Lafayette Louisiana Personal Injury Law blog

Fatal car accidents seem to happen all too often in the Lake Charles area. Recently, a woman lost her life when the driver of a wastewater truck lost control and the truck rolled on top of her vehicle. If negligence is suspected in this case, the victim's surviving family members may seek compensation for their losses by pursuing a wrongful death claim in civil court.

According to a recent news report, this particular incident occurred near the end of October on I-10 N. Frontage Road. The driver of the truck -- a 25-year-old male -- was traveling westbound when he crossed into oncoming traffic. In an attempt to correct course, he swerved back into the westbound lane but lost control of his vehicle. The truck ended up rolling on top of a small sedan, driven by a 58-year-old woman. She died at the scene, and a passenger in her vehicle suffered serious injuries and was transported to a hospital in Lafayette.

In July, a duck boat accident in another state claimed the lives of 17 people. The surviving family members of the victims are trying to seek compensation for their losses, but an old maritime law may stand in their way. Louisiana residents and visitors to the state who have suffered maritime injuries or lost loved ones in maritime accidents may find themselves struggling to achieve compensation for their losses as well if this law is utilized in their cases.

According to a recent news article, the duck boat company cited an 1851 law that limits their monetary liability to the victims to the boat's value. The duck boat is considered a total loss, as it remains at the booting of Table Rock Lake. If the particular statute is controlling, this means that the company's financial liability should amount to $0. A judge has yet to rule on this.

A family in another state recently won a substantial settlement in an injury/medical malpractice lawsuit. This case was all about a birth injury and holding the hospital and its staff responsible for the damage caused to a now 9-year-old boy. Parents in Louisiana with children who have suffered injuries during labor and delivery may, like this family, pursue compensation for their losses as well.

According to reports, the child in this case was born in 2009 after a normal, healthy pregnancy. Everything looked good up until the few hours before his delivery. Medical staff reportedly noticed drops in the child's heart rate, indicating the baby was in distress and not receiving adequate oxygen. Instead of performing a cesarean section immediately, the doctor and nurse on the case decided to wait it out. The child was born with significant brain damage as a result.

Police in Lake Charles were called to investigate a hit-and-run collision that left a cyclist injured. This event occurred Oct. 5, at approximately 7:30 p.m. In Louisiana, the drivers responsible for hit-and-run motor vehicle accidents are often found, and when they are the criminal and civil consequences that they will face can be quite severe.

According to a local news report, this accident took place at the Jerry Street and Country Club Road intersection. Witnesses claim that the cyclist and the driver of a compact vehicle were both traveling eastbound on Country Club Road when the vehicle hit the bike. The cyclist was transported to an area hospital for treatment of undisclosed injuries.