Articles Posted in Motorcycle Accidents

With the fun and exciting energy of Mardi Gras, there are far busier streets with large crowds of moving pedestrians and jam-packed traffic that can lead to terrible accidents if you are not well equipped to handle them. As experts in personal injury practice, we would like to offer our best advice to keeping yourself and others safe during the season.

Mardi Gras Safety Tips:

  1. Stay behind barricades.

In the late hours of March 13, a fatal motorcycle crash occurred at the 2300 block of West Pinhook Road, near Verot School Road. The investigation showed that the motorcyclist entered the center lane, in an attempt to go around vehicle traffic. While in the center lane, the motorcycle collided with another vehicle. A passenger from the vehicle was injured and transported to a local hospital. The motorcyclist died in the crash.

In light of this accident, it is important to remember these safety procedures when operating a motorcycle:

  • Be sure to wear a quality helmet and eye protection.

Last month, the Thibodaux Police Department responded to an accident involving a motorcycle and a motor vehicle. The accident occurred when the driver of the motor vehicle failed to yield to the oncoming motorcycle, and improperly turned left in front of the motorcycle causing it to strike the vehicle head on. Though the driver of the motorcycle was wearing a helmet, he sustained critical injuries after being ejected during the crash and was taken to a local hospital for treatment.

Accidents can happen at anytime and anywhere. When operating or riding on a motorcycle, it is always important wear a helmet and other protective gear, but vigilance is the best way to avoid crashes and injuries. To help ensure the safety of yourself and others, always remember to practice safe driving and stay attentive of other drivers, especially motorcyclists.

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).

An average of 16,500 car accidents occur daily across the United States. In the blink of an eye, a rear-end car accident can completely turn one’s life upside down by causing life-altering injuries. Such an event can leave one lost as to what to do next, scared as to the daunting recovery process that lies ahead, and confused as to where to even begin. Some insight into the expected process of legal settlements may aid you or a loved one in making important decisions following a tragic accident.

In Louisiana, a car accident resulting in an injury, death, or property damage resulting in over $500 requires the parties by law to contact the local police department. Following the accident, an injured party should seek legal assistance. This will significantly offset the post-accident burdens of both filing a claim with the negligent party’s insurance company and gathering  supporting evidence like medical examinations, photos, and witness testimony.

Further, an attorney can file suit against a negligent party, thereby holding that party liable for their actions. The lawsuit must be brought within 1 year of the date of the accident or else the claim is forever lost. Once the legal process begins, parties will work tirelessly to reach what is known as a settlement. A settlement resolves the dispute by dropping the claim before reaching trial in return for a monetary compensation. Settlement processes can last anywhere from a few months to a few years depending on the severity of the injuries and the accident. In the settlement process, the injured party seeks recompense for physical pain and suffering, repair or replacement of their car, medical expenses, mental anguish from the accident, lost wages, as well as other forms of damages.

Two Baton Rouge siblings were killed last week when their vehicle was struck by an oncoming train. Byron Henderson, 41, and Myra Henderson, 42, were driving their SUV westbound on Dorcy Road in White Castle, LA when it came to a complete stop while atop of the railroad tracks. The crossing is not outfitted with warning lights or crossing guards.

Union Pacific, the owners and operators of the train, allege that the train’s horn was blown continuously for  forty seconds prior to the collision. The Iberville Sheriff’s Office is still looking into why the vehicle was parked on the railroad tracks.  Investigators are hoping that footage from the train’s front-mounted cameras will shed more light on this event.

Union Pacific is cooperating with the Sheriff’s Office by conducting their own investigation into the events of that day.  While it is not currently know what speed the train was traveling at the time of impact, Union Pacific spokesperson Jeff DeGraff confirmed that their trains’ speed is limited to 60 mph in that area.

A two-car collision in Baton Rouge last Saturday resulted in the death of a Memphis man and an injured local preacher.

George Mabon and Reverend John Pitzer were passengers in a Mercedes when it was stuck at the intersection of South Acadian Thruway and North Boulevard.  Authorities believe that a southbound Nissan ran the red light and struck the back of the west-traveling Mercedes.  Pitzer suffered fractured ribs and was transported to a local hospital.  Mabon did not survive the crash.

