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lab-work-1575844-1024x683Have you ever been tempted to take a sick day, just because you need a break? Have you ever called in or left early because you are feeling under the weather and you would not be able to forgive yourself if you exposed the entire office to the bug you caught? Although many employees may stretch the truth on sick days sometimes, there are occasions where it becomes irresponsible and unprofessional. One Louisiana man attempted to test the boundaries of worker compensation when he requested medical payments for his sickness. So, how can you determine if someone is faking symptoms in a workers compensation case? 

This case involves a man filing a workers compensation claim against his former employer. The employee’s name is Remco Leidelmeijen, and he was working for the company, Ferncrest Manor Nursing Home, as a licensed practical nurse. One day, while performing his work duties, he entered a patient’s bathroom to empty out a catheter bag and slipped on water that was on the floor. As a result of the slip, Leidelmeijen first fell forward, hitting his face and jaw on the sink, and then he fell backward and hit the back of his head on the floor. Immediately after the accident occurred, he declined a request to call an ambulance and instead had a family member bring him home from work. He went to the emergency room later that day and received treatment for head trauma occurring at work, according to the emergency room records. He allegedly had injuries for his head, his mouth, and his teeth. Therefore, Leidelmeijen filed suit in hopes of paying the medical bills he accrued for treatment of injuries that he claims came from the accident. Ultimately, he ended up with partial relief.

Leidelmeijen’s only dispute was for his claim of medical benefits, which is what was tried in front of Judge Robert Varnado, Workers’ Compensation Judge of District Eight. This court ultimately found that Leidelmeijen failed to prove entitlement to medical benefits. The majority of the medical expert testimony introduced into evidence found that Leidelmeijen did not have the brain injuries he claimed from the accident but is instead malingering. A malingering diagnosis means that the person might be deliberately or consciously feigning symptoms for an ulterior purpose (e.g., avoiding work, receiving money, prolonging illness with the intent to avoid responsibility and so on, and/or obtaining medications). Leidelmeijen appealed the decision, and it went before Chief Judge James F. McKay, III, Judge Edwin A. Lombard, and Judge Rosemary Ledet. They affirmed the judgment against Leidelmeijen.

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elevator-symbol-1444871-691x1024When one is injured by an employee’s negligence, it is reasonable to expect an award of damages from the employer. When an injured party files a lawsuit, however, the plaintiff must prove that the one who caused his injuries was indeed an employee of the business. For most cases, this is very easy to prove. When there is a question of identity, though, the evidence available can make or break the lawsuit.

When Mr. Juan Alvarez was injured in an elevator at Touro Infirmary in the Orleans Parish of Louisiana, he filed a lawsuit against Touro Infirmary (“Touro”) alleging that two employees of Touro dropped a large piece of wood on him. Mr. Alvarez was visiting a doctor at Touro in Louisiana when the incident occurred. Under the legal theory of respondeat superior, Mr. Alvarez claims Touro is liable for the damage caused by their employees. Under respondeat superior, one can sue an employer for injuries caused by the negligence of their employees. Importantly, a plaintiff must establish that the one who caused the injury was an employee of the defendant.

Mr. Alvarez added JCT Construction (“JCT”) to the lawsuit based on his belief that JCT was supervising a construction project at Touro during the incident. JCT filed a motion for summary judgment to dismiss the complaint on the grounds that Mr. Alvarez failed to establish a connection between JCT and the individuals who allegedly injured in him in the elevator. The District Court granted the motion, and while the plaintiff appealed, the Louisiana Court of Appeal for the Fourth Circuit affirmed the decision.

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new-orleans-park-2-1501957-1024x768Essential to winning any legal case is having a good lawyer. However, it is even more essential to have a good lawyer when dealing with tricky cases of negligence against the local government. An oversight caused Kenneth Rivarde’s lawyer to submit an incomplete affidavit from a key witness resulting in a lost lawsuit against the city of New Orleans. Mr. Rivarde’s wife, Channelda Rivarde, perished in a motor vehicle accident at the intersection of North Rocheblave Street and A.P. Tureaud Boulevard in New Orleans, Louisiana. Her husband, Kenneth Rivarde (“Mr. Rivarde”) sued the City of New Orleans (“City”) claiming that the accident was a result of a high-speed chase when the New Orleans Police Department (“NOPD”) was pursuing a fleeing felon. The accident occurred when the felon ran a stop sign and struck the car Channelda Rivarde was a passenger in. So, what happens if your lawyer submits an incomplete affidavit in a fatal car accident case?

