Underwater welding is one of those jobs that sounds almost impossible. It requires a worker to be both a skilled commercial diver and a trained welder, performing precise, high-stakes work in an unforgiving environment.
Here in Louisiana, underwater welders are a critical part of the offshore oil and gas industry, working on pipelines, platforms, and other structures beneath the Gulf of Mexico. That work keeps energy flowing, but it comes at a serious cost.
Underwater welding ranks among the most dangerous occupations in the country, and the injuries that result from accidents in this field can be catastrophic.
If you or a loved one has suffered injury as an underwater welder, you may be entitled to recover damages beyond a workers’ compensation claim. You need the assistance of an experienced Lafayette maritime accident attorney to protect your rights and help you secure maximum compensation.
Why Underwater Welding Is So Dangerous
A welder working on dry land faces heat, fumes, and the risk of electrical shock. An underwater welder faces all those same dangers, but also faces the added threats of drowning, hypothermia, decompression sickness, and explosion.
Underwater welders face these risks in an environment where help is typically far away. The complexity of the equipment, the physical demands of working at depth, and the pressure welders may feel to push through unsafe conditions all contribute to an incredibly high accident rate.
Most Common Underwater Welding Injuries
Underwater welders face the possibility of numerous types of accidents and injuries. Some of the most common underwater welding injuries include:
- Electric shock
- Decompression sickness
- Drowning
- Explosion
- Burns and scalds
- Hypothermia
- Long-term health effects
At Anderson Blanda & Saltzman, our personal injury attorneys in Lafayette have the experience, skills, and resources to help you secure maximum compensation for your underwater welding injury claim.
Legal Protections For Underwater Welders
Underwater welders often work in maritime environments, which means their legal rights may be governed by federal maritime law rather than by standard Louisiana workers’ compensation law.
For example, the Jones Act protects seamen injured due to the negligence of their employer or a fellow crew member. And the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act may apply to divers who work in other capacities in and around navigable waters.
These laws are complex, and the companies and insurers that employ underwater welders have legal teams working to minimize payouts after an accident. Injured workers and their families deserve the same quality of legal representation on their side.
Consult a Lafayette Maritime and Offshore Injury Attorney
At Anderson Blanda & Saltzman, our Jones Act attorneys in Lafayette have over 100 years of combined experience handling maritime and offshore injury claims in Louisiana and beyond. We understand the federal statutes that protect workers in these environments, and we know how to build the kind of cases that produce real results. Our firm has a proven record of securing maximum compensation for our clients, including numerous seven-figure verdicts and settlements arising from offshore and industrial accidents.
If you or a family member has been injured while working as an underwater welder, do not assume that a workers’ compensation claim is your only option. Call Anderson Blanda & Saltzman at (337) 233-3366 or contact us online for a free consultation. You pay nothing unless we win.