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Welcome to Vasser & Vasser,  a top-flight Louisiana Civil Litigation Law Firm
of highly experienced and uncommonly successful trial and coverage counsel
who excel at insurance, trucking and all forms of complex litigation defense. 

Effective insurance defense work requires experience and a commitment to excellence.
At Vasser & Vasser, we continue our pursuit of excellence with each case we take on.

We are true trial attorneys who have received multiple client achievement awards for

“Stellar Trial Performance and Results, Overall Excellence and Quality of Service, and for
Demonstrating a Consiste
nt Thoroughness of Preparation in All Aspects of Litigation"

                                                                                                                                     --  largest FTL carrier in America

Early resolution is always our goal, but if trial is necessary our clients rest assured
knowing that 
we are excellent litigators who are always well-prepared and that we have
successfully tried to verdict many, many high exposure lawsuits throughout this state. 

Simply put, we