Louisiana Driver Awarded $1.6M for Injuries

A Terrebonne Parish, La., man left unable to work as an electrician after being injured in a car crash has been awarded about $1.6 million.

A jury Thursday found that Jake Belanger deserved to be compensated for medical expenses and the wages he didn’t receive from his job with a marine-maintenance company because his doctors forbid him to do manual labor after his surgery.

Attorney Michael Samanie told the Courier reports that Belanger suffered a herniated disc, which required surgery, as well as injuries to his neck and back in the four-car wreck in Jefferson Parish in 2008.

At the time, Belanger worked at Rio Marine Inc., which provides marine maintenance services to inland towboat companies, offshore shipping companies and shipyards.