The 2021 hurricane season (June 1 to November 30) began with Tropical Storm Elsa as one of the first significant weather events to hit the Gulf of Mexico when it arrived in early July. Sixty percent of forecasters predict that the season will be more active than...
The mid-April capsizing of a lift boat in the Gulf of Mexico exemplifies the on-the-job dangers that offshore workers face daily. Those dangers may lead to serious injury and death. Workers struggle to recover, and families mourn when loved ones fail to return home...
Maritime law is like persona injury law in many states because it allows a plaintiff to collect damages for emotional injuries as long as there are also physical injuries or symptoms of injury. However, the 5th Circuit Court potentially expanded the range of knowable...
Shrimp landings seem to be on the rebound in the Gulf region. The 2.3 million pounds of shrimp caught in April marked a slight increase from the previous month. Although still below historic averages, shrimp landings have seen a good bump up from last year’s declining...
Many will remember the fire at the Allied Shipyard in Larose on April 16, 2020. There was $900,000 in damage to the dive support boat Iron Maiden, but luckily there were no injuries. Now the National Transportation Safety Board has concluded its investigation and...
The Merchant Marine Act of 1920 is an essential piece of legislation that is the fundamental basis of the maritime industry. Also known as the Jones Act, it protects seamen, fishermen, platform workers, and others who work on the water. It is generally similar to how...
The Coast Guard suspended its search on April 19 for sailors aboard the capsized liftboat Seacor Power. The 129-foot boat with 19 onboard went down around 4:30 p.m. on April 13 amidst hurricane-force winds eight miles off the coast of Port Fourchon. The search and...
Amidst the gush of news at the end of 2020, it was hard to keep up. So, many likely missed the news that the U.S. Congress passed a National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for the fiscal year 2021. This 4,500-page policy covers all things defense-related and...
If you are a mariner working at sea, you most likely face very real dangers on the job every single day. What you might not know is that, under maritime law, mariners are not qualified for workers’ compensation. That can be a big deal if you suffer an injury while...
Commercial fishermen have long known about the bountiful catches off the shores of Louisiana in the Gulf of Mexico. Oysters and shrimp have long been the kings in water, but one must never forget that among the other bounties include finfish such as groupers and...
