Admiralty and Maritime Law

Degan, Blanchard & Nash employs dedicated attorneys with proficiency in admiralty and maritime law. The practice of Admiralty and Maritime law is a highly focused area of law that is not widely practiced throughout the United States. As one of the oldest branches of law, harkening back to ancient times, maritime law today covers a broad area of issues, ranging from injuries and working conditions at sea to shipping and commerce, navigation, collisions, protections for passengers, seaman, captains and crew members, salvage practices, cargo, towage, wharves, piers, and docks; insurance; maritime liens; canals, and workers’ compensation as well as recreational boating and environmental issues. Despite the long history of Admiralty and Maritime law, it is an area of the law that is continuingly developing and evolving.

The attorneys of Degan, Blanchard & Nash are well versed in the complex intersecting web of state and federal statutes, regulations, international treaties, and extensive body of case law comprising admiralty and maritime law. Maritime cases not only require an in depth knowledge of the complicated substantive maritime law, but often also involve complex procedural and jurisdictional issues. Maritime cases can also involve complex insurance and coverage issues, which require not only proficiency in maritime and admiralty law, but also an in-depth knowledge in insurance matters.

Practicing throughout Louisiana and many other areas of the country, the attorneys of Degan, Blanchard & Nash have both vast experience and a unique perspective in the issues that can arise in admiralty and maritime law. The mighty Mississippi river has long been a conduit for waterborne commerce, transportation and distribution of goods to and from the heartland of the United States. The river supports a wide variety of industrial fleets, commercial operations, ports, and wharves that are essential to national and international, trade, industry and commerce. The Port of New Orleans is one of the largest ports in the country supporting not only interstate commerce and shipping, but also international shipping as the port is host to an endless parade of oceangoing vessels carrying goods to and from foreign ports. Along the Gulf Coast, the Mississippi River intersects with the Gulf of Mexico where a myriad of oil field operations take place and a variety of businesses provide essential support to drilling, exploration and production activities. The combination of the river and gulf activities give rise to extensive array of maritime law issues that make the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals seated in New Orleans and an array of surrounding Gulf Coast state and Federal courts the most active maritime courts in the country.

Our lawyers successfully solve admiralty and maritime issues and represent insurance companies, maritime corporations, and consumers alike in the same dedicated and creative manner while providing the personalized and flexible service of a small firm. Whatever the dispute entails, the attorneys at Degan, Blanchard & Nash seek to achieve the best possible solution for our clients.

Practice Area Spotlight

Admiralty and Maritime

Degan, Blanchard & Nash employs dedicated attorneys with proficiency in admiralty and maritime law. The practice of Admiralty and Maritime law is a highly focused area of law that is not widely practiced throughout the United States. As one of the oldest branches of law, harkening back to ancient times, maritime law today covers a broad area of issues, ranging from injuries and working conditions at sea to shipping and commerce, navigation, collisions, ….

Read More >
Construction

Navigating a complex construction project requires assistance from an experienced legal team well-prepared to tackle the issues that regularly arise on the construction site. During any phase of a construction project, disagreements can turn into bitter disputes over insurability, schedule, cost, and quality of the end product.

Read More >
Professional Liability

Our professional liability defense group is comprised of attorneys with unsurpassed expertise in defending professionals from a variety of industries, including claims involving medical/healthcare providers, the legal/accounting industries, real estate agents/brokers, insurance agents/brokers, design professionals/architects and engineers, financial planners, investment advisors, and other professional disciplines.

Read More >
Property and Casualty

Through its many years of experience, Degan, Blanchard & Nash's property litigation section attorneys has developed a technical expertise in handling a wide array of property cases involving both commercial and residential properties. With offices in New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, this includes defense of claims due to the weather - e.g., for damage occurring as a result of storms or extreme temperatures.

Read More >
Trucking and Commercial Vehicle

In short, we know the commercial vehicle and trucking business. We recognize the integral role commercial trucking plays in the economy and can help clients navigate the myriad of federal and state laws that may apply.

Read More >
Workers' Compensation Defense

Employers spend millions of dollars every year settling workers' compensation claims that might otherwise have been reduced or dismissed. At Degan, Blanchard & Nash, our attorneys defend cases involving work-related injury or disease, from the most minor to the most severe. While the workers' compensation courts prefer to settle disputes through mediation, there are cases which require litigation. This is when a work-related legal dispute moves to the courts and a workers' compensation lawyer is required.

Read More >
Longshore and Harbor
Workers' Compensation Act
and Defense Base Act

Originally began as a maritime defense law firm, Degan, Blanchard & Nash has diversified from its traditional role primarily in the Louisiana and Texas maritime area into, among other areas, the "blue water" and international marine fields. The firm's approach is to consistently reflect our attorneys' broad knowledge and deep understanding of admiralty and insurance coverage law together with effective representation of the clients, the cornerstone of our longstanding client relationships.

Read More >
Insurance Coverage and Litigation

Degan, Blanchard & Nash's insurance coverage practice has many decades of combined experience in providing insurance coverage advice and in defending insurers in coverage litigation. The coverage group maintains its national expertise and handles claims and litigation arising in all fifty states. Although the insurance coverage group focuses exclusively on the coverage advice and litigation needs of insurers, our coverage lawyers are also skilled in defending liability issues, especially in Louisiana where, due to the state's Direct Action Statute, insurers are most often sued directly by plaintiffs.

Read More >