F. Douglas Ortego

Attorney

Lafayette, LA

Douglas “Doug” Ortego was born in N. Chicago, Illinois and grew up in Luling, La. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Communication from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, La., where he was editor of the LSU Daily Reveille. He earned his Juris Doctor degree from Louisiana State University Law School in 2002, and now lives in Lafayette, La

Practice Areas
- Admiralty, Maritime & Energy - Wrongful Death, Personal Injury and Property Damage
- Transportation
- Contractual Indemnity and Insurance
- Commercial and Recreational Diving
- Employment Discrimination
- Casualty Litigation and Coverage
- Insurance Coverage, Litigation and Recovery
- Labor and Employment
- Workers' Compensation
- Mass Torts and Class Action
- Construction Contracts, Defects and Litigation
- Premises Liability
- Products Liability
- Public Entity Law
- Governmental Entities
- Redhibition
Education
- Louisiana State University, J.D. (2002)
- Louisiana State University, B.A. (1994)
Bar Admissions
- Louisiana
Court Admissions
- United States Supreme Court
- Louisiana Supreme Court
- All Louisiana State Courts
- United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
Experience
- Won a motion for summary judgment for Longshore & Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA) insurer allowing plaintiff’s actual employer’s LHWCA carrier to bring an action in subrogation to recover all past LHWCA expenses paid, and to transfer future liability to the borrowing employer’s LHWCA carrier.
- Counsel in an arbitration in which a compromise settlement was reached via a Consent Judgment under which the non-owner operator working interest owner took over operations in the field, and granted an overriding royalty interest to the previous operator.
- Counsel in bench trial for Jones Act employer in case involving a Jones Act seaman who was allegedly injured when he fell from a bunkbed while working aboard a vessel, involving an unwitnessed accident and inconsistent testimony. The Court ruled that Plaintiff failed to establish that the alleged accident occurred by a preponderance of the evidence, and accordingly found in favor of the Defendants as to all issues.
Professional and Community Affiliations
- Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel
- Louisiana State Bar Association
- Lafayette Parish Bar Association
- Lafayette Young Lawyers Association