Eddie Whitehead v. the Municipality of Ferriday

STATE OF LOUISIANA
COURT OF APPEAL, THIRD CIRCUIT

05-756
consolidated with 05-755

EDDIE WHITEHEAD, ET AL.

VERSUS

THE MUNICIPALITY OF FERRIDAY, ET AL.

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APPEAL FROM THE
SEVENTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT,
PARISH OF CONCORDIA, NOS. 36263 and 36348,
HONORABLE LEO BOOTHE, DISTRICT JUDGE

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MICHAEL G. SULLIVAN
JUDGE

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Court composed of Marc T. Amy, Michael G. Sullivan, and Billy Howard Ezell,
Judges.

REVERSED IN PART; AFFIRMED IN PART;
AMENDED IN PART; AND RENDERED.

Antonio Marcell Clayton
Dennis Coleman Weber
Attorneys at Law
607 N. Alexander Avenue
Port Allen, Louisiana 70767
(225) 344-7000
Counsel for Plaintiff/Appellee:
Wanda Baker Smith

Neil D. Sweeney
Sweeney & Miller
7921 Picardy Avenue
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70809
(225) 768-7300
Counsel for Plaintiffs/Appellants/Appellees:
Allen Whitehead
Paula Whitehead Brazil
James Whitehead
Brenda Whitehead
Eddie Whitehead

Stacy Christopher Auzenne
Auzenne Law Firm, L.L.C.
Post Office Box 11817
Alexandria, Louisiana 71315-1817
(318) 880-0087
Counsel for Defendants/Appellants:
Terrance A. Williams
Town of Ferriday

Randall Brian Keiser
Keiser Law Firm, L.L.C.
Post Office Box 12358
Alexandria, Louisiana 71315-2394
(318) 443-6168
Counsel for Defendants/Appellants:
Terrance A. Williams
Town of Ferriday

Lisa Coleman Lee
Attorney for Department of Health & Hospitals
1201 Capitol Access Road
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70821
(225) 342-0207
Counsel for Intervenor:
State of Louisiana, Department of Health & Hospitals

SULLIVAN, Judge.

For the reasons discussed in the companion case in this consolidated matter,

Smith v. The Municipality of Ferriday, 05-755 (La.App. 3 Cir. __/__/06), __ So.2d

__, the trial court’s assessment of fault is reversed and fault is assessed 100% to

Defendants; the judgment is amended to provide that Defendants are solidarily liable

to the Whiteheads; the general damage award of $600,000.00 to Ms. Smith is

affirmed; the award of future medical expenses in favor of Ms. Smith is reversed; the

wrongful death damages in favor of Mr. Whitehead’s children are amended to

$25,000.00 per child; the failure to make a separate award for funeral expenses is

affirmed and the refusals to award survival damages and to admit polygraph

examination results are affirmed. All costs are assessed to Defendants.

REVERSED IN PART; AFFIRMED IN PART; AMENDED IN PART;

AND RENDERED.