Category - News

Damage to business reputation and “delay” damages may be recoverable as “property damage” under a commercial general liability insurance policy, ruled the Louisiana Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal. This decision arose out of property damage to the Rice Mill Lofts Apartments in New Orleans. The apartments suffered water damage during heavy thunderstorms and during Tropical …

A “tugboat” may be a “tow” if it receives extra motive power from another vessel, according to the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. The Fifth Circuit announced this rule in the context of interpreting an insurance policy, although the court actually determined that an assisting tug was not the tow of a lead tug. …

Adams Hoefer Holwadel, LLC offers educational presentations on a number of topics of interest to adjusters, risk managers, and other insurance professionals.  The firm has already made presentations to many clients and interested groups on “Louisiana Marine and Energy Issues,” “The Pitfalls of the Adjusting Process,” “The Jones Act versus the Longshore Act,” and “How …

Indemnity agreements will not be easily inferred in the absence of a written contract, the First Circuit Court of Appeal recently reminded. In Walton v. Guidry, 2017-0784 (La. App. 1 Cir. 1/4/18), responsibility for payment of benefits under the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act hinged on whether an indemnification agreement existed between the nominal …

The U.S. Fifth Circuit recently announced a new, simpler test for determining whether a contract is maritime. Since 1990, the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has applied the multi-factor test found in Davis & Sons, Inc. v. Gulf Oil Corp., 919 F.2d 316 (5th Cir. 1990), in determining whether a contract is maritime and …

A fungal infection that led to the loss of an eye is not compensable under an accidental death and dismemberment policy, according to the U.S. Fifth Circuit. In Ramirez v. United of Omaha Life Ins. Co., 16-11660 (5th Cir. 10/6/17), the plaintiff traveled to west Texas for his employer, MS International, Inc. On one of …

A Louisiana federal court recently determined that a non-trucking liability insurance policy excluded coverage for a motor vehicle accident that occurred when a bobtailed tractor was pulled over on the side of the road while the driver slept. A “non-trucking liability” insurance policy provides insurance for “bobtailed” tractors, a tractor operated without a trailer, when …

In a case of first impression, the Benefits Review Board determined that payment of settlement proceeds under a state compensation act extends the time for filing a claim for occupational disease benefits under the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act. The claimant worked as a welder in the 1970s for the employer, and then worked …

Adams Hoefer Holwadel, LLC is again proud to participate in the internship program at Mandeville High School.  Interning with the firm this year is Sofia Opel.  Sofia is a senior at Mandeville High, and will attend Rice University next year on a full scholarship.  She is a member of the National Honor Society, the Key …

  A plaintiff cannot simultaneously pursue a negligence cause of action against an employee and a direct negligent training and supervision cause of action against the employer, if the employee was in the course and scope of employment, according to a Louisiana federal district court. The plaintiff was injured when the driver of a Greyhound …

The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal recently provided the first ever Louisiana interpretation of certain provisions of an aircraft liability policy.  In King v. Old Republic Ins. Co., 2016-0170 (La. App. 1 Cir. 9/7/16); 200 So. 3d 989, the plaintiff’s minor child was killed in the crash of a gyrocopter, an experimental amateur-built aircraft.  The …

Defense costs may be prorated among insurers and the insured in long-latency disease cases, according to a recent decision by the Louisiana Supreme Court.  This rule only applies in long-latency disease cases, the Court instructed, and was grounded in the language of the particular insurance policy at issue. The case arose in the long-running Arceneaux …

An offshore floating tension leg platform is not a vessel, according to the U.S. Fifth Circuit’s recent decision in Baker v. Director, OWCP, 15-60634 (5th Cir. 8/19/16). The issue in Baker involved whether a worker injured during the construction of an offshore platform was entitled to benefits under the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act.  …

A provision in a homeowner’s policy excluding coverage for “continuous or repeated seepage or leakage of water … which occurs over a period of time” is not ambiguous, according to a recent decision by a Louisiana appellate court. The state Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal interpreted this policy language in a May 26, 2016 decision, …

A Louisiana federal judge recently rebuffed a plaintiff’s attempt to extend the range of available damages to include an award for “financial management” damages in a Jones Act claim.  The opinion contains little factual information, but the plaintiff apparently was 27 years old at the time of the injury and had reached maximum medical improvement …

The Louisiana Third Circuit Court of Appeal recently decided an apparently novel issue under maritime law.  The Third Circuit held that an employer that arbitrarily delays paying maintenance and cure is liable for the plaintiff’s attorney’s fees, even those incurred after the payment of maintenance and cure, if the employer pays the benefits conditionally and …

A P&I policy generally requires a causal connection between a vessel and a resulting injury for coverage, according to a recent decision from the U.S. Fifth Circuit. On March 22, 2016, the Fifth Circuit handed down another decision in the Naquin v. Elevating Boats litigation, which arises out of an accident in 2009.  In 2014, …

In the trucking industry, “Bobtailing” means that a tractor is being operated without a trailer attached.  According to the Louisiana Third Circuit Court of Appeal, a Bobtail liability policy provides the insured with uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, even when the tractor is not bobtailing, that is, attached to a trailer. In Castille v. Blum, handed down …

