General Maritime Law

General maritime law is a body of U.S. maritime law developed by courts rather than by statute. General maritime law is comprised of certain causes of action that are rooted in history, judicial doctrine and court precedent. Our Lafayette maritime lawyers are familiar with all of these areas.

General maritime provides common law remedies to any person who suffers an injury at sea, despite the fact that the individual is unable to file a claim under a federal statute. All too often, an employee may fall outside the scope of federal maritime statutes such as the Jones Act or the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act. A person may also suffer an injury while recreationally at sea. In these types of situations, general maritime law may provide a common law right of recovery. Serving victims in Lafayette and beyond, our maritime attorneys can help you navigate the legal process.

In addition to extending legal remedies to a variety of maritime workers who do not qualify for protection under federal statute, general maritime law also provides additional remedies to injured seamen. For example, injured seamen utilize general maritime law to bring strict products liability lawsuits for injuries caused by defective equipment or machinery on a vessel. General maritime law also allows seaman-like workers within the state's territorial waters to bring personal injury lawsuits against an employer or vessel owner.

Lastly, general maritime law also gives certain legal rights and remedies to any person who suffers an injury at sea. This category of plaintiffs commonly includes cruise ship passengers and recreational boaters. One of the most commonly used general maritime law claims is a wrongful death claim. Under this common law theory of liability, the family members of any person who dies at sea can bring a wrongful death lawsuit with the assistance of a Lafayette maritime attorney.

The determination of whether an individual should bring a statutory maritime claim or a general maritime law claim is a fact-sensitive inquiry. An experienced maritime lawyer in the Lafayette area will know which claims are right for you and your family. For questions, contact Broussard, David & Moroux to schedule a free consultation with one of our experienced maritime and admiralty lawyers at 888-337-2323 (toll-free) or 337-233-2323 (local).