General Negligence

Two Bicyclists Involved In Crash Within One Week

July 25, 2022 | by Broussard, David & Moroux

A bicyclist was struck by a vehicle on Thursday night on LA-98 and LA-93.

Authorities reported that a 67-year-old male was hit by an SUV and thrown off of his bicycle. He was stopped in the westward lane on LA-98 facing east when a 2010 GMC Terrain SUV hit the cyclist while traveling west on LA-98.

The bicyclist was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. The GMC SUV driver was not injured and showed no signs of impairment. The crash remains under investigation.

New Safety Rules For Storage Tanks In Louisiana

December 17, 2021 | by Broussard, David & Moroux

February 28, 2021, 14-year old Zalee Gail Day-Smith was killed near her home after an oil field tank battery exploded while she was hanging out with friends. Oil field tank batteries are storage sites for oil wells that are not connected to major pipelines. These large metal tanks can hold hundreds of thousands of gallons of crude oil, and can give off flammable fumes. Zalee Gail Day-Smith and her friends would frequently hang out around these tanks where there was no fence, gate, or warning signs.

Despite not knowing exactly what happened at the site when Day-Smith died, new rules have been put in place to minimize the chance of it happening again.

Tank sites within 500 feet of a home or highway, 1,000 feet of a church or school, or anywhere within the limits of a town, city or village must follow these rules:

False River Boating Accident Leaves Three Children Injured

August 12, 2021 | by Broussard, David & Moroux

On Sunday, August 9, 2021, a party barge reportedly operated by a Lafayette resident hit a group of children on an inner tube on False River. The children ranged in age from 8 to 14. The boater(s) reportedly fled the scene of the accident. Investigators say that the driver of the boat went home and refused to take a sobriety test. The Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is investigating the incident. Although there were no fatalities, one of the children was airlifted to a Baton Rouge hospital and may face prolonged recovery time.

Broussard, David & Moroux reminds boaters and spotters to be vigilant when operating a vessel and/or pulling a tube. Further, please take boater education safety courses offered for free at the Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries website: https://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/page/boater-education.

The attorneys at Broussard, David & Moroux have the knowledge and experience necessary to handle boating and tubing incident cases and will fight to obtain fair compensation for the injuries of yourself or your loved ones. If you, or a loved one has suffered harm because of the fault of another, contact the attorneys at Broussard, David & Moroux to discuss your legal rights at (337) 233-2323 (local) or (888) 337-2323 (toll-free).

An Oil Tank Explosion leaves One Injured with Burns in Lafourche Parish

July 8, 2021 | by Broussard, David & Moroux

Late last month, a tank owned by Texas Petroleum exploded on Catfish Lake near Golden Meadow. The United States Coast Guard responded to a call by sending a helicopter and a locally stationed unit. Local Firefighters and state hazardous materials units also responded, successfully dousing the fire.

During an evacuation, one person was injured, suffering burns to his body. The person was transported to Terrebonne General Hospital where he was stabilized. Authorities established a three quarters of a mile perimeter around the explosion, but put out the fire before any residents were threatened.

The tank held crude oil before the oil was to be sent into the pipeline system. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Two Fatal Crashes on Interstate 10 on the Same Day Close the Interstate in Both Directions

July 6, 2021 | by Broussard, David & Moroux

On July 6, 2021, Interstate 10 was the location of two fatal car crashes, which occurred about thirty miles from each other. For approximately two hours, I-10 experienced closures in both the east and west bound lanes.

The first occurred earlier in the day around 8:00am. Near mile marker 92 near Duson, an 18-wheeler truck going westbound crossed into the eastbound lane and struck a truck pulling a livestock trailer head on, causing the 18-wheeler to overturn into the median. This multi-car crash resulted in two fatalities and five injuries- the identities of the victims have not been reported at this time. All westbound lanes on I-10 near miler marker 92 were closed until about 4:00 that afternoon.

The second accident occurred around noon at mile marker 69 between Jennings and Egan. Though information of the crash has not been released, Louisiana State Police has reported that the interstate-closing crash in the eastbound lanes was fatal. After about two hours, the eastbound lanes were cleared.

Several workers injured after explosion in Gulf of Mexico

May 25, 2021 | by Broussard, David & Moroux

MORGAN CITY – As many as eight people were hurt in an explosion reported at a natural gas well in the Gulf of Mexico Tuesday afternoon.

Authorities said the incident was reported sometime before 3 o’clock after a well ignited. The victims reportedly suffered varying burn injuries in the explosion.

The patients were taken by boat to a dock in Morgan City. Helicopters were expected to land there to move those victims to a hospital.

Seatbelt Safety

May 7, 2021 | by Broussard, David & Moroux

According to U.S. Dept. of Transportation, seatbelts saved approximately 15,000 lives in 2017. Wearing a seatbelt is one of the safest choices drivers and passengers can make. Here are a few reasons why it is so important to wear your seatbelt:

Air bags are not enough – just because your vehicle has air bags does not mean you can skip the seatbelt, still wear it.
It can reduce injuries – wearing your seatbelt reduces your risk of sustaining injuries like whiplash and other head injuries.

Tragic Crash Claims Life of 6-year-old Child in Calcasieu Parish

May 5, 2021 | by Broussard, David & Moroux

An afternoon crash claimed the life of a 6-year-old child in Calcasieu Parish. A vehicle ran a stop sign and collided with an SUV cause the SUV to flip several time before landing in a ditch. The 6-year-old child was unrestrained in the SUV and was ejected from the vehicle during the crash. Drivers of both vehicles sustained minor injuries with the additional minor passengers in the SUV sustaining no injuries. Impairment is not suspected in this crash.

Broussard, David & Moroux offer their condolences and sympathy to the family and friends during this difficult time.

The attorneys at Broussard, David & Moroux have the knowledge and experience necessary to handle cases of this nature and will fight to obtain fair compensation for your injuries. If you, or a loved one has suffered harm because of the fault of another, contact the attorneys at Broussard, David & Moroux to discuss your legal rights at (337) 233-2323 (local) or (888) 337-2323 (toll-free).

Bicycle Safety: For Cyclist and Drivers

April 27, 2021 | by Broussard, David & Moroux

Bicycling is a great form of exercise, and as the weather warms up you will begin to see more cyclists on the road. Bicyclists face a higher risk of crash-related injuries and deaths than occupants in motor vehicles. To ensure your safety, whether you are a cyclist or a driver, here are a few things to remember regarding bike safety.

For Cyclists:

Inspect your bike – adjust the seat, check the tires, and ensure your bike is safe to operate before going out for a ride;

Defensive Driving

April 21, 2021 | by Broussard, David & Moroux

Defensive driving is a driving skill that allows you to protect yourself from possible accidents or collisions. Actions such as looking ahead, keeping your eyes moving, and more are just a few tips of defensive driving. Here are more defensive driving that you can follow to help keep you and others safe.

Focus on your driving – don’t let your phone, radio, or children distract you from the road.
Don’t speed – the faster you are traveling, the longer it takes to stop, and higher speeds can potentially cause a more dangerous collision.