Kopfler & Hermann served as co-counsel with the Beasley Allen Law Firm on a wrongful death case arising from an Alabama dram shop incident. A patron was overserved alcohol and subsequently caused a fatal collision. The surviving family pursued a civil claim against the establishment under Alabama’s dram shop statute, which holds licensed alcohol vendors accountable when they continue serving visibly intoxicated patrons who later cause harm to others.

The case required careful coordination between Louisiana and Alabama counsel, navigation of out-of-state venue rules, and detailed reconstruction of the night in question — including obtaining receipts, surveillance footage, and witness testimony about the patron’s level of intoxication when last served. Working alongside Beasley Allen, our firm helped develop the liability case and supported the family through the litigation. The case ultimately resolved for $2 million for the surviving family.

If you have lost a loved one in a fatal accident caused by an intoxicated driver, please contact Kopfler & Hermann. We work with co-counsel across state lines when the facts of a case require it.

A 65-year-old oiler/gauger at an oil and gas inland separation facility suffered burns over a large part of his body when a corroded high pressure line burst, spewing natural gas into the air which ignited in a fireball where the gauger was performing his work. We discovered records that the owner of the facility had placed underground piping in corrosive and acidic soil conditions without any type of covering or protective tape, causing the pipe to almost disintegrate within five years. Unfortunately for the oiler and gauger, the burst occurred while he was on the premises. A long series of debridements and skin grafting at a special burn unit in Baton Rouge were crucial in the gauger’s ultimate recovery. Although he was not physically disabled from working and could cover up his scars with clothing, the burn was so severe that the case settled for more than $2 million.

Kopfler and Hermann  recently concluded at mediation a claim for a 54 year old female school psychologist. The settlement amount was $1.5 million. The psychologist was returning home from work when a Mike’s Filter and Supply Inc. tank truck sideswiped her vehicle as she exited US Highway 90 in Terrebonne Parish.

Immediately following the crash she had no complaints, but later that day felt discomfort. She saw her family physician the next day, and within weeks, an MRI of her cervical spine was performed. The radiologist interpreted the MRI as showing damage to her spinal cord.

She then treated with neurosurgeon Lindsey Lasseigne MD at Thibodaux Regional Medical Center, who promptly diagnosed her with myelopathy and recommended a cervical fusion. After the cervical fusion, the psychologist continued working and attending physical therapy, but her pain persisted. A series of nerve conduction and EMG testing determined the trauma to her spinal cord remained, requiring her to undergo pain management. Epidural  injections were not helpful, leading to the implantation of a spinal cord stimulator.

There was a claim for lost sick leave for days missed for treatment, but  the psychologist was able to continue working. A large part of the damages were for general damages and future and past medical expenses. Kopfler and Hermann utilized as expert witnesses the treating physicians, a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist who served as a life care planner and a forensic CPA to assist in the cost of future medical treatment.

If you are involved in a crash with an 18-wheeler, call Kopfler and Hermann to assist you with your claim.

Kopfler & Hermann represented a group of subcontractors who were injured while performing Hurricane Ida cleanup and recovery work as FEMA contractors in South Louisiana. The case raised complex issues about which insurance policies applied to subcontractors operating on FEMA-funded projects, what statutory immunities did or did not protect the prime contractors, and how to value future medical care for workers whose injuries occurred in the chaotic conditions of post-hurricane debris clearance.

The matter was litigated in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, where we navigated jurisdictional questions specific to federal disaster response work, the interplay between Louisiana workers’ compensation law and federal contractor liability, and the documentation challenges that come with field work performed in the immediate aftermath of a Category 4 hurricane. The case concluded for $835,000 on behalf of the injured workers.

If you were injured during disaster cleanup or as a subcontractor on a federal recovery project, call Kopfler & Hermann. These cases require attorneys who understand both the federal contracting framework and Louisiana injury law.

Kopfler & Hermann resolved a collision case in the 17th Judicial District Court for Lafourche Parish in April 2019 for $665,000. The matter arose from a serious motor vehicle collision involving commercial vehicles, requiring detailed accident reconstruction and depositions of multiple eyewitnesses and first responders.

