In Jane Doe v. Southern Gyms, LLC arising out of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, a class action suit was filed involving a local branch of the national gym, Anytime Fitness, was accused of taking pictures of 250-300 women changing in a locker room. The plaintiffs filed on behalf of all women who’d used the gym during
In a fairly publicized case, three people were killed in 2008 by a diving boat explosion off the coast of Louisiana. This case is still working its way through the courts and got a little further from resolution in Jillian Morrison, LLC v. Sonia because of an obscure legal concept: ripeness. Lawsuits need several parts
When personal items are lost to fire, the anguish one experiences can be devastating. One must sift through the remains to determine what was lost, not only as a personal inventory but also for insurance purposes. Such was the experience of Ronald and Delores Semar of Lafayette, Louisiana. Their building was destroyed after an adjacent
Louisiana strongly favors arbitration between parties when they have a dispute. Generally, it is less expensive and less time consuming than taking the case to trial. The arbitrator will determine the outcome of the damages based on an assessment of all of the circumstances in the case. Each side presents their side of the story
After a recent car accident in Kenner, Louisiana, the plaintiff’s uninsured/underinsured insurance carrier, Progressive, appealed a claim against it, claiming in part that the general damages awarded the plaintiff were excessive. Although Progressive’s claim was dismissed and the award for general damages affirmed, this case brings up the important subject of general damages in personal
Jason and Renee Niemann, a couple from Mandeville, Louisiana, purchased a home in 2007 in the Lakeside Village Subdivision in Mandeville, Louisiana. Unbeknownst to them, a subcontractor, Calmar Construction Company, installed Chinese drywall in the home during construction in 2006, and the Niemanns have been fighting the builder, subcontractor, and subdivision developer in court since
Keith Brown v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, is a very interesting case to come out of the Parrish of Caddo, Louisiana. Plaintiff, Keith Brown, was injured in a two-car accident on June 30, 2008, while he was the passenger of Michael Darnell. The driver of the other car involved in the accident was
In order to take a case to the courtroom, you must have a cause of action. Generally, a cause of action means that there is some law that the other person has violated, and that violation has harmed you, so you should be compensated for that harm. If the law does not offer the plaintiff
The arena of insurance law is a very confusing area in which, quite often, significant knowledge and experience is required for a quality outcome. It is important to know which types of coverage are available and applicable for different circumstances. Without knowing which coverage can apply and to what extent it can apply, an insured
Kevin and Corliss Stenson, Et Al. v. City of Oberlin and Meyer, Meyer, LaCroix and Hixson, Inc. is a very interesting and very important case to come out of the Parish of Allen. The case resulted in divergent opinions between the trial and appelate courts of the Allen Parish, ultimately requiring the Supreme Court to
Jeffrey Berniard is a specialized injury attorney with over 21 years of experience fighting for Louisiana families.