In Louisiana, district courts (the lower level trial courts) have great discretion in awarding costs to a party. These costs can include expert witness fees, deposition fees, exhibit costs, costs for the clerk of court, the cost of obtaining medical records and related expenses. See La. R.S. 13:3666, and La.…
In workers compensation cases, the awarded money benefits can be offset in court to account for other benefits being received by the employee for the same injury like social security disability benefits. If the employer seeks to have the workers compensation benefits offset to account for social security disability they…
In joint real estate ventures, all partners are presumed to be equal unless agreed otherwise. All parties should have equal decision-making power, share equally in gains and losses, and possess equal interests in the subject property. Cooperation among the partners is essential to the success of the venture. Each person…
Parents love their children very much. It is always a difficult experience to involve a child in a lawsuit. Such an emotionally difficult experience can be soothed by having the best attorney possible. Losing a lawsuit on behalf of one’s child is a traumatic experience, especially after an accident. This…
Louisiana law awards damages awarded for injuries caused by the intentional, negligent or reckless act of another. These damages are determined by the finder of fact – a jury or judge – after hearing the evidence presented at trial. Even if the factfinder finds that the defendant is at fault,…
When a driver fails to satisfy the standard of care, the driver’s negligence during an automobile accident may be considered in a lawsuit. The standard of care is the amount of caution that must be exercised by a person who is under a duty of care. A case out of…
The Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Act aims to protect employees who suffer on-the-job injuries. But in order to benefit from the act, plaintiffs have the burden of proving their claims. This means providing clear and convincing documentation of your injuries and work limitations. In a recent case, the Louisiana Second Circuit…
Appellate courts are reluctant to reverse a trial court’s judgment based on the argument the trial court failed to properly evaluate the evidence. Deference to a lower court is the norm. A recent decision by the Louisiana First Circuit Court of Appeal in DeBlanc v. Albertson’s highlights the principle of…
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, 5 million people are currently living with Alzheimer’s disease. Statistics also show that people age 70 are 61% more likely to die from the disease before they turn the age of 80, compared to 30% of the people living without it. So what is Alzheimer’s…
Concursus proceedings can be complicated. In a concursus proceeding, multiple parties assert competing claims to money or property. La. C.C.P. art. 4651. These types of proceedings are designed to free the court from the burden of dealing with multiple lawsuits. As a party to a concursus proceeding, you assert your…