The case required coordination with experts in accident reconstruction, biomechanics, and life care planning to fully document the injured client’s past medical expenses, future treatment needs, and lost earning capacity. Settlement negotiations were extensive, with the case concluding only after mediation produced a result that fairly compensated our client for the lasting impact of the injuries.

If you have been seriously injured in a collision in Lafourche Parish or anywhere in South Louisiana, please contact Kopfler & Hermann.

A 74-year-old man who lost his wife of 50 years to the hands of a drunk driver received $650,000.00 in settlement of his case. The drunk driver, who had left Memphis, Tennessee, early that morning and who had apparently been drinking all day, struck the rear of the client’s wife’s vehicle at more than 90 mph, propelling the wife’s vehicle into the rail of the Hale Boggs Bridge in Luling, Louisiana, resulting in her instantaneous death.

A collision case originating in Terrebonne Parish was settled during trial in the 32nd Judicial District Court in September 2022 for $513,000. The case had been set for jury trial after extended pretrial litigation, and the settlement was reached only after the jury had been selected and opening statements were underway.

Our client suffered injuries requiring orthopedic treatment and ongoing pain management. The defense had taken the position throughout pretrial litigation that liability and damages were significantly disputed. Trial preparation included expert witness testimony from treating physicians, accident reconstruction analysis, and a life care planner who calculated the cost of our client’s future medical care. The defense’s position changed once the trial began and the evidence started to come in, which led to the mid-trial resolution.

When a case is prepared properly for trial — not just for settlement — the leverage often produces a better outcome for the client. If you have a serious injury claim that is being undervalued by the insurance company, please contact Kopfler & Hermann.

A Croatian immigrant who was a cross-country 18-wheel truck driver suffered a severe neck injury when his rig was broad-sided by another 18-wheeler on the Airline Highway north of Baton Rouge. The injury resulted in numerous epidural steroid injections and, ultimately, an anterior cervical fusion and discectomy. Restrictions in this man’s neck motion after the accident affected his ability to drive trucks and he was thus relegated to other types of work activity that were not as lucrative as his truck driving business. The case settled for $495,000.00.

A sixty-three year old woman was brought by her family to the emergency room of a local state hospital with complaints of abdominal pain. The emergency room physician cursorily examined her, diagnosed mental illness and made a coroner’s commitment. Despite her extreme discomfort and feebleness, she was required to be transported by a Tangipahoa Parish deputy to the local parish health unit where she was examined by a psychiatrist. The psychiatrist, recognizing that the woman had a serious physical condition, indicated that he would make arrangements to have her hospitalized in another state facility and asked her to come back in the morning. The following morning, while waiting outside the health unit, the woman died. A subsequent autopsy revealed that the woman suffered from an obstructed small intestine which could have been readily diagnosed at the emergency room the day before. If a proper diagnosis and medical attention had taken place, the woman’s life would have been spared. We represented the children and widow of the woman in a claim for medical negligence. The case settled for $450,000.00.

Kopfler & Hermann represented a client who was rear-ended in a passenger vehicle and sustained injuries requiring orthopedic and neurosurgical treatment. The case was filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana and resolved in 2020 for $387,500.

The case involved disputes about the speed of impact, the mechanism of injury, and whether our client’s symptoms were caused entirely by the collision or by a combination of pre-existing degenerative changes and the trauma. Through depositions of the treating physicians and the use of biomechanical analysis, our firm was able to establish a clear causal link between the rear-end impact and the disabling injuries our client experienced.

If you have been rear-ended and the insurance adjuster is offering you a settlement that does not reflect the full extent of your medical care or your lost income, call Kopfler & Hermann.

A roofing contractor who had gone to a loading dock for supplies tripped on a one-inch metal stud sticking up from the concrete walking surface at the dock and fell, injuring his shoulder and knee. When he realized the potential severity of his injuries, he contacted Kopfler & Hermann to handle his case, which was recently concluded for $325,000.00 after intense settlement negotiations.

A collision involving a commercial refrigeration truck in Terrebonne Parish resulted in serious injuries to our client. Kopfler & Hermann pursued the claim in the 32nd Judicial District Court and concluded the case in 2020 for $310,000.

