A McCorpen Defense Successfully Lodged

Plaintiff was hired to work aboard a tug boat.  Prior to his hiring, plaintiff chose not to disclose a prior hip replacement surgery.  Not... More

Seaworthiness of a Vessel

There was a time when an experienced mariner could judge the seaworthiness of a vessel.  By merely observing its hull and rigging he could... More

Maintenance and Cure: Seaman Who Refuses Light Duty Assignment Forfeits Right to Maintenance

District Judge Carl Barbier of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of  Louisiana issued a notable opinion last July in the context... More

The Vessel Seizure Remedy

The General Maritime Law provides unique protections to those engaged in maritime commerce.  For instance, those companies or individuals who provide stores, supplies and... More

The Good Samaritan Doctrine in Maritime Law

The Good Samaritan.  We know him as the traveler who, for no other reason than a desire to help a fellow human being, stopped... More

Louisiana State Employee May Sue Under Jones Act and General Maritime Law

Author: Jon B. Robinson In a recent case issued by the Court of Appeals of Louisiana, Fourth Circuit, a plaintiff employed by the State... More

Duty of the Berth Operator

Every year the Lower Mississippi River experiences high water.  Mooring heavily laden bulk carriers in midstream buoy systems or in more traditional berths at... More

Commercial Diver Was A Longshoreman

In an unpublished decision, the Ninth Circuit determined that a commercial diver qualified for coverage under the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (“LHWCA”). ... More

Property Damage Counterclaim Forbidden By Jones Act

The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals recently ruled on whether a property damage counterclaim in a Jones Act personal injury suit was an impermissible... More

“Greater Compensation” and a Higher AWW Calculation

Recently, the Fifth Circuit again addressed Section 28(b) attorneys fees under the Longshore and Harbor Workers Compensation Act.  In Carey v. Ormey Primary Aluminum... More