Ouachita Parish wrecks happen on I-20 and US-165, on Louisville Avenue and Forsythe Avenue in Monroe, and on the parish roads that run out along the Ouachita River past West Monroe. Ambulances take the injured to Ochsner LSU Health Monroe Medical Center on Jackson Street, to St. Francis Medical Center, or across the river to Glenwood Regional Medical Center in West Monroe. Trey Morris Injury Lawyers identifies which agency responded, orders the crash or incident report, and sends preservation letters to the trucking company, property owner, or commercial defendant once the facts give an honest basis for them. Each letter asks the recipient to keep what fits the case, such as a truck’s engine and logbook data, a store’s surveillance video and incident report, or a company’s maintenance records, because those records show how the injury happened and who was responsible.
The same Louisiana law governs your claim whether you were hurt in Monroe, West Monroe, or out along the Ouachita River. An Ouachita Parish injury lawyer investigates how you were hurt, identifies who is responsible, and can file suit in the Fourth Judicial District Court in Monroe when an insurer will not pay. If you were hurt inside Monroe itself, our Monroe personal injury page covers the city in more depth.
Results for Louisiana Clients
- $409 MillionWrongful Death
A tragic case where an impaired driver of a commercial vehicle ran a red light, then collided with our client, causing serious bodily injury to the mother and the loss of life of her daughter.
- $49 MillionMotor Vehicle Accident
An impaired driver of a stolen vehicle driving the wrong way collided with our client head-on, resulting in brain injury and multiple broken bones.
- $32,195,000Industrial / Workplace
Failure to maintain proper safety protocols led to an explosion at an industrial plant causing a series of catastrophic injuries from broken bones, burns, spinal injury, and mental anguish.
- $31.5 MillionIndustrial / Workplace
Brain and spinal injuries followed an oil-field company failing to maintain equipment and provide a safe work site.
- $17.25 MillionCommercial Vehicle Accident
Client was struck head-on by a disconnected load of an 18-wheeler that crossed the median causing broken bones and amputation.
- $13 MillionCommercial Vehicle Accident
On the interstate, an 18-wheeler failed to yield right of way then made an unsafe lane change causing the accident which resulted in major bone breaks, damaged organs, and ultimately a leg amputation.
Past results do not guarantee future outcomes; each case is decided on its own facts.
Local Coverage. Statewide Record.
- $1 Billion+
Outcomes for Louisiana clients
Verdicts and settlements won across the state by the same trial team that handles Ouachita Parish cases.
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Trial attorneys, one team
Your case is handled by the firm's own trial attorneys, and we respond in minutes, 24/7.
- 24/7
We come to you
An attorney travels to you in Ouachita Parish, at home or at the hospital, or meets by video the same day. Free case review, and no fee unless we win.
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Cases resolved over $1 million
Verdicts and settlements of $1 million or more, won by the same trial team that handles Ouachita Parish cases.
What Types of Injury Cases Do Ouachita Parish Lawyers Handle?
Ouachita Parish injury lawyers handle claims where someone else’s fault, negligence, or defective conduct caused physical, emotional, or economic harm in and around Monroe and West Monroe.
Motor Vehicle Collisions
Car wrecks make up the largest share of injury work in Ouachita Parish. Local lawyers handle collisions on the interstate, the highways and city streets named above, and the parish road network: rear-end crashes, intersection collisions, left-turn wrecks, lane-change sideswipes, and single-vehicle crashes caused by roadway defects or another driver’s conduct. Motorcycle and bicycle collisions and pedestrian crashes in Monroe and West Monroe fall in this category too. Our Monroe pages cover car accidents and motorcycle accidents in more depth.
18-Wheeler and Commercial Truck Crashes
I-20 carries heavy interstate freight through Ouachita Parish, which produces a steady volume of 18-wheeler and commercial truck collision cases involving tractor-trailers, delivery vans, oilfield service trucks, log trucks, and other commercial units. They are treated as a distinct case type because they typically involve corporate defendants, multiple insurance layers, federal motor carrier records, and electronic data from the truck itself. Our Monroe truck accident page covers these claims in more depth.