Commercial vehicle cases of this kind raise specific issues that ordinary auto accident cases do not. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations apply, driver hour-of-service logs become evidence, the trucking company’s hiring and training records are discoverable, and there are often multiple layers of insurance that must be properly identified and pursued. Our firm worked with a commercial vehicle expert to establish the safety failures contributing to the collision and to document the full value of the case.

If you have been hit by a commercial truck — whether it is a delivery vehicle, an 18-wheeler, a refrigeration truck, or a contractor truck — please contact Kopfler & Hermann.

Kopfler & Hermann represented a client in an underinsured motorist (UIM) claim arising from a collision that originated in Lincoln Parish. The at-fault driver carried only minimum liability coverage, which was inadequate to compensate our client for the injuries sustained. The matter was litigated in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana and resolved for $250,405.

UIM cases turn on the careful application of Louisiana’s underinsured motorist statute and on a detailed reading of every insurance policy that may apply to the client’s loss. Many injured drivers do not realize that their own auto insurance — including stacked UIM coverages from household policies — can provide significant additional recovery when the at-fault driver was underinsured. Our firm regularly identifies UIM coverage that other firms have overlooked.

If you were hit by a driver with limited insurance, do not assume your case is over once that liability policy is exhausted. Call Kopfler & Hermann to evaluate every available source of recovery.

A school teacher sustained injuries in a chain-reaction collision in Lafourche Parish. Kopfler & Hermann pursued the claim in the 17th Judicial District Court and resolved the matter for $225,000 in June 2025.

Chain collisions present unique legal challenges because liability is often disputed among multiple drivers, and the precise sequence of impacts must be reconstructed through eyewitness testimony, vehicle damage analysis, and accident reconstruction. The investigation in this case included photographing each vehicle’s damage pattern, mapping the position of each car at the moment of impact, and obtaining detailed statements from witnesses on the scene.

Our client’s injuries required ongoing medical treatment, and the case also included a claim for lost wages and benefits from time missed during the school year. The settlement compensated her for past medical expenses, projected future care, lost income, and general damages.

If you were injured in a multi-vehicle collision, please contact Kopfler & Hermann.

Kopfler & Hermann represented a client who sustained an internal injury when a properly worn lap-and-shoulder seatbelt prevented her from being ejected during a collision but caused a bowel obstruction from the force of the harness across her abdomen. The injury required emergency surgical intervention and an extended hospitalization. The case was resolved in the 32nd Judicial District Court for Terrebonne Parish for $212,080.

Internal injuries from seatbelts — sometimes called “seatbelt syndrome” — are legitimate, well-documented mechanisms of injury that insurance adjusters routinely undervalue or dismiss. Documenting these cases requires medical experts who can explain to a jury how the harness, while saving the client’s life, also caused real and lasting internal damage. Our firm worked with the treating general surgeon and an expert in trauma medicine to establish the causal link between the collision and the bowel obstruction.

If you have suffered an internal injury, abdominal injury, or any injury that resulted from the force of a seatbelt during a collision, call Kopfler & Hermann.

A crane-involved collision occurred in Tangipahoa Parish, leading to a third-party liability claim brought in the 21st Judicial District Court. Kopfler & Hermann resolved the case for $202,000 for our injured client.

Crane and heavy-equipment accidents require a coordinated investigation into multiple potential defendants: the crane operator’s employer, the equipment owner, the equipment manufacturer, any inspector or rigger involved in the lift, and the property owner where the work was performed. Each layer can contribute additional insurance coverage and additional sources of recovery for the injured worker. Our firm developed the case to identify and pursue all responsible parties.

If you or a loved one has been injured by a crane, a forklift, or any other piece of heavy equipment — whether on a construction site, at a port, or on an offshore platform — please call Kopfler & Hermann.

A motor vehicle collision on the Bourg-Larose corridor — Louisiana Highway 24, one of the primary routes between Terrebonne and Lafourche Parishes — resulted in serious injuries to our client. Kopfler & Hermann pursued the claim and resolved the matter for $172,000.

Bayou Region drivers know the Bourg-Larose stretch. It is a high-traffic, often-congested two-lane route that connects Houma and the surrounding parishes to the Larose area and points south toward the oilfield. Collisions on this corridor frequently involve commercial traffic, oilfield workers commuting on shift changes, and varying speed conditions, which can complicate liability determinations.

