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If you were injured on a vessel or offshore rig, we can identify your legal options and help preserve key evidence early. Shlosman Law Firm evaluates serious maritime injuries, addresses disputes over medical care, and prepares Jones Act claims for trial.
Led by attorney Tom Shlosman, we bring disciplined preparation and firm advocacy to complex maritime cases. From our New Orleans office, we represent seamen on tugboats, barges, towboats, and offshore service vessels across Louisiana and the Gulf Coast. We review your situation confidentially before you give a recorded statement.
How We Protect Your Rights After a Maritime Injury
We take control of communications, preserve evidence, and address problems with medical treatment or maintenance payments. Our early work helps preserve evidence while you focus on your health.
Our response to the employer’s investigation
We step between you and the company when investigators request statements, documents, or medical authorizations. Employers and insurers often collect crew interviews, accident reports, vessel logs, and equipment records quickly, and we handle recorded-statement requests to reduce the risk that an incomplete answer could harm your claim.
We also address concerns about retaliation and explain the protections that may apply. Our firm handles incidents involving Louisiana tugboats, towboats, barges, and supply vessels, and helps us identify which vessel records require prompt attention.
Protection for your maintenance and cure benefits
We act when an employer delays, reduces, or terminates maintenance and cure. This maritime doctrine provides qualifying seamen with basic living support and reasonable medical care related to an injury or illness during vessel service.
We challenge any restrictions on treatment and demand that you rely only on a company-selected doctor. If payments stop, we document the denial, demand reinstatement when supported, and handle adjuster communications while you continue treatment.
How We Determine Your Maritime Legal Options
We examine your actual work, vessel connection, accident facts, and employment relationship. That review helps us determine which maritime claims may apply and which parties should be investigated.
Evaluation of Jones Act seaman status
We do not rely on your job title. Under Chandris, Inc. v. Latsis, seaman status generally requires a substantial employment connection to a vessel or identifiable fleet, and 30 percent of work time is an important benchmark.
We review assignments across multiple vessels, temporary jobs, and Gulf Coast rotations. If you are not a Jones Act seaman, we assess whether the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act or another remedy may cover your dock, terminal, harbor, or shipyard work.
Proof of employer negligence and unseaworthiness
We build Jones Act claims under 46 U.S.C. § 30104 by identifying unsafe orders, poor training, inadequate staffing, or other employer negligence. The causation framework associated with Rogers v. Missouri Pacific Railroad Co. can permit liability when employer negligence played even a slight part in causing the injury.
We separately investigate unseaworthiness involving broken gear, missing safety equipment, unsafe decks, or an inadequate crew. We seek vessel logs, maintenance records, photographs, inspection documents, and witness accounts before conditions or records change.
Why Gulf Coast Maritime Workers Choose Shlosman Law Firm
We provide selective, trial-ready representation for serious maritime and offshore injuries. Attorney Tom Shlosman prepares each accepted case with a clear trial plan, disciplined organization, and close attention to the medical and vessel evidence.
Because we maintain a selective caseload, we can commit substantial time and resources to each matter we accept. You communicate directly with your attorney rather than relying only on a case manager.
We prepare for court from the outset rather than build a claim around a quick settlement.
What Happens After You Contact Our Firm
We give you a clear roadmap, then begin protecting the evidence and managing communications. Each stage is organized around proving what happened and how the injury affects your work and daily life.
Your initial case evaluation
We confidentially review the accident, your vessel duties, your employment history, and your medical needs. We identify the possible maritime remedy and explain what to say, and what not to say, when your employer asks about the incident.
We also request medical and accident records and identify evidence that needs immediate preservation. At the end of the evaluation, we explain the likely next steps and identify any additional information we need.
Investigation and claim preparation
We gather vessel logs, safety reports, maintenance records, photographs, and crewmate statements. We work with medical professionals to document your injuries, treatment needs, physical restrictions, and ability to return to vessel work.
We also investigate contractors, vessel owners, and equipment manufacturers that may share responsibility. Our firm handles communications with insurers and defense counsel, so requests come through us.
Negotiation and trial readiness
We evaluate any settlement offer against the documented losses and legal claims. Those losses may include medical expenses, lost wages, reduced earning capacity, and pain and suffering, depending on the facts and applicable law.
We keep the case organized for trial while negotiations continue. If the insurer will not offer a reasonable resolution, we are prepared to present the evidence in the appropriate federal or state court.
Deadlines That Affect Your Maritime Injury Claim
We track the filing deadline while preserving evidence much earlier. A Jones Act personal injury lawsuit generally must be filed within three years under 46 U.S.C. § 30106, and maintenance and cure payments generally do not extend that period.
With delay, equipment may be repaired, electronic records may be lost, and witnesses’ memories may fade. Louisiana recorded 96 fatal work injuries in 2024, a reminder of the serious risks workers face. We move promptly to document vessel conditions before they change.
Contact Shlosman Law Firm to Discuss Your Case
We prepare serious maritime cases with discipline from the first review. If you were injured offshore or aboard a vessel, speak with an attorney who handles maritime claims and is prepared to take them to trial.
We evaluate serious injuries across the Gulf South and nationwide. Contact our New Orleans office at (504) 826-9427 or through our Contact Us page to discuss protecting your rights and holding negligent parties accountable.
Common Questions About Louisiana Maritime Injury Claims
We answer immediate questions before deciding what claims the evidence supports. These are general answers, as vessel status, employment duties, and accident details can affect the analysis.
What should I do immediately after being injured aboard a vessel?
Report the injury to the captain or supervisor and request a written accident report. We recommend getting medical attention and documenting your symptoms. Consider obtaining legal advice before signing a broad release or giving a recorded insurance statement. We can take over communications and begin preserving evidence from the vessel.
Will filing a Jones Act claim affect my future maritime employment?
We understand why seamen worry about future assignments and their reputation in the industry. Legal protections may apply when a worker reports an injury or asserts protected rights. We review the situation confidentially, explain the practical risks, and document any conduct that may amount to unlawful retaliation.
What happens if my employer stops paying maintenance and cure?
You do not have to accept an unexplained termination of living support or injury-related medical care. We review the stated reason, medical records, payment history, and employer communications. When the evidence supports continued benefits, we send a formal demand and pursue available legal action to seek reinstatement.
Can I bring a claim if I was partly responsible for the accident?
Possibly. Maritime claims may apply comparative fault, which can reduce compensation by the percentage of responsibility assigned to you, rather than automatically barring recovery. We investigate unsafe procedures, equipment defects, staffing, training, and supervisory decisions to establish the employer’s proper share of responsibility.