BDM Covington Attorneys Secure Favorable Settlement for a Client in Catastrophic Collision Caused by a Driver of an Emergency Fire Engine in Tangipahoa Parish

 In September 2021, a motor vehicle collision occurred in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana, involving a fire engine and a civilian vehicle. On that date, our client was lawfully operating her vehicle on Louisiana Highway 51 in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana. At the same time, Shaun Roach was operating a fire engine while responding to a grass fire.

As the fire engine approached Louisiana Highway 51, its driver activated the lights and sirens. The fire engine attempted to make a left turn onto Highway 51 but failed to yield to oncoming traffic. Unfortunately, the driver entered the path of our client’s vehicle, resulting in a violent crash that left her with serious injuries.

Initially, our client was placed at fault for the accident and cited by the local investigating law enforcement agency. The defense argued that Louisiana’s emergency vehicle statute (LSA-R.S. 32:24(D) applied, protecting the fire department from liability due to the emergency response. However, our team of attorneys on the Northshore worked quickly to uncover the facts and fight for her rights.

Our client sustained significant injuries from the crash, including damage to her cervical and lumbar spine, a traumatic compression fracture to her vertebra, mild traumatic brain injury (TBI), and abrasions to both hips. She underwent numerous medical treatments, including injections, medial branch blocks, and ultimately a spinal fusion. The total medical expenses for her treatments were approximately $215,000.00.

After careful investigation and negotiation, our dedicated team of attorneys worked to secure a settlement for our client in the amount of $1,501,000.00, providing her with the financial support she needs for her recovery and future care.

An interesting development in the case came from our discovery efforts. We uncovered that the driver, an employee of the Natalbany Volunteer Fire Department (NVFD), a non-profit organization, and the Tangipahoa Parish Rural Fire Protection District Number 2, though separate entities, had a close working relationship. This relationship involved shared training, funding, and even the lease of equipment between the two organizations. Given this close connection, we successfully argued that the Fire Protection District and its insurer, National Union, were jointly responsible for the actions of the fire engine driver.

In the end, justice was obtained for our client which compensation for her injuries, thanks to the hard work and collaboration of our attorneys at our 2nd office in Covington, Louisiana – John Alford, Blair Alford, and Rachael Catalanotto. This catastrophic case highlights the importance of thorough investigation and legal expertise when pursuing justice for our injury victims.

The attorneys at Broussard, David & Moroux have the knowledge and experience necessary to handle your catastrophic personal injury cases 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).