If you have been injured in a collision on Louisiana Highway 24, Highway 90, or any of the corridors connecting Houma to surrounding communities, please contact Kopfler & Hermann.

Kopfler & Hermann represented a client injured in a left-turn collision in Terrebonne Parish. The case was filed in the 32nd Judicial District Court and resolved in 2026 for $125,233.

Left-turn collisions present a recurring pattern of liability that defense counsel often try to dispute by arguing comparative fault. In Louisiana, however, the burden generally rests on the left-turning driver to demonstrate that the turn was made safely and without yielding the right of way to oncoming traffic. Our firm developed the case using witness testimony, accident scene photographs, and vehicle damage analysis to establish that the at-fault driver bore the responsibility for the collision.

If you were struck by a driver who turned left in front of you, call Kopfler & Hermann.

A junior high basketball coach suffered a sprain to his knee in a physical education class. He went to an orthopedic surgeon who, with a minimal exam, indicated the coach should undergo arthroscopic surgery within a week or two. The doctor then injected a steroid solution into the coach’s knee. At the time of the arthroscopic procedure, the orthopedic surgeon recognized that there was something going on in the knee which looked suspiciously like an infection. The orthopedic doctor ordered testing to determine if an infection was there, what was the cause of the infection and what antibiotic to use. Because the orthopedic had a practice in two cities, the lab report showing an MRSA infection never got to the doctor. Despite the coach’s complaint of increased pain following surgery, the physician ordered physical therapy. Two and one-half weeks after the infection misdiagnosis, the doctor realized his mistake and cleaned out the knee joint which had been seriously damaged by the infection. The doctor denied performing the injection which caused the infection despite a charge for the injection. A claim for medical review panel was brought against the physician who admitted his liability and paid the $100,000.00 required under the Medical Malpractice Act. A subsequent proceeding was brought against the Patients’ Compensation Fund and the coach received full compensation for his knee injury and disability.

Kopfler & Hermann represented a client whose low back was injured in a sudden and unexpected incident. After multiple medical evaluations and a course of conservative treatment that did not resolve the symptoms, our client required additional care for ongoing pain management. The case was resolved on behalf of our client.

Soft tissue and disc injuries to the low back are among the most heavily disputed by insurance carriers. They are also among the most common, and they can be life-altering — affecting a client’s ability to work, sleep, drive, and care for family. Properly developing a low back injury case requires complete diagnostic imaging, treatment from physicians who document objective findings, and a clear narrative connecting the incident to the lasting impact on the client’s life.

If you are suffering from a back injury and feel that the insurance company is not taking your claim seriously, please contact Kopfler & Hermann.

Kopfler & Hermann represented the family of a client who sustained a catastrophic brain injury while in the care of a group home. The case was filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana and resolved on behalf of the family.

Cases involving institutional care — group homes, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and similar residential settings — turn on the standard of care owed to vulnerable residents. Federal and state regulations govern staffing levels, supervision protocols, medication management, and reporting of incidents. When a resident sustains a serious injury, our firm examines the facility’s records, training documentation, staffing logs, and incident history to establish whether the institution lived up to its obligations.

A brain injury changes everything for the injured person and for the family who loves them. The resolution in this case was structured to provide for long-term care needs while preserving the client’s eligibility for any government benefits that may apply.

If a loved one has been seriously injured while in the care of a residential facility, please call Kopfler & Hermann.

Kopfler & Hermann represented a client who was involved in an industrial crane accident and subsequently developed post-traumatic stress disorder from the experience. The case was filed in the 32nd Judicial District Court for Terrebonne Parish and resolved on behalf of our client.

Psychological injury cases in the workers’ compensation and personal injury context require careful documentation. The diagnosis of PTSD must be made by a qualified mental health professional, the symptoms must be tied causally to the traumatic incident, and the practical impact on the client’s ability to return to work and to ordinary daily life must be established with detailed treatment records. Our firm worked with a treating psychiatrist and an independent vocational expert to document both the disability and the long-term impact on earning capacity.