The unidentified Nissan driver has yet to be charged, pending an ongoing investigation that involves accident reconstruction and the driver’s blood test. However, charges have already been filed on the driver of the Mercedes, John Baur of Memphis, after officers observed visible signs of intoxication at the time of the accident.  Responding officers reported that Baur’s eyes were red, his balance unsure, and his breath and person smelled of alcohol.  A field sobriety test was conducted and Baur’s blood-alcohol level registered 0.13 percent.  In Louisiana, a blood-alcohol content of 0.08 percent or higher is considered presumptive evidence of drunk driving.  Baur was booked on counts of first-offence DWI and reckless operation, with other possible charges pending. 

Duck Commander Inc., the company behind Duck Dynasty, and the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development have been named defendants in a lawsuit filed by Jennifer Young, the mother of Madison Welch.

Filed in St. Martin Parish, the suit maintains that Madison Welch’s accident was not simple user error, but rather the result of an 18-wheeler operated “by agents, employees and/or licensees of Duck Commander Inc.” cutting into Welch’s lane and forcing her off the road.  This allegation evidently arises from a phone conversation Welch was engaged with at the time of the incident.  The friend who was on the other end reported that Welch exclaimed something about a nearby truck and then the line went silent.  Shortly after being told by the friend of what occurred, Welch’s family was notified of the accident. Welch’s Toyota Tacoma left the road and flipped, ejecting her.  Welch later succumbed to her injuries and died.

Young’s case additionally relies on the testimony of William Kirksey, who claimed to have witnessed the entire event and was one of the first people on the scene.  Kirksey stated that two 18-wheelers were exiting the freeway at the same time as Welch.  Both were in line, but at one point, one of them swerved into Welch’s lane, apparently causing her to veer off the road.

A collision on the Lake Pontchartrain Bridge caused a 90-minute closure and left two women with moderate injuries last Friday.

Alvin Kimbrel of Belle Chasse was cited for careless driving after failing to recognize a vehicle as stalled in the right lane of the southbound side of the highway.  Kimbrel’s Ford F250 hit the other vehicle, a Dodge Ram containing driver, Alicia Lee, and passenger, Kala Perkins, at 65 miles per hour.  The force of impact pushed the Ram approximately 434 feet and caused it to catch fire, according to authorities.  The two women were aided in escaping the burning vehicle by a state trooper who was near the scene at the time.

According to reports, the Dodge Ram had experienced engine failure while on the Bridge and had coasted to a stop.  Despite having its emergency flashers activated, Kimbrel failed to recognize that the vehicle was stopped and thus did not take evasive action.  Kimbrel’s Ford flipped and landed on its wheels, blocking the remainder of the highway.

A two-vehicle crash involving four individuals occurred last Sunday in Crown Point.  Two were injured, one of whom, Susan Tiano, 71 of Lexington, Massachusetts, was later pronounced dead at University Medical Center in New Orleans, according to reports.

The incident occurred at the intersection of Bataria Boulevard and Leo Kerner Lafitte Parkway at 5 p.m. January 9, 2015.  According to the investigating officers, Tiano was a passenger in a 2015 Nissan Versa driven by Anton Becker, 75 of Newport, Massachusetts.  The Versa was driving southbound on Bataria, when, after turning left and disregarding a stop sign, it collided with a 2004 Nissan Titan driven by a Marrero man.

The two occupants of the Titan as well as Marrero were taken to a local hospital for minor injuries. Tiano, who suffered injuries significantly more severe was brought to University Medical Center by paramedics.

A three-vehicle crash on New Year’s Eve left one dead and others injured, according to Louisiana State Police.

Jocelyn Tennart, 45 of Zachary, was traveling eastbound on West Flanacher Road in East Baton Rouge Parish around 8 p.m. last Thursday.  Simultaneously, Marion Fuller, 71, was traveling south on U.S. 61.  Tennart was driving a Saturn car while Fuller was in a Chevrolet Silverado.

For reasons yet to be determined, Tennart failed to yield at the intersection of the two roads causing her to come into the path of the Silverado.  The impact occurred on the Saturn’s driver side and Tennart, who was not wearing a seat belt, was pronounced dead at the scene by the East Baton Rouge Coroner’s Office.

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