The Estate of Floyd Cowart v. Nicklos Drilling Company et al. case, decided by the Supreme Court in 1992, is significant in legal history due to its interpretation of the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act (LHWCA) and its impact on the jurisdiction of federal and state courts.
The case involved Floyd Cowart, who was injured while working on an oil drilling platform owned by Transco Exploration Company in an area subject to the LHWCA. The central issue was whether the Department of Labor or a federal court had jurisdiction over the case. The Supreme Court ultimately held that the Department of Labor had primary jurisdiction, and federal courts should only hear such cases under certain circumstances. This decision helped establish the boundaries between federal and state jurisdiction and highlighted the importance of administrative remedies under the LHWCA.