Biography

Stephanie Cheralla has 15 years of litigation experience, with a primary focus on the defense of Louisiana workers’ compensation cases. She launched Cheralla & Associates, a boutique woman-owned law firm, in 2023 after progressing from litigation attorney (2008 to 2017) to partner (2017 to 2023) at the New Orleans law firm of Degan, Blanchard & Nash, APLC.

She has handled more than 350 insurance defense litigation matters on behalf of individuals, employers, and insurers in administrative, state, and federal forums over the course of her legal career. Her workers’ compensation practice encompasses disputes brought under the following state and federal laws,

• Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Law
• U.S. Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act
• Defense Base Act
• Jones Act
• Outer-Continental Shelf Lands Act

By the Numbers

Past Results are not a Guarantee of Future Success

• 16 - Stephanie has served as the lead attorney on 16 trials before workers’ compensation tribunals and prepared for many more before the Louisiana Offices of Workers’ Compensation, U.S. Department of Labor Offices of Administrative Law Judges, and civil district courts throughout the State of Louisiana.
• 12+ More than 12 defense assignments to Stephanie were voluntarily dismissed by the claimant/plaintiff upon the defendant’s showing of no merit ahead of motions for summary judgment.
• 14 - Successful motions for summary judgment and exceptions granted, resulting in dismissal of defendant client.
• 300+ The vast majority of the remaining 300 or so cases that did not go to trial or resolve through motions practice were settled ahead of trial, largely on very favorable terms to the client and sometimes with little or no contribution from our client.
• $$$ - Stephanie has recovered hundreds of thousands of dollars for workers’ compensation benefits paid back to defendant clients through subrogation matters in third party tort litigation.

Tort Claim Defense

In addition to workers’ compensation, Stephanie is experienced in defending tort causes of action for personal injuries involving motor vehicle accidents, slip and falls, and premises liability. Earlier in her career she worked on Chinese-manufactured drywall products liability multi-district litigation, overseen by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. This versatile background gives Stephanie the ability to also handle cases involving:

• Maritime law
• Construction defects
• Premises liability
• Products liability
• Tort/personal injury law