If you have suffered a psychological injury from a workplace accident, a serious collision, or another traumatic event, please contact Kopfler & Hermann. PTSD and other trauma-related conditions are real injuries and deserve serious representation.

A Lafourche parish lady was visiting her friend in the Lockport area, at an apartment complex.  Upon exiting the apartment, she headed back to her automobile. The sidewalk she utilized had an abrupt elevation in the sidewalk catching her shoe and  causing her to trip forward and fracture her wrist. After multiple surgeries, the injured lady sought help through Kopfler & Hermann. Again, utilizing the services of an expert architect and thorough investigation, it was proven that the sidewalk was defective. After the institution of the lawsuit and numerous depositions, the lady was compensated for her personal injuries, pain and suffering, and medical expenses. Subsequent to the resolution of the lawsuit, the property owner demolished the defective sidewalk and rebuilt them to correct the defect.  A local victory for pedestrians!

In a wheel chair accident case, Kopfler & Hermann represented a disabled individual who was attempting to enter a municipality jail to bail out a loved one. The jail had been constructed a number of years ago. The area where a handicapped individual would park required access to the jail along a side walk. The parking lot for the municipality had been designed improperly, and there were no wheel stops for the vehicles.  As a consequence, any vehicle that parked with the wheels resting against the side walk blocked access for a wheelchair bound individual. 

As it turned out, a vehicle blocking the side walk was parked there by an employee of the municipality. Her actions blocking the sidewalk required the wheelchair bound individual to leave the sidewalk to get around the vehicle blocking access. The grassy area she was required to traverse had a hole that caused her wheelchair to tip forward breaking one of her legs. Utilizing an expert architect and standards for construction of parking lots and sidewalks, Kopfler & Hermann was able to reach a successful settlement for the wheelchair bound patient’s injuries, pain & suffering, and medical expenses. Before the lawsuit was settled, the municipality installed wheel stops on all of the parking spaces so that any vehicles parking would not intrude on the sidewalk. A local victory for wheelchair bound individuals! 

If you, your family, or friends suffer an injury due to the failure of a commercial business or municipality to provide adequate wheelchair access, please contact Kopfler & Hermann so we can explore your right and remedies under the American Disability Act and other related laws.

In a chain store trip and fall, a grandmother was entering a local branch when she was caused to trip and fall on a mat that had rippled up and created a tripping hazard. She fell forward with her arm extended and suffered a serious fracture of her arm. Kopfler & Hermann was able to obtain the video footage of the event. This chain store had an employee assigned to monitor the entrance but there were multiple entrances and she was not aware that the mat was rippling and causing a tripping hazard. Kopfler & Hermann consulted with the expert witness who had formulated the standard for rubber mats at entrance After review of the matter the expert rendered a report  that there was a violation of the standard for floor mats. After depositions of various personnel, a settlement was entered where the grandmother was compensated in full for injuries, pain and suffering, and all medical expenses.

A local family of sisters came to our law firm concerned that their elderly father had been admitted to a local nursing home and less than 24 hours later, he had suffered a fall and a fractured hip. Unfortunately for the family, their father passed in a number of days. Kopfler & Hermann undertook representation and recommended a complaint survey with Louisiana Department of Hospitals. From a review of the nursing home records, there was an indication that the father was a definite fall risk and the nursing home failed to follow their own precautions from the admission assessment. The elderly gentleman was not used to being in a strange environment and his roommate was creating noise and such that sleep was nearly impossible. 

He wandered out of his room without any assistance and was observed by the CNA and the LPN in charge of the wing. We were able to obtain video footage and the video footage revealed that the elderly patient had approached the LPN in the hallway. The video reveals the LPN ignored him because she was busy checking her emails. Within minutes, the elderly patient fell and suffered a broken hip. 

A conference was held with the physician who had treated and recommended the elderly man’s nursing home admission. The physician was very surprised that the death had taken place so soon.  The treating physician confirmed that a significant portion of the population of elderly individuals who suffer a fractured hip will die thereafter. 

