A mother faces multiple charges after she allegedly drove off the road while intoxicated, causing serious injuries to her four children.
State troopers say that 29-year-old Kate Davis lost control of her 2005 Buick while northbound on U.S. Highway 165 near State Highway 101. The van left the road, entered a ditch, smashed into a culvert, and went airborne before eventually coming to rest in another ditch. The vehicle caught fire, and a passing motorist — whose name was not released — pulled the children out of the burning wreckage, sustaining severe burns in the process. All the serious injury victims were transported to local hospitals, but they are all expected to survive. [Read more…] about Good Samaritan Rescues Children From Burning Vehicle
Louisiana
Common Insurance Company Defenses
Part of being an aggressive and effective advocate for victims means working hard to develop a winning case. Since the plaintiff has the burden of proof, a successful case is built with solid evidence. An attorney must also have a clear theory of the personal injury case, and be able to explain the applicable law to the jury.
At the same time, an attorney must also anticipate the arguments that the other side will make. Despite what TV commercial jingles often imply, the insurance company is not “on your side.” In fact, insurance company lawyers are committed to minimum compensation for victims, because insurance companies lose money when they pay personal injury claims. What are some common tactics to reduce or deny recovery? [Read more…] about Common Insurance Company Defenses
Prison Sentence Closes The Book On Area Police Chase
An area man was held accountable for his actions in a high-speed police chase that occurred in Lafayette last summer, but when are police officers held accountable for their conduct in similar situations?
U.S. District Judge Dee Drell sentenced 32-year-old Kevin Abshire, of Maurice, to 24 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to possessing an unregistered firearm. In June 2015, Mr. Abshire passed very close to a Lafayette Police Department officer who was directing traffic after an accident. When officers ordered him to pull over, Mr. Abshire accelerated. Officers pursued him, and Mr. Abshire eventually crashed in the Ridge Road area. After subduing him, officers found a shotgun in Mr. Abshire’s vehicle which turned out to be unregistered.
He must serve three years of supervised release after he completes his two-year prison term. [Read more…] about Prison Sentence Closes The Book On Area Police Chase
Sooner State Stands Up For Injured Workers
Neighboring Texas is the only remaining state that allows employer to opt out of the workers’ compensation system after the Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled that such a system upset the so-called Grand Bargain.
Three years ago, large retailers and other large employers convinced Oklahoma lawmakers to pass a law that allowed them to self-insure against workplace injuries; after a successful push in the Sooner State, advocates introduced similar bills in Mississippi, Tennessee, South Carolina, and several other states as part of a nationwide push to effectively dismantle the workers’ compensation system. But the tables started to turn when a national media outlet published a study that opt-out plans meant substantially lower benefits for injured workers. Next, the Florida Supreme Court ruled that a rather arcane attorneys’ fee structure was unconstitutional, and the move is expected to give injured workers more options. Earlier this year, Oklahoma’s highest court struck down a provision that sharply curtailed benefits for permanently disabled workers. [Read more…] about Sooner State Stands Up For Injured Workers
Landmark Fatigued Driving Report
Nationwide, drowsy driving may cause as many as one in five car crash fatalities, according to a recent report.
The Governors Highway Safety Association says that an estimated 83.6 million Americans get behind the wheel every day, even though they are dangerously fatigued. Industry experts, insurance company experts, and other professionals all collaborated on the 73-page study. In addition to the side-effects of drowsy driving, which include inattention, slow reaction time, and reduced decision-making ability, the report examined best practices for dealing with the problem, like the protocols that exist in Utah, Texas, and New York. Study authors were especially critical of commercial truck driver rules. Although the federal government has established limits for weekly hours of service, “repeated efforts to modify HOS regulations have resulted in the suspension of some provisions.” Additionally, the rules may be too generic to be effective, the report added. [Read more…] about Landmark Fatigued Driving Report
Alcohol-Induced Fatal Crash In Sterlington
An allegedly drunk driver killed one police officer and seriously injured two others during a traffic stop on southbound Highway 165.
According to Louisiana State Police, 44-year-old Tracy Govan, of Monroe, crossed the fog line in a 2014 GMC Sierra, striking three officers who were on the scene. Officer David Elahi was declared dead at the scene; two other officers, whose names were not released, were transported to a local hospital, where they are expected to survive. Mr. Govan now faces a number of criminal charges, including vehicular homicide, improper lane usage, and vehicular negligent injury. [Read more…] about Alcohol-Induced Fatal Crash In Sterlington