THE ROLE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICE IN THE DEFENSE OF CLAIMS

1. THE ROLE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICE IN THE DEFENSE OF CLAIMS

2. Oh . . . . I’ve Been Sued!

3. W E B S T E R UNION MOREHOUSE WEST EAST BOSSIER CLAIBORNE CARROLL CADDO LINCOLN OUACHITA RICHLAND MADISON JACKSON Shreveport BIENVILLE JACKSON RED RIVER Alexandria N A T C H I T O C H E S CALDWELL FRANKLIN DESOTO TENSAS WINN Lake Charles CATAHOULA Baton Rouge C O N C O R D I A LASALLE SABINE GRANT Lafayette New Orleans RAPIDES VERNON AVOYELLES T A N G I P A H O A WEST FELICIANA SAINT HELENA EAST FELICIANA WASHINGTON EVANGELINE POINTE COUPEE BEAUREGARD ALLEN SAINT LANDRY EAST BATON ROUGE SAINT TAMMANY WEST BATON ROUGE LIVINGSTON JEFFERSON DAVIS ACADIA SAINT MARTIN IBERVILLE CALCASIEU LAFAYETTE ASCENSION SAINT JOHN ORLEANS SAINT JAMES ASSUMPTION J E F F E R S O N IBERIA SAINT CHARLES SAINT BERNARD ST. MARTIN CAMERON VERMILION L A F O U R C H E P L A Q U E M I N E S SAINT MARY IBERIA TERREBONNE

4. Shreveport Litigation Office BOSSIER W E B S T E R UNION MOREHOUSE WEST EAST CLAIBORNE CARROLL LINCOLN OUACHITA RICHLAND CADDO MADISON JACKSON BIENVILLE JACKSON RED RIVER N A T C H I T O C H E S CALDWELL FRANKLIN DESOTO TENSAS WINN CATAHOULA C O N C O R D I A LASALLE SABINE GRANT RAPIDES Jerald L. Perlman Assistant Attorney General & Office Chief 330 Marshall Street Suite 777 Shreveport, LA 71101 Tel: (318) 676-5700 Fax: (318) 676-5703 VERNON AVOYELLES T A N G I P A H O A WEST FELICIANA SAINT HELENA EAST FELICIANA WASHINGTON EVANGELINE POINTE COUPEE BEAUREGARD ALLEN SAINT LANDRY EAST BATON ROUGE SAINT TAMMANY WEST BATON ROUGE LIVINGSTON JEFFERSON DAVIS ACADIA SAINT MARTIN IBERVILLE CALCASIEU LAFAYETTE ASCENSION SAINT JOHN ORLEANS SAINT JAMES ASSUMPTION J E F F E R S O N IBERIA SAINT CHARLES SAINT BERNARD ST. MARTIN CAMERON VERMILION P L A Q U E M I N E S L A F O U R C H E SAINT MARY IBERIA TERREBONNE

5. W E B S T E R UNION MOREHOUSE WEST EAST BOSSIER CLAIBORNE CARROLL CADDO LINCOLN OUACHITA RICHLAND MADISON JACKSON BIENVILLE JACKSON RED RIVER N A T C H I T O C H E S CALDWELL FRANKLIN DESOTO TENSAS WINN CATAHOULA C O N C O R D I A LASALLE SABINE GRANT RAPIDES VERNON AVOYELLES T A N G I P A H O A WEST FELICIANA SAINT HELENA EAST FELICIANA WASHINGTON EVANGELINE POINTE COUPEE BEAUREGARD ALLEN SAINT LANDRY EAST BATON ROUGE SAINT TAMMANY WEST BATON ROUGE LIVINGSTON JEFFERSON DAVIS ACADIA SAINT MARTIN IBERVILLE CALCASIEU LAFAYETTE ASCENSION SAINT JOHN ORLEANS SAINT JAMES ASSUMPTION J E F F E R S O N IBERIA SAINT CHARLES SAINT BERNARD ST. MARTIN CAMERON VERMILION L A F O U R C H E P L A Q U E M I N E S SAINT MARY IBERIA TERREBONNE Alexandria Litigation Office James E. Calhoun Assistant Attorney General & Office Chief 201 Johnston Street, Suite 100 Alexandria, LA 71301 Tel: (318) 487-5944 Fax: (318) 487-5826

6. INDEMNIFICATION OF STATE EMPLOYEES La. R.S. 13:5108.1

7. When you are contacted by the Attorney General’s Office

9. If recipient of letter isNON-SUPERVISOR • Notify supervisor IMMEDIATELY • DO NOT DISCUSS with co-workers • Have supervisor set up meeting so he/she can also attend • Repeat: DO NOT DISCUSS with co-workers

10. If recipient of letter isSUPERVISOR • Follow own internal procedures • Respond promptly to letter • Open claim file if not already done, using ORM claim number

11. IT IS NEVER TOO EARLYTO START A CLAIM FILE • Notify ORM and get a claim number AS SOON AS YOU BECOME AWARE OF THE CLAIM. 2)For claims involving deaths or serious injuries, in addition to contacting ORM, please do not hesitate to contact your local AG’s office.

12. Louisiana Code of Civil ProcedureArticle 1424A The court shall not order the production of inspection of any writing obtained or prepared by the adverse party, his attorney, surety, indemnitor, or agent in anticipation of litigation or in preparation for trial unless satisfied that denial of production or inspection will unfairly prejudice the party seeking the production or inspection in preparing his claim or defense or will cause him undue hardship or injustice. The court shall not order the production or inspection of any part of the writing that reflects the mental impressions, conclusions, opinions, or theories of an attorney.

13. Initial Claim Investigation • Name, address and telephone number of claimant (if known) • Names of all potential employee witnesses • Incident reports required by agency • Photographs • Summary of witness and claimant statements • Prepared, signed and dated by you • Countersigned and dated by witness, if possible

14. SHHHHH!!!

15. What should be included in/on Claim File? • Clearly marked with claimant’s name and ORM number • Confidential designation • All correspondence from ORM, Attorney General and in-house attorneys • Incident or accident report forms • Photographs • Wage & employment information if claimant is employee • Medical bills • Copies of statements

16. REMEDIAL MEASURESLouisiana Code of Evidence Article 407 In a civil case, when, after an event, measures are taken which, if taken previously, would have made the event less likely to occur, evidence of the subsequent measures is not admissible to prove negligence or culpable conduct in connection with the event. This Article does not require the exclusion of evidence of subsequent measures when offered for another purpose, such as proving ownership, authority, knowledge, control, or feasibility of pre- cautionary measures, or for attacking credibility.

17. What do I do if. . . • Claimant is a current employee? 2)Claimant is a recurring patient or client? 3)Claimant has family members or close friend who is employed by agency?

18. Document, Document, Document Note all pertinent information in claim file and advise your defending attorney Summarize (who, what, when, where) encounters AS SOON AS THEY HAPPEN, put it in your claim file and notify your defending attorney ALWAYS keep your defending attorney informed!

19. SHHHHH!!!