In the predawn hours of an October 21, 1995, election day, Elizabeth Cazes arrived at a polling place on Antonio Road in West Baton Rouge where she was scheduled to work as election commissioner. She entered the building using a set of concrete steps at the front entrance of the…
Articles Posted in Litigation
The Complexities of Chinese Drywall
For those Louisiana residents, whether they live in Baton Rouge, Lafayette, New Orleans, Mandeville, Lake Charles, Shreveport or Alexandria, that have questions dealing with Chinese Drywall, feel free to look at our Chinese drywall information section. This blog section focuses on the timeline of this toxic wallboard in America. Whether…
No More Pit Bulls in St. Mary’s Parish: Council Passes Ban
The St. Mary’s Parish Council has recently voted unanimously to ban pit bulls within unincorporated areas of the parish. As reported in Franklin’s Daily Iberian, the ordinancemakes it illegal to: own, possess, keep, exercise control over, maintain, harbor, transport or sell any pit bull…in the designated areas of St.…
Port Allen Case Shows that Deadlines Can Invalidate a Medical Malpractice Claim
Medical malpractice claims and recovery based on those claims are regulated by Louisiana statute. As such, the law places limits on the time an injured party has to file a claim. Once a claim is filed, the review process is subject to intermediate deadlines. As the following case demonstrates, a…
Mock Drunk Driving Accident a Powerful Teaching Tool
Schools Tackle Prom Drinking Risk Schools around the country attempt to confront the issue of student drunk driving, especially in the spring around prom season. One way to try to prevent teen drinking and driving is to talk to kids about the dangers while they are still young. Many high…
Winnfield Slip and Fall Case Demonstrate City’s Duty to Remedy Defective Conditions
When a person is injured by the poor or defective condition of public property (such as a cracked sidewalk or a pothole in the roadway), he or she may be able to recover from the municipality responsible for maintaining the property. Under Louisiana law, actions in against city governments for…
Pull Over!: Commercial Vehicles Required to Not Drive in Unsafe Conditions
Car accident claims often hinge on whether or not the defendant owed a duty to the injured party. If a duty was owed, it was breached, and the breach caused an injury, liability for negligence exists. However, if there was no duty, the claim is cut off. The important question…
Dangerous Teenage Driving: Deadly AND Expensive
Most parents probably get a little nervous when their teens take to the road, and for good reason. Teenage drivers are often very dangerous behind the wheel. In addition to their inexperience, teen drivers are more likely to succumb to the supposed “thrill” of risky behaviors like drunk driving, driving…
DeRidder Man Successful Against Insurance Company: Court Explains Principle of Res Judicata
In 2005, Dale Spires of DeRidder was in a car accident that was caused by April Roberts. He sued Ms. Roberts and her insurance company paid out $10,000, which was the limit under her insurance policy. The suit was dismissed in 2006. In 2007, Spires filed an additional lawsuit against…
What Happens When you Get Sick on Vacation? Celebrity Cruise Ship Docked After Massive Illness Outbreaks
The cruise ship Celebrity Mercury was forced to its home port of Charleston for a four day cleaning recently. After the third straight outbreak of Norovirus on the 1870 passenger ship, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control issued a rare “no sail” recommendation. The return home came after Celebrity took…