Even when a case goes to federal court, that body must still try to interpret state law if that is the governing policy in the matter. While this may seem confusing, cases involving local matters can get to federal court for a number of reasons. Of the most common are…
Settlements are an important part of the legal process. They save time, money, allow the parties to negotiate their own terms, and, above all, they keep the parties from having to go to court to litigate their claims. In the case of settling with insurance companies, the companies like to…
On July 12, 2008 a ten-year-old girl was driving her parents golf cart with some friends in a nearby cul-de-sac in the Parish of East Baton Rouge in the State of Louisiana. While on her excursion, she encountered a neighbor boy who was six-years-old. Because the boy was so close…
Recently, in the State of Louisiana Court of Appeal for the Third Circuit, a case was decided that effectively laid out the requirements of a settlement agreement. These requirements are especially important because many cases are settled before they get to court. In fact, settlement is often preferable because it…
Respondeat superior or, more simply, vicarious liability is a principle by which an employer can be found liable for the actions of its employees. It allows plaintiffs injured by people who are at work to collect money for their injuries from the often deeper pockets of the enterprise itself. However,…
In Louisiana, like many other states, there are certain restrictions on the period in which you may bring a lawsuit. There are several practical reasons for these restrictions. First, it is important to restrict the period so that people are not in constant fear of being sued for actions that…
A field service technician sued a crew boat operator and several entities related to the drilling operations when he was injured during a personnel basket transfer and a mobile drilling unit. The trial court, applying a “reasonable care” standard, granted summary judgment in favor of the drilling companies and the…
Contractor company employees working at a British Petroleum (BP) refinery sued the oil company for negligence. Workers at the refinery reported a “weird” gas smell while they were employed at the factory. None of the gas monitors about the refinery sounded an alarm. About 100 employees went to the hospital…
The legal system is not perfect; courts will make the occasional error. However, in our system, we have many different levels in order to help ensure that if there are errors, the next court in the process will work to correct it. One of the ways that a court can…
The appellate process is somewhat complicated. One of the major confusions is when a party is allowed to appeal. The simple answer is that a party can appeal a judgment after the lower court has rendered a final decision. But, what makes a decision final? Does the decision include the…