Author Archives: Jay Butchko
Lafourche Parish, Louisiana Man Found Guilty of Vehicular Homicide, Negligent Homicide in Crash Involving Nicholls State U Students; Louisiana Wrongful Death Civil Claims Explained
Just several weeks ago, on August 24, 2023, 39-year-old Joey Clement was handed down some serious and life-altering news. The Lafourche Parish man was found guilty of two counts of vehicular homicide and one count of negligent homicide in the deaths of three Nicholls State University Students. The victims, identified as 18-year-old Hali Cross,… Read More »
What about Our Neighbors? What Workers’ Compensation Exemptions Look Like in Louisiana’s Neighbor States
One of the major misconceptions that many people hold about workers’ compensation in Louisiana and throughout the United States is that it is a unified, national program, similar to Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI). However, unlike SSI and SSDI, which are federal programs overseen by the Social Security Administration,… Read More »
Who to Pick when it Comes to the Neutral in My Case? 3 Tips for Choosing a Mediator in Your Mississippi Personal Injury Case
What most Mississippi residents may not know is that not all personal injury cases – such as car accident cases, medical malpractice, or other cases alleging that the negligent or intentional acts of one party injured another party – go to trial. However, in Mississippi, and in other states, the truth is that most… Read More »
Oil and Gas: The Dangers for Workers in One of Louisiana’s Top Industries and What You Can Do if You are Injured in the Job in Oil and Gas Work
There is no doubt that oil and gas is important to the Louisiana economy. In fact, to say it is “important” may even be an understatement. According to the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources (“DNR”), in fact, the petroleum industry accounts for 25% of the total Louisiana state revenue. Furthermore, according to the DNR,… Read More »
12-Year-Old Mississippi’s Boy Tragically Died After being Hit Crossing the Street, Investigation Pending
A 12-year-old boy was tragically killed in D’Iberville, Mississippi on Sunday, September 17. According to local reports, the young boy and Biloxi resident, Tristan Smith, was killed while he was crossing the street that Sunday afternoon before 2:30PM. It is reported that Smith was crossing the street at Lamey Bridge Road, north of Sangani… Read More »
Injured at Work in Mississippi? Here’s What You Need to Know about the Role of a Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Lawyer
When a person is injured at work in Mississippi, they may wonder what their rights and options are when it comes to financial help. A person who is disabled from working their regular job is often in a precarious financial position, and they may fear that they may not have the means to pay… Read More »
Black Smoke from Garyville, Louisiana Oil Refinery Reveals More than Just Burning Oil – Worker Safety Violations, Worker Death Uncovered
When your workplace is an oil refinery, the slight smell of smoke can likely raise the hair on the back of your neck. Intensify the smoke to an all-out thick black column billowing out of an oil refinery site, and you may have a situation where workers may be in serious jeopardy of losing… Read More »
CSX Railroad Worker Killed on the Job in Ohio, Dangers of Railroad Work Underscored
Railroad work can undoubtedly be dangerous work for the many railroad employees that keep America’s commuter trains and cargo loads chugging along the patchwork of tracks that run throughout the United States. From exposure to hazardous chemicals leading to cancer and diseases, to bone breaks from hitting obstacles in the yard and on the… Read More »
Former Dance Instructor Awarded $2.5 Million in Connecticut Malpractice Suit
A former dance instructor received good news back from the jury in his medical malpractice case last week. The Superior Court jury in the medical malpractice case concerning plaintiff Carlos Ortiz and defendants Dr. Christopher Meltsakos and Stamford Hospital returned their verdict in just over four hours on Friday, September 29. The jury ultimately… Read More »
Louisiana Bill Passed to Heighten Offshore Worker Safety Goes into Effect January 2024
One of the most harrowing things about offshore work in Louisiana is the chance of potential falling off of a rig or transport vehicle and being lost out in the water. Indeed, while in the modern world there are many new and improved safety measures that can make offshore work safer, nothing can combat… Read More »