Baton Rouge Litigation Lawyer

For many businesses and agencies, litigation is not the first solution to a legal issue or other dispute. But it’s the right option for certain disputes, whether it’s necessary to resolve the issue quickly or mediation is not beneficial. When litigation is the right option, you want an effective Baton Rouge litigation lawyer to help you advocate for your interests and help you build a strong case.

Dunlap Fiore, LLC: Your Experienced Baton Rouge Litigation Attorney

Our clients value experience in the courtroom and the straightforward, proactive approach we bring to litigated matters. If an assertive approach is needed, we can be aggressive to achieve results.

Dunlap Fiore, LLC, is your source for experienced and practical legal representation. Our Baton Rouge law firm represents a wide range of clients in business law, construction law and litigation matters. We know how to navigate exceptionally complex cases in many types of litigation.

Our team has over 80 years of combined legal experience. We offer creative solutions, honest communication, and exceptional support personalized to your needs. From local small businesses to Fortune 500 Companies, our dedicated Baton Rouge business lawyers are committed to handling your litigation matters with assertive representation.

Our Areas of Practice at Dunlap Fiore, LLC

Our skilled litigation attorneys have extensive litigation experience involving:

Toxic Tort Claims

Toxic tort claims occur when individuals and groups file claims based on alleged toxic exposure caused by hazardous materials like asbestos, mold, pesticides, and chemicals. These claims also include cases for violations of environmental law, including air, water, and soil contamination.

Toxic tort claims are often filed on the basis of health conditions like cancer, respiratory illnesses, brain damage, infertility, and other harm allegedly caused by exposure to toxic substances. Of the civil tort claims that Louisiana district courts reported in 2022, about 1% of them were toxic tort or environmental tort claims.

In toxic tort claims, we can help both small businesses and major corporations protect their interests against toxic tort claims. We can also help governmental agencies, property and land owners, and others navigate defenses to these claims. Our team helps you build a defense against toxic tort claims, assesses the state and federal regulations that impact the case, and works to protect your interests and your reputation.

Business Civil Litigation

Business civil litigation occurs when disputes within a business or between businesses cannot be resolved with other methods. There are many disputes that can lead to civil litigation, including:

• Breaches of contract
• Other contract disputes
• Disagreements between partners, shareholders, and business owners
• Intellectual property disagreements and infringement
• Vendor disputes
• Breach of fiduciary duty
• Non-compete agreements
• Professional liability issues
• Employee-employer disagreements
• Business fraud torts
• Unfair competition torts
• Real estate and property disputes

About 5% of the civil tort claims reported by district courts in the state in 2022 were business or professional negligence claims. Our firm represents companies from small businesses to large corporations. We can assess the ideal way to address your case and how to protect your company’s reputation and profits. When the right course of action is to take your case to court, we fiercely advocate for your rights.

Personal Injury Claims

Personal injury claims are filed by individuals who were injured because of alleged negligence of another party. Many of these cases begin as insurance claims but then proceed to court. If your insurance company, other business, or agency is facing a personal injury claim, we can help you defend your interests. Personal injury claims can be caused by many incidents, including:

• Commercial vehicle accidents
• Public or private bus accidents
• Other vehicle crashes
• Premises liability injuries
• Defective products
• Medical malpractice injuries
• Defective construction accidents

A significant amount of civil tort claims reported by Louisiana district courts in 2022 were personal injury claims. About 56% were auto claims, approximately 27% were premises and property liability claims, and around 1% were medical malpractice claims.

If your company or agency is facing a personal injury claim, our firm can help you build a case to avoid liability.

Insurance Defense and Coverage

Insurance defense and coverage counsel is when we represent insurance companies and litigate cases when needed. This includes insurance defense for:

• Bad faith claims
• Fraud accusations
• Coverage disputes
• Employment law issues
• Regulatory liability

Our firm can help you create strategies to protect your business’s interests, including litigation strategies that minimize the time and costs of court.

Construction Law Claims

Construction law claims are construction disputes that end up in litigation. These claims can be based on many issues, including:

• Defective work claims
• Work delay disputes
• Structural defects
• Payment disputes
• Bid issues
• Mechanics’ liens
• Regulatory compliance issues

Our firm represents contractors, designers, project owners, government agencies, equipment suppliers, and others who support the construction process.