Premises Liability
Premises cases arise when someone is hurt on property the owner or occupant failed to keep reasonably safe. In Ouachita Parish, that includes slip-and-fall and trip-and-fall incidents at grocery stores, restaurants, hotels, and retail centers in Monroe and West Monroe, as well as falls at apartment complexes, parking lots, and public facilities. Negligent security claims, swimming pool incidents, and dog bite cases also fall under this umbrella.
Workplace and Industrial Injuries
The Monroe metro area supports manufacturing, healthcare, transportation, agriculture, and oilfield service work, and its oilfield and industrial accidents involve heavy equipment, chemical exposure, falls from height, and crush injuries. Workers’ compensation is generally your only remedy against the company that employs you, and the same protection covers a statutory employer (La. R.S. 23:1032, 23:1061). A general contractor is your statutory employer when your employer’s work is part of the general contractor’s own contract with the owner, and another company can become one through a written contract with your employer that says so. A company outside that protection whose fault caused your injury, such as another subcontractor or an equipment manufacturer, can be sued as a third party while you collect benefits (La. R.S. 23:1101). Our Monroe pages cover workers’ compensation and construction accidents.
Product Liability
Product liability cases involve injuries caused by a defective vehicle, tire, medical device, household product, or industrial component. Local counsel investigates the design, manufacture, and warnings associated with the product and identifies the manufacturer, distributor, or seller responsible under Louisiana product liability principles.
Wrongful Death
When an injury results in death, surviving family members can bring survival and wrongful death claims. These cases can grow out of any of the categories above, including highway collisions, trucking crashes, workplace incidents, or premises hazards. Our Monroe wrongful death page covers these claims in more depth.
Catastrophic, Brain and Burn Injuries
Catastrophic injury is less a separate cause of action than a description of the severity of harm. It covers traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, amputation, severe burns, and other life-altering outcomes. These cases require coordination with treating physicians and life-care planners and often involve long-term medical and economic needs that shape how the claim is built. Our Monroe pages cover catastrophic injuries, brain injuries, and burn injuries.
Ouachita Parish Practice Areas
Car AccidentsRear-end, intersection, and highway collisions across Louisiana.
Truck Accidents18-wheeler and commercial-vehicle wrecks governed by federal trucking rules.
Catastrophic InjuryBrain, spinal-cord, amputation, and severe-burn injuries that change a life.
Wrongful DeathClaims brought by families after a fatal accident or act of negligence.
Premises LiabilitySlip-and-fall and unsafe-property injuries on someone else's premises.
Product LiabilityInjuries caused by defective or unreasonably dangerous products.
Oilfield AccidentsDrilling, pipeline, and refinery injuries across the energy sector.
Industrial AccidentsPlant, warehouse, and heavy-equipment injuries in industrial settings.
Offshore AccidentsRig, platform, and vessel injuries beyond the shoreline.
Do You Have a Personal Injury Case in Ouachita Parish?
A personal injury case exists when someone else’s conduct caused you harm and that conduct can be proven legally responsible. Four things have to line up. The other person owed you a duty to act reasonably: drivers owe that duty to other drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists on Ouachita Parish roads. They committed a breach of that duty by failing to act with reasonable care, such as running a red light at Louisville Avenue and 18th Street or leaving a wet floor unmarked in a Monroe grocery store. The breach caused your injury, both as the cause-in-fact and as the legal cause. And you have real damages, the measurable losses caused by the injury: medical bills, lost income, out-of-pocket expenses, and physical pain all count.
Not every accident produces a viable claim. If you were primarily at fault, if the injury is minor and fully resolved, if the responsible party has no insurance and no assets, or if the deadline to file suit has passed, the case may not be worth pursuing.
What Should You Do Immediately After an Accident in Ouachita Parish?
The first hours after a crash or injury in Monroe, West Monroe, or anywhere in Ouachita Parish shape the rest of the claim.
Call 911 and get a police report on scene. For a traffic crash inside Monroe city limits, the Monroe Police Department responds. In West Monroe, the West Monroe Police Department responds. Outside the cities and on parish roads, the Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office responds. On I-20, U.S. 165, and other state and federal highways through the parish, Louisiana State Police Troop F (headquartered in Monroe) typically works the crash.