The City filed a motion for summary judgment to dismiss the case on the basis that there was no genuine dispute of material fact three days before the discovery cutoff date. The District Court granted the City’s motion.

Mr. Rivarde appealed and argued that the granting of summary judgment and dismissing the case was improper because it was prior to the completion of adequate discovery pursuant to LA C.C.P. art. 966(A)(3), and there was a genuine dispute of material fact as to whether the NOPD breached its duty by engaging in the high-speed chase resulting in the accident that ended Mrs. Rivarde’s life.

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singer-4-1433613-1024x681In order for a court to assess a fair amount of money to be paid for one’s injuries, it is necessary for the injured party to present sufficient evidence to justify that amount.  Without sufficient evidence, it is entirely possible for a court to award an incorrect amount of money to the injured party. A trial court is generally allowed a certain amount of discretion (or freedom) to make a proper judgment.  It must, however, come to a reasonable conclusion. An appellate court may alter the award if the judgment is incorrect based on the evidence provided. In 2016, the First Circuit Court of Appeal decided to do just that in a case that involves lost wages over an inability to audition for new jobs. 

In October 2012, Dr. Ebony Woods was rear-ended in a car accident in Baton Rouge.  As a result of this accident, she suffered some neck, back, and leg pain for which she underwent several months of chiropractic treatment.  Since the other driver was a minor, Dr. Woods filed a lawsuit against the other driver’s tutrix (or legal guardian) and their insurance company, Pure Insurance Company.  She based her claims on negligence, stating that the driver in the other vehicle, Logan Hall, had driven inappropriately and caused the accident. She sought payment for her medical bills, pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life and lost wages.  Pure Insurance acknowledged the fault of Mr. Hall in the accident and the authenticity of Dr. Woods’ medical bills. In 2015, the case went before a judge. This trial was based on whether Dr. Woods was entitled to monetary damages for lost wages, pain and suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life.   The court awarded her $35,000 for her lost wages as well as $32,000 for her pain and suffering and loss of enjoyment of life. Pure Insurance appealed this judgment.

Part of Pure Insurance’s appeal was based on the fact that the trial court should not have awarded Dr. Woods the $35,000 for lost wages or opportunity of income.  Thus, the issue here was whether Dr. Woods was entitled to this amount based on the evidence she presented. In order for the court to award money for lost wages, a plaintiff must prove he or she would reasonably have made the amount requested if not for the defendant’s wrongdoing.  Driscoll v. Stucker  893 So.2d 32, 53 (La. 2005).  For lost opportunity of income, the plaintiff must prove that an injury resulted in an incapability to perform tasks they would otherwise be able to do for wages. Levy v. Bayou Indus. Maintenance Services, 855 So. 2d 968 (La. Ct. App. 2003).  This proof must be certain and not merely possible or conjecture.   Walker v. Bankston, 571 So. 2d 690 (La. Ct. App. 1990)

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need-a-pill-1057199-1024x768Medical malpractice lawsuits are filed for a wide range of injuries and even death. When a patient finds himself in a scenario where he believes a medical professional could have done more to prevent his injuries or cure his condition, he may decide to go through with a lawsuit. Medical malpractice lawsuits often require expert witnesses to succeed and proving damages in these cases where the patient enters a medical facility sick or injured can be a tough case to win. So, can you lose your medical malpractice case if you do not have enough evidence?

In July 2011, Nickol Bell (“Bell”) went to Baton Rouge General Medical Center’s (“Hospital”) emergency room because of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of consciousness, dizziness, and maroon-colored stools. Bell was discharged from the hospital and later suffered gastrointestinal bleeding and hemorrhaging. Just a few hours after he was released, Bell was put into intensive care, where he received a blood transfusion and other medical treatments.

Bell and his wife brought a lawsuit for damages, alleging medical malpractice by the hospital and the physician who treated him, Dr. JL. The Medical Review Panel (“MRP”) concluded that the standard of care as to Dr. JL had not been breached, because based on the information Dr. JL had at the time, the doctor had provided adequate medical care. The nursing staff failed to inform Dr. JL of the maroon-colored stool. Although the hospital failed to meet its standard of care, MRP concluded that the hospital’s conduct was not compensable.