A claim was brought pursuant to the Louisiana Medical Malpractice Act. The Nursing Home and the Patients Compensation Fund, which is involved in medical malpractice litigation, came to terms and a successful settlement obtained where the children of the deceased individual were adequately compensated. In a nursing home setting, the nursing home must adhere to rules and regulations set down by Medicare and must develop a care plan. The nursing home failed to follow its own care plan to provide assistance to a resident  who had difficulties ambulating on his own.

A patient admitted to the hospital for routine gall bladder surgery suffered permanent injuries when the doctor severed her common bile duct instead of her cystic bile duct . The doctor’s failure to detect the surgical error has led to a life of continuing, painful medical procedures and disability. The physician settled for the maximum cap allowed by Louisiana law.

A floor hand on an inland drilling barge suffered facial fractures and brain damage when a joint of casing struck him across the face. Finding liability under the Jones Act and pursuant to the maritime doctrine of unseaworthiness, the trial court awarded damages fully compensating the worker for these disabling injuries. Kopfler defeated the barge owner’s efforts to limit its liability to the value of the vessel, opening the way for the severely injured worker to receive fair and just compensation.

A truck driver/trainer who slipped and fell in the diesel bay of a truck stop received fair compensation for his injuries during a meditation at the offices of Kopfler Personal Injury Attorneys. There was no question that a large amount of diesel had been spilled in the bay, that the store employees knew it was there but took no steps to clean it up. Diesel on any surface is very slick, and the lack of appropriate lighting at this particular facility made the condition even more hazardous.

A tenant of a local landlord busted her knee and back when steps at the rent house collapsed as she was walking down them. Even with the qualified limitation of liability available to landlords under Louisiana law, Kopfler Personal Injury Attorneys achieved courtroom victory when they were able to show that the tenants had reported problems with the steps in the past sufficient to place the landlord on notice of their defect.

Two sandblasters in a helicopter transporting them offshore sustained compression fractures in their vertebrae when the helicopter dropped into the Gulf of Mexico as a result of co-pilot error. Both workers recovered full damages.

A diesel mechanic sent offshore to repair a winch on a tugboat was attempting to make a swing rope transfer to a crew boat after finishing his work and injured his back and neck when he slammed into the bulwarks on the first attempt. A tricky task when going from a stationary platform to a vessel, a swing rope transfer is made ever more hazardous when attempted from one vessel to another. The mechanic had never performed such a transfer before and an alternative, safer means of transfer existed but was not employed because of time constraints inherent in the oil field. Expert evidence provided the backdrop for the obvious danger involved in such a transfer, and Kopfler Personal Injury Attorneys defeated defense efforts aimed at placing fault on the mechanic.

A welder on an offshore semi-submersible drilling rig slipped and fell in hydraulic fluid leaking from a nearby valve. His spinal injury prevented him from returning to the offshore welding industry, and evidence showed that the hydraulic fluid presented an unreasonable risk of injury to workers on the rig.

An offshore wireline worker was struck in the back by a falling cable and knocked to the deck, resulting in injuries which have severely reduced his earning ability. The case is pending in the United States District Court in New Orleans.

Two doctors’ failure to diagnose pulmonary embolism as the potential cause of the patient’s symptoms resulted in her death 12 hours after discharge from the hospital. Only 20 years old, the patient left a minor son who was without other means of support. A pulmonary medicine expert explained to the court the absolute necessity for physicians to entertain all reasonably possible causes of a person’s symptoms. In this case, the doctors went through four diagnoses–none of them the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism–before discharging the young lady from their care. When the clot broke loose 12 hours later, it went straight to her lungs and caused her death. Even though a Medical Review Panel required by state statutes found that the doctors were negligent, the case was only resolved after the court, too, found the physicians at fault and awarded compensatory damages.

The minor son of a young mother who died right after child birth of septic shock prevailed in litigation with the Charity Hospital system of the State of Louisiana. A teaching institution, the Charity Hospital where the woman was admitted to give birth was staffed primarily by residents who failed to detect the critical nature of the septic bacteria which was assaulting this young woman’s body. The clear necessity for a second intravenous line to provide fluids and medicines was overlooked by the doctors. The internal medicine doctor who was supposed to be on call was in New Orleans and unable to attend to the patient. By the time a second intravenous line was placed, this patient’s condition had deteriorated to the point where she died.

