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NEW LOCATION COMING SOON. MORE INFO HERE
We are excited to announce that we will soon be breaking ground on our new building at
400 Manhattan Boulevard in Harvey, La
Our temporary location at 920 4th Street in Gretna. Please come by and see us.
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Regular Talcum Powder Use May Increase Ovarian Cancer Risk
Talc is a mineral used in body and baby powders. Well-known brands include Johnson's Baby Powder and Shower to Shower. Through repeated vaginal use, talc can make its way into the vagina, uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries. Although manufacturers maintained for decades that the product was safe, researchers have cautioned that regular genital talcum powder use may be associated with an increased risk for ovarian cancer.
Women across the country have filed talcum powder lawsuits in state and federal courts alleging that talcum powder manufacturer, Johnson & Johnson knew of and failed to warn consumers of the ovarian cancer risk associated with genital talc use. Plaintiffs claim that in order to protect profits and boost sales, the company purposely targeted African American and Hispanic women.
Recently, a St. Louis, Missouri jury ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay $72 million in compensatory and punitive damages to the family of an ovarian cancer victim whose death the jury believed was related to her use of Johnson & Johnson talcum powder.
At Ron Austin & Associates, we are ready to take on corporate giant, Johnson & Johnson to fight for the compensation and justice you deserve.
MEET RON AUSTIN
"There are some who would attack our justice system saying that injured individuals take advantage of corporate America and insurance companies. Some say that the courts in this country are unjust. If you are an American you should believe that our system of justice is far superior to any other justice system in the world because it is. I thank God that I live in America and I thank God for our system of justice."
- RON AUSTIN
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EMAIL US TODAY
info@ronaustinandassociates.com
VISIT US TODAY
400 Manhattan Boulevard
Harvey, Louisiana 70058
Hours: M - F | 8 - 5pm
CLASS ACTION
What is a Class Action?
A class action is a case brought against a company whose actions have damaged a group of people in a similar way. A single person (class proponent) who has been injured may bring a class action on behalf of everyone who has been harmed. It is common, however, after the action has been started for many other injured people to join the class action lawsuit (become class members). If the case results in a successful recovery, (either through settlement or trial) all class members (named plaintiffs) receive their portion of the amount paid by the wrongdoers.
What are some of the reasons class actions are filed?
Typical reasons for class actions include: shareholder class actions, consumer class actions, class actions for employment discrimination. A class action can be filed any time a group of people (or even small businesses) have been similarly injured by wrongdoing.
MESOTHELIOMA & WORKPLACE CANCERS
Spouse of deceased worker files asbestos suit
Mesothelioma attorneys understand asbestos legal issues and the unique challenges asbestos victims face. We offer information on what to expect when working with a mesothelioma lawyer, as well as help finding a qualified mesothelioma attorney for your case.
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Successful asbestos ligation requires an attorney who understands the many facets of the case, from how people get exposed to asbestos to the state-by-state regulations about filing lawsuits, to the fragile nature of many clients. Often, people who inquire about an asbestos-related claim are people who are also coping with mesothelioma cancer and all the health issues that go along with treatment.
Choosing a lawyer to represent you in depositions and in legal filings can be as important to your family's future as selecting the right doctor. If you were exposed to asbestos and you got sick as a result, you have a right to stake a claim for compensation.
The dangers and toxicity of asbestos were well-known in the 1930's, yet corporations continued using it extensively through much of the 20th century. They willingly put profits ahead of the health and well-being of employees and the public. An experienced asbestos lawyer will know how to hold those corporations responsible.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
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Receiving news that you or a member of your family has been diagnosed with mesothelioma is devastating news. Once you can get past the initial shock of being diagnosed with this type of cancer, you will need to figure out what your future holds.
It is very important to look at three different areas that you will need to face because of the disease. If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, you are going to have to figure out how it will impact your health, your emotional state and your financial situation. You will not only have to consider this for yourself, but you will also need to figure out how it will impact your family.
COMMERCIAL LITIGATION
What is Commercial Litigation?
Commercial litigation covers all business conflicts. The business may be small businesses or large corporations and the conflicts may include breaches of contract, collection of debts, employer/employee conflicts, shareholder and partner disputes, and/or fraud and misuse of intellectual property. Sexual harassment/discrimination in the workplace is also covered under commercial litigation.
ENVIRONMENTAL LAW
What is Environmental Law?
Environmental law encompasses pollution control and resource conservation and management. Pollution control laws often deal with a single environmental medium, such as air, water or soil. These laws control the emissions into the medium as well as the liability for the emissions and clean up. Resource conservation and management deal with both tangible and intangible resources including anything from natural resources to scenic areas.
