Alleman v. OMNI ENERGY SERVICES CORP.

EDITH BROWN CLEMENT, Circuit Judge:

In this appeal, we must determine difficult questions of applicable law following a tragic helicopter accident in the Gulf of Mexico. The two key issues before us are (1) whether a contract for helicopter services to oil platforms is by its nature a maritime contract, and (2) where to draw the line between the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (“OCSLA”) and the Death on the High Seas Act (“DOHSA”). Bert Hollier (“Hollier”) and other passengers of the helicopter sued the company that operated the helicopter, Omni Energy Services Corp. (“Omni”); Omni then…