Other Cases

We also have extensive experience in other cases, including:

• Class actions
• Regulatory liability actions
• Civil RICO claims
• Shareholder disputes
• FEMA flood map disputes
• Employment and ERISA claims
• Landlord-tenant disputes
• Design professional malpractice
• Bond claims
• Collections

There were 1,328 civil cases filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana in the twelve months prior to June 30th.

Working With Dunlap Fiore, LLC on Your Litigation Case

There are positive and negative aspects of the litigation process in Baton Rouge. Before pursuing a case in litigation, we work directly with our clients to determine if this is the most cost-effective approach for their situation. If it is, we will aggressively advocate on their behalf.

Our Fees

In some cases, we may be willing to take your cases on a contingency fee basis depending on the facts. A skilled business lawyer can guide you through the litigation process, helping you assess the right course of action and protecting your business interests throughout the case.

Handling Matters in State and Federal Courts

Our attorneys have handled litigation matters in both the state and federal court systems, and have extensive appellate experience.

Over the years, we have gained credibility with local judges and insight into the techniques needed to achieve successful results in the Baton Rouge courtroom. Transparency issues often lead to business litigation, as disputes arise over the accuracy of financial reporting, contractual obligations, or other key business practices.

Our experience in these matters allows us to navigate complex legal challenges effectively, while representing our clients throughout the litigation process.

Partnering With You

To achieve successful results in the courtroom, we take time to extensively prepare for our cases. Part of the preparation process involves meetings with our clients where we take time to fully understand the elements of their case. We work very hard to create meaning in our relationships with clients because we truly value the outcome of their case.

FAQs

How Much Does a Litigation Lawyer Usually Cost?

The cost of a litigation lawyer depends on the case. More experienced attorneys have higher rates. A lawyer who focuses on litigation tends to have higher fees because of their skill in this complex aspect of civil cases. Litigation cases are more complex, making them cost more, and they also take longer. When the case is charged through an hourly fee, this also increases the costs. Always discuss fees with an attorney upfront.

What Is the Difference Between a Litigation Lawyer and a Criminal Lawyer?

The main difference between a litigation lawyer and a criminal lawyer is that a criminal lawyer may be able to handle litigation, but only in criminal courts, while a litigation lawyer handles litigation cases but only sometimes in criminal courts. Litigation lawyers may handle litigation for civil, family, or criminal courts. Criminal lawyers may handle several aspects of a criminal case, which does not always include litigation.

When you need a civil court defense, you want a civil litigation attorney.

Why Is It Important to Hire a Litigation Lawyer in Louisiana?

It is important to hire a litigation lawyer in Louisiana when you have a dispute within your company or agency, especially when it can’t be resolved using alternative methods.

Your attorney can assess the benefits and drawbacks of litigation, so you know whether it’s the right step. They protect your rights and your interests, and build a strong case to present to the court. You want to protect your business’s financial and reputational future, and an attorney helps with this.

What Kind of Cases Does a Litigation Lawyer Handle?

The kinds of cases a litigation lawyer handles depend on the litigation lawyer, although they tend to handle complex civil litigation cases. This can include toxic tort and environmental law cases, personal injury claims, disputes between landlords and tenants, employment disputes, professional malpractice claims, class action cases, insurance disputes, business disagreements, and many other civil litigation cases.

Baton Rouge, Louisiana Related Litigation Resources:

• Helping Louisiana businesses through business litigation
• Keeping best interests of your company in mind during litigation
• Guiding you through business litigation matters
• Facing a multitude of construction litigation issues
• How long can one take to bring a breach of contract claim?
• What to Think About When Facing Lawsuits

Baton Rouge, Louisiana Litigation Legal Resources

• East Baton Rouge Parish Clerk of Court – Civil Processing and Suit Filings
• U.S. District Court, Middle District of Louisiana – Baton Rouge Courthouse Locations
• PACER – Middle District of Louisiana CM/ECF Federal Case Filing and Records
• Louisiana State Legislature – Civil Code Art. 3499, Ten-Year Prescription for Personal Actions
• Louisiana.gov – Judicial Branch Overview of State Courts