Distracted driving remains a serious problem across America. Nonetheless, the Louisiana Legislature killed two bills targeting distracted driving in the state and approved a controversial bill permitting TV screens in the dashboard. Pending Governor Jindal’s approval, the controversial “Dashboard TV” bill will become Louisiana law. Under Louisiana’s current law, television…
The Louisiana Legislature’s 2011 Regular Session convened on April 25. In the midst of this fiscal session, the Legislature introduced three new state-wide bills relative to distracted driving, including a potential ban on the use of handheld cell phones in automobiles. Last session, Governor Jindal signed into a law a…
In Williamson v. Mazda, the Supreme Court ruled that a deceased woman’s relatives could sue her vehicle’s manufacturer for failing to install lap-and-shoulder belts, even though the manufacturer had complied with all relevant federal safety regulations. The decedent, Mrs. Williamson, was killed while riding in the backseat of a Mazda…
If you are hurt, an expert witnesses may play an important role in your case In personal injury cases, lawyers may hire expert witnesses to provide an expert opinion based on his professional knowledge and expertise. In a plaintiff’s claim for personal injuries caused by an automobile collision, for instance,…
Authorities are cracking down on drunk driving across the nation and in Louisiana . In 2009, the National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration (NHTSA) recorded the lowest number of drunk-driving fatalities nationally in nearly a half a century . In 2009, 10,839 people were killed in alcohol-related collisions. For statistical…
Every accident is different: sometimes many people are responsible for the plaintiff’s injuries; other times, the plaintiff’s fault may have partially caused his injures. Comparative fault and contributory fault are general defenses a defendant may raise in an attempt to reduce the damages a defendant must pay. Contributory fault means…
Uninsured Motorist (UM) insurance permits its holder to recover in an automobile accident if the party who caused the collision is underinsured or uninsured. A plaintiff may receive UM benefits in several ways. If you are in an accident in your vehicle with an uninsured motorist, you may receive UM…
During the last legislative session, Louisiana lawmakers upgraded the existing law prohibiting text messaging to “primary enforcement status.” This means that law enforcement can now stop and cite violators if the officers observe someone texting while driving. The current law is as follows: text messaging is banned for all drivers…