Offshore Injuries Generations of Trusted Advocacy

Houma Offshore Injury Lawyers

Name: Waitz & Downer
Address: 423 Goode Street,, Houma, LA, 70360
Telephone: (985) 331-7832

Over 50 Years Representing Offshore Workers in South Louisiana

When Joseph L. Waitz founded this firm in 1971, offshore workers in Terrebonne Parish already needed attorneys who understood the Gulf, not a distant, out-of-town law firm that saw the region as nothing more than a market. Three generations of the Waitz family have continued that commitment, alongside Hunt Downer, former Louisiana Speaker of the House, and a team of attorneys who live in the same communities as the workers they represent. With over 100 years of combined legal experience and free, confidential consultations, we offer something no national firm can match: genuine roots in the place our clients call home.

At Waitz & Downer, we’ve represented injured offshore workers across South Louisiana for more than 50 years. We know the Gulf, its people, and the industries that help it thrive. Our team understands how offshore accidents happen, what laws protect you, and how to hold negligent companies accountable when they don’t put safety first. If you were injured in an offshore accident, or if someone you love passed away, our firm is here to help.

Contact our office today at (985) 331-7832 to get started with a free consultation. We don’t collect any legal fees unless we win your case.

A Houma Offshore Accident Attorney Who Knows This Industry From the Inside

Houma sits roughly 20 miles from the Gulf of Mexico. The Houma Navigation Canal connects Terrebonne Parish directly to offshore drilling platforms, supply vessel operations, and crew boat routes that have defined this region’s economy for generations. We’ve represented workers in this corridor for over five decades, not as a practice area we added to a national platform, but as the community firm that was here when the industry was built.

That distinction matters when your case goes to litigation. Our attorneys have spent decades building direct knowledge of Gulf Coast industries: offshore drilling platforms, supply vessels, oilfield operations, and the specific hazards workers face in this part of Louisiana. We know the local courts, the local industries, and the people who make their living on the water.

Many firms appearing in Houma search results for offshore accident attorneys are headquartered in Houston or Baton Rouge. They treat Houma as a geographic market. We treat it as home. When you call us, you reach attorneys who know your industry, not a case intake team routing your file to a distant office. We serve clients throughout Terrebonne Parish and across South Louisiana, and we bring the same personalized attention to every case we take.

This firm is exceedingly generous to its clients and the community at large.
“Excellent law firm. Attorney Hunt Downer is a very down to earth guy who likes to keep it simple.”

- Joseph G.
I would recommend them to anyone needing a personal injury attorney.
“Waitz and Downer has handled legal affairs for my family for years. My daughter was involved in a head on collision with a drunk driver. The insurance company did not want to pay for my daughter to purchase a new car, hers was totaled. Waitz and Downer handled the matter very professionally and things were settled very quickly.”

- Lie Ann M.
Mary W. Riviere and her team are outstanding!
“Mary is sharp, professional, and friendly. She strives to meets the needs of her clients, and she truly invest in them and their cases. She is easily assessable, and she is exceptionally honest and trustworthy. She is an excellent attorney, and I highly recommend her!
”

- Dana P.

Understanding Offshore Injuries

Offshore injuries range from serious to fatal, and the vast majority trace back to preventable negligence rather than true accidents. Inadequate maintenance, safety shortcuts, failure to provide proper training or equipment, and pressure to keep production moving: these are employer and vessel owner decisions that put workers at risk. When those decisions lead to injury or death, federal maritime law gives workers and their families the right to hold responsible parties accountable.

Common causes of offshore accidents:

Equipment failures and mechanical malfunctions
Fires and explosions
Slips, trips, and falls on wet or cluttered decks
Crane and lifting accidents
Falling objects
Helicopter and vessel transportation accidents
Toxic chemical and gas exposure
Fatigue from excessive hours and inadequate rest periods

Types of Injuries Offshore Workers Face

The remote nature of offshore work means that even injuries that appear manageable at the time can become life-threatening when medical care is hours away. We handle the full range of serious offshore injuries, including:

Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
Amputations and crush injuries
Severe burns
Broken bones and fractures
Back and neck injuries
Internal organ damage
Psychological trauma and PTSD

Maritime Laws That Protect Offshore Workers

Federal maritime law isn’t a single statute. It’s a set of overlapping protections, and which ones apply to your situation depends on your job classification, the type of vessel or structure you worked on, and where the injury occurred. Understanding the distinctions can significantly affect the value of a claim.

The Jones Act: Allows eligible seamen to bring negligence claims directly against their employers. To qualify, a worker generally must spend at least 30% of their work time aboard a vessel in navigation. Jones Act claims must typically be filed within three years of the injury date.
The Unseaworthiness Doctrine: Holds vessel owners liable when a vessel or its equipment isn’t reasonably fit for its intended purpose. This is a separate basis for recovery from Jones Act negligence and doesn’t require proof of employer fault.
Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA): Covers maritime workers who don’t qualify as Jones Act seamen, including dock workers and certain platform workers.
Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA): Extends federal protections to workers on offshore drilling platforms and other structures (fixed or temporarily attached to the seabed) on the Outer Continental Shelf.
Maintenance and Cure: A general maritime law obligation requiring an employer to pay daily living expenses (maintenance) and medical costs (cure) to an injured seaman until maximum medical improvement is reached, regardless of fault.

