Lake Charles Personal Injury & Wrongful Death Law Blog

Are you suffering from post-traumatic stress after a crash?

On behalf of Damon Beard of The Townsley Law Firm posted in Car Accidents on Wednesday, January 15, 2020.

If you've been involved in a car crash, it's not unusual to suffer some emotional repercussions in addition to physical ones -- even if you didn't suffer severe physical injuries. You may feel a general sense of anxiety as well as anger, fear and guilt (even if the crash was another driver's fault). You may be nervous about getting behind the wheel again or even being a passenger.

In most cases, these feelings diminish over time -- particularly with support from friends and family. You get back to your routine, and the crash becomes something you don't think about regularly.

Protect yourself against injuries from medical malpractice

On behalf of Damon Beard of The Townsley Law Firm posted in Medical Malpractice on Monday, January 13, 2020.

It's the unfortunate reality that medical malpractice does happen. Doctors make mistakes. Some make mistakes or errors that they never should have with the appropriate training.

Patients who are suffering as a result of malpractice need to be understood, cared for and compensated fairly.

Common workplace injuries and help for injured workers

On behalf of Damon Beard of The Townsley Law Firm posted in Workers' Compensation on Wednesday, January 8, 2020.

Most employers try to maintain a safe working environment for their employees. Indeed, they have a legal duty to keep the workplace reasonably safe. Still, accidents and injuries can happen at any workplace. When they do, the consequences can be devastating for workers and their families. Fortunately, protections are also available to help injured workers after they have been injured in a workplace accident.

The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 is a federal law that provides important protections for workers. It provides for strict health and safety standards in the workplace and training programs to ensure workplace safety, reducing dangers to workers in the workplace. Most workplace accidents are preventable, but still occur because of falls, chemical exposure, explosions and electrocution injuries. A variety of other workplace injuries can also harm workers who are simply trying to earn a living each day at their job.

Victims of drunk drivers may pursue civil claims

On behalf of Damon Beard of The Townsley Law Firm posted in Car Accidents on Wednesday, January 8, 2020.

Drunk drivers can cause serious car accidents which can result in serious injuries to victims. Drunk driving accident victims should be aware that drunk drivers may be liable for the damages that victims suffer and victims must be familiar with the legal protections available to them to help address the different damages they have suffered.

A personal injury claim for damages may hold a drunk driver accountable for the harm caused to victims. A claim may provide valuable help with the victim's physical, financial and emotional damages. Drunk drivers may be civilly liable to victims they injure and may also be held accountable by the criminal legal process, which are two different types of liability drunk drivers may be subject to for their negligent actions that may result in a car accident.

Most workplace deaths take place on the road

On behalf of Damon Beard of The Townsley Law Firm on Friday, January 3, 2020.

Most people associate workplace accidents with traumatic injuries. While it is true that workplace injuries are a serious problem, there is another problem that few people seem to be addressing -- workplace deaths. Thousands of people die at work each and every year.

In 2018, 5,250 people died in workplace accidents. Even though employers have access to perhaps more safety information than ever before, the 2018 fatality rate was actually higher than in 2017. Most of those fatalities happened in transportation accidents, and some men and women in Louisiana have a higher risk for death than others.

Medical malpractice help for victims of a failure to diagnose

On behalf of Damon Beard of The Townsley Law Firm posted in Medical Malpractice on Thursday, January 2, 2020.

Medical malpractice can have catastrophic consequences for victims who may suffer a worsened condition as a result of a failure to diagnose, erroneous diagnosis or delayed diagnosis. A failure to diagnose can be fatal for the victim or may result in the victim receiving the wrong care or treatment, leading to a potential medical malpractice claim for damages.

When a failure to diagnose has resulted in a worsened condition or disease progression beyond what would normally be expected had the medical condition or disease been timely and accurately diagnosed and treated, the medical care professional may be liable for the harm suffered by the victim. If the medical care professional who failed to promptly and correctly diagnose the medical condition provided care that fell below the standard of care, they may be liable for medical malpractice and the victim's damages. The standard of care is determined by what a reasonably prudent medical care professional in the circumstances would do.

The different types of injuries car accident victims may suffer

On behalf of Damon Beard of The Townsley Law Firm posted in Car Accidents on Thursday, January 2, 2020.

Car accident victims can suffer injuries that range from serious to catastrophic. Unfortunately, car accidents are not at all uncommon, which is why injured car accident victims need to be prepared to protect themselves and also be familiar with the different types of injuries car accident victims may face.

Whiplash and soft tissue injuries are common types of car accident injuries. Whiplash injuries are the most common type of soft tissue injury. Other types of soft tissue injuries include contusions, sprains and strains. Contusions are also referred to more commonly as "bruises." Sprains refer to ligament damage due to overextension of a joint. Strains refer to injuries that result from overuse of a muscle or tendon. Soft tissue injuries are injuries to the soft areas of the body, including the ligaments, tendons and muscles.

Legal help for victims of negligent drivers

On behalf of Damon Beard of The Townsley Law Firm posted in Car Accidents on Saturday, December 28, 2019.

The reality is that car accidents can happen at any time, however, an unexpected car accident can gravely harm car accident victims. Car accident victims can suffer serious injuries, damages and losses in a car accident that takes place in an instant but can impact them forever. As a result, injured car accident victims need to be familiar with the legal protections available to them through a personal injury claim for damages.

The impact of a car accident can create physical, financial and emotional hardships for car accident victims. Car accident victims may be able to receive help with the damages they have suffered through a personal injury claim for damages against the negligent driver responsible for the harm they have suffered. Car accident damages can include compensation for medical expenses, lost wages and pain and suffering damages.

Workers' compensation can help injured construction workers

On behalf of Damon Beard of The Townsley Law Firm posted in Workers' Compensation on Friday, December 27, 2019.

Workers can get injured in all sorts of worksites, but an accident at a construction site can be particularly dangerous. When workers stand on unstable surfaces, around heavy machinery, exposed wiring and other potential hazards, a simple accident can lead to serious injury.

Given the extent of harm, both physically and financially, that can be caused to these individuals, they should be aware of the legal protections available to them if they have suffered a construction injury.

Wrongful death and medical malpractice

On behalf of Damon Beard of The Townsley Law Firm posted in Wrongful Death on Friday, December 20, 2019.

Wrongful death legal protections are helpful in circumstances of medical malpractice when families have suffered the unthinkable and have lost a family member to medical malpractice. Wrongful death legal protections can help surviving family members with their emotional and financial losses when they have lost their loved one.

The different types of damages surviving family members may be able to recover through a wrongful death claim include compensation for medical bills and funeral costs, loss of consortium, lost of earning capacity and past and future wages, loss of support and services and some other types of damages that may also be available depending on the circumstances. The damages family members may be able to recover are intended to help them with their losses and through a difficult time following the unexpected loss of a loved one due to medical negligence.