Shreveport’s work injuries come from the nurses and techs at Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport and the Willis-Knighton hospitals, the oilfield and industrial hands along the Red River, the warehouse crews off Bert Kouns Industrial Loop, and the drivers running work errands on I-20, I-49, and Mansfield Road. The serious ones are treated at Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport on Kings Highway, the Level I trauma center for this corner of the state, or at a Willis-Knighton facility. When a driver hits your work truck, the Shreveport Police Department or the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office writes the report; for an injury inside the workplace, the record starts with the incident report your employer fills out. The comp claim is decided by the Office of Workers Compensation, whose district office serving Caddo Parish is here in Shreveport, and a civil suit against a third party is filed at the First Judicial District Court, 501 Texas Street. Trey Morris Injury Lawyers is at 509 Milam Street, across the street from that courthouse, and in the first week we put your notice to the employer in writing, secure the first-visit medical record, and pull your wage records.
The law that governs the claim is Louisiana law and it is the same in Caddo Parish as in every other parish. Your workers’ compensation claim is not a lawsuit at the courthouse on Texas Street; it is an administrative case before the Office of Workers Compensation, and La. R.S. 23:1209 gives you one year from the injury, or from the last benefit payment, to file it. Give your employer written notice inside 30 days under La. R.S. 23:1294. When somebody other than your employer caused the harm, La. R.S. 23:1101 keeps a second track open, the one that pays for what comp will not.
Results for Louisiana Clients
- $32.2 MillionIndustrial / Workplace
Failure to maintain proper safety protocols led to an explosion at an industrial plant causing a series of catastrophic injuries from broken bones, burns, spinal injury, and mental anguish.
- $31.5 MillionIndustrial / Workplace
Brain and spinal injuries followed an oil-field company failing to maintain equipment and provide a safe work site.
- $1.6 MillionIndustrial / Workplace
At a worksite, an excavator operator dropped a crane mat onto our client.
- $1.3 MillionIndustrial / Workplace
An oil-field safety violation injured our client.
- $977,873Industrial / Workplace
The other vehicle failed to yield the right of way and collided with our client, who suffered back injuries.
- $740,000Industrial / Workplace
The at-fault driver failed to yield the right of way and collided with our client, who suffered neck injuries.
Past results do not guarantee future outcomes; each case is decided on its own facts.
Two tracks, and they do not run on the same rules. Different deadlines, different decision-makers, different money. Trey Morris Injury Lawyers works out of 509 Milam Street, across the street from the Caddo Parish Courthouse, and we have handled both tracks across Northwest Louisiana for over two decades. What goes wrong most often is a worker who takes the comp checks and never hears that the second claim existed.
Coverage and Eligibility in Caddo Parish
Workers Compensation
No-fault insurance for job injuries. It pays your medical treatment and part of your lost wages regardless of who caused the accident, and Louisiana’s version of it lives in La. R.S. 23:1021 et seq.
Coverage reaches most private-sector employees in Caddo Parish under La. R.S. 23:1021 et seq., and carrying it is mandatory. An employer who operates without workers compensation insurance has committed a criminal offense under La. R.S. 23:1168.
That takes in most of the people who work in this town: nurses and techs at Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport and the Willis-Knighton hospitals, oilfield and industrial hands, warehouse crews off Bert Kouns Industrial Loop, retail and hospitality workers, and employees across most private industries. Independent contractors are generally excluded, and that label is often wrong, because Louisiana courts look at who actually controlled the work rather than at what the contract called you.
Subcontractors on a job site have one more question to answer: which employer owes the benefits. The borrowed servant and statutory employer doctrines can put more than one company on the hook when a worker is loaned out or hired through a staffing agency. Each arrangement gets read on its own paperwork.
We have handled comp claims alongside third-party tort claims in Northwest Louisiana for over two decades. This week, ask your employer in writing for the name of the comp carrier and your claim number, and keep the reply.
Local Office. Statewide Record.
- Across the street
From the 1st JDC
Our 509 Milam St office sits across the street from the First Judicial District Court, where Shreveport injury suits are filed and tried.
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Trial attorneys, one team
Your case is handled by the firm's own trial attorneys, and we respond in minutes, 24/7.
- 24/7
We come to you
Hospital, home, or the office at 509 Milam St. Free case review, and no fee unless we win.
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Cases resolved over $1 million
Verdicts and settlements of $1 million or more, won by the same trial team that handles Shreveport cases.
