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Personal Injury Attorney in Lafourche Parish

Put Over 100 Years of Combined Experience on Your Side

A serious injury disrupts nearly every aspect of your everyday life, affecting everything from your mobility and comfort to your ability to care for yourself, earn an income, and take care of your family. At , we represent Lafourche Parish residents who have been harmed by the negligence and wrongful conduct of others. We evaluate how the incident happened, who may be responsible, which insurance policies may apply, and how the injury affects your present and future needs.

Our Lafourche Parish personal injury lawyers handle claims involving motor vehicle crashes, industrial accidents, offshore incidents, maritime negligence, wrongful death, and other serious, life-changing cases. If you believe you may have a claim, we encourage you to reach out to our firm today for a free consultation. We can explain your legal options, identify the evidence worth preserving, and help you determine what to do next.

Call (985) 331-7832 for a free, confidential consultation about your injury, how we can help, and what comes next.

Personal Injury Cases We Handle in Lafourche Parish

The course of an injury claim depends on where the incident occurred, the work being performed, the parties involved, and the available insurance coverage. Port Fourchon’s role as an offshore energy service hub makes maritime, vessel, oilfield, and industrial incidents especially relevant to local workers and families.

We handle serious injury claims involving:

Motor vehicle accidents: Collisions involving passenger vehicles, commercial trucks, and other roadway traffic
Workplace and industrial injuries: Incidents at oilfield, industrial, construction, and other job sites
Offshore and maritime injuries: Accidents involving vessels, offshore facilities, docks, and maritime operations
Unsafe property and defective products: Harm caused by dangerous premises conditions or defective consumer and industrial products
Catastrophic injuries: Life-changing harm that may require long-term medical treatment, rehabilitation, vocational services, or personal care
Wrongful death: Claims addressing the losses surviving spouses and family members suffer after a fatal injury

Offshore cases, specifically, may fall under maritime law, which governs certain vessel and navigable-water matters. The applicable framework can depend on the worker’s duties, connection to a vessel, incident location, and employment relationship.

We also handle hurricane claims involving storm-related property damage and insurance disputes. Reach out to our team today to discuss your claim and learn how our attorneys can help.

Serving South Louisiana Injury Clients Since 1971

At Waitz & Downer, three generations of the Waitz family work alongside Hunt Downer and a team of Louisiana attorneys. Together, we bring more than 100 years of combined legal experience to personal injury, wrongful death, oilfield, offshore, maritime, and hurricane insurance matters.

That background is particularly relevant when a claim involves severe bodily harm, multiple companies, disputed insurance coverage, or complex maritime and industrial rules. Joseph L. Waitz III has represented injured clients since joining our firm in 2014 and has recovered millions of dollars through judgments and settlements. The strategy for each case depends on its evidence, parties, damages, and governing law.

Over Five Decades of Legal Practice Protecting Families for Generations

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Families We’ve Stood By

Stories We’re Proud Of

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.
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.

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How We Build Your Personal Injury Claim

We begin by listening to what happened, truly understanding what you have been through, and learning how your injury has affected your health, work, and household. Then, we explain your rights and clearly outline your options so that you have an idea of what's to come. Once we take on your case, you can count on us to communicate directly with you and provide consistent updates throughout the process.

While every case is different, we typically do the following:

Evaluate the claim: We examine the incident, injuries, potentially responsible parties, insurance coverage, and available legal options.
Develop evidence: We gather and assess medical records, reports, photographs, witness information, employment documents, insurance communications, and proof of financial losses.
Prepare the demand: We organize evidence of responsibility and damages before presenting the claim and assessing settlement positions.
Pursue a settlement or litigation: If negotiations don’t produce a fair resolution, we’re prepared to file suit and pursue discovery and trial when appropriate.

If a lawsuit is filed, discovery allows both parties, our team and the defense, to exchange evidence and obtain testimony. The time required to resolve a case depends on many factors, including but not limited to whether liability is disputed, the severity of the injuries, how long medical treatment takes, the available insurance coverage (if any), and the number of parties involved.

Louisiana's Injury Lawsuit Filing Deadlines Depend on the Claim

For many Louisiana delictual actions, meaning civil claims based on injury-causing conduct, Civil Code Article 3493.1 establishes a two-year prescriptive period beginning when the injury or damage is sustained. A prescriptive period is Louisiana’s legal deadline for bringing a claim. The provision took effect July 1, 2024, but transition rules, exceptions, and the incident’s date and circumstances can change the analysis.

Workers’ compensation, maritime, offshore, insurance, products liability, and wrongful death cases may follow different deadlines and legal standards. Don’t assume a general two-year period applies to your situation. Prompt review can also give your attorney time to seek evidence before records disappear, physical conditions change, or witnesses become difficult to locate.

Preserve accident reports, medical documents, bills, wage records, photographs, messages, and insurance correspondence. Follow your medical provider’s instructions, and consider seeking legal advice before signing a release or giving a recorded statement about a disputed claim.

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A compilation of the Waitz & Downer attorneys and staff at work and interacting with clients.

Over Five Decades of Legal Practice Protecting Families for Generations

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What to Gather Before Your Consultation

You don’t need a complete file before contacting an injury lawyer in Lafourche Parish. If available, the following information can clarify what happened and reveal issues that may require prompt attention.

Useful records may include:

The incident date, location, and names of involved parties
Photographs, videos, witness names, and contact information
Accident, incident, safety, or law enforcement reports
Medical records, bills, diagnoses, and treatment instructions
Pay statements and other records showing lost income
Insurance letters, emails, claim numbers, and recorded-statement requests
Communications with insurance adjusters, employers, vessel operators, property owners, or other involved parties

If records are missing, bring or describe what you have. We can discuss which additional documents may be relevant.

Start with a Free, Confidential Consultation

We offer straightforward guidance backed by generations of South Louisiana legal experience. During your consultation, we can discuss whether the facts may support a claim, what evidence to preserve, and which next steps may be appropriate.

You can expect direct communication and clear explanations without pressure. You don’t pay legal fees until we recover compensation for you.

Call (985) 331-7832 to speak with a personal injury attorney in Lafourche Parish about your case today.

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.

fighting for the injured

With Generations of Strength

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