Case Results

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.