Common Work Injuries Covered by Louisiana Workers Compensation
Comp covers an injury that arose out of and in the course of your employment. You do not have to prove your employer did anything wrong. You do have to prove the injury happened at work, and the industries around Shreveport each produce their own version of it.
Falls from height are still one of the leading causes of fatal workplace injury. Construction workers, industrial maintenance hands, and anyone on scaffolding, a ladder, or an elevated platform lives with that risk daily. Overexertion and repetitive stress show up in hospitals, in warehouse and logistics work, and in manufacturing. Back and spine injuries from lifting cross every industry on the list.
Struck-by injuries happen when a falling object or a moving machine hits you, which is routine on construction sites and in the industrial corridors near the Red River. Occupational illness and chemical exposure reach manufacturing and energy-sector workers. Slips and falls on a wet or cluttered floor happen in retail, healthcare, and food service all over the parish.
If you were treated at Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport on Kings Highway, the Level I trauma center for this corner of the state, or at a Willis-Knighton facility, your record from that first visit is evidence. It fixes when the injury happened and what you reported. A gap between the injury and the first treatment is the opening an adjuster looks for, so get seen and go back when they tell you to.
A fall from a scaffold leaves different evidence than a repetitive stress injury or a chemical exposure, so the investigation runs differently too. We read the injury type for the second question as well: who besides your employer put you in that position. Before this week is out, write down the names of everyone who saw it happen.
What Shreveport Clients Say
- Emma Dvorak
I was overwhelmed dealing with everything after my injury, but their team took a lot of the pressure off of me.They were patient, answered all my questions, and made sure I understood what was happening.
- Diane Didier
I was recommended to Trey Morris by a friend, and they have been amazing!They kept me up to date with all the details of my case. I was in the loop during the entire process. Having to go over the details my accident was so uncomfortable, but they were so understanding and made every effort to make the entire process as smooth as possible. I would highly recommend Trey Morris and his team to anyone.
- Laurie Shearin
I'll always appreciate the way I was treated here.I felt heard, respected and taken care of from beginning to end.
- Zachary Krengle
Trey Morris and the team treated me so well after my accident.Beyond taking the steps to make sure my case was taken care of timely and apropiatelly. They listened and made me feel like I was a priority to them and not just another client. I hope none of my friends are put in a situation to need them, but if they do I would highly suggest Trey Morris and the team.
- Valorie Schneider
Really glad I chose Trey Morris Injury Law.They were easy to work with and made sure I understood what was going on.
- Alayna Cantrell
I would recommend Trey Morris to my friends and family.Trey Morris & the team there helped me with my case. The firm is amazing!
- Sunshine Halpert
This is the firm you want handling your car accident.Trey Morris Injury Lawyers is the best. Jessica, Seth, and Brian handled my case quickly. They kept me up to date and infor ed the whole time. I will send everyone I know to you guys. Thanks so much!
- Alyx Braud
My mans Trey Trey got it done!All the people at the firm were super friendly and they really made me feel like they cared about my case as much as I did. It didn't take too long and I got my settlement 🤑
- Raley Snead
I had a great experience with Morris Injury Attorneys.Everyone is professional, responsive, and kept me / my loved ones updated throughout the entire process. They made everything easy to understand and handled our cases quickly. I'm really pleased with the outcome and would definitely recommend them to anyone who needs a good injury attorney.
- Annabelle Lee
Trey morris injury lawyers handled my case with the utmost professionalism.I will definitely be recommending to any friends and family!!
- Lindsie Waguespack
Trey Morris Injury lawyers handled my claim with so much professionalism!Thank yall for everything!!
- LAM Rogers
Trey Morris and his team were the only attorneys i needed to call.After I was in an accident they helped my case and got me a settlement I am very happy with. They were very professional. I recommend them highly. Thank you to the whole office at Tray Morris.
Benefits Under Louisiana Workers Compensation
La. R.S. 23:1203 pays for all necessary medical treatment, with no dollar cap on it. Your employer or their insurer picks your first treating physician, and treatment outside that approved doctor has to be authorized. That authorization step is where a lot of Caddo Parish claims stall.
TTD
Temporary Total Disability. The Louisiana comp benefit paying 66.67% of your average weekly wage when a work injury leaves you unable to work at all. Governed by La. R.S. 23:1221(1).
AWW
Average Weekly Wage. Your wages over the 26 weeks before the injury, averaged. It is the base number for TTD, SEB, and death benefit payments.
SEB
Supplemental Earnings Benefits. The Louisiana comp benefit paying 66.67% of the difference between your pre-injury average weekly wage and what you can earn after. Governed by La. R.S. 23:1221(3).
