Lafayette Louisiana Personal Injury Law blog

Road rage behind many motor vehicle accidents

On behalf of Gaar Law Firm posted in motor vehicle accidents on Thursday, September 20, 2018.

How often are drivers in Louisiana seen making bad decisions? How often do people overreact when behind the wheel? How often do road rage incidents occur, and how often do people get hurt or worse in the motor vehicle accidents that result from such incidents? The truth is, people are not always paying attention when they drive; they do not always make great decisions, and road rage incidents are on the rise because some individuals cannot control their frustrations while driving.

Road rage is said to be responsible for one-third of all traffic accidents. It is believed that two-thirds of all traffic fatalities can be attributed to road rage. In other words, this is a big problem across the entire country.

Motor vehicle accidents: Cops looking for hit-and-run driver

On behalf of Gaar Law Firm posted in motor vehicle accidents on Monday, September 17, 2018.

Police in Louisiana are in the process of looking for the individual responsible for a recent hit-and-run accident. This event occurred on Sunday, Sept. 9 in the Lake Charles area. One person was injured in the wreck. According to state laws, victims of motor vehicle accidents may be entitled to seek compensation for their losses. In this particular case, the victim may find him or herself needing assistance to seek relief from his or her own insurance company and/or pursue legal action against the driver thought responsible when that individual is identified.

According to news reports, the victim was operating a motorcycle near the intersection of Sale Lane and McNeese Street. The driver of a white Nissan is said to have attempted a left-hand turn in front of the motorcycle, giving the victim nowhere to go. The motorcycle hit the side of the car causing the victim to suffer moderate to severe injuries.

Should I file a birth injury claim?

On behalf of Gaar Law Firm posted in birth injury on Friday, September 14, 2018.

Louisiana residents whose children have suffered injuries during childbirth may wonder if they can take legal action against the medical providers who were present during labor and delivery and/or the medical facility. The only real answer to that question is maybe. It may be possible to file a birth injury claim, but it is hard to know without first investigating all the facts of one's case.

Every year, around 2 million children suffer injuries during the birthing process as a result of medical negligence. While not all of the victims will suffer long-term consequences, no parent should have to watch their child suffer, even for a little bit, because their medical provider messed up. No parent should have to endure the financial or emotional hardships that accompany birth injuries. No child should have to suffer, either, because of medical malpractice.

Motor vehicle accidents often caused by distracted drivers

On behalf of Gaar Law Firm posted in motor vehicle accidents on Wednesday, September 12, 2018.

You would think that paying attention to the road, traffic signals and your surroundings would be easy to do while driving. It really should be, but most people do experience some level of distraction when behind the wheel of an automobile. Distractions lead to a number of motor vehicle accidents in Louisiana and elsewhere.

If you suffered injuries or lost a loved one in an auto accident, you may question if driver distraction contributed to the event. If it did and you can prove that it did, you may be able to seek compensation for your losses. The problem really does come down to being able to prove the driver believed to have been at fault was not paying attention. Sometimes this is not easy to accomplish.

Louisiana maritime law: Injured dock workers

On behalf of Gaar Law Firm posted in admiralty & maritime law on Friday, September 7, 2018.

Loading docks are an essential part of a port facility. Many Louisiana residents work these docks and in doing so put themselves in harm's way as there are many hazards present in this type of working environment. Injured dock workers may be protected and able to seek compensation for their losses by filing maritime law claims.

What are some of the common hazards seen at loading docks? A big issue is forklifts. Forklifts overturn, and people get hit by these machines. This is a piece of heavy machinery that may seem small but can do a lot of damage. Other common hazards include:

Debris
Unguarded dock edges
Slip-and-trip hazards
Improper handling of materials

Louisiana motor vehicle accidents: 2 injured in recent wreck

On behalf of Gaar Law Firm posted in motor vehicle accidents on Friday, September 7, 2018.

At the end of August, police in Lake Charles arrested the man they say is responsible for a crash that left him and another person injured. This incident happened late in the morning of Aug. 29. The victim of this event may be entitled to seek compensation for his or her losses -- which is true for most victims of motor vehicle accidents.

According to reports, Lake Charles police attempted to stop a 19-year-old male for a traffic violation. Instead of stopping, the young man led the officers on a high-speed chase from Mill Street to Enterprise Blvd. and Second Street. The only reason the chase ended there is because the teenager's car collided with another vehicle. He and the driver of the impacted car both suffered injuries in the wreck and were transported to an area hospital for treatment. The current condition of the victim is unknown.

Louisiana wrongful death: Motorcyclist killed in wreck

On behalf of Gaar Law Firm posted in wrongful death on Wednesday, August 29, 2018.

The state of Louisiana recently lost one of its police officers in a tragic automobile accident. At this point, no charges have been filed against the driver believed responsible for the wreck. If negligence is believed to have contributed to the accident, the victim's surviving family members may be entitled to pursue a wrongful death claim in court in an effort to seek compensation for their losses.

On Saturday, Aug. 25, the 26-year-old police officer was off-duty and riding his motorcycle in St. Tammany Parish. While on Louisiana 1082, the driver of an SUV attempted a left-hand turn in front of him. His vehicle struck the passenger side door, and he was thrown from his bike. The victims was wearing a helmet but he still suffered significant injuries. He was transported to a hospital for care but did not survive.

Louisiana motor vehicle accidents: 5 LSU students struck by car

On behalf of Gaar Law Firm posted in motor vehicle accidents on Tuesday, August 28, 2018.

On Friday, Aug. 24, five Louisiana State University students were walking on campus when they were struck by a car. Four of the five victims were transported to an area hospital for treatment. When pedestrians are injured in motor vehicle accidents, they may be entitled to pursue compensation for their losses. If the victims in this particular case wish to seek relief, an experienced attorney can help them file the appropriate claims in civil court.

According to a recent report, the five students were walking just west of Tiger Stadium when a multi-vehicle accident occurred right next to them. One of the impacted vehicles left the roadway and struck the pedestrians. Four individuals, all of whom suffered non life-threatening injuries, were transported for treatment. Another victim declined transportation to a medical facility. Current conditions of all involved have not been reported.

When maintenance issues lead to truck accidents

On behalf of Gaar Law Firm posted in Truck Accidents on Monday, August 27, 2018.

Anyone who owns a personal vehicle knows that maintenance is key to keeping it running and safe. This is true for commercial vehicles as well. Unfortunately, numerous truck accidents that happen in Louisiana and elsewhere are the result of improper maintenance.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has set very strict guidelines regarding commercial vehicle maintenance. According to the FMCSA, motor carriers are to conduct regular vehicle inspections and repairs. Certain vehicle parts are to be inspected every 90 days., while others only require annual checkups. Any issues noted are to be fixed before allowing the truck back into service.

Louisiana maritime law: Cruise ship-related injuries

On behalf of Gaar Law Firm posted in admiralty & maritime law on Saturday, August 25, 2018.

Every year, residents and visitors to the state of Louisiana head to port in order to embark on cruises. While many people enjoy their vacations without incident, there are others who suffer injuries while aboard cruise ships. These individuals likely have a lot of questions about who can be held responsible for their losses. An experienced maritime law attorney would be able to answer such questions.

Personal injury cases that involve cruise ships or other common carriers are not handled the same as, say, car accident cases. Maritime law is a specialized area of the law and quite different from tort law. Nevertheless, a cruise ship operator may be held accountable for passenger injury caused by willful actions or negligence.