What’s the difference between a maritime injury lawyer and a regular personal injury lawyer?

A maritime injury lawyer works inside federal maritime law instead of state personal injury law, and that means different courts, different deadlines, and different proof standards.

Can I still file a claim if I’m not sure whether I count as a “seaman”?

Yes, and you shouldn’t try to sort that out on your own before talking to someone. Seaman status depends on how much time you spend aboard a vessel and whether it’s “in navigation,” a test courts have argued over for decades.

Does the Jones Act cover injuries on an oil rig?

It depends on the type of rig and your job on it. Jack-up rigs and some semi-submersibles have been treated as vessels in certain cases, which can bring rig workers under Jones Act protection. Fixed platforms usually fall under a different federal law.

What if my employer says the accident was my fault?

That claim doesn’t end your case, and under the Jones Act it might not even reduce what you’re owed by much. Comparative fault can lower a settlement, but it takes far more than an employer’s say-so to prove it in court. Get your own account of what happened written down and dated as soon as you can.

Do I have to go to court to get paid?

Not necessarily. Many maritime injury claims settle before trial once liability is clear. But insurers negotiate harder when they don’t think you’re willing to file suit. Having a lawyer ready to go to federal court may speed up a fair offer. Sanchez Burke handles maritime negotiations and litigation, so the case doesn’t stall just because the first number on the table is low.

From Charting the Ocean Floor to Reconstructing Your Accident — Meet Joe Burke.

By Joseph M. W. Burke

Criminal Defense

Last Modified on Oct 09, 2026

Picking your personal injury attorney comes down to several questions. One of the most important is: Can this person figure out exactly what happened to you, and prove it?

At Sanchez Burke, LLC in Lake Charles, Joe Burke built his career around that skill, just not in a courtroom at first. Before he argued a single case, Joe spent years as a hydrographic surveyor, mapping the ocean floor for the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Department of Commerce. That work taught him how to turn scattered physical evidence into a picture other people could trust with their lives. He now applies the same habit to reconstructing a car wreck, a plant accident, or an offshore injury.

Table of Contents

Who Is Joe Burke at Sanchez Burke, LLC?

Joe Burke practices personal injury, criminal law, family law, and successions at Sanchez Burke, LLC. He’s a native of New Iberia and keeps an office there in addition to his primary office in Lake Charles, so clients don’t have to travel far to sit down with him.

He belongs to the Louisiana Bar Association, the Louisiana Association for Justice, and the Southwest Louisiana Bar Association. His mix of scientific training and trial work sets him apart, and it shows in how he works as a personal injury attorney building a case from the ground up.

A Career Spent Mapping the Ocean Floor

Before law school, Joe earned a geography degree from LSU and did graduate work in geography at the University of Maryland. He then worked as a hydrographic surveyor, measuring the depth and shape of the sea floor so vessels don’t run aground.

His assignments took him through projects with the Navy, the Department of Commerce, and several foreign governments. That work produced the depth data that ends up on official charts.

The history of that mission goes back to 1807, when a mandate ordered a survey of the young nation’s coast so mariners would have a fundamental tool for safe passage. The standard for accuracy hasn’t loosened since. A mistake on a chart can run a ship aground, so every measurement had to hold up.

The Bligh Reef Connection

Among his survey projects, Joe personally surveyed the shallowest point at Bligh Reef in Prince William Sound, Alaska. On March 24, 1989, the oil tanker Exxon Valdez struck Bligh Reef, spilling more than 11 million gallons of crude oil, an event you can read about in the official Exxon Valdez oil spill record.

That project meant turning raw depth data into a chart other mariners would trust with their lives. The same discipline now shapes how he reconstructs the sequence behind a client’s accident, piece by measured piece, rather than guessing.

From Geography to the Courtroom

Joe’s shift from charting to litigation ran through LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center, where he earned his J.D./D.C.L. dual degree. His training there included:

Membership on LSU’s Admiralty Moot Court and Trial Advocacy teams
Service as Vice President of the Trial Advocacy Board
A win at the Ira S. Flory Trial Competition

That trial training, paired with years of field science, gives him a different lens than most lawyers bring to a new case.

How a Surveyor’s Training Shapes a Personal Injury Claim

Reconstructing an accident and charting the ocean floor rely on the same basic method: gather every piece of physical evidence first, then let that evidence tell the story, rather than starting with a conclusion. For a maritime injury or a claim brought under the federal Jones Act, that might mean vessel logs, weather conditions, and witness statements.

For a car crash, it might mean skid marks, vehicle damage, and traffic camera footage. Joe Burke’s work as a personal injury attorney at Sanchez Burke, LLC leans on that same instinct. If you’ve been hurt and aren’t sure how the pieces fit together, talking to someone who built a career doing exactly that is worth your time.

What Joe Burke Handles for Clients in Southwest Louisiana

Joe’s practice covers several areas, reflecting both his legal training and his years on the water.

Personal injury claims, including car and truck accidents
Maritime and offshore injury cases, including claims for injured seamen
Plant and industrial accidents, common across the region’s energy corridor
Criminal defense, family law, and successions

Whichever of those brought you here, the next step is usually the same: a conversation about what actually happened and what you’re owed. You’ll talk with an attorney who serves clients throughout Southwest Louisiana from offices in Lake Charles and New Iberia.

Frequently Asked Questions

What areas of law does Joe Burke practice at Sanchez Burke, LLC?

Joe Burke practices personal injury, maritime and Jones Act claims, criminal law, family law, and successions. He sees clients from offices in Lake Charles and New Iberia. If your situation touches more than one of these areas, he can often handle it under one roof.

How does a hydrographic surveying background help with a maritime injury claim?

Hydrographic surveying trained Joe to read physical evidence on the water the same way an accident reconstructionist reads a crash scene. That background is useful in Jones Act cases, where proving what happened aboard a vessel often depends on logs, weather conditions, and physical damage. Precise measurement has been the standard for nautical charting for generations, and that habit carries into his legal work.

What is the Ira S. Flory Trial Competition?

It’s a trial advocacy competition tied to LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center that tests courtroom skills like direct examination, cross-examination, and closing argument. Joe Burke won it while earning his J.D./D.C.L.

Does Joe Burke only handle maritime and offshore cases?

No. He also handles car accidents, plant accidents, and other personal injury claims, along with criminal defense, family law, and successions. His maritime background adds depth to offshore cases, but it doesn’t limit his practice to the water.

How long do I have to file a personal injury claim in Louisiana?

Most injury and damage lawsuits in Louisiana must be filed within two years of the day the injury or damage happens, under a law that took effect July 1, 2024. Maritime injuries, including Jones Act claims, generally have a three-year limit instead. Missing either window generally means losing the right to sue.

Contact Joe Burke Today About Your Personal Injury Claim

Building a personal injury claim means doing what Joe Burke did for years on survey vessels: collecting evidence, checking it against every available source, and refusing to guess at what happened. That habit carries over whether your case involves a car wreck, an offshore injury, or a plant accident.