Ask the responding officer for the report number and the agency name before they leave. The agency that took the report determines where you request it.
Get checked by a doctor even if you feel fine. If EMS offers transport, accept it. If you decline transport, go to an emergency room or urgent care the same day if possible.
What Evidence Helps Prove an Injury Claim in Ouachita Parish?
An injury claim is built on documentation. The stronger and more contemporaneous the documentation, the harder it is for an insurer or defense lawyer to dispute what happened, who caused it, and what it cost.
Scene and Incident Evidence
Scene evidence answers what happened and who caused it. That includes photographs and video of the crash site, vehicle damage, road conditions, traffic controls, and any visible injuries before they heal. Dashcam footage, doorbell cameras, gas station and parking lot surveillance, and business security cameras around Monroe and West Monroe often capture the seconds before and after an incident. Surveillance footage is frequently overwritten within days or weeks, so written preservation requests to the property owner matter early.
The police report anchors the file. It identifies the parties, lists witnesses, notes any citations issued, and records the investigating officer’s diagram and narrative. Crash reports are not the final word on fault, but they are usually the first document an adjuster reads.
Medical Records and Treatment Documentation
Medical evidence answers what the injury is and what it cost. That means the emergency room chart, imaging (X-ray, CT, MRI), treating physician notes, physical therapy records, prescription history, specialist evaluations, and the billing for each, whether the care came from St. Francis, Glenwood, Ouachita Community Health Center, or another provider. Continuity matters. Gaps in treatment give insurers an argument that the injury was minor or unrelated to the incident, even when the gap was caused by work, childcare, or lack of transportation.
Injuries evolve, and the medical file has to evolve with them: symptoms that get worse months after the wreck, and future care that a treating physician or life-care planner should document, belong in the record. Your prior medical history also needs review so that pre-existing conditions are addressed honestly before the defense raises them.
Witness Statements and Identification
Witnesses answer the credibility question. Names, phone numbers, and addresses of anyone who saw the incident should be captured at the scene if possible. Witness memories fade, phone numbers change, and people move. A recorded or written statement taken within days of an incident carries far more weight than testimony reconstructed months later.
For commercial vehicle, premises, and workplace cases, witnesses also include employees, supervisors, and anyone with knowledge of prior similar incidents or known hazards at the location.
Financial and Lost Wage Documentation
The damages side of a claim is proven with paper. Medical bills and itemized statements show treatment costs. Pay stubs, W-2s, tax returns, and an employer letter document lost wages and missed work. For self-employed claimants, profit-and-loss statements and prior tax filings serve the same role. Receipts for out-of-pocket expenses, mileage to medical appointments, and assistive devices add up over the life of a claim.
Preserved Physical Evidence
Damaged vehicles, defective products, torn clothing, footwear from a fall, and the actual object that caused an injury should be preserved, not repaired or discarded. Once a vehicle is totaled and sent to salvage, the chance to inspect crush damage, airbag deployment data, and the event data recorder narrows. A preservation (spoliation) letter sent to the at-fault party, their insurer, and any third party with custody of the evidence puts them on notice that destruction can be used against them later.
How Does Louisiana’s Comparative Fault Law Affect Your Ouachita Parish Claim?
Louisiana follows a comparative fault system: more than one party can share blame for the same accident, and a fact-finder (a jury, or a judge in a bench trial) assigns a percentage of fault to each party whose conduct contributed to the injury. For accidents on or after January 1, 2026, La. C.C. Art. 2323 bars any recovery if you are found 51% or more at fault, and reduces your damages by your share if you are 50% or less at fault. For accidents before January 1, 2026, pure comparative fault applies: any percentage assigned to you reduces the award but does not end the claim.
Why insurance adjusters push fault onto the injured party
Every percentage point of fault shifted onto a claimant is money the insurer keeps. Recorded statements, leading questions about speed or attention, requests for broad medical authorizations: these are tools to build a record that supports a higher fault share against the injured person.
Multiple defendants and shared fault
Many Ouachita Parish cases involve more than two parties. A commercial truck crash on I-20 can involve the driver, the motor carrier, a maintenance contractor, and a shipper. A premises injury at a retail store can involve the tenant, the property owner, and a cleaning vendor. Comparative fault applies across all of them.
