South Carolina Lawyer Blog

For hostess Eftehea Leontaritis, a hosting position at Malibu hotspot restaurant Taverna Tony should have been business at usual. Unfortunately, the job turned ugly when the restaurant’s owner began harassing and assaulting Leontaritis – and it resulted in a lawsuit with an even uglier verdict in favor of the plaintiff.

Not only did Tony Koursais, the restaurant’s owner, make lewd advances to Leontaritis, but he assaulted her in March 2003 when he forced her to watch him masturbate. Leontaritis fled the scene after quitting, but not before the harassment reached its seedy conclusion. The incident was the culmination of nearly nine months of inappropriate advances, intimidation and harassment, and the hostess had already voluntarily cut precious hours worked in order to avoid her boss.

Continue reading "Sexual Harassment Case Turns Ugly With Over $2 Million In Punitive Damages" »

Posted by Louthian Law Firm | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Sexual Harassment

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A 20-year-old Cayce woman who was a passenger in a car died early Wednesday in a collision in the 1700 block of Two Notch Road, according to a news release from the Lexington County coroner’s office.

Ashley Crumpton, 20, was pronounced dead at the scene of the 6:30 a.m. accident, the release said.

She was in a Nissan Maxima that was traveling west, crossed the center line and struck a van, the release said.

The S.C. Highway Patrol is investigating.

Posted by Louthian Law Firm | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Auto & Car Accidents

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Drunk driver Humberto A. Orduna hit and killed Francisco Rivera, Jr., a 20-month old baby, in a Florida mobile home park in 2004. After his arrest for DUI, he fled the country to Mexico – but his actions have incurred a hefty price in the United States, where he was recently convicted in absentia. The family, who was emotionally traumatized by witnessing the accident and who endured both the sight of their baby son’s brain injury and death and a bill for nearly $17,000, was awarded $7.25 million by the jury in Orduna’s absence. Now they’re going after the defendant’s insurance company, who allegedly failed to pay the entire $10,000 covered by Orduna’s insurance policy.

This tragic incident demonstrates not only the harsh toll wrongful death can take on a family, but the rights surviving family members have under the law when wrongful death is involved. The family not only recovered direct medical costs related to the drunk driving accident – they filed for and received damages covering their severe emotional distress.

Continue reading "Mobile Home Park Accident Leads To Hefty Default Judgment" »

Posted by Louthian Law Firm | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Wrongful Death

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When 65-year-old Sylvester Young went for a truck drive yesterday, he had no way of knowing it would be his last ride. Hit by a train while trying to turn onto a private driveway, Young’s death was gruesome – and perhaps preventable. Bystanders think he was not aware he was in any danger. Even worse, the railroad crossing that killed him lacked railroad arms and warning lights, though there were warning signs.

Unfortunately, Young’s death is another symptom of the nationwide train safety crisis. The Federal Highway Administration estimates that of approximately 150,000 public-grade railroad crossings, only 35,000 have gates and 25,000 have flashing lights. A mere 1,000 crossings have traffic signals with flashing warnings and bells. That means that the vast majority of railroad crossings are unprotected – and that drivers and pedestrians have to be extra-careful when it comes to crossing railroad tracks.

Continue reading "Norfolk Train Death: A Tragic Reminder About Railroad Safety" »

Posted by Louthian Law Firm | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Train Accidents

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