Louisiana Personal Injury Lawyer Blog
In personal injury law, the concept of “prescription” plays a crucial role. It’s essentially a deadline for filing a lawsuit; if you miss it, your claim could be barred forever. A recent Louisiana Court of Appeal case, Jones v. Iberia Parish Government et al., highlights the importance of understanding prescription rules, especially when multiple parties might be involved.
Agnes Jones slipped and fell on an allegedly defective walkway in New Iberia, Louisiana. Within the one-year prescription period, she filed a lawsuit against the property owner and the Iberia Parish Government. However, almost three years after the accident, she amended her lawsuit to include the City of New Iberia as a defendant.
The City of New Iberia filed an exception of prescription, arguing that Jones’ claim against them was filed too late. The trial court agreed and dismissed Jones’ claims against the City. Jones appealed this decision.
A recent decision from the Louisiana Court of Appeal has shed light on the nuanced boundary between whistleblowing and misconduct in the workplace. The case, Melancon v. Town of Amite City, involved a police officer terminated for running unauthorized criminal background checks and lying about it. While the officer claimed he was acting as a whistleblower, the court ultimately upheld his termination, raising important questions about the limits of whistleblower protection and the importance of adhering to internal policies and procedures.