Lafayette Personal Injury Law Blog

Will the FDA finally catch its policies up to medical technology?

On behalf of Kevin Tauzin of Tauzin & Lorio, Attorneys at Law on Thursday, February 14, 2019.

It seems as though an explosion of medical technology has occurred in recent years. More medical devices are available to patients than ever before. The problem is that a substantial portion of them never went through clinical trials to ensure their safety and effectiveness.

This is due to a 1976 approach to approving medical devices that essentially allowed many of them to move onto the market without passing any tests. This was allowed as long as a manufacturer showed the agency that the proposed device was similar enough to a product already on the market.

Know your options when it comes to medical malpractice

On behalf of Kevin Tauzin of Tauzin & Lorio, Attorneys at Law posted in medical malpractice on Thursday, February 7, 2019.

It is probably hard for many of our readers to imagine going to the doctor or a hospital expecting to receive first-rate medical care, only to come out of the situation much worse off than before. But, the sad reality is that medical malpractice is more common than anyone would probably like to acknowledge. The prevalence of medical malpractice can make Louisiana residents think twice before going to the doctor.

When medical malpractice does occur, victims need to know their options. For starters, victims will want to know exactly what went wrong, and if it can be corrected. However, in the unfortunate circumstances that the medical mistake cannot be corrected, a victim's life can be changed forever. That is when many people in this type of situation will begin to explore their legal options.

Study finds drivers just can't stay off of their cellphones

On behalf of Kevin Tauzin of Tauzin & Lorio, Attorneys at Law posted in car accidents on Thursday, January 31, 2019.

Some of our readers in Louisiana may have seen a recent post here, which discussed the potential issue that safety features in newer vehicles may actually be a distraction for drivers. Distracted driving is a problem that is plaguing the entire country. Our state is not immune to the devastating consequences, which can be associated with a car accident that is caused by a distracted driver. But, even if safety features in new cars are distracting, we all know what the main cause of distracted driving is: cellphones.

A recent study found that the problem may be getting worse. According to a recent report, a study that was conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) found that despite the many, many warnings in the public through awareness campaigns to make sure that drivers know just how dangerous using a cellphone while driving can be, drivers are not taking heed.

Safety features in cars can be distracting

On behalf of Kevin Tauzin of Tauzin & Lorio, Attorneys at Law posted in car accidents on Thursday, January 24, 2019.

These days, many of our readers have probably noticed that the debate about distracted driving and what to do about it is becoming unavoidable, which is a good thing. Each year thousands of Americans are injured or die in car accidents that were caused by distracted drivers and, as a result, legislators and politicians are doing their best to enact laws and policies that will help bring down the number of these accidents that occur. But, what about the car companies? Are their efforts to make cars safer actually making distracted driving worse?

Well, as a recent article noted, that may be the trend. While new cars have many new safety features like blind-spot indicators, automatic braking and cameras and warning indicators that help when the car is in reverse, all of these safety features may actually cause a distraction for drivers when they are supposed to be helping.

Obtaining compensation after a car accident in Louisiana

On behalf of Kevin Tauzin of Tauzin & Lorio, Attorneys at Law posted in car accidents on Thursday, January 17, 2019.

Chances are that many of our readers have been involved in a "fender-bender" before. However, there are some car accidents that are more serious than others, and which can involve severe injuries for the victims involved in the crash. For such victims, bills for medical treatment, surgeries, medication and rehabilitation can pile up quickly. When a victim did not cause the car accident, why should that individual be the one to pay these expenses?

Injured car accident victims here may have the option to attempt to pursue compensation from the driver who caused the accident. The cause of the car accident may not be easy to determine, so injured victims will want to make sure that they are doing their best to gather facts and evidence that may be necessary to prove a personal injury claim in court. If there were witnesses to the crash who may be able to give favorable testimony for the victim, contact information for those witnesses is necessary. If someone is able to take photos of the accident scene in the immediate aftermath of the crash, those photos could become key pieces of evidence.

Protecting yourself while you walk through Lafayette

On behalf of Kevin Tauzin of Tauzin & Lorio, Attorneys at Law on Wednesday, January 16, 2019.

Whether you walk out of necessity, for pleasure or both, you put your life at risk when you do. Nothing can convince you of the fragility of life like a narrow escape with a vehicle.

Sadly, too many people in recent years did not get the chance to ponder this or any other matter because they died in pedestrian versus auto accidents. The sharp increase in deaths of those who walk instead of drive could make you think twice about your own safety before you even have a close call.

Who is at fault for unsafe property conditions?

On behalf of Kevin Tauzin of Tauzin & Lorio, Attorneys at Law posted in premises liability on Thursday, January 10, 2019.

Many of our readers in Louisiana have probably been to a place where they were more than a little concerned about the safety of the premises. A store may have stairs without a handrail, for instance, or maybe a business has not installed the proper security measures to protect contractors and customers. Whatever the situation, residents should not simply look past these unsafe conditions, because if they are injured it may be necessary to take legal action.

But, who is at fault for these types of unsafe property conditions? Well, in most cases, the answer is quite simple: the property owner. Unless a property owner has contracted with another entity, such as a tenant or a property management group, to make sure that the premises is safe for invitees, customers and other guests, a visitor to the property who suffers an injury while on the property will likely need to pursue legal action against the property owner.

How truck accidents occur in Louisiana

On behalf of Kevin Tauzin of Tauzin & Lorio, Attorneys at Law posted in truck accidents on Friday, January 4, 2019.

Thousands of large trucks traverse the highways and roads in Louisiana every day. While most truck drivers are thoroughly qualified to handle these large vehicles and do so with the utmost caution, there are, unfortunately, some who do not. As a result, there are a variety of ways for truck accidents to occur in Louisiana.

For starters, there are some truck drivers who are operating these large vehicles without having successfully completed the appropriate amount of training. Truck drivers need specialized training in order to learn defensive driving techniques which may differ substantially from techniques used when operating a passenger car. Truck drivers also need to be trained about the specific safety concerns that come with operating a large truck, such as the danger of blind spots while turning or the possibility that a truck could tip over.

National Safety Council stresses road safety during holidays

On behalf of Kevin Tauzin of Tauzin & Lorio, Attorneys at Law posted in car accidents on Thursday, December 27, 2018.

Most people in Louisiana know that the holiday season around Christmas and New Year's Day is a busy time for traveling. Family members and friends travel far and wide, or even just locally, to visit and spend time together. While there are millions of Americans who are flying to their destinations at this time of year, there many more who will travel on the roads. As we all know, this will likely lead to car accidents.

The National Safety Council (NSC) recently advised all travelers to exercise the utmost safety when they are behind the wheel this holiday season. Most importantly, this means that drivers need to maintain awareness of the weather conditions in their areas, which can be severe, as well as making sure that drivers are not under the influence of alcohol or distracted by cellphones.

Getting injured offshore can be different than an injury on land

On behalf of Kevin Tauzin of Tauzin & Lorio, Attorneys at Law posted in admiralty and maritime law on Thursday, December 20, 2018.

Each day hundreds of people in America are injured on the job. Louisiana isn't immune to this troubling problem. However, unlike many other states, Louisiana has many people among its population who work offshore, oftentimes on boats or oil rigs. Getting injured offshore can be much more difficult than instances when an injury on the job occurs on land.

For example, offshore injuries are usually covered by different laws than injuries that occur on land are. Personal injury lawsuits are about as common as they come, but a lawsuit that is based on an injury that occurred offshore can involve a different approach than a "run of the mill" personal injury lawsuit.