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dog-1401768-1024x768Imagine coming home one day to discover your beloved pet is missing. Typically in this scenario, we would expect the judicial system to act in our favor if we know who the culprit is. This can be difficult across state lines, and even when the court is on your side, collecting on the ruling may not be so easy. It’s even more difficult if the court fails in legally required procedures of the case. In this case we are left with the question: what do you do when someone refuses to return your dog to you? 

This case started when Kiley Wolfe’s mother, Janet Leland, deliberately took Wolfe’s dog, Daisy Mae, from Wolfe’s home in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Leland took Daisy Mae back to her home in Florida. Despite Wolfe’s cordial requests, Leland refused to return Daisy Mae to Wolfe. Wolfe sued Leland seeking the return of Daisy Mae and damages, and the suit was personally served to Leland through a private process server.

About a month later, Leland filed a motion requesting an additional forty-five days to seek legal counsel. The district court granted Leland an additional fifteen days to file a responsive pleading, but Leland failed to file an answer to Wolfe’s petition. The Louisiana District Court granted a preliminary default against Leland but did not notify her of the preliminary default. Subsequently, the preliminary default judgment was confirmed, and the default judgment was rendered. The default judgment ordered Leland to return Daisy Mae to Wolfe and awarded her damages. Leland appealed this stating the default judgment was invalid because statutory procedures were not followed. Even though Leland made an appearance on record when she filed for a motion to extend, she was not given any notice of the default judgment.

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clock-face-1631303-1024x683Summary judgment is a legal procedure courts may use to dispose of a case when there are not enough facts in dispute to proceed with a lawsuit. This is a good strategy to use when applicable because it purges certain claims that have no merit, saving time and money. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal demonstrated the principles of summary judgment within the context of an employment discrimination lawsuit when it comes to untimely filing.

The plaintiff in this case, DeBlanc, suffered from a condition called “chemo brain” after undergoing prior breast cancer treatments. When DeBlanc was fired, she sued her employer for failure to tell her why she was terminated. DeBlanc alleges that the St. Tammany Parish School Board violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) and discriminated against her when they fired her because of her medical condition. A Federal Court in Louisiana determined that summary judgment in favor of St. Tammany was appropriate because DeBlanc failed to file her discrimination claim within the required timeframe and failed to show that the time limit should be tolled. Thus, the claim was barred. DeBlanc appealed. The issue upon appeal was whether the trial court abused its discretion when refusing to apply equitable tolling to save DeBlanc’s claim. Equitable tolling is applied when the court decides there is a legal and justifiable basis to extend the time in which plaintiff can file her claim. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal agreed with the trial court and affirmed summary judgment in favor of St. Tammany School Board.

A former employee has three hundred days from the date of termination to file an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) complaint alleging that they were terminated based on discrimination. See 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-5(e)(1); 42 U.S.C. § 12117(a). Filing a timely discrimination claim with the EEOC is a requirement that is subject to waiver, estoppel, and equitable tolling. Granger v. Aaron’s, Inc., 636 F.3d 708, 711 (5th Cir. 2011). However, equitable tolling is applied sparingly, and the burden is on the plaintiff to prove its application.

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56-1024x678Having surgery is always a stressful situation. Nobody wants to leave the hospital only to return a short time later from complications due to the first surgery. This is unfortunately what happened to Mr. James Nelson, who sued his surgeon, Dr. F, in East Baton Rouge Parish. So, what happens when you develop a new medical condition after your surgery?

In November 2009, Dr. F performed gallbladder removal surgery on Mr. Nelson. Several hours after Nelson was discharged from the hospital, he experienced pain in his lower abdomen, stomach, and sternum. Nelson returned to the hospital, where he was informed that he was suffering from pancreatitis. Nelson was admitted for care in conjunction with the pancreatitis and was released four days later.  

One year later, Nelson requested the formation of a medical review panel, claiming that Dr. F committed medical malpractice by allowing contrast dye to enter Nelson’s pancreatic duct during his gallbladder removal surgery. Nelson claims that this was the cause of his pancreatitis. Nelson also claims that he was never informed that pancreatitis is a possible outcome from the type of surgery performed.