Oil Spill Cleanup
In 2010, the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill caused extensive damage to the marine and wildlife habitats, as well as to the fishing and tourism industries, of our vital Gulf Coast. BP has admitted to making a mistake, and is being held responsible for cleanup costs and damage. Ron Austin & Associates is striving to help the community prevail after this grave disaster.
INSURANCE & BAD FAITH
What is Insurance & Bad Faith?
Insurance companies are required by law to operate under good faith, and to deal fairly with their clients. “Bad faith” is a term used to describe a claim brought about by a person suing an insurance company due to their “bad” actions. The claim may be filed alongside a breach of contract claim.
What are Some Reasons for Filing an Insurance Bad Faith Claim?
A Bad Faith claim may be filed for various inconsistencies or faults made by the insurance company. These may include, but aren’t limited to:
-improper evaluation of damaged property
-refusing to defend a lawsuit
-refusing to pay a settlement
-delay in handling claims
MEDICAL MALPRACTICE
hospital sued for improperly sanitized equipment
What is Medical Malpractice?
While medical malpractice can be some of the most difficult litigation there is within the practice of law, it is a distinguished area of concentration for Austin & Associates. The improper, untimely or negligent performance, diagnosis or treatment by someone in the medical profession leads to thousands of injuries and loss of life each year. The Institute of Medicine found between 44,000 and 98,000 people die in hospitals annually due to preventable medical errors. Others are left injured or impaired. Medical malpractice can happen in many ways including:
-Anesthesia errors
-Injuries during child birth
-Late diagnosis
-Misdiagnosis
-Prescription errors
-Surgical mistakes
If you or a loved one has suffered a medical issue or even death that is due to another party’s negligence, recklessness, or carelessness, know your legal rights for compensation. Let our firm fight for you so you can receive the justice you deserve.
BIRTH TRAUMA ?
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What is Birth Trauma?
Birth trauma refers to newborn brain injury, often brought about by negligent physician care or awareness. Fetal oxygen comes from the mother’s blood, flowing to the fetal brain through the umbilical cord. Oftentimes — either pre-labor, during labor or post-labor — something happens to stop the flow of oxygenated blood to the fetal or newborn brain. This lack of blood flow can cause brain injury in the newborn.
Sometimes, the injury is noticed relatively early by either the parents or the doctor. However, when asked about the brain injury, many physicians reply that it couldn’t be helped. The answers are often within the medical records, and may detail how some of the causes could have been prevented.
PERSONAL INJURY
Casino sued after woman robbed in parking lot
What is Personal Injury?
Personal injury involves civil law cases designed to obtain compensation for injury to your person. The personal injury attorney usually tries to negotiate with the opposing party or their insurance company. If necessary, and if the attorney thinks the case has a good chance of winning, the case may go to trial.
The main concerns in a personal injury case are negligence and liability. Awards in liability cases depend upon proof of negligence and proof of liability. If a defendant has failed to exercise reasonable care to prevent injury or damage then there may be negligence. Once liability and negligence have been established, the judge or the jury may award money to compensate for medical costs, lost wages and lost future earnings as well as for pain and suffering.
Some common personal injury categories are:
Truck Accidents
Motorcycle Accidents
Slip and Falls
On the Job Injuries
Catastrophic Injuries
Aviation Accidents
Cruise Ship Accidents
Boating Accidents
Construction Accidents
You can have a herniated disc in any part of your spine.
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WRONGFUL DEATH
What Does Wrongful Death Mean?
Wrongful death is a claim made against a person or company who caused the death of another either by negligence or some other form of unjust action. The damages received in a wrongful death claim are awarded to the survivors of the victim. Wrongful death claims often arise as a result of a car accident or medical malpractice. This differs from a negligence claim in that the person filing the claim is not filing over an injury.
Who Can File a Wrongful Death Claim?
A person must be able to prove relationship to the victim. A neighbor or friend cannot file a wrongful death claim because there is no evidence to prove that he or she suffered from the loss. Generally, to sue for wrongful death one must be a spouse, parent or child of the victim. In some cases grandparents, extended family or dependents of the victim are able to file a wrongful death claim.
PRODUCT LIABILITY
What is Product Liability?
Product liability holds manufacturers or retailers responsible for any harm or injury their product may cause to consumers. A product should meet the ordinary expectations of a consumer. However, when the product fails to meet the expectations of an ordinary consumer or is thought to be dangerous, the product is said to be defective and unreasonably dangerous. Responsibility for a product liability case may lie with all the sellers in a distribution chain.
