In the 1974 case of Intercounty Construction Corp. et al. v. Walter, Deputy Commissioner, Bureau of Employees' Compensation, U.S. Department of Labor et al., the United States Supreme Court ruled on a dispute regarding workers' compensation benefits under the Longshoremen's and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act (LHWCA). The claimant was injured while working for Intercounty Construction Corporation at a site located more than one nautical mile from navigable waters but within an area customarily used by an employer in loading or unloading vessels. The court held that such injuries are compensable under LHWCA as it covers all areas where maritime employment regularly occurs regardless of their proximity to navigable waters.

In the dissenting opinion for Intercounty Construction Corp. v. Walter, Justice Rehnquist disagreed with the majority's interpretation of the Longshoremen's and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act (LHWCA). He argued that Congress intended to limit compensation under this act to those employees who were injured while performing work traditionally done by longshoremen or harbor workers, not just any employee working on navigable waters. The majority’s broader interpretation would extend coverage beyond what was intended by Congress and could lead to absurd results such as a secretary who happened to be typing on a floating office being covered under LHWCA if she got injured at work. Furthermore, he pointed out that there are other federal laws providing compensation for workplace injuries which might apply in these cases instead of LHWCA.