A lumberjack turned away from a hospital emergency room after a limb struck his leg behind his knee lost his leg because of the misdiagnosis of a vascular injury which would have been easily treatable if detected. The case was successfully concluded for a confidential sum.

A bosen’s mate operating a thinner recovery unit on an offshore oil and gas semi-submersible drilling rig suffered painful burns when the thinner recovery unit burst open and splashed him with the hot chemical. A thorough review of the maintenance records from the thinner recovery unit showed that this very problem had occurred only a month before but that no one had communicated the fact of the previous occurrence to the mate or anyone else on the rig. We were able to prove that the latches that were supposed to secure the lid of the thinner recovery unit could easily dislodge under high pressure and cause the contents and steam to shoot out from the rim.

A mate trying to secure a line to a derrick barge to hold it in rough seas sustained traumatic aggravation of a fatty lymphoma, tethering his spinal cord, necessitating spinal surgery. It took the testimony of the chief of neurosurgery at a leading educational institution to make the crucial diagnosis of injury. The mate attained full compensation in the face of defense doctors who claimed the mate was not injured.

A deckhand on a sulphur barge ruptured a disc in his low back while lifting a transfer hose. Lifting cases are particularly difficult because they require proof in a scientific context of the degree of force placed on the human back by a particular weight and lifting technique. One of the leading professors in human biomechanics assisted Kopfler & Hermann in presenting evidence that showed conclusively that the sulphur hose was too heavy for a deckhand to lift without a jib crane or other lifting device. The case resolved successfully before trial.

A crew boat captain returning from shore fell between the dock and the adjacent boat because of defects in the dock, causing a spinal injury resulting in major surgery. The case is in litigation in south Louisiana.

A deckhand attempting to transfer from his tugboat to a cargo barge sustained a disabling knee injury when he was flung across the bulwarks by high seas during the transfer maneuver. By proving that the transfer maneuver was difficult, even in calm seas, and that the captain on duty had infrequently performed the task in the past, our firm attained full compensation for the disabled deckhand after trial.

A computer software developer was rear-ended in two accidents that occurred four days apart. While both accidents involved relatively minor property damage, the software developer actually ruptured a disc in his neck as a result of one or both of these impacts and underwent neurosurgery in Houma, Louisiana at Terrebonne General Medical Center. The insurance companies for each accident pointed the finger at the other accident as causing the damage, and the software developer eventually reached a settlement with insurers for both accidents for fair compensation. This case is extremely significant because it showed unequivocally that even minor property damages can result in serious personal injuries to drivers and passengers in the vehicle. Studies have shown this fact time and time again, but the insurance industry continues to prejudice jurors and potential jurors with untruthful statements regarding the “low impact collision.”

A mentally disabled man crossed West Park Avenue in Houma and was struck by a speeding motorist. The disabled man suffered grievous injuries and was required to be placed in a nursing home. The nursing home was covered under a government assistance program known as Supplemental Security Income and Medicaid. Utilizing a special needs trust, Kopfler Personal Injury Attorneys were able to preserve all benefits for the disabled man and provide many of life’s pleasures he was not able to afford under SSI and Medicaid, including prepayment of his burial insurance, regular haircuts, cable TV, medical and dental expenses, entertainment, clothing, equipment, spending money, electronic equipment, travel programs, grooming, treatment and essential dietary needs.

A woman was a guest passenger with her husband traveling on U.S. 90 in Boutte, Louisiana. The husband pulled into the center lane of the otherwise four-lane highway to make a left turn when, at the same time, a deputy sheriff illegally crossed the lanes of traffic and struck the vehicle on the passenger door where the lady was positioned. She suffered a shoulder injury and was required to undergo shoulder surgery to correct a torn rotator cuff. The Sheriff’s Office denied liability, claiming the crash was the fault of the lady’s husband. The matter was tried to a local judge and liability was found 100% against the deputy sheriff. The lady received an award for her injuries and medical treatment.

A minor impact rear-end collision caused disabling injuries to the forward vehicle’s passenger, causing the insurance company to mount its defense on the premise that a minor impact cannot cause spinal injuries. Modern biomechanical and biomedical evidence overcame those defenses so that the passenger attained full compensation for her injuries.