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ladders-1173769-1024x683When you ask a friend for a favor, whether it is for a ride to the airport or for help cleaning up a room, you never expect that you will end up facing off against each other in a lawsuit. However, when you do end up in such an unfortunate situation, it is important to have a good lawyer on hand to ensure that the dispute is resolved in the quickest manner possible. Michael P. Cox found himself in just such a situation when his friend Laina Dutton offered to help him clean out the building of his recently closed business, Xtreme Nutrition, located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. When Mr. Cox was out of the room, Ms. Dutton decided to climb a ladder and remove a banner that was hanging on the wall. The ladder was not in a secure location and Ms. Dutton fell backward off the ladder injuring her back and side. She sued Mr. Cox, Xtreme Nutrition, and Allstate Insurance, the insurer for Mr. Cox and Xtreme Nutrition. Ms. Dutton’s lawsuit for negligence was premised on the argument that Mr. Cox owed her a duty to erect the ladder safely, monitor and assist her in the use of the ladder, and warn her of any danger in using it. She argued that the ladder had been set up in a dangerous manner because it was not placed on a flat surface, that Mr. Cox did not warn her of this issue, and that he was at fault for her fall due to his inattentiveness. Ms. Dutton suffered injuries to her arm, back, and spine. For these injuries, she sought special and general damages.

However, the lawsuit never made it to trial. The Trial Court granted summary judgment in favor of the defendants and dismissed the case with prejudice. The Trial Court dismissed the case following pre-trial discovery based on its finding that there was a lack of evidence supporting a negligence claim and that Mr. Cox did not owe a duty to Ms. Dutton. Ms. Dutton appealed, arguing that the Trial Court erred in dismissing the case, but the Louisiana First Circuit Court of Appeal affirmed the dismissal. So, why was Mr. Cox not found negligent in Ms. Dutton’s fall? 

The Trial Court based its dismissal on its view that Ms. Dutton could not produce enough evidence to support the negligence claim. This was because Ms. Dutton was not an employee of Xtreme Nutrition, and Mr. Cox did not pay her to help him clear out the newly closed offices. Further, Ms. Dutton climbed up on the ladder while Mr. Cox was in another room. He had not asked her to climb the ladder and probably did not even know she had gone up. Ms. Dutton even admitted that she had used the ladder before the fall without any problems and did not think the ladder was defective in any way. Because Ms. Dutton had not been instructed by Mr. Cox to go up the ladder, and there was no evidence that he had set up the ladder in a negligent manner, the Trial Court determined that there was no evidence to support a negligence lawsuit following discovery. Thus, the Court dismissed the case before heading to trial. From this decision Ms. Dutton appealed, arguing that the Trial Court erred in two major ways. First, she argued that the only reasonable explanation for the ladder fall was that it had been improperly set up by Mr. Cox. Additionally, since Mr. Cox had set up the ladder, he owed her a duty to properly set it up and he had failed in that duty when he allowed her to climb the ladder in such an unsafe condition. Second, Ms. Dutton argued that in his deposition testimony, Mr. Cox had admitted that he set up the ladder in a dangerous manner by placing one leg on a part of an adjacent desk and the other on the ground, leading to an imbalance that caused the fall. Ms. Dutton argued that these two points were genuine issues of material fact that should preclude a summary judgment dismissal.

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time-s-slipping-away-2-1419474-1-683x1024For any legal claim, there is a set period of time for which the claim must be brought. This set period of time is known as a statute of limitations, which can vary based on the type of claim. If a claim is not filed prior to the expiration of the statute of limitations, the right to bring the claim is extinguished. Furthermore, if an attorney was retained to bring the claim and failed to do so in a timely manner, the attorney may be sued for malpractice. So, in Louisiana can you sue your lawyer for not filing your claim on time?

There are four elements of a malpractice claim, these include (1) duty to act, (2) a breach of this duty, (3) and this breach of duty caused the (4) damages. The duty element requires the claimant to show that the attorney owed an obligation to act with reasonable care. The breach element requires the claimant to show that the attorney breached his or her duty to the claimant. The causation element requires the claimant to show that the attorney’s conduct caused some harm –– in this case, financial harm –– to the claimant. The damages element requires the claimant to show that he or she suffered actual financial loss as a result of the attorney’s conduct.

In the present case, Nathan Lewis allegedly injured his back, neck, and knees while employed with Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) as a longshoreman. Mr. Lewis reported his injuries to his employer, ADM, who denied Lewises compensation claim but informed him that he could file a Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA) claim with the United States Department of Labor. Lewis then retained the services of Timothy Young and Timothy J. Young for purposes of filing such a claim, but then terminated their services on July 2, 2012.

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