On this page
- Personal Injury Claims in Plaquemines Parish
- LA-23 Accidents
- Car Accidents in Belle Chasse
- Commercial Truck Accidents
- Driver Fatigue
- Truck Maintenance
- Company Vehicle Accidents
- Industrial Accidents
- Workers' Compensation and Third-Party Claims
- Maritime and Offshore Injury Considerations
- Marine Transportation Accidents
- Motorcycle Accidents
- Catastrophic Injuries
- Future Medical and Life-Care Needs
- Lost Earning Capacity
- Louisiana's 51% Comparative Fault Rule
- Louisiana's General Two-Year Filing Period
- Wrongful Death in Plaquemines Parish
- Where Are Plaquemines Parish Personal Injury Cases Filed?
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Jacqueline Scott & Associates Serves Plaquemines Parish
When injuries are catastrophic, determining who caused the accident may require investigating several businesses and different legal relationships.
Jacqueline Scott & Associates represents accident victims in Belle Chasse, Port Sulphur, Buras, Empire, Boothville, Venice, and communities throughout Plaquemines Parish and Louisiana.
Our personal injury practice includes:
- car accidents;
- LA-23 accidents;
- commercial truck accidents;
- company-vehicle accidents;
- industrial accidents;
- oilfield-related third-party accidents;
- maritime and offshore-related injury matters;
- motorcycle accidents;
- catastrophic injuries;
- wrongful death; and
- other serious personal injury claims.
Call (318) 746-5997.
Make ’Em Pay.
Personal Injury Claims in Plaquemines Parish
Plaquemines Parish extends south from the New Orleans metropolitan area along the Mississippi River toward the Gulf.
The parish includes substantial commercial, marine, industrial, energy, and transportation activity.
Roadway accidents can therefore involve:
- passenger cars;
- commercial trucks;
- contractor vehicles;
- work pickups;
- equipment-hauling vehicles;
- delivery trucks; and
- vehicles serving marine or industrial operations.
LA-23 Accidents
Louisiana Highway 23 is a major roadway serving Plaquemines Parish, connecting Belle Chasse with communities farther south.
Serious LA-23 accidents may involve:
- rear-end collisions;
- head-on wrecks;
- commercial trucks;
- unsafe passing;
- intersection crashes;
- company vehicles; and
- multi-vehicle accidents.
Car Accidents in Belle Chasse
Car wrecks may result from:
- distracted driving;
- speeding;
- following too closely;
- unsafe passing;
- crossing the centerline;
- failure to yield;
- unsafe turns;
- impaired driving; and
- aggressive driving.
When fault is disputed, objective evidence should be preserved.
Commercial Truck Accidents
Commercial vehicles can create additional investigative issues.
Potential evidence can include:
- electronic logs;
- GPS;
- telematics;
- dashcams;
- dispatch records;
- driver qualification documents;
- inspection reports;
- maintenance records; and
- cargo information.
Driver Fatigue
Covered commercial drivers are subject to federal hours-of-service requirements.
When fatigue is suspected, electronic logs can potentially be compared with GPS, dispatch, fuel, delivery, and other time-stamped information.
Truck Maintenance
Potential mechanical issues can include:
- brakes;
- tires;
- steering;
- lighting;
- suspension; and
- coupling systems.
If equipment failure may have contributed to the collision, the truck itself may become critical evidence.
Company Vehicle Accidents
Many serious Plaquemines Parish accidents may involve work vehicles rather than traditional tractor-trailers.
Potential vehicles include:
- contractor pickups;
- industrial vehicles;
- service trucks;
- delivery vehicles;
- equipment-hauling vehicles; and
- company vans.
Potential questions include:
- Who employed the driver?
- Who owned the vehicle?
- Was the driver working?
- What company controlled the work?
- Who maintained the vehicle?
- What insurance applies?
Industrial Accidents
Industrial injuries can involve:
- equipment failures;
- falls;
- vehicle incidents;
- lifting operations;
- pressure-related accidents;
- fires;
- explosions; and
- hazardous work conditions.
Determining responsibility may require reviewing the relationships among several contractors and businesses.
Workers' Compensation and Third-Party Claims
A worker injured while performing job duties may have workers' compensation rights.
A separate third-party claim may also exist when someone other than the employer causes the injury.
Potential third parties can include:
- contractors;
- subcontractors;
- equipment manufacturers;
- commercial drivers;
- maintenance companies; and
- property owners.
Maritime and Offshore Injury Considerations
Plaquemines Parish's location and marine activity mean some injury claims may involve maritime or federal law.
Depending on worker status and accident location, possible legal frameworks can include:
- Louisiana law;
- Jones Act;
- Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act;
- general maritime law;
- Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act; and
- other federal law.
Not every person working near water qualifies under the same law.
Status, location, job duties, and relationship to a vessel can matter.
Marine Transportation Accidents
Injury claims involving vessels, docks, marine facilities, or offshore transportation can present issues very different from an ordinary automobile accident.
Potential evidence may include:
- vessel records;
- maintenance information;
- crew records;
- safety documents;
- contracts;
- photographs;
- video;
- electronic information; and
- witness statements.
Motorcycle Accidents
Motorcyclists can suffer severe injuries when another driver fails to yield, turns across their path, changes lanes unsafely, or follows too closely.
Catastrophic Injuries
Potential catastrophic injuries include:
- traumatic brain injury;
- spinal cord injury;
- paralysis;
- amputations;
- severe burns;
- crush injuries;
- multiple fractures;
- organ damage; and
- permanent neurological impairment.
Future Medical and Life-Care Needs
Potential future needs can include:
- surgery;
- rehabilitation;
- physical therapy;
- medication;
- prosthetics;
- medical equipment;
- attendant care; and
- home modifications.
Future damages must be supported by appropriate evidence.
Lost Earning Capacity
A permanent injury may prevent someone from returning to the same occupation.
Potential evidence may include:
- employment history;
- wage information;
- medical restrictions;
- vocational evidence; and
- economic analysis.
Louisiana's 51% Comparative Fault Rule
For Louisiana claims governed by Civil Code Article 2323 as amended effective January 1, 2026, a claimant found 51% or more negligent cannot recover damages.
When claimant negligence is below 51%, damages are reduced according to the percentage assigned.
Different federal or maritime comparative-fault principles may apply to certain specialized claims.
Louisiana's General Two-Year Filing Period
Louisiana Civil Code Article 3493.1 generally provides a two-year prescriptive period for delictual actions beginning when injury or damage is sustained.
The legislation establishing the period became effective July 1, 2024.
Maritime, offshore, federal, workers' compensation, older, and other specialized claims may have different deadlines.
Wrongful Death in Plaquemines Parish
Fatal highway, industrial, marine, offshore, and commercial accidents can involve different legal frameworks.
A fatal accident investigation may require:
- reconstruction;
- company records;
- vessel or trucking information;
- safety documents;
- medical evidence;
- employment records;
- financial evidence;
- insurance; and
- beneficiary information.
Where Are Plaquemines Parish Personal Injury Cases Filed?
Plaquemines Parish is served by Louisiana's 25th Judicial District Court.
The appropriate court for an individual case depends on the type of claim.
Some maritime and federal matters may proceed in federal court rather than Louisiana state court.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have after a Plaquemines Parish accident?
Louisiana's current general rule provides two years for delictual actions. Maritime, offshore, workers' compensation, federal, older, and other specialized claims can have different deadlines.
What if I was injured on LA-23?
The investigation may involve vehicle speed, commercial traffic, witnesses, physical evidence, electronic information, and potentially multiple responsible parties.
What if I was injured while working?
Workers' compensation may apply, but a separate third-party claim may also exist if another person or business caused the injury.
Does working offshore automatically make me a Jones Act seaman?
No. Seaman status involves specific legal requirements. Job duties and a worker's connection to a vessel or fleet can be important.
Can multiple contractors be responsible for an industrial accident?
Potentially. Each contractor's actual conduct, responsibilities, and relationship to the accident must be evaluated.
What if my injuries permanently end my career?
A serious injury claim may involve diminished earning capacity when supported by appropriate evidence.
Jacqueline Scott & Associates Serves Plaquemines Parish
If you were seriously injured in Belle Chasse, Port Sulphur, Buras, Empire, Boothville, Venice, or elsewhere in Plaquemines Parish, contact:
Jacqueline Scott & Associates
(318) 746-5997
Make ’Em Pay.
Every case is different. Results depend on the specific facts and circumstances of each individual matter. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Maritime, offshore, federal, and workers' compensation claims can involve different laws, procedures, and deadlines. This article provides general educational information and is not legal advice.
This article is general information about Louisiana law and is not legal advice. Laws and deadlines can change, and every case depends on its own facts. Past results do not guarantee or predict future outcomes. Reading this page or contacting the firm does not by itself create an attorney-client relationship.