Exceptions to Liability
Some products have benefits that outweigh the risks, and they cannot be made safer without losing usefulness. Prescription drugs and vaccines are examples. You may not have a viable case if you use a product in a way it was not intended to be used. For example, harm from using a blow dryer in the shower is not a product liability case.
Proof for Product Liability
The product which caused the harm must be manufactured or sold by the person you are attempting to sue. The product must have a defect and that defect must be the cause of the injuries.
IMMIGRATION
Immigrating to the United States requires individuals to submit a number of detailed applications to the federal government. Further complicating matters, immigration regulations change often, making it difficult for anyone without formal training to stay current on the law. Even among attorneys, immigration is considered a specialized practice area not suited for general practitioners. Self-representation is not recommended.
With the help of an experienced attorney, those who qualify can successfully obtain permanent residency (a green card), and eventual citizenship. While the law provides a path to citizenship for workers and investors, the most common grounds for granting legal status is family-based immigration. This process begins when a permanent resident or U.S. citizen files a petition on behalf of a family member in a foreign country.
U.S. citizens can sponsor family members who qualify as “immediate relatives.” These include spouses, parents of a citizen 21 years or older, unmarried children under age 21, and children adopted before turning 16. The government does not limit the number of immediate relative visas approved each year. This means there is no waiting period, other than the time required to process the visa petition.
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CASES WE HANDLE
Thanks for visiting the Ron Austin & Associates, LLC website. We represent injured clients all over the world in civil cases in an effort to right the wrong caused by the negligence of others. We pride ourselves on building relationships with our clients to help ensure an adequate representation of the facts. We become partners in our clients' cases to maintain ease of conversation, confidence in our representation and accuracy in preparation of your case.
Our reputation extends beyond the legal profession into the community. Our lawyers are active in our churches, civic organizations and non-profits. Because of our involvement, we treat our clients like neighbors and friends. We are easy to talk with and we don’t believe there are any dumb questions. There is no charge for the initial consultation and no charge for follow-up questions from prospective clients.
The main job of this law firm is to obtain justice for our injured clients. Justice usually occurs either by settlement or court decision. If you and the other side agree on a fair settlement, justice is achieved. If you submit your case to a court, justice is achieved.
If you need justice or require additional information, call us at 504-227-8100. Our team is eagerly awaiting an opportunity to discuss your case. We do not get paid unless we recover money for you. We believe in justice, fairness and making clients whole. We are ready to aggressively represent your case.
Call today. All you stand to lose is justice.
RON AUSTIN was born in Marrero, Louisiana. He is a graduate of Archbishop Shaw High School, and attended Southeastern Louisiana University where he majored in Criminal Justice. During college, he became a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. After he graduated from Southeastern, Ron enrolled in Southern Law School, during which time he clerked for the Louisiana Department of Revenue & Taxation. After graduating from law school, Ron began his legal career with the Sacks & Smith law firm where he became involved in class action litigation, immediately providing him with the opportunity to develop his skills at complex litigation. Ron joined the Jefferson Parish District Attorney’s office where, under the guidance of Paul Connick, Ron first became a juvenile and then a felony prosecutor where he prosecuted the state’s first intentional exposure to AIDS case. Ron successfully prosecuted numerous other felony cases involving murder, robbery and sexual assaults, as well as cases involving misdemeanor offenses.
Ron Austin & Associates law firm was founded in 2001. Since then Ron has successfully built one of the most prosperous minority owned law firms in Louisiana. Ron is a former member of the Board of Governors of Louisiana Association for Justice as well as a former adjunct professor at Tulane University.
Always finding the time to help others, Ron has done pro bono work enforcing the rights of developmentally delayed individuals and, for the last ten years, and continues to provide children with the opportunity to attend summer camp through his sponsorship at the Kennedy Heights Playground in Avondale. He has also sponsored a number of AAU teams to travel the country providing them with the opportunity to develop their athletic skills.
RON AUSTIN | PRINCIPAL
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JEFF GREEN was admitted to practice law in 2006, and since that time, has represented a broad base of clients ranging from individuals to multinational companies. In 2011, Jeff decided to focus his practice on representing those suffering from personal injuries of all types, whether from motor vehicle accidents, doctor or hospital errors, product liability, or workplace accidents.
Before joining Ron Austin & Associates, Jeff managed a high volume caseload as lead attorney at a large defense firm. That experience prepared him for representing individuals involved in accidents by showing him how large corporations and insurance companies operate. Jeff has tried jury and judge cases and won verdicts at the trial and appeal level, and has successfully represented clients in everything from large class actions to small motor vehicle accidents.
