Case Results
People just like you make up the clientele we serve. From deckhands to galley hands, housewives to husbands, welders to blasters and painters, ordinary people from all walks of life have sought our help. We are committed to the basic principles of honesty, integrity and hard work, and we also see our clients as friends who are not forgotten when a case is resolved. Presented below are a few of the many types of cases we have handled over the years. You can see from these case spotlights the divergence of the clients themselves and the variety of ways injury and disability strike the unfortunate.
kopfler & Hermann
Automobile, Product Liability
A family was traveling on Thanksgiving day to visit relatives on Highway 90 in St. Mary Parish, Louisiana, when, traveling in the opposite direction, a large 18-wheeler carrying a full load of sugar cane lost a wheel from its trailer. The trailer wheel crossed the median and struck the family’s van, causing the driver to suffer a fractured leg and injuries to all the passengers. After an investigation, and extensive discovery, it was determined that the trailer was owned by a large sugar cane concern which had a contractual relationship with sugar cane farmers and truck drivers. Although there was a serious dispute as to who was responsible for the wheel coming off the trailer, we were able to successfully conclude the entire case for all the passengers involved.
Product Liability
A crane operator suffered disabling injuries when a ship crane broke at the pedestal, dropping he and the crane 15 feet into the hold of the ship. The German fabricated ship owned by a Russian company left the Port of New Orleans in a matter of days. Investigation revealed the ships manufacturer and crane manufacturer were East German entities no longer in existence. After fighting jurisdictional issues and taking testimony of the Russian crew through translators in Marseilles, France, the matter was concluded successfully at mediation.
Product Liability
A mechanic operating a forklift lost his leg when the forklift lurched into reverse because of a defective transmission mechanism and fell off of a flatbed trailer when its brakes failed, crushing the mechanic’s leg. The forklift owner and trucking company hired to haul the lift fought the case vigorously, contending that the mechanic was responsible for his injuries. Only after a jury trial and appeal to the highest court was the mechanic fully compensated.
Product Liability
A customer inspecting a floor model of a weight lifting machine injured his spine when the bench seat collapsed, thrusting him to the floor. Expert metallurgical evidence revealed that the welds on the bench were inadequate to hold the customer’s weight. The manufacturer resolved the case with the customer for full damages in a settlement agreement.