Lafayette Louisiana Personal Injury Law blog

A spinal cord injury may mean major costs and decreased income

On behalf of Gaar Law Firm on Thursday, January 16, 2020.

Your brain is responsible for housing all of your memories and knowledge while also controlling your subconscious actions such as breathing and your conscious actions, such as motor function. In other words, your brain defines who you are and what you can do.

The spinal cord is the conduit that carries information from your brain to the rest of your body. Through an intricate system of nerves, the spinal cord relays information from your brain to your body and vice versa. Unfortunately, an injury to your spinal cord can disrupt that critical communication.

Birth injury: Family in another state to receive millions

On behalf of Gaar Law Firm posted in birth injury on Monday, January 13, 2020.

When a child is born with impairments due to the actions or inactions of medical providers before, during or after the labor and delivery process, it can leave parents devastated. A birth injury affects not only the long-term health and well-being of the child, but it can also have severe emotional and financial consequences for the family as a whole. Louisiana residents with children who have suffered birth-related injuries due to medical negligence may be able to seek relief for their losses. A family in another state did, and they will be walking away with millions, which will definitely help them get their child the care he needs for many years to come.

According to a recently published news report, the family of a boy born with severe brain damage recently settled their birth injury case to the tune of $7.1 million. It is believed that a lack of urgency during delivery caused the child to suffer a lack of oxygen to his brain. The severity of his injury has caused him to suffer seizures, need round-the-clock care and requires him to take numerous medications -- among other things.

Louisiana wrongful death: Car crash claims 1 life

On behalf of Gaar Law Firm posted in wrongful death on Friday, January 10, 2020.

A car crash that recently occurred in Lake Charles claimed one life and left one other person with significant injuries. This event occurred in the early morning hours of Jan. 8., and involved two vehicles. According to Louisiana laws, if negligence contributed to this event, the surviving family members of the deceased, as well as the surviving victim, may be entitled to seek compensation for their losses by pursuing wrongful death or personal injury claims, as applicable.

According to reports, at approximately 2:05 a.m., the driver of a van was traveling westbound on Fruge Street when he struck a sedan heading northbound on U.S. 171. The driver of the sedan was thrown from the vehicle and was transported to an area hospital in critical condition. This individual's passenger was also taken to the hospital where he later died.

Proposed law changes affect victims of motor vehicle accidents

On behalf of Gaar Law Firm posted in motor vehicle accidents on Wednesday, January 1, 2020.

Anyone who has been involved in a serious car accident knows just how damaging such an event can be. Along with any physical injuries, there are emotional and financial consequences one may not have expected. The cost of recovery and moving forward can be high. Unfortunately, if certain proposed laws are enacted, victims of motor vehicle accidents may not be able to get the compensation they need to truly cover their losses.

Certain lawmakers are pushing for damage caps, among other things, in the hope that limiting how much victims of car accidents achieve by filing lawsuits will lower insurance premiums. Currently, Louisiana has the second-highest auto insurance premiums in the country. Wanting to help out the general public by reducing their insurance costs is a noble cause, but will this accomplish that goal? Insurance companies seem to be saying no.

Several hurt when 2 cruise ships collided

On behalf of Gaar Law Firm posted in admiralty & maritime law on Monday, December 23, 2019.

A Carnival cruise ship that is based here in Louisiana was recently involved in a collision with one of its sister ships. This accident occurred as the vessel was docking at a scheduled stop in Mexico. Several people were hurt as a result of this incident.

According to reports, on Friday, Dec. 20, the Carnival Glory was docking when it hit the front end of the Carnival Legend, which was not moving at the time. Video of the incident shows the bow of the Legend taking out windows and causing significant structural damage to a few different floors of the Glory. The Legend seemed relatively unscathed in the incident.

The main cause of pregnancy-related deaths

On behalf of Gaar Law Firm posted in birth injury on Thursday, December 19, 2019.

An article published in early 2019 discussed a serious problem affecting women in the United States. Even with today's medical advances, too many women in Louisiana and elsewhere are suffering pregnancy-related deaths. Why?

According to the article, poor medical practices is the number one reason for pregnancy-related deaths. Medical staff is failing to follow basic safety guidelines when various symptoms arise that indicate mothers are in distress. Such symptoms include:

High blood pressure
Low blood pressure
Excessive bleeding
Headaches
Fever
Trouble breathing

The top 4 causes of accidents on construction sites

On behalf of Gaar Law Firm on Wednesday, December 18, 2019.

If you work in the construction industry, you will know that many hazards come with the job. Although there will always be potential dangers associated with the construction industry, it is the responsibility of employers to ensure that comprehensive safety procedures are in place and that the risk of injuries is kept to a minimum.

Even if your employer is ensuring that all necessary safety precautions are in place, accidents can still happen. These injuries can occur as a result of human error, malfunctioning machinery or even adverse weather conditions. If you have been injured on a construction site in Louisiana, you must take action to claim the workers' compensation damages that you deserve. You should also be aware of the top four causes of accidents and fatalities on construction sites.

1 dead, 1 injured in recent crash

On behalf of Gaar Law Firm posted in wrongful death on Thursday, December 12, 2019.

A Lake Charles man recently lost his life when his vehicle was struck by another car. This crash occurred the morning of Dec. 6 north of Creole. According to state laws, if negligence is believed to have contributed to this incident, the victim's surviving family members may be entitled to seek compensation for their losses through legal means.

According to reports, both vehicles were traveling on Highway 27 when the collision occurred. When the rescue team arrived on the scene, they found a 34-year-old male who had succumbed to his injuries. The other driver was injured; however, to what extent is unknown. Neither driver is said to have had any additional passengers in their vehicles.

Experience matters when dealing with a maritime injury

On behalf of Gaar Law Firm posted in admiralty & maritime law on Wednesday, December 4, 2019.

If you suffer an injury while on the job, you may think that any personal injury or workers' compensation attorney can help you seek compensation for your losses. This simply is not true, especially if you work in the maritime industry. Maritime law is not an area that all attorneys in the state of Louisiana have experience with, so it is essential to do your due diligence when looking for legal counsel to help you.

Whether your work takes you to the docks, an oil rig or a vessel of sorts, these environments are dangerous to be in, and injuries are known to happen. Employers do have a duty to keep these places of work as safe as possible by following industry regulations, enforcing safety protocols and supplying safety equipment, among other things. Still, things happen, and people get hurt, or worse. Injured maritime workers do have the right to seek relief, but how they go about doing that is different than it is for most everyone else.

Planning to travel on I-10 this holiday season?

On behalf of Gaar Law Firm posted in wrongful death on Wednesday, November 27, 2019.

This may not come as a surprise to many Louisiana residents, but according to the National HighwayTraffic Safety Administration, the stretch of Interstate 10 that runs from Lake Charles to New Orleans is the deadliest highway in the United States -- particularly during the holiday season. A total of 49 people have lost their lives on this roadway between Thanksgiving and New Years over the last few years, and there is no saying how many might be added to that number over the next few weeks. There is always hope that everyone traveling I-10 will make it to and from their destinations safely, but if that doesn't happen to be the case. Those who lose loved ones or suffer injuries in accidents on this stretch of highway may be entitled to seek compensation for their losses.

Interstate 10 spans the country from California all the way to Florida. The Louisiana Highway Safety Commission deputy director says that the most accidents seen on I-10, locally anyway, occur around East Baton Rouge and Jefferson parishes. Many auto collisions are related to drunk driving, but many more result from distracted driving. Louisiana, in general, has a relatively high distracted driving incident rate compared to the rest of the country.