Port of New Orleans Maritime Traffic & Industries

The Port of New Orleans lies between the Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain about 180 km from the Gulf of Mexico. The Port of New Orleans is about 220 km west-southwest of the Port of Mobile in Alabama and q than 360 km east of Port Arthur in Texas. The Port of New Orleans is Louisiana’s largest city and an important deep-water port.

The center of a busy maritime community, the Port of New Orleans is one of the biggest and busiest ports in the world. It is a fundamental transportation and distribution hub for water-borne commerce, with many shipping, shipbuilding, freight forwarding, logistics and commodity brokerage companies having a presence there. The Port of New Orleans region accounts for much of the country’s oil refining and petrochemical production, as it’s home to the headquarters for multiple on- and offshore producers of natural gas and petroleum.

Over the last few decades, bulk exports from the Port of New Orleans have grown substantially. The Port of New Orleans is an important grain port for the country and the world. It also exports raw and processed agricultural products, chemicals, fabricated metals, textiles, tobacco, paperboard, petroleum and petroleum products. Since the 1980s, the Port of New Orleans has been the world’s lighter aboard ship (LASH) cargo and Seabee barge capital.

New Orleans Maritime Injuries & Offshore Accidents

Due to the intense amount of boating traffic that the port of New Orleans sees, maritime accidents can be sadly common. From the Bright Field collision back in 1996 to more recent accidents involving capsized vessels, dangerous weather, and other unsafe conditions, maritime injuries can be sadly common in New Orleans – or in Louisiana in general. 

Major maritime companies have a responsibility to keep their passengers and crew as safe as reasonably possible while the vessel is in motion, no matter what the purpose of the vessel or the voyage.

The Port of New Orleans sees traffic from many different companies, including Marquette Transportation Co., Dixie Marine, Harvey Gulf International Marine, C.F. Bean, Crescent Towing, Guidry Brothers Towing Co., Tidewater, and many others. If you’ve been injured while employed by one of these or any other maritime company, call O’Bryan.

New Orleans & Louisiana Maritime Attorneys

If you are a maritime worker in New Orleans or anywhere else on the waters of Louisiana, you are probably protected under the Jones Act and/or other federal laws, which map out the necessary steps for collecting the compensation you’re entitled to after a maritime injury. Whether you’ve been injured on a fishing boat, tanker, dredge, barge, freighter, cargo ship, pleasure boat or other type of vessel, O’Bryan Baun Karamanian will help you navigate through the murky legal waters and secure the compensation you deserve.

Headquartered in Birmingham, Michigan, we’ve practiced personal injury law as it applies to marine workers for more than 40 years, securing millions of dollars for our clients across the country. We practice exclusively in federal court, as our practice is limited to the representation of injured crew members whose rights in case of injury are governed by federal law.

The practice of federal law often involves travel, no matter how you slice it. When necessary, our attorneys or investigators will travel to discuss the details of your case with you in person. Don’t get lost in the abyss of legal complexities. For an experienced and reputable maritime lawyer, contact O’Bryan Law today so we can help you win your New Orleans maritime case.

If you’ve been injured working at one of the following maritime companies in or around New Orleans, call O’Bryan. We will represent employees against all these companies, plus many others.

Marquette Transportation Company

Harvey Gulf International Marine

C.F. Bean

Crescent Towing

Guidry Brothers Towing Company

Tidewater

Dixie Marine

Wood Dredging Company

Bean Dredging

Bisso Towboat Company

C & J Barge & Crane

Weeks Marine

Coastal Marine Contractors

The Purpose of the Jones Act

The Jones Act has been in place since 1920, when the federal government saw that it was increasingly necessary to protect seamen who are injured at work. But which offshore workers are considered seamen? If you work on a vessel that is capable of working in or currently working in navigable waters and you spend a significant amount of your time onboard, then you may be considered a seaman.

Under the Jones Act, injured sea workers have the opportunity to hold their employers accountable for their damages when they suffer a work-related injury or illness. When you file your claim, you can obtain the compensation you need to recover without having to worry about how you’ll continue to support yourself and your family while you recuperate.

Ways Seamen Can Be Injured

Before you can start collecting the compensation you’re entitled to, we will need to establish that your employer is, in fact, at fault. The Jones Act states that it is the responsibility of your employer to maintain a safe work environment at all times.

This means that if at any moment the conditions of your work environment weren’t safe, your employer can be found liable, no matter how minor their contribution to your injuries might have been. Here are a few examples of ways seamen are frequently injured that warrant the filing of a claim under the Jones Act:

Suffering an injury due to faulty or malfunctioning vessel equipment

Being harmed by a violent colleague

Being forced to work without the appropriate training or equipment

Working on a slippery deck surface due to a grease or oil spill

These are just a few examples of how seamen could suffer an injury while working on a vessel. Any instance of your vessel being unsafe, whether listed above or not, is grounds for the ship being deemed unseaworthy. Your maritime lawyer can review the details of your accident to determine whether or not your employer is expected to be found negligent in your New Orleans case.

What Damages Injured Seamen Are Entitled To

Damages in a Jones Act claim are similar to those of a personal injury claim, with a couple of important differences.

First, injured seamen are entitled to what’s known as maintenance and cure. Maintenance means that your employer will be expected to cover your living expenses, including your rent or mortgage, your utility bills, and your groceries, while you are unable to earn a living. Cure is when your employer will cover the total costs of your medical expenses as they relate to your work injuries. But that’s not all.

Just like with a personal injury claim, sea workers who suffer an injury can seek compensation for lost wages, pain and suffering, property damages, loss of enjoyment of life, inconvenience, lost earning capacity, mental anguish, loss of consortium, loss of household services, and the effects of scarring or disfigurement, among other things. Your attorney will quantify your damages so that you can be sure you’re getting the most out of your claim.

Get Help from a New Orleans Jones Act Attorney

Working offshore can be a challenge as it is, but having to navigate the complicated nature of maritime law and the Jones Act just isn’t in your job description.