Murphy Law Firm Represents Victims in the following practice areas:

Automobile Accidents About six million auto accidents occur each year resulting in forty thousand deaths. Alcohol is involved in forty percent of the deaths resulting from auto accidents, and speeding is involved in twenty-nine percent of the deaths resulting from auto accidents. These auto accidents often result when motor vehicle operators speed, make improper left turns, fail to stop at red lights or stop signs, drive on the wrong side of the street, drink and drive, or travel into the rear-end of another vehicle.

18-Wheeler Accidents According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in the year 2000, around 457,000 large trucks were involved in collisions throughout the United States. These trucks had a gross vehicle weight rating over ten thousand pounds, with over four thousand of these accidents involving big-rigs resulting in death. Large truck accidents were responsible for one out of every eight highway deaths in 2000.

Drunk Driving Accidents Every thirty minutes someone dies because of a drunken driver. In 1996, there were over forty thousand motor vehicle fatalities. Of this number, approximately forty percent were alcohol related. These drunk driving accidents often result when motor vehicle operators speed, make improper left turns, fail to stop at red lights or stop signs, drive on the wrong side of the street or travel into the rear-end of another vehicle.  

Motorcycle Accidents In the year 2000, almost 2,900 motorcycle riders were killed, and 58,000 were injured in accidents throughout the United States. Of the 2,900 fatalities, thirty-eight percent of motorcycle operators were speeding. The alcohol-related accidents involving motorcycles were fifty percent higher than accidents involving passenger cars.

Boating Accidents In 1997, there were over 300,000 registered boats in Louisiana that traveled over the 4,000,000 acres of lakes, the 40,000 miles of rivers and the 7,000 miles of Louisiana coastline. There were 146 boating accidents, resulting in 37 deaths. Many of these accidents were alcohol related. 

Offshore and Maritime Accidents Many personal injuries are the result of offshore and maritime accidents or collisions. Some examples of injuries that result from offshore accidents are cervical and lumbar sprains, herniated and ruptured discs, fractures, knee injuries, brain damage, and paralysis. Victims of offshore accidents may recover for pain and suffering, medical expenses, property damage, lost wages and loss of earning capacity. 

Railroad Accidents Every ninety minutes, there is a train wreck in the United States. There are about 3,000 railroad accidents in the United states each year and approximately 1,000 deaths result from these train wrecks.

Chemical / Toxic Exposure Accidents Toxic accidents may result from exposure to asbestos, cosmetic products, tobacco, hazardous waste, radiation, pharmaceutical products, as well as many other products. In Louisiana, during the years 1993-2000, fifty companies reported thirty-two chemical accidents. The types of accidents included toxic gas releases, fires, explosions and liquid spills or evaporation.

Medical / Hospital / Nursing Home Malpractice The National Academy of Sciences reports that around 98,000 Americans die from medical errors per year. An individual may have a medical malpractice action if the doctor or other healthcare provider gave the patient the wrong medicine or the wrong dosage, failed to diagnose a medical condition, made the wrong diagnosis, failed to get informed consent, made errors during surgery, left items inside the patient after surgery, or committed nursing home abuse. 

Defective Drugs The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has the responsibility to monitor new drugs before they are placed on the market for use by the general public. Although these drugs have been tested before they are marketed, sometimes the drugs have negative side effects once taken by consumers. In cases where the drug causes many consumers to become ill, there may be a drug recall.  Many illnesses result from consumption of defective drugs. Some defective drugs are Baycol, Meridia,Vioxx, PPA and Ephedra. 

Premise Liability Each day many people enter the property of others. The owners of such property are responsible for maintaining it in a safe manner. Sometimes, however, accidents occur on the property of others either at their place of business or at their home. If the accident was caused by the negligence of the owner, then an individual may have a premise liability claim.

Wrongful Death Wrongful deaths are an unfortunate part of everyday life. Wrongful death suits may result from automobile accidents, 18-wheeler accidents, drunk driving accidents , motorcycle accidents, boating accidents, offshore and maritime accidents,railroad accidents,chemical exposure, medical malpractice, defective drugs, or other forms of negligence.

Class Action Mass Tort Class action lawsuits may be instituted when a large group of individuals have suffered a similar injury or loss. Class actions provide individuals with an opportunity to sue collectively for a claim they may consider too expensive to litigate individually. Class actions are an efficiency mechanism for the courts. A class action lawsuit eliminates the time spent on litigating thousands of individual cases having the same claim and similar injury.