Indemnity benefits are the wage side. TTD pays 66.67% of your AWW while you cannot work at all. If you can work but cannot earn what you used to, SEB pays 66.67% of the gap. Permanent Total Disability applies when the injury permanently keeps you out of any substantial gainful employment. Death benefits pay 32.5% of the deceased worker’s AWW to a surviving spouse, with added percentages for dependent children.
Medical benefits run until you reach maximum medical improvement, the point where your condition has stabilized and further treatment is not expected to improve it. MMI is a medical determination, and it drives more benefit disputes than anything else, because an insurer that gets you declared at MMI early can move you off active treatment and recalculate what it owes. Vocational rehabilitation is available when you cannot go back to the job you had, and insurers sometimes use that evaluation to justify ending benefits.
La. R.S. 23:1201 requires the employer or insurer to start paying within 30 days of written notice of injury. Arbitrary denial or delay costs them 12% of the unpaid or underpaid benefits, plus reasonable attorney fees. That 12% turns on proving the denial was arbitrary and capricious, a record you build from the first late check. We read every file for it the day a payment slips.
Pull your pay stubs for the 26 weeks before the injury this week. That stack is what your AWW gets calculated on, and every check follows from it.
Shreveport Practice Areas
Car AccidentsRear-end, intersection, and highway collisions across Louisiana.
Truck Accidents18-wheeler and commercial-vehicle wrecks governed by federal trucking rules.
Catastrophic InjuryBrain, spinal-cord, amputation, and severe-burn injuries that change a life.
Wrongful DeathClaims brought by families after a fatal accident or act of negligence.
Premises LiabilitySlip-and-fall and unsafe-property injuries on someone else's premises.
Product LiabilityInjuries caused by defective or unreasonably dangerous products.
Oilfield AccidentsDrilling, pipeline, and refinery injuries across the energy sector.
Industrial AccidentsPlant, warehouse, and heavy-equipment injuries in industrial settings.
Offshore AccidentsRig, platform, and vessel injuries beyond the shoreline.
The Claims Process in Caddo Parish
Tell your employer in writing, within 30 days. La. R.S. 23:1294 requires written notice. Telling a supervisor out on the floor can preserve your rights, but it leaves an argument about what was said and when. A dated memo or email leaves none. Keep a copy.
Get your paper together before the claim is filed: the incident report, every medical record from your treatment, wage records for the 26 weeks before the injury, and contact information for anyone who saw it happen. The insurer will ask for all of it, and having it in order keeps the file from sitting.
Once your employer has that notice, the 30-day clock to begin benefits runs. If they dispute the claim or simply do not pay, you file a Disputed Claim for Compensation, Form 1008, with the Louisiana Office of Workers Compensation. The OWC district office serving Caddo Parish is here in Shreveport. That is the line between a comp claim and a lawsuit: the OWC decides it, not the First Judicial District Court.
The First Judicial District Court, at 501 Texas Street, is where civil litigation for Caddo Parish is filed, including a third-party suit growing out of a work injury. Your comp claim is not decided in that building. Keep the two files apart on the kitchen table and you will keep them apart in your head.
The prescriptive period for the comp claim is one year from the date of injury or from the date of the last benefit payment, under La. R.S. 23:1209. The deadline on a third-party tort claim is a separate date, and the two run independently. If you have both, both dates matter.
Miss either one and the right is gone for good, which is why we calendar both the day a file opens. Write your notice this week, date it, and email it so your sent folder holds the proof.
Your Shreveport Trial Team
The lawyers who work your file. Every Shreveport case is handled by the firm's own trial attorneys.
How Does Louisiana Workers Compensation Handle Disputed Claims?
A denied, delayed, or disputed comp claim goes to the Louisiana Office of Workers Compensation. Form 1008 opens the formal dispute. A mediator tries to settle it first, and mediation is non-binding, so when it fails the case moves to a hearing.
A workers compensation judge decides it, and there are no juries in Louisiana comp litigation. The judge takes evidence from both sides and rules on benefit entitlement, the adequacy of the treatment being authorized, and whether penalties apply. Under La. R.S. 23:1201, a denial the judge finds arbitrary costs the insurer 12% of the unpaid benefits plus attorney fees.
The most common dispute starts with an independent medical examination. The insurer hires the physician, you see that physician once, and the report comes back recommending an earlier return to work, or an earlier MMI date, than your own doctor gave. That report becomes the basis for reducing or terminating your benefits. You can ask for a second medical opinion and contest the findings. Form 1009 opens a medical treatment dispute.
