On April 13, 2021, the lift boat Seacor Power capsized in the Gulf of Mexico, south of Port Fourchon, Louisiana. Thirteen of the 19 workers on board lost their lives. Six survived.
Following the tragedy, the families of the deceased and the survivors faced a massive, complex federal legal battle. The vessel owner immediately invoked the Limitation of Liability Act—an old maritime law used by companies to cap the amount of money they have to pay victims, sometimes limiting it to the salvage value of the vessel itself.
U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo appointed Lambert Zainey as co-lead counsel for the ensuing litigation. Our firm proudly represented 14 of the 19 people on board, including the widow of the captain. By November 2023, after rigorous investigation and negotiation, every claim arising from the Seacor Power capsizing was resolved.
Here is how we achieved that resolution, and what it means for families facing similar offshore disasters today.
- Fight the Cap: When a vessel owner uses the Limitation of Liability Act, they are trying to protect their profits. Families need experienced maritime attorneys immediately to fight this cap and maximize recovery.
- Three Laws, One Accident: The Seacor Power disaster involved Jones Act Death claims, DOHSA claims, and Survivor Personal Injury claims. Each is governed by different rules and covers different damages. Navigating all three simultaneously is one of the most complex challenges in maritime law.
- Understanding DOHSA: The Death on the High Seas Act (DOHSA) applies when a worker dies more than three nautical miles from shore. It strictly limits recovery to financial support, excluding compensation for pain, suffering, or loss of companionship. Knowing how to maximize recovery within these strict limits is critical.
- Speed Matters: When a disaster occurs, the company’s legal team starts working immediately. Families who hire a lawyer before the initial Coast Guard hearings are in a much stronger position than those who wait.
Breaking Down a Complex Legal Battle
Lambert Zainey Smith & Soso represented the collective interests of the survivors and the grieving families against the vessel owners. Individually, we represented 14 of the 19 souls on board. (For background on the accident and early legal guidance, listen to Skip Lambert’s radio interviews explaining the Seacor Power disaster).
Following the U.S. Coast Guard hearings in Houma, Louisiana, and intense legal discovery in New Orleans, we faced a challenge: Negotiating 19 individual claims would take years, forcing families to endure prolonged trauma.
Our Solution: Resolution by Category
We developed a streamlined approach. Working cooperatively with other plaintiff’s attorneys and with the Court’s oversight, we grouped the claims by their specific legal category.
For example, all the Jones Act Death claims shared the same legal basis for recovery against the same employer and insurer. By ranking these claims economically relative to each other, we were able to negotiate and resolve the entire category at once.
In plain terms: Rather than fighting 19 separate, years-long battles, we established a clear legal foundation for each group and resolved them together. This approach secured justice for the families significantly faster than traditional, individual lawsuits.
How the Claims Were Resolved — and How Long It Took
Because of this efficient, categorized strategy, we achieved a major milestone quickly: The Jones Act Death claims were resolved in late April 2022, just over one year after the capsizing.
The remaining claims took additional time due to the complex personal injury damages and the involvement of multiple different insurance companies. In total, the litigation involved:
- 7 Jones Act Death Claims: Brought by families of crew members who qualified as “seamen” under federal law.
- 6 DOHSA Claims: Wrongful death claims for those who died further offshore, strictly limiting damages to financial loss.
- 6 Survivor Claims: Brought by the six workers who lived through the capsizing.
By November 2023—approximately two and a half years after the disaster—all 19 of these primary claims were successfully concluded.
**Note: Two additional group settlements were reached regarding vessel design and manufacturing claims. These were resolved for modest amounts to formally close out claims that were legally viable but not the primary focus of the wrongful death and survivor actions.
What the Seacor Power Case Means for You
The Seacor Power litigation required mastering nearly every legal framework that applies to an offshore disaster. Resolving these 19 claims meant knowing how the Jones Act, DOHSA, and the Limitation of Liability Act interact, and how to force progress in federal court while protecting grieving families.
If your family has lost someone in a lift boat accident or any offshore tragedy, you must understand that the legal fight begins the moment the accident happens. The companies involved already have their defense teams in place.
The sooner you secure experienced maritime representation, the better protected your family’s future will be during Coast Guard hearings, legal discovery, and settlement negotiations.
Contact Lambert Zainey today for a free, confidential consultation. We know how to fight for you. For more specific information, please visit our Lift Boat Accidents page.
