The tort law system is designed to make whole those who have been injured. Since medical science is both an imperfect art and an imperfect science, money is most often the cure for what ails plaintiffs. In each case the jury must decide how much money it takes to remedy…
Articles Posted in Wrongful Death
Product Safety a Concern? Check Out This Government Website
For those wishing to be kept abreast of the latest products to receive governmental warnings regarding the safety surrounding their use, feel free to check out SaferProducts.gov. With a list of incident reports from other consumers, this effort by the government hopefully will help enable people to make conscious decisions…
Prescription Runs on Ouachita Parish Medical Malpractice and Wrongful Death Survival Action Claim
The plaintiff in this case, Suzanne Hammond, was the mother of Latousha Tillman and the grandmother of her stillborn child, Ladaizya Tillman. On March 31, 2004, Ms. Tillman arrived at the St. Francis Hospital emergency room complaining of pain, nausea, and vomiting. She was 25 years old and 23 weeks…
Court of Appeals Rejects Insurance Company’s Defense of Nonpermissive Use in Recent Case
Louisiana law requires all motor vehicle liability insurance policies to extend coverage not only to the insured, but also to any other person with express or implied permission to drive the motor vehicle. Once the insured gives permission, coverage will be denied only if the driver deviates from the permissive…
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Department of Transportation and Development Found Liable for Natchitoches Parish Drowning
In a ruling by the Third Circuit Court of Appeal for the State of Louisiana, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) and the Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) were found jointly liable for $3.9 million to Vanna McManus and her children, the survivors of a man who…
Successful Appeal for Fairness in Iberia Parish Car Accident Payment
From the Courts of Equity of the England of yore to Louisiana’s Third Circuit, fairness is and has been for a long time an essential component of the law. Civil concepts of fairness still exist today, especially in Louisiana courts dedicated to making whole the victim of a crime. Edward…
The Effect of Statutory Employee Status on a Claim for Injury on the Job
The health and safety of workers is a pressing concern for both employees and employers alike. When an injury occurs at a job site, many questions arise as to the care of the injured and the responsibility of the employer in regard to that care. As an employee, the question…
Court Clarifies Duty of Ambulance Dispatcher in Dropped 911 Call
When a caller dials 911 to report an emergency, it is not uncommon for the operator to transfer the caller to the local service provider that is best suited to respond to the incident. For instance, a caller who reports an auto accident can expect to be connected with the…
On Prematurity and a Plaintiff’s Case for Damages
According to the Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure, a defendant can file an “exception of prematurity” to challenge whether the plaintiff’s cause of action has “matured to the point where it is ripe for judicial determination.” A classic (mis)application of the exception is found in the 1999 case, Steed v.…
Oil Pump Injury Demonstrates Limits of Liability for Child’s Injury
Over the course of the last century, products liability law has become more detailed and specific in terms of protecting consumers from injury caused by products. If a product is found to be defective, in most cases any sellers along the chain of sale can be held liable. This means…