Case Results

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.