At LSU Law School, Jeff was a member of the Moot Court Board and was a finalist in the intra-school Tullis Moot Court Competition. Presently, Jeff is a member of the Louisiana State Bar Association and the Louisiana Association for Justice, and is licensed to practice in all state and federal courts in Louisiana. Jeff volunteers for the Hogs for the Cause organization, and is a member of the Mystic Krewe of Hermes.
JEFF GREEN | ASSOC. ATTORNEY
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RAMONA FERNANDEZ, born in the Dominican Republic and raised in New York City, attended Manhattan College. She received her Bachelor and Juris Doctorate degrees from Loyola University in New Orleans.
Ramona is Associate Director of the Loyola Law Clinic, where she is the administrator of the clinic and supervising attorney to third year law students who provide legal services to the disadvantaged. She supervises students in the area of Criminal, Civil, Family and Juvenile law. She serves on various boards at Loyola University. She serves on the Loyola University Alumni Board, the Loyola City College Alumni Board, Campus Ministry Policy Advisory Committee and the Recreational Sport & Intercollegiate Athletics Advisory Council, and served for various years as the Coordinator for the Loyola Law School United Way Campaign and the Coordinator of the Law School annual blood drive.
Ramona serves as the President of the Board of Directors for the Legal Aid Bureau, is a member of the Louisiana Bar Association and American Bar Association, Vice President for the Alliance for Good Government, Jefferson Chapter, the legal adviser to the Club Dominicano in Louisiana, and on the Board of Directors of the “Friends of Israel M. Augustine Criminal Justice Center”. In 2003, Ramona was recognized as Loyola University New Orleans Distinguished Alumna of the year. She has received several service awards from Loyola Law School.
ROMONA FERNANDEZ | ATTORNEY
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JEVAN S. FLEMING completed her undergraduate studies at the University of New Orleans, where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology. She received her Juris Doctorate from Southern University Law Center, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana where she served in various leadership roles ranging from student government, fraternity, and Legal clinics. She also served as the Law Clerk to the Chancellor of the University. While attending law school, she participated in a clinical program where she represented clients in the Baker City Court as well as the 19th JDC. She also worked as a clerk in the Senate office of the Louisiana State Capitol Building.
After graduating from Law School, Ms. Fleming began working as an attorney with the Housing Authority of New Orleans where she defended the organization in personal injury litigation as well as lease and contract disputes.
Following her employment with the Housing Authority, Ms. Fleming worked for 15 years primarily in the areas of toxic tort litigation (with a focus on asbestos exposure), commercial litigation, and products and premise liability claims. She represented Fortune 500 Companies, and her practice consisted primarily of coordinating several large litigation dockets, including General Civil Litigation and Environmental Litigation.
Ms. Fleming is admitted to practice in all Louisiana state and federal courts. She is a member of the Louisiana State Bar Association and the American Bar Association.
JEVAN S. FLEMING | ATTORNEY
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CATHERINE HILTON earned her J.D. from Loyola University Law School New Orleans in 2000. Prior to attending law school, she was a Litigation Manager at Adams and Reese Law Firm where she designed and implemented protocol and databases to track tens of thousands of mass tort claimants. Ms. Hilton concentrates in plaintiff personal injury cases involving significant injury or death. She has also successfully represented numerous plaintiffs in medical malpractice lawsuits. Ms. Hilton volunteers as a mentor for young lawyers and she provides pro-bono services for, among other groups and individuals, the New Orleans Pro-Bono Project. She is on the faculty of Tulane University Law School’s Trial Advocacy program and she also serves as a faculty of Tulane’s Litigation Boot Camp seminar. She has authored a paper and frequently speaks on the Topic of the Medicare Secondary Payor Act, instructing other attorneys on the methods of traversing this complicated Act. She is a member of the Louisiana State Bar Association.
CATHERINE HILTON | ATTORNEY
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Lillian Williams graduated summa cum laude from University of Louisiana at Lafayette earning a degree in Criminal Justice. She subsequently received her Juris Doctorate in May of 2016 from Southern University Law Center, where she graduated cum laude. While in law school, Lillian served as the Managing Editor of the Southern University Law Review editorial board and a teaching assistant for legal writing and analysis courses.
In addition, Lillian also participated as a legal fellow for Northeastern University School of Law’s Civil Rights and Restorative Justice Program, as well as a law clerk for a private law firms, a state government entity, and in a corporate setting. Lillian is admitted to practice law in all Louisiana state courts and in the United States District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana. As an attorney at Ron Austin and Associates, L.L.C., Lillian plans to continue her legal career in representing injured victims in addition to handling business transactional matters.
LILLIAN WILLIAMS | ATTORNEY
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