A husband and wife enjoying a road-side fishing expedition were seriously injured when an out-of-control 18-wheeler crashed into their vehicle during a heavy thunderstorm. Kopfler & Hermann used sophisticated computer animation to show the severity of the impact and resulting injuries. A 15-minute video settlement brochure, which incorporated the computer animation with real life video scenes and still photos, provided the key tool in educating the truck company’s insurers of the seriousness of the couple’s injuries.

A job superintendent for large petroleum pipeline projects injured his neck when his vehicle was hit from behind. While the superintendent chose not to undergo any type of surgical intervention, MRI and physical evidence clearly showed the existence of internal derangement of one or two disc levels in his neck which would have the effect in the future of causing him headaches and limitation of mobility.

A worker returning home was struck head on by a vehicle which had previously run off the road into a pothole on the shoulder. The action against the state, as the owner of the road, required proof that the pothole created an unreasonable risk of injury to motorists who inadvertently run off the road as well as those, like the worker we represented, who are innocent victims of roadway defects and driver negligence. Road design and safety experts presented crucial evidence of the effect of potholes on the steering actions of motorists who strike them, resulting in a resolution of the case for full damages.

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.

A Chevrolet van was traveling on U.S. Highway I-59 in the State of Mississippi when it was negligently rear-ended by a tractor trailer, killing three of the passengers. There was a dispute as to the condition of the van and whether it had recently pulled from the shoulder into the lane of the oncoming 18-wheeler. Utilizing accident reconstruction experts, we were able to prove that the truck driver was at fault. Our personal injury lawyers represented the adopted daughter of a passenger who was killed in the crash. The adopted father was paralyzed before the accident and had adopted his wife’s daughter some four years before. Although they did not see each other much after her mother and father had separated, they kept in contact and had a close relationship. Following protracted discovery and settlement negotiations, the matter was compromised and settled in favor of the adopted daughter for the wrongful death of her father.

A shrimp trawler and his mate, a shrimp picker, were injured when a tugboat pushing a barge overtook their stern at night and nearly swamped their vessel in Bayou Grand Caillou near Dulac, Louisiana. We were able to prove that the tug boat was traveling at a high rate of speed and either ignored its radar readings or its radar beam was deflected by cargo on the barge it was pushing. The trial judge awarded damages to the shrimper and his mate but reduced the award to the shrimp boat captain because the Judge found that the shrimp boat did not have adequate lighting.

A customer at a local Wal Mart store slipped and fell on dried dog food which had been left in the aisle by store personnel. Extensive discovery showed that the department manager had failed to provide adequate cleanup for the store-created hazard.

A school teacher who suffered a severe shoulder injury when she tripped on a lump of carpet at the entrance to a large department store received just compensation in a post-mediated settlement agreement. The carpet in the narrow foyer entrance of the store had lumped up over the passage of time, creating a tripping hazard to customers entering the building. That is exactly what happened to this teacher, who had to undergo a surgical procedure to repair her shoulder injury.

An oyster fishermen and three family members who helped with the fishing and culling operations inhaled a poisonous combination of gases emitted from a derelict oil well in the marsh of South Louisiana while he was on his way to the oyster grounds. The gas inhalation resulted in temporary loss of consciousness of two of the family members, who were evacuated from a small slither of barrier island by helicopter to a local hospital. They received compensation from the operator of this shut-in well.

A roofer broke his hip when a rotted face board caused him to lose his balance and fall atop an air conditioning compressor. The owner’s knowledge of the rot resulted in a jury verdict for the roofer against the homeowner’s insurer.

A fuel company transferring diesel into a commercial retailer’s tank caused the diesel to explode and destroy the retailer’s premises. A jury imposed punitive and compensatory damages on the diesel trucker for destroying the retailer’s business.

A newspaper delivery executive who was helping a new employee with a route was attacked by a German Shepherd dog, knocked to the ground and suffered a shoulder impingement. The dog was able to attack the woman on the sidewalk because there was an incomplete fence surrounding the dog’s quarters. The full damages were paid by the dog owner’s homeowner’s insurance policy, but only after full trial on the merits.

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.

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.

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.