A contract for salvaging a fixed oil and gas platform in the Gulf of Mexico on the Outer Continental Shelf that supported a decommissioned well requires the application of the Louisiana Oilfield Indemnity Act (“LOIA”), according to a recent U.S. Fifth Circuit decision.  In the same decision, the Fifth Circuit found a maritime employment exclusion …

The U.S. Fifth Circuit recently upheld the dismissal of a personal injury lawsuit against a trucking company that contracted with another trucking company with high BASIC scores in unsafe driving, fatigued driving and maintenance. The plaintiffs in the lawsuit were injured in a collision with a truck operated by A&Z Transportation in November 2011. The …

The U.S. Fifth Circuit recently faced some atypical language in a homeowner’s policy written in Texas, providing guidance in interpreting property loss provisions under Texas law. In its January 28, 2016, opinion, the court first had to determine whether the insureds or the insurer bore the burden of proving depreciation to the property at issue. …

As of January 1, 2016, a number of revisions came into effect regarding Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure Art. 966. The purpose of these changes is to revise and clarify the procedure for motions for summary judgment. Despite these changes, it is important to note that the legal standard for granting a Motion for Summary …

The U.S. Fifth Circuit recently interpreted an “Ordinance or Law” provision of an insurance policy under Louisiana law, holding that the provision required an insurer to pay for renovations to buildings at a property site that were not damaged in a fire in one of the other buildings at the site. Houston Specialty Insurance Company …

The Benefits Review Board, the appellate arm overseeing the administration of the Longshore Act and its extensions, recently examined an important U.S. Supreme Court decision involving injuries related to offshore oil and gas production. The Board found coverage under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (“OCSLA”) for an offshore worker injured in an accident while …

The Louisiana Supreme Court recently announced a “bright-line” rule that a write-off from a medical provider, negotiated by the plaintiff’s attorney, is not covered by the collateral source rule and cannot be recovered by the plaintiff. In Hoffman v. 21st Century North America Ins. Co., 2014-2279 (10/2/2015), the Court considered a case with clear evidence …

Bruce Hoefer delivered a presentation to 200 attorneys at the Louisiana Attorney General’s Annual Continuing Legal Education Seminar in September. The program was “How to Avoid the Highlight Reel,” an interactive seminar focusing on deposition techniques, particularly in preparing a witness for deposition. The distinguishing feature of the presentation was actual video clips from depositions …

The firm is pleased to work with Mandeville High School to offer an internship to a well-qualified student, Tatiana Gonzalez Quiroga. Tatiana is President of the Mandeville High Student Council, and a recipient of the school’s Best Student Council Undergraduate Award and the School Spirit Award. Tatiana is on the Honor Roll at the school, …

An insurer in Louisiana potentially faces damages for bad faith failure to settle a claim, even if it does not receive a firm offer to settle the claim. Louisiana Revised Statute 22:1973(A) provides: “An insurer … owes to his insured a duty of good faith and fair dealing. The insurer has an affirmative duty to …

Social media websites, such as Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat, offer significant information which may provide valuable impeachment evidence in lawsuits filed by personal injury plaintiffs. This information includes references to a plaintiff’s physical condition and injuries both prior and subsequent to a subject accident, daily activities, and the subject accident itself. However, information from the …

The U.S. Fifth Circuit recently interpreted an insurance policy exclusion prohibiting one insured from suing another party insured under the same policy.  In finding the exclusion inapplicable, the Fifth Circuit determined that a claim for indemnity differed from a claim for “property damage” as required by the language of the exclusion. In Kinsale Insurance Company …

Ten years later, the courts are still handling cases related to Hurricane Katrina. The United State Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals recently issued a decision arising from fraudulent classification of claims submitted by insurers. This decision issued by the Fifth Circuit on July 13, 2015 did not directly address insurance coverage questions, but involved other …

Adams Hoefer Holwadel, LLC recently hosted representatives from one of the world’s largest construction companies and one of the largest domestic insurers to discuss plans for an upcoming petrochemical project along the Gulf Coast. Adams Hoefer Holwadel advised the group of about 20 regarding various maritime risks associated with the project. Adams Hoefer Holwadel frequently …

The Louisiana Supreme Court recently reigned in the remedies available against a party that inadvertently loses or destroys evidence.  In Reynolds v. Bordelon, 2014–C–2362, issued on June 30, 2015, the Court held that Louisiana does not recognize the tort of negligent spoliation of evidence. In Reynolds, the plaintiff alleged that the defendant auto insurer and …

The Longshore divisions of the United States Department of Labor have updated their procedures to incorporate current technology and law.  A few months ago, the Division of Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation, the agency that administers the Longshore Act, implemented a procedure for online filing of almost all required documents.  Forms and other documents may …

An ALJ cannot vary the terms of an agreed settlement application submitted by the parties, the Benefits Review Board held.  “Section 8(i) of the Act and its implementing regulations do not give an administrative law judge the authority to alter a complete Section 8(i) settlement submitted by the parties.  Rather, the administrative law judge’s options …

The Benefits Review Board recently determined an employer’s liability under Section 8(f) in cases in which a claimant sustains successive aggravating injuries to the same body part.  Initially, the Board upheld the ALJ’s determination that the claimant sustained three distinct work injuries, all to his back.  The claimant initially injured his back in 1999.  After …