La. R.S. 23:1361 bars your employer from discharging or retaliating against you for filing. If you were fired, demoted, or had hours cut afterward, that is a separate claim. Write down every adverse action with its date, who delivered it, and what was said.
We represent injured workers before the OWC and try these hearings before workers compensation judges. If your check stopped or your treatment was denied, ask the adjuster this week for the denial in writing; that letter is the first exhibit.
Third-Party Tort Claims for Shreveport Workers
Exclusive Remedy
The rule in La. R.S. 23:1032 that bars an injured employee from suing their own employer in civil court. Where workers compensation covers the injury, it is the only claim against the employer who carries the coverage.
Under La. R.S. 23:1032, comp is your only claim against your direct employer. You cannot sue that employer in civil court over a covered workplace injury, outside narrow exceptions.
A third party is a different matter. If anyone besides your direct employer contributed to your injury, a civil suit can run alongside the comp claim, and that one is filed at the courthouse on Texas Street. Third parties include general contractors, equipment manufacturers, property owners, a negligent driver who hit you on a work errand out on I-20, and co-workers acting outside the scope of their employment. That claim reaches damages comp never pays: pain and suffering, the full wage loss instead of two-thirds of it, and the rest of your non-economic damages.
When a non-employer caused the injury, the report written by law enforcement carries weight. If a driver ran into your work truck on I-49 or on Mansfield Road during a delivery, the police or sheriff report fixes the date and the location and names who responded. It is the starting point for the third-party file, and a different piece of paper from the incident report you turned in for comp.
Borrowed Servant
A doctrine that treats a worker furnished by one employer, but working under another employer’s control, as the employee of the borrowing employer for comp purposes. The analysis turns on who directed the work.
Statutory Employer
Under La. R.S. 23:1061, a general contractor who hires subcontractors to do work that is part of the contractor’s own trade or business becomes the statutory employer of the subcontractor’s employees. That status can carry comp immunity from civil suit, and it carries the duty to see that coverage exists.
Borrowed servant applies when you were furnished to work under another company’s supervision, which can make that contractor your employer for liability purposes. Statutory employer cuts both directions: the contractor can raise it to claim immunity from your civil suit, or you can raise it to make the contractor provide the coverage your subcontractor employer did not.
If the third-party case settles or you win a judgment, your comp carrier holds a lien on that money under La. R.S. 23:1101. The carrier is reimbursed for the benefits it already paid, off the top, before your share is figured. Negotiating that lien down is part of resolving the third-party claim, so it changes what reaches your pocket.
The comp claim and the third-party analysis happen on the same file in this office, which is how the second one keeps from going missing. If a truck, a machine, or another contractor’s crew was involved, give us those company names this week, before the equipment gets repaired or sold.
What Are the Most Common Workers Compensation Disputes in Caddo Parish?
Misclassification comes first. Employers label workers independent contractors to keep from paying comp premiums, and Louisiana courts do not take the label at face value. The test is actual control: who directed the work, who furnished the tools, who set the hours. If you were called a contractor while your employer decided how and when you worked, that classification is worth challenging.
Causation is the second fight. The insurer argues the injury predates this job, or happened away from work, or that the work activity did not cause the condition. Your medical records from before and after the injury date are the central evidence, along with your treating physician’s opinion. Examining physicians hired by the insurer find pre-existing conditions and non-occupational causes with some regularity.
Physician disputes run through La. R.S. 23:1121, which limits your right to switch treating doctors. Your employer picks the first one. If that doctor is not providing appropriate treatment, or is writing reports that read like the insurer brief, changing takes employer consent or an OWC ruling.
Return-to-work pressure is next. An employer offers a modified duty position aimed at ending your TTD, and sometimes the position does not fit the restrictions your doctor wrote. Where the offered job exceeds those restrictions, your benefits can continue. Get the written restrictions from your treating physician and the written job description for the position, and read them side by side before you accept anything.
Retaliation happens. If you were fired, had hours cut, got moved to another shift, or were demoted after filing, La. R.S. 23:1361 gives you a claim over it. Keep dates, names, and the order things happened in. A verbal warning or a write-up that only started after you filed is evidence.
When the insurer physician clears you for work your own doctor has not, we answer with the treating physician’s response, a functional capacity evaluation, and a motion at the OWC. If an examination is on your calendar, ask this week for the letter the insurer sent that doctor, because what they asked shapes what comes back.