers’ compensation claim; it is a no-fault system. In a separate claim against a third party, fault can matter much more. For causes of action arising on or after January 1, 2026, a claimant found 51 percent or more at fault recovers nothing, and lower percentages reduce the award proportionally.
Can my employer fire me for filing a claim for a spine injury?
Louisiana and Mississippi both protect workers from retaliation for filing a comp claim. If you were let go or punished after reporting an injury, tell us during your consultation so we can review it.
How long will my spine injury case take?
It depends on your recovery. Many cases cannot responsibly settle until you reach maximum medical improvement or your surgeon can describe your permanent limits. Settling too early can leave you responsible for future care, which is why we resist rushed offers.
I work in Mississippi but live near Houma. Which rules apply?
The state where the job is based and where the injury occurred can affect which law governs your claim. Mississippi requires notice within 30 days and generally allows two years to file with the Workers’ Compensation Commission. Because the answer depends on the facts, tell us all of them at the first call.
Serving Back and Spine Injury Clients Across Houma and Terrebonne Parish
We represent injured workers in Houma and throughout Terrebonne Parish, including Gray, Bayou Cane, Schriever, Chauvin, Montegut, Dulac, Bourg, Gibson, and Theriot. We also serve workers from neighboring Lafourche Parish, such as Thibodaux, Raceland, and Lockport, and from Assumption Parish and the communities near Morgan City and Amelia along the bayou corridor. Many of our clients commute to jobs at ports, yards, plants, and offshore support bases, so we regularly handle claims where the worker lives in one community and was hurt in another.
Our work extends across South Louisiana, including New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, and Lake Charles, and into Shreveport and north Louisiana. We also represent injured workers across Mississippi, from Jackson and Madison to the Gulf Coast, Hattiesburg, Southaven, the Delta, and north Mississippi. Wherever your spine injury happened, we can review your case and tell you what comes next.
Talk to a Houma Back Injury Attorney Today
A spine injury can change what you can do for a living, and the claim you file now decides whether your treatment is covered and how long your wage benefits last. If you need a Houma back injury attorney, call us at any hour. Consultations are free, we advance the costs, and you pay no fee unless we recover benefits for you. We can review your denial letter, your medical records, and your deadlines, and tell you plainly where your claim stands. Call today and speak with someone who handles injured workers’ cases every day.
