Because most accidents are auto-related, most of the cases that we handle are vehicle accidents - whether cars, trucks, motorcycles or boats. The last nine out of the ten trials I've tried have been for automobile accidents. One of the largest problems in automobile accidents is that the victim was driving a vehicle which was not insured. Because of the "no pay, no play" law, we ask all clients to provide proof of insurance for their vehicle. Under the "no pay, no play" law, an injured driver who has no insurance on the vehicle he is driving may not have a claim for the first $10,000.00. The law does not apply to passengers, and there are some limited exceptions. So, please keep your vehicle insured.

Not only has this become a specialized area, it is an ever changing and evolving field as well. Some lawyers choose not to keep up with the maritime and admiralty law. The primary focus in Admiralty or Maritime Law is whether or not the victim is a "seaman." A seaman is a person who has a "employment-related connection to a vessel in navigation." Unlike common workers, a seaman is afforded various remedies such as the Jones Act, unseaworthiness and maintenance and cure. That is not to say that other workers, such as longshoreman and repair workers, have no remedies. They do, but you need a lawyer who knows the differences.

Unlike most other forms of tort or personal injury law, medical health care providers, such as doctors, dentists, hospitals and even nursing homes, are entitled to special protection and even limited liability. In order to pursue a claim against a qualified provider, the case must be submitted to a three doctor panel who will determine whether or not the provider complied with the appropriate standard of care. Although the panel's decision is not final as either side may file suit, the panel's decision is admissible in the case. Furthermore, a qualified provider's individual liability is to limited to $100,000.00. The Patient's Compensation Fund is liable up to an additional $400,000.00, exclusive of future medical costs.

We also practice many other forms of professional liability, such as accountant, architect, attorney, and engineering.

Believe it or not liability for slipping at someone's business is not as simple as it may seem. The law with regard to slip and fall accidents occurring at a person's place of business is somewhat complicated. The Merchant Liability Act, LSA- R.S. 9:2800.6, has probably changed four times in the last ten years. In an effort to protect business owners from suspicious claims, each change has become more and more restrictive. For instance, the primary issue in many of these cases is whether the owner either created the slippery substance or had actual or constructive knowledge of its existence. Some cases seem to indicate that the presence of the spill for an hour is not enough to show constructive knowledge of the merchant.The issues in trip and fall cases are different. The issue typically is whether or not the thing which caused you to trip was defective, ie., caused an unreasonable risk of harm. In one case, the courts determined that an inch and half change in elevation in the entranceway of a restaurant created an unreasonable risk of harm; whereas, a nine inch hole in a secluded grass lot did not. Rarely are two cases alike, and each must be determined on its own facts. Much like the slip and fall case, the owner must have actual or constructive knowledge of the defect.

Injuries or death caused by a defective product are also controlled by statute, the Louisiana Products Liability Act, LSA- R.S. 9:2800.51, et seq.The manufacturer of a product is liable only if the product is found to be unreasonably dangerous either in its design, construction, adequate warning, or because it did not conform to an express warranty of the manufacturer. The characteristic that renders it unreasonably dangerous must exist at the time the product left the control of its manufacture.

Quite often, a worker's exclusive and sole remedy for being injured at work is worker's compensation. The employee need only to prove that he sustained an injury in the course and scope of his work to show entitlement to benefits which consists of medical and wage benefits. The employee does not have to prove that someone was at fault or negligent for causing the injury - he need only to show that it happened at work. The worker is not entitled to general damages, such as pain and suffering, from his employer, unless the employee was injured by the intentional act of a coworker. Additionally, the exclusivity of workers' comp may not extend to other contractors and their employees. In other words, you may be able to recover tort damages from third parties.

This list of practice areas is not exclusive. We try to do all forms of injury cases, including financial or business injury. We represent people who have been defrauded by contractors, who have purchased defective homes, who have had defective products installed in their homes, and a number of contractual disputes.

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