personal injury law

118 Pages·2017·2.47 MB·English

L OUISIANA
PERSONAL INJURY LAW
A Guide for Victims
Chad Dudley, Steven DeBosier,
James Peltier, Jr.
LOUISIANA PERSONAL INJURY

A PRACTICAL GUIDE FOR VICTIMS

First Edition

CHAD DUDLEY · STEVEN DEBOSIER · JAMES PELTIER

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LOUISIANA PERSONAL INJURY

A PRACTICAL GUIDE FOR VICTIMS

First Edition

CHAD DUDLEY · STEVEN DEBOSIER · JAMES PELTIER

Page 2 of 117
COPYRIGHT NOTICE

© 2018 Dudley DeBosier®

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced
in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,
including photocopying, recording, or by any information
storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing
from Dudley DeBosier®.

For more information, please contact:
Dudley DeBosier Injury Lawyers
1075 Government Street
Baton Rouge, LA 70802

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DISCLAIMER

The purpose of this book is not to give legal advice. Unless
you have agreed to hire our law firm and we have agreed to
represent you, our law firm does not represent you and will
take no action on your behalf.

Should you have any legal questions or concerns, we
recommend that you contact your attorney and discuss the
specifics of your case with them immediately. Please be
aware that there are often deadlines that may apply to your
claim, and therefore, it is important to act quickly!

In the event you do not currently have legal representation
and would like to set up a free consultation with an attorney
at our firm, you may call our toll-free number 800-300-8300
or visit our website www.dudleydebosier.com to set up an
appointment.
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It is important to know that one attorney may act differently
from another, but this does not mean that one is right and the
other is wrong. Rather, this should be a reminder that when
choosing legal representation, you must make a judgment
call as to which attorney you think is the best fit to pursue
your claim.

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Contents
DISCLAIMER ........................................................................ 4
FOREWORD ........................................................................ 11
INTRODUCTION ................................................................. 15
1. The insurance company is not on your side. .......... 15
2. Their goal is to settle your claim for as little as
possible. ............................................................................. 16
3. Time is on their side. .............................................. 17
CHAPTER 1 .......................................................................... 18
YOU OR A LOVED ONE IS INJURED...WHAT NEXT? . 18
I. The Aftermath ............................................................ 19
1. Report the claim…………………………….……19
2. Get contact information from witnesses. ............... 20
3. Take pictures.......................................................... 21
4. Get Medical Treatment…………………………..22
II. Health Insurance ........................................................ 25
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III. Keeping Records .................................................... 27
IV. Filing a Claim ........................................................ 30
CHAPTER 2 .......................................................................... 36
WHAT TYPE OF CLAIM DO I HAVE? ............................. 36
General Negligence Claims. .............................................. 37
Workers’ Compensation Claims. ...................................... 37
Medical Malpractice Claims. ............................................ 38
Product Liability Claims. .................................................. 38
Premises Liability Claims. ................................................ 39
CHAPTER 3 .......................................................................... 41
INJURIES ............................................................................. 41
I. The Medical Provider .............................................. 41
II. Treatment ................................................................. 45
III. Physical Injuries ...................................................... 48
IV. Emotional Injuries .................................................... 53
V. Pre-Existing Conditions ........................................... 55
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CHAPTER 4….. .................................................................... 57
AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENTS ............................................. 57
I. Property Damage ..................................................... 57
II. Product Liability Claim ........................................... 59
III. 18-Wheeler Claims ................................................... 60
IV. Other Questions ........................................................ 61
CHAPTER 5 .......................................................................... 65
PREMISES LIABILITY CLAIMS ....................................... 65
I. General Law .............................................................. 65
II. Liability..................................................................... 67
Merchant Liability ......................................................... 67
Landowner/Custodian Liability ..................................... 68
III. Types of Claims ......................................................... 70
Trip-and-Fall .................................................................. 71
Slip-and-Fall .................................................................. 71
Falling Merchandise ...................................................... 72
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CHAPTER 6 ………………………………………………75
WHAT KIND OF DAMAGES CAN I RECOVER? ............ 75
I. Special Damages ........................................................ 76
II. General Damages ....................................................... 76
III. Other Damages .......................................................... 77
IV. Wrongful Death and Survival Action ...................... 78
CHAPTER 7 .......................................................................... 80
PRODUCT LIABILITY ....................................................... 80
I. General Law ............................................................... 81
CHAPTER 8 .......................................................................... 84
WORKERS’ COMPENSATION .......................................... 84
I. Overview .................................................................... 85
II. Filing a Claim ............................................................ 88
III. Medical Treatment ................................................... 89
IV. Unemployment ......................................................... 91
CHAPTER 9 .......................................................................... 93
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