Compensation for Injured Workers & Surviving Families

Employers and their insurers typically move fast after an offshore accident to limit what they pay out. Having an attorney before you sign any documents or give a recorded statement is one of the most important steps you can take to protect your claim.

We pursue full compensation for injured offshore workers and, when a worker has died, for surviving family members. Recoverable damages may include past and future medical expenses, lost wages and diminished earning capacity, pain and suffering, long-term disability, vocational retraining costs, and maintenance and cure payments. In wrongful death cases under maritime law, surviving family members may also be able to recover for loss of financial support, loss of companionship, and funeral and burial expenses.

We handle all offshore injury and wrongful death cases on a contingency basis. There are no legal fees unless we recover on your behalf. Free, confidential consultations are available for anyone injured offshore or in a maritime accident.

Waitz & Downer has represented Gulf Coast workers and their families for over 50 years. If you or someone you love was hurt offshore, we’re ready to help you understand your rights and pursue compensation available under the law.

Over Five Decades of Legal Practice Protecting Families for Generations

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Strength with Heart

Big-firm results, small-town heart—we treat every client like one of our own.
We Stand Firm

From oilfields to open waters, we fight for the injured and the families left behind.
One Shared Mission
Three generations strong, our family’s legacy is protecting yours when tragedy strikes.
Rooted in the Gulf Coast

Born from the region we serve, we stand with our neighbors through every storm and every fight for justice.

Why Houma Offshore Workers Choose Waitz & Downer

Waitz & Downer was founded in Terrebonne Parish in 1971 by Joseph L. Waitz and has been a trusted name in the community for more than 50 years. The firm is carried forward by three generations of the Waitz family, alongside Hunt Downer, former Louisiana Speaker of the House. Our attorneys have spent decades representing workers in the Gulf Coast industries that define this region: offshore drilling platforms, oilfield operations, supply vessels, and crew boats. It’s the work we’ve done in this community for more than half a century, with over 100 years of combined legal experience behind every case we take.

What Sets Our Firm Apart

Over 50 years serving offshore workers and their families in South Louisiana
Three generations of the Waitz family, alongside Hunt Downer, former Louisiana Speaker of the House
Over 100 years of combined legal experience
Deep familiarity with Gulf Coast offshore, oilfield, and maritime industries
Local knowledge of Louisiana’s courts, insurers, and industry practices
Proven results in settlements and verdicts for offshore workers and their families
Contingency fee representation; no fees unless we win
Free, confidential consultations with no pressure or obligation

When you’re recovering from a serious offshore injury, the last thing you need is to feel like a file number. Our attorneys provide direct, personal communication from the first consultation through resolution. We keep you informed, we answer your questions, and we fight for compensation available under the law.

We’ve helped families across South Louisiana navigate some of the hardest moments of their lives. If you’ve been hurt in an offshore accident or lost a loved one on the water, call our Houma office. We’ll listen, we can explain your options clearly, and we’ll stand with you every step of the way.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I Qualify as a Jones Act Seaman?

You may qualify if you spend at least 30% of your work time aboard a vessel that’s in navigation and your work contributes to the vessel’s function or mission. That said, the test is fact-specific and employers frequently contest seaman status because it affects their liability. Whether you work on a crew boat, supply vessel, or drilling platform can change the analysis. An attorney can review the specifics of your job to determine which protections apply to you.

What Does Maintenance & Cure Actually Pay?

Maintenance covers a daily living allowance (housing and food) while you’re unable to work due to your injury. Cure covers your reasonable and necessary medical expenses until you reach maximum medical improvement, the point at which your condition has stabilized. These payments are owed regardless of who caused the accident. If your employer is refusing to pay or has terminated maintenance and cure prematurely, that’s a separate legal violation worth addressing.

How Long Do I Have to File a Claim After an Offshore Accident?

Deadlines vary by the type of claim. Jones Act negligence claims generally must be filed within three years of the injury date. Claims under the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act typically must be filed within one year. General maritime law claims may carry shorter deadlines depending on who is being sued. Missing a filing deadline can permanently bar recovery, so it’s important to speak with an offshore injury attorney as soon as possible after an accident.

What Happens During a Free Consultation With Your Firm?

An attorney, not a paralegal or intake coordinator, reviews the facts of your accident, explains which maritime laws may apply to your situation, and outlines what your claim may be worth. There’s no obligation to hire us and no cost. Consultations are completely confidential, and we work on a contingency basis, so we don’t collect legal fees unless we win your case. Call us at (985) 331-7832 to schedule yours.

fighting for the injured

With Generations of Strength

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