Articles Posted in School Bus Accidents

The school year is now in full swing and it is important as drivers to continue to practicing safe driving, especially when children are involved.

On Thursday, September 29, a tow truck crashed into a school bus carrying 27 children in St. Landry Parish, causing two children to be airlifted to the hospital and two others taken by ambulance. Children were exiting the bus when the tow truck crashed into the rear of the bus. In order to prevent incidents like this from happening again, it is crucial to remember Louisiana’s laws and procedures when driving near a school bus.

In Louisiana, the law states the driver of a vehicle coming upon a stopped school bus and red lights are flashing must stop no less than 30 feet away from the school bus and shall not proceed until the bus resumes motion or the visual signals are no longer activated.

On Tuesday March 30th a school bus crashed in the city of Duson. The crash occurred as the result of an SUV crossing the center line and striking the bus. Thankfully there were no children aboard the bus at the time of the accident. Passengers of the SUV and the bus driver were transported to the hospital for treatment.  A field sobriety test was conducted for the driver of the SUV and there was no conclusive evidence of impairment, but the driver of the SUV was found to be at fault for the accident and issued citations. All individuals are expected to make a full recovery.

Remember to follow the rules of the roadway and practice safe driving to reduce your risk of accidents and injuries.

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.

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The first annual Bicycle Safety Festival will be held on June 4th from 9am-12pm at Parc Sans Souci in downtown Lafayette. The Bicycle Safety Festival is presented by Lafayette Consolidated Government, Bike Lafayette, and Broussard, David & Moroux. There will be free adult and youth bicycle helmets for the first 300 participants, free bike registration, free safety training and instruction, and participants are eligible to win a free bicycle (valued at $300 – courtesy of Hub City Cycles). Additionally, there will be food, refreshments and musical entertainment by Zydeco Radio.

In Acadiana, there have been far too many cyclists injured in preventable bicycle accidents. The aim of this event is to help cyclists and motorists become more knowledgeable about bicycle safety and the rules of the road. As Lafayette Consolidated Government embraces more bicycle lanes and smarter growth, bicycle awareness is becoming even more essential.

Broussard, David & Moroux, a law firm located in downtown Lafayette, has a great deal of experience in representing people catastrophically injured in bicycle related accidents. In sponsoring this event, the partners at Broussard, David & Moroux hope that — through education and training — the roads will be safer for bicyclists, motorists and pedestrians alike.

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.

Failure to obey a stop sign and suspected driving under the influence has lead to the death of a Ventress man last Friday.

Louisiana State Police has not completed its investigation, but according to initial findings, 27-year-old Nicholas Porche was driving westbound on Section Road in a white Sierra while Michael Holmes, 53-years-old of Ventress, was driving south on Beuche Road in a red F-150 around 5:30 on Friday, November 20.  The crash took place at the intersection of both roads near Erwinville.

According to officials, Porche ran the stop sign at the intersection of Beuche and Section, causing the accident.  Holmes was pronounced dead at the scene by the West Baton Rouge Coroner’s Office.  Porche was wearing his seat belt at the time and received minor injuries, but refused aid.

A drunk driver that caused an accident which lead to a man’s death was sentenced in Calcasieu Parish last Wednesday.

On September 27, 2014, Derek Paul Cooper was driving eastbound in the westbound lanes of I-10 in the Sulphur area.  He had a blood alcohol level of .24, three times the legal limit.  He collided with a car driven by Jeremy Olivier, age thirty-one, who died as a result.

At Cooper’s sentencing on Wednesday, Judge Ron Ware ordered Cooper to 18 years in prison, with three years suspended and credit for time served.  Judge Ware also ordered that the first five years of the sentence be served without benefit of probation, suspension, or parole.  Cooper will be on supervised parole for 2 years following his release.

A stop to check a tow strap turned fatal when the two vehicles were hit by a third on Monday, report State Police.

53-year-old Timothy Bird and 22-year-old Delvonte Wiley, both of Port Allen, were towing a 2005 GMC Yukon behind a 2000 GMC Sierra.  They had stopped in the left westbound lane of US 190 just west of US 61 Baton Rouge to check on the tow strap between the two vehicles when a third vehicle, driven by 33-year-old Chauntel Barnett of Denham Springs, crashed into the Yukon.

The force of the impact caused the Yukon to buck forward, striking Bird, who had gotten out of the Sierra to check the tow strap.  Bird was taken to Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center and later pronounced dead.  Neither Wiley nor Barnett were injured, according to State Police Trooper Bryan Lee.

A University of Louisiana at Lafayette student was crossing University Avenue last week when she was struck by an oncoming motorist.

The student, whose name has been withheld, was in the crosswalk when she was struck, reports Cpl. Paul Mouton.  The driver had made a left from McKinley Street onto University when the two parties collided.

The student received minor injuries to her leg and was taken to a local hospital.  The driver received a ticket for failing to yield to pedestrians in a crosswalk.

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