In Jackson v. Chem Carriers, LLC, the Louisiana First Circuit Court of Appeal reversed the trial court's judgment and held (1) that a renovated barge was not a vessel in navigation and (2) that the plaintiff did not qualify as a seaman because, in pertinent part, his work duties did not take him to sea or involve seagoing activity. The decision followed the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit's recent decision of Sanchez v. Smart Fabricators of Texas, LLC, 997 F.3d 564 (5th Cir. 2021), in which the federal appellate court pronounced a refined test for seaman status. Jackson is the first Louisiana appellate court to render a decision post-Sanchez, and the case will serve as an invaluable guide to Louisiana trial courts when determining the status of maritime workers. Continue reading >