The fact-finder assigns a percentage to each defendant whose conduct contributed. That allocation affects which defendant pays what share, and it affects the strategy of which parties to name in the suit. Leaving a potentially responsible party out of a case can cost a claimant compensation if the jury assigns fault to that absent party.
What Is the Deadline to File a Personal Injury Claim in Louisiana?
Louisiana sets a strict filing deadline for personal injury lawsuits: you have two years from the day you were hurt to file suit (La. C.C. Art. 3493.1). Miss it and the case is gone, no matter how strong the facts, whether the injury happened on a Monroe street, a West Monroe construction site, or anywhere else in Ouachita Parish. It is a deadline to file a lawsuit, not a negotiation deadline. Once the period expires without a suit on file, the leverage is gone.
When Does the Clock Start?
The clock generally starts on the date the injury was sustained. Some injuries do not show up immediately, and Louisiana law treats those discovery situations differently from a clear-cut wreck where the injuries are obvious that day.
Different Defendants, Different Rules
The deadline is not always counted the same way. Claims against governmental bodies (a parish, a city, the state, a public hospital) use the same deadline as claims against private defendants, but carry their own procedural rules: if service on the public body is not requested within 90 days of filing, the claim against it is dismissed and the suit does not stop the deadline from running against that body. A claim involving a Monroe city vehicle is not handled like a claim against a private driver.
Medical malpractice claims, claims involving minors, claims against an estate, and claims with out-of-state defendants each carry their own wrinkles.
What Compensation Can You Recover After an Injury in Ouachita Parish?
Louisiana law recognizes two broad categories of damages in personal injury cases: economic damages, which compensate measurable financial losses, and non-economic damages, which compensate human losses that do not appear on a receipt. The framework is set by Louisiana Civil Code article 2315, not by parish rule, so an Ouachita Parish claim uses the same categories as any other.
Economic Damages
Economic damages cover out-of-pocket and projected financial losses tied to the injury. Medical expenses are the anchor: emergency treatment, hospital stays, surgery, follow-up appointments, physical therapy, prescription medication, medical equipment, and the projected cost of future care a treating physician or life-care planner can document. Lost wages cover income missed during treatment and time off work.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages compensate losses that money cannot measure precisely but the law still recognizes. Physical pain and suffering covers the actual pain caused by the injury and its treatment. Loss of consortium is a claim your close family, starting with your spouse and children, can bring for the damage the injury did to their relationship with you.
Wrongful Death and Survival Damages
When an injury results in death, La. C.C. Art. 2315.1 provides a survival action for damages the decedent suffered between injury and death, and La. C.C. Art. 2315.2 provides a wrongful death action for losses suffered by surviving family members. Eligible beneficiaries are ranked by statute, beginning with the surviving spouse and children.
Punitive Damages
Punitive damages are the exception in Louisiana personal injury cases: a court can award them only where a specific statute allows it. The most common example is Civil Code article 2315.4, which permits exemplary damages when injuries are caused by a driver’s wanton or reckless disregard for the rights and safety of others and the driver’s intoxication was a cause-in-fact of the injuries. Outside of statutory hooks like that one, a claim asks for compensatory damages only.
How Much Is an Ouachita Parish Injury Claim Worth?
No honest lawyer will quote a dollar figure on a first call. A settlement range given before anyone has reviewed the medical records, the crash report, and the policy declarations is a guess. Claim value is the sum of specific, documented facts about a specific person’s injuries, losses, and life. Two people in the same intersection on Louisville Avenue can walk away with very different cases because the facts that drive value are different.
What Factors Drive the Value of an Injury Claim?
Value tracks the evidence. The biggest drivers are the severity and permanence of the injury, the cost of medical care already incurred, the projected cost of future care, time missed from work, and whether the injury limits earning capacity going forward.
Liability strength matters next: whether liability is contested, and the share of fault assigned to you under the comparative fault rule. The available insurance matters too. Every coverage layer counts, including the at-fault party’s liability policy, any umbrella coverage, your own uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, and medical payments coverage where it exists. Missing a coverage layer is one of the quietest ways a claim gets undervalued.
How Local Facts Shape Ouachita Parish Claim Values
The forum matters. A case filed in the Fourth Judicial District Court for the Parish of Ouachita is tried to an Ouachita Parish jury, drawn from Monroe, West Monroe, and the surrounding communities. Local juries set local expectations on damages, and an attorney who has tried cases in front of those juries has a calibrated sense of what arguments move them and what numbers they accept.
Local medical care also shapes the record. Treatment at Ouachita Parish providers, follow-up with local specialists, and physical therapy notes from regional clinics build the documentation that supports the claim, and continuity of care in one parish is easier to present than a fragmented record across multiple providers and states. The value of the claim ultimately rests on what the file shows on the day of mediation or trial, not on what was promised on the day of intake.
How Does an Ouachita Parish Injury Lawyer Handle Your Claim?
An Ouachita Parish injury claim moves through predictable phases, whether the wreck happened on I-20 near Monroe, on US-165 in West Monroe, or on a parish road outside Sterlington. Once you have a lawyer, the adjusters call the lawyer, not you. The attorney fields recorded-statement requests, responds to authorizations, and pushes back on early lowball offers.
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Intake and investigation
The first phase is fact-gathering. The lawyer interviews you, requests the police report, pulls 911 audio when available, photographs the scene, locates witnesses, and identifies every potentially responsible party.
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Medical treatment and documentation
A claim cannot be valued until you reach maximum medical improvement or have a clear long-term prognosis. Settling before that point usually means leaving future medical costs on the table.
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Demand package
When treatment is complete or has reached a stable point, the lawyer assembles a demand package for the at-fault party’s insurer: a liability narrative, the medical summary, wage-loss documentation, and a damages calculation built on the medical specials, the wage loss, the nature of the injury, comparable verdicts and settlements, and the venue. The demand sets a number and a response deadline.
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Negotiation
Most Ouachita Parish injury claims resolve in negotiation with the carrier or defense counsel, but only if the demand is supported by evidence the other side cannot wave away. The adjuster responds with an offer, counters follow, and the parties either reach a number or hit an impasse.
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Litigation, if necessary
If the insurer will not pay a fair number, the next step is filing a petition for damages. Discovery follows: written interrogatories, requests for production, depositions of the parties and witnesses, and expert reports where the case requires them, then motion practice and trial. Many cases settle during discovery once the defense sees the evidence develop.
At each decision point, the lawyer explains your options and gives you a recommendation, but settlement authority is yours. Whether to accept a number and whether to go to trial are your decisions.
Where Are Personal Injury Lawsuits Filed in Ouachita Parish?
A personal injury lawsuit over an Ouachita Parish injury can be filed in the Fourth Judicial District Court, the trial-level court of general jurisdiction that hears civil cases arising in Ouachita and Morehouse Parishes. The court sits in the Ouachita Parish Courthouse at 300 St. John Street in Monroe. Filings go through the Ouachita Parish Clerk of Court on South Grand Street, which maintains the civil docket, accepts pleadings, and issues citations for service on defendants.
The Fourth Judicial District Court is the parish’s general trial court and hears personal injury suits of any size; city and parish courts have dollar limits that it does not. Once the petition is filed, the clerk issues citations and the sheriff (or a private process server, where allowed) serves the named defendants. The case is randomly allotted to a division, given a docket number, and assigned to a sitting district judge, who presides over pretrial motions, discovery disputes, settlement conferences, and trial if the case does not resolve earlier. The defendant’s deadline to answer runs from service of the citation, and scheduling orders and discovery follow.
City Court of Monroe
Not every injury claim belongs in district court. Smaller disputes (minor property damage, low-dollar soft-tissue claims, contract disagreements tied to a wreck) may fit the Monroe City Court, which has its own civil jurisdiction up to a statutory dollar cap. City Court moves faster and uses simpler procedure, but its ceiling is low enough that any case with serious medical bills, surgery, or extended lost wages belongs in the Fourth Judicial District Court instead. Filing a serious injury claim in city court to move quickly can cap the available compensation; filing a small claim in district court adds cost and delay with no benefit.
When a Case Belongs in Federal Court
Some Ouachita Parish injury cases are filed in (or removed to) the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, Monroe Division. Federal court becomes the forum when the plaintiff and defendant are citizens of different states and the amount in controversy exceeds the statutory threshold (diversity jurisdiction), or when a federal question is involved (for example, certain trucking, maritime, or federal-employer claims). Defendants frequently remove diversity cases from state court to federal court after service, and federal procedure, federal discovery rules, and the local rules of the Western District then govern.
Venue: Why the Parish of Filing Matters
Under La. C.C.P. art. 74, a suit may be brought in the parish where the wrongful conduct occurred, or in the parish where the damages were sustained, so an injury from a wreck or incident in Ouachita Parish can usually be filed in Ouachita Parish. Under La. C.C.P. art. 42 and the related articles, venue may also be proper where the defendant is domiciled, which for a Louisiana corporation or limited liability company means the parish of its registered office.
A plaintiff often has more than one proper venue. Choosing among them is a strategic decision that turns on the jury pool, the docket speed, the location of witnesses and records, and the likely judges. Filing in the wrong court, parish, or division invites a motion to transfer and can waste months at the start of the case.
What Our Clients Say
- Dakota R.
Where should I start!?Trey Morris Injury Law Firm was a great fit for me! During this wild time of getting into a car wreck, dealing with insurance, and other third parties, Mrs. Brooke and Mrs. Nerren were extremely helpful! They were there for me through the whole process and never once did I doubt their professionalism. They will fight tooth and nail for you and get you what you deserve. I would recommend them to anyone.
- Janet C.
Best personal injury lawyers ever!!!They did everything they said they would do, and never left me wondering what was going on with my case!
- Michael C.
Lane Robinson and his team were great.When he took the accident case for my wife he was very concerned, friendly, and professional. He never gave up but pushed until she was fully compensated for her injuries. We couldn’t be anymore grateful with the outstanding outcome. Thanks Lane
- Ahmillyah T.
I would like to thank Attorney Coleman Nerren for handling my case.I can honestly say he is the best Attorney I’ve ever had. He is caring and straightforward. I spoke with him on and off with throughout my case and received nothing but the highest respect. They will go above and beyond to satisfy their clients. 10/10 will definitely use again and will highly definitely recommend.
- Denise
Handling my case with care and made a stressful situation much easier.Communication was always clear and timely, and I felt like they genuinely had my best interest in mind. I would recommend them to anyone needing legal help.
- Patty P.
Thanks to Kaden for answering all my questions.He was knowledgeable and very polite. Joe and Jamie were also very helpful.
- Meredith F.
Jaime and the Ruston team were fantastic.They were super knowledgeable and answered all my questions!
- Naasia C.
Jaime is very professional!She is very awesome answer all of questions accurately & professionally. I would recommend this place.
- Willie W.
I would like to share this review to the consumer protection group that took my case thank you very much for helping on my case I knew something could be done about the situation but I did not know how to go about it I really appreciate the service that you rendered to me and I will be glad to recommend you guys to anyone and everyone who needs help again thank you very much and you have a great great day.Sincerely Willie [W.] Jr
- Gracyn J.
I was pretty nervous about everything at first, but Attorney Shavers and my case manager Leanna made the whole process a breeze.They were patient, kept me updated, and explained things in a way that made sense. Really glad I chose them!
- Karessa L.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ From start to finish, [Trey Morris Injury Lawyers] exceeded all expectations.Everyone from the front desk to the legal team was professional, kind, and truly helpful. They made a stressful situation so much easier to manage and always kept me informed throughout the process. I felt supported every step of the way. Highly recommend this firm to anyone needing injury law representation
- Maram Z.
I just want to express how pleased I am with [Trey Morris Injury Lawyers].Their caring team made a huge difference in my experience. From the moment I reached out, they were attentive and supportive, guiding me through every step of the process. They truly took the time to listen to my concerns and made me feel valued as a client. I highly recommend their services to anyone in need of a compassionate and dedicated legal team!
Testimonials do not constitute a guarantee, warranty, or prediction regarding the outcome of your legal matter. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.
Your Ouachita Parish Trial Team
The lawyers who work your file. Every Ouachita Parish case is handled by the firm's own trial attorneys.
