• William Gee, a prominent trial lawyer in Lafayette, Louisiana, is urging offshore workers and families to avoid early mistakes that can quietly weaken a maritime injury claim.

Louisiana, US, 25th February 2026, ZEX PR WIRE, William Gee, Managing Partner of William Gee Law Firm, released a public alert aimed at offshore and maritime workers who are hurt on the job, as well as families trying to help them in the first days after an injury.

The alert focuses on a common and avoidable mistake: handling an offshore injury the way someone might handle a standard workers’ compensation claim, including giving quick recorded statements, signing early paperwork without review, or waiting too long to document what happened. Maritime claims can involve different rules, different timelines, and different ways liability is proven.

As a recent profile of Gee’s work put it, “offshore cases are not simple.” The same profile described a practice built on “specialize rather than generalize,” and on “preparation and persistence.” Those themes are part of what Gee wants the public to understand: the first steps after an offshore injury often shape everything that comes after.

Why this matters in plain numbers

These risks show up in a world where serious accidents remain common:

• In 2023, the United States recorded 40,901 motor vehicle traffic fatalities.

• In 2023, there were 5,283 fatal work injuries in the United States. 

• Transportation incidents accounted for 36.8% of all occupational fatalities in 2023, or 1,942 deaths. 

• In 2023, the U.S. Coast Guard counted 3,844 recreational boating accidents, including 564 deaths and 2,126 injuries.

• CDC NIOSH notes commercial fishing is among the most dangerous jobs in the U.S., with a fatality rate over 28 times higher than the U.S. average during 2000–2017. 

Public alert: The trap to avoid

The trap is not just the injury. It is the early paper trail.

Offshore and maritime cases can turn on details that seem small at first: who supervised the work, what equipment was involved, whether the Jones Act applies, what training and safety steps were used, and how the first report described the incident. When those details are vague, rushed, or inconsistent, it can limit options later.

Self-check quiz: Are you at risk of this mistake?

Answer Yes or No:

1. Did you give a recorded statement to anyone other than your own lawyer?

2. Did you sign any document that mentions release, waiver, resignation, or “full and final” settlement?

3. Did you delay medical care or skip a follow-up appointment after the initial visit?

4. Did your first report of injury leave out key details about equipment, conditions, or witnesses?

5. Were you told this is “just workers’ comp,” with no discussion of maritime rules or the Jones Act?

6. Did you send texts or social posts about the incident that could be misunderstood out of context?

7. Did you return to work before your condition was clearly documented by a medical provider?

8. Did you rely on verbal promises about coverage, pay, or “taking care of it later”?

9. Did you lose track of names of witnesses, vessel details, or the timeline of the shift?

10. Did you assume the company’s process is designed to protect you first?

Quick scoring

• 0–1 Yes: Lower risk. Keep documentation tight and stay consistent.

• 2–4 Yes: Moderate risk. The claim may already be drifting off course.

• 5+ Yes: High risk. Early missteps may be shaping the outcome.

What to do next: Simple decision tree

Start here:

1. A) If you answered Yes to signing anything

1. Stop signing new paperwork.

2. Gather copies of everything you signed or were sent.

3. Write a simple timeline: date, time, location, what happened, who saw it.

4. Get legal guidance before any further statements or forms.

1. B) If you answered Yes to a recorded statement

1. Do not do a second statement “to clarify.”

2. Request a copy or transcript if available.

3. Write down what you remember saying while it is still fresh.

4. Focus on medical documentation and facts, not explanations.

1. C) If you answered Yes to delayed care or limited documentation

1. Book a follow-up appointment and describe symptoms clearly.

2. Keep a daily log for 14 days: pain, mobility, sleep, tasks you cannot do.

3. Save all work schedules, travel records, and incident communications.

4. Identify witnesses and write down how to contact them.

1. D) If you answered Yes to “this is just workers’ comp”

1. Treat that as a prompt to ask deeper questions about maritime options.

2. Collect vessel or jobsite details: employer, contractors, vessel name if relevant.

3. Preserve photos if you have them, including equipment and surroundings.

4. Get counsel familiar with maritime and offshore injury law.

Gee is urging offshore workers and families to run the self-check today, then take simple steps to protect accuracy and documentation before the situation hardens into a record that is difficult to fix.

Run the self-check today and share it with a friend, coworker, or family member who works offshore.

About William Gee

William Gee is a prominent trial lawyer based in Lafayette, Louisiana. He is the Managing Partner of William Gee Law Firm and focuses on products liability, offshore and maritime injury cases, and serious car and truck collisions. He earned his J.D. from Tulane University Law School and studied economics and philosophy at Emory University. He led a legal team that obtained a $117 million jury verdict, the largest in Louisiana history for an injury case.