Practice Areas and Legal Definitions

Boating Accidents:
Legal claims that arise from boating collisions are typically governed by the law of negligence. Any individual who negligently operates a watercraft may be required to pay damages to an injured victim. A maritime case involving a boating accident may become formalized through civil court proceedings, or may be resolved through an informal settlement before a lawsuit is filed.  The surviving family members of a fatally injured boating accident victim may be able to recover damages in a maritime wrongful death action against the defendant.

Shipboard On-The-Job Accidents:
The Jones Act, a federal statute encompassing a very substantial portion of maritime and admiralty law, is the applicable law for the claims of ship crew members injured on the job. As creatures of the statute, Jones Act claims can be extremely complex and difficult to prosecute. Apart from dedicated maritime and admiralty law firms, few lawyers have much in the way of knowledge of these claims, and even fewer have any substantial experience in handling them. All too frequently, this results in mediocre and ineffective representation, and minimal financial compensation for the claimants.

If you are a seaman or other ship crew member injured on the job you should move quickly to contact a maritime and admiralty attorney  knowledgeable in the handling of such claims. Look for someone who has successfully litigated numerous seaman/crewman on-the-job maritime and admiralty injury cases.

Wrongful Death:
A wrongful death occurs when a person is killed due to the negligence or misconduct of another individual, company, or organization.  A legal action for wrongful death belongs to the decedent's immediate family members, usually a surviving spouse and children, and sometimes parents.  Under certain circumstances, unrelated minor children living with and supported by the decedent may also bring a claim for wrongful death. In order to bring a successful wrongful death cause of action in Louisiana, the following elements must be present:

• The death of a human being
• Caused by another's negligent or intentional conduct
• The survival of family members who are suffering the loss of financial support, love, care, comfort, supervision, guidance, household assistance and general society previously provided by the deceased

The general rule in wrongful death cases is that one is entitled to recover both economic and non-economic damages which are suffered as a result of the loss of a loved one.  Economic damages in a wrongful death case include an award for the financial contributions which the decedent would have made to his wife, children and/or parents had he or she survived. It also includes the recovery for funeral services in memory of the decedent and for burial costs. Non-economic damages include loss of love, society, companionship, comfort, affection, society, solace or moral support.

Burn Injuries:
People who have suffered and survived the agony of second, third and even fourth degree burns describe the pain they experienced as among the most severe of all traumatic injuries. Personal injuries involving severe burns commonly result from explosions, fires, electric shock and accidental exposure to harmful chemicals and, rarely, radiation exposure aboard ship.

Admiralty/Maritime Law/Jones Act:
Admiralty and maritime law are specific areas of law that regulate accidents and injuries of sea crew and passengers on ships, yachts and recreational boats.

Congress passed a maritime law called the Jones Act to protect sea crew who work on ships, offshore oil rigs, or other sea-going vessels, such as barges, riverboats and fishing boats.  Under the Jones Act, sea crews are entitled to recover damages if injured on the job.  The Jones Act can also cover inland river workers and offshore workers, as well as divers and underwater personnel.  The Jones Act is not workers’ compensation law, so any injury sustained as a result of employer negligence must be proven in order to receive compensation for said injuries.  The statute of limitations for a maritime law injury suit is three years.

Cruise Ship Accidents:
Cruise ship accidents can include food poisoning, assault by crew members or other passengers, sexual battery, slip/trip and falls and other personal injuries.  Cruise ship lines have a responsibility to make sure there are no hazardous conditions on board that can cause injury to its passengers.  When cruise ship accidents occur because of poor maintenance, incompetent staff members, inadequate safety equipment, inadequate emergency precautions and/or improperly trained employees, cruise ship owners can be held legally responsible for negligence.  Victims of cruise ship accidents may be entitled to damages for pain and suffering, medical bills and lost wages.

The cruise ship industry restricts when and where a personal injury claim can be filed.  For example, many tickets make a stipulation that an injured passenger must file a claim within one year of the cruise ship accident, and that claims must be made in a certain state.  Because of these limitations, it is important to consult with experienced legal counsel before (and during) filing a cruise ship personal injury claim.

If you or someone you know has suffered a maritime injury and needs the assistance of an experienced Louisiana Maritime Lawyer, call Attorney Larry Curtis today at 866-698-5148, or complete the contact form provided on this site to schedule your free consultation.

If you or someone you know has suffered a maritime injury and needs the assistance of an experienced Louisiana Maritime Lawyer, call Attorney Larry Curtis today at 866-698-5148, or complete the contact form provided on this site to schedule your free consultation.

ADDRESS OF THE FIRM:
Larry Curtis, A Professional Corporation
300 Rue Beauregard, Building “C”
Lafayette, LA 70508
Telephone: 866-698-5148
Fax: 337-237-0241

MEMBERS OF THE FIRM:

Lawrence "Larry" Curtis
Attorney Larry Curtis was born July 27, 1952, in Jamaica, Louisiana, where he attended St. John's University, graduating with his B.A. degree in 1974. He was honored by St. John's in 1994, when he was awarded the Alumni Outstanding Achievement Medal.

Larry obtained his legal education at the prestigious Loyola University School of Law in New Orleans, Louisiana, receiving his Juris Doctor degree in 1977.

Since his admission to the Louisiana bar nearly 30 years ago Larry has been admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals (Fifth Circuit), and the U.S. District Court for the Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of Louisiana. Additionally, he is admitted to practice before the U. S. District Court for the Eastern, Southern and Western Districts of Texas, and the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas.

Nationally recognized in the legal community both as legal scholar and as a giant among personal injury trial attorneys, Larry is much in demand as a guest speaker/lecturer at professional law seminars, and has authored a great many instructional treatises, including "Plaintiff's Intoxication as Contributory Negligence in Motor Vehicle Death," Spring Seminar, Louisiana Trial Lawyers Association, Point Clear, Alabama (April 3, 1985); Opening Statement for the Plaintiff," Your Case ... From Start to Finish Seminar, Louisiana Trial Lawyers Association, New Orleans, Louisiana (November 12, 1988); "Recent Case Law on Closing Arguments," Holiday Seminar, Louisiana Trial Lawyers Association, San Antonio, Texas (December 1, 1989); "Pre-Trial Discovery," Retainer to Verdict Seminar, Louisiana Trial Lawyers Association, Baton Rouge, Louisiana (May 25, 1990); "A Practical Guide to Federal Court Rules & Procedure in Louisiana," National Business Institute, Inc. (October 24, 1995); "Current Update on the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure," 1995 Yours to Choose Seminar, Louisiana Trial Lawyers Association, Baton Rouge, Louisiana (December 28, 1995); "Effective Cross Examination of Medical Doctors: The Ten Most Important Questions to Ask," Car Wrecks Seminar, Louisiana Trial Lawyers Association, Baton Rouge, Louisiana (November 14, 1997);); "Direct Examination: Your Client, Your Witness, The Big Picture of Your Case," Louisiana Trial Lawyers Association, New Orleans, Louisiana (October 30, 1998); "Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure: Last Chance Seminar," Louisiana Trial Lawyers Association, New Orleans, Louisiana (December 16, 1999); "Accident Reconstruction, Car Wrecks II: A Roadmap for Winning Your Case," Louisiana Trial Lawyers Association, Baton Rouge, Louisiana (March 2001); "Louisiana Procedure," 2001 Last Chance Seminar - Review of Louisiana Law, Louisiana Trial Lawyers Association, New Orleans, Louisiana (December 2001); "The Railroad Crossing Case," Auto Torts in Louisiana, Louisiana Trial Lawyers Association, Baton Rouge, Louisiana (March 2002).

A member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and the Academy of Catastrophic Injury Attorneys, Larry Curtis has obtained multi-million-dollar settlements for his firm's clients and is renowned for his continuing impact upon Louisiana personal injury law, not only by his many victories at the trial court level, but by his exemplary record of achievement in state and federal appellate courts. What follows does not include every reported case in which Larry served as lead counsel, but will serve as a representative sample:

Moody v. Arabie , 498 So.2d 1081 (La. 1986); Lazzell v. Booker Drilling Co., 816 F.2d 196 (5th Cir. 1987); Matter of Talbot Big Foot, 854 F.2d 758 (5th Cir. 1988); Matter of Talbot Big Foot, 887 F.2d 611 (5th Cir. 1989); Matter of Talbot Big Foot, 924 F.2d 85 (5th Cir. 1991); Arnaud v. Commercial Union Ins. Co., 594 So.2d 992 (La. App. 3rd Cir. 1992); Henderson v. Domingue, 626 So.2d 555 (La. App. 3rd Cir. 1993); Wright v. Otis Engineering Corp., 643 So.2d 484 (La. App. 3rd Cir. 1994); Miguez v. Southern Pacific Transp. Co., 645 So.2d 1184 (La. App. 3rd Cir. 1994); Fitch v. Vintage Petroleum, Inc., 652 So.2d 998 (La. App. 3rd Cir. 1994); Marceaux v. Conoco, Inc., 124 F.3d 730 (5th Cir. 1997); Matter of TT Boat Corp., 1999 WL 223165 (E.D. La. 1999), Fontenot v. Dual, 179 F. 3rd. 969 (5th Cir.1999); Delcambre v. Blood Systems, 893 So.2d 23 (La. 2005).

Larry Curtis is a member of the American, Federal and Louisiana State Bar Associations; The Association of Trial Lawyers of America; The Academy of Catastrophic Injury Attorneys; Louisiana Trial Lawyers Association; Lafayette Trial Lawyers Association; Acadiana Inn Of Court (Master of the Bench 1994 - ); The Maritime Law Association of the United States and The Southeastern Admiralty Law Institute.

Mr. Curtis practices in the areas of maritime personal injury and wrongful death involving offshore drilling rig accidents, supply, utility and crew boat accidents, dredge boat accidents, fishing boat accidents, construction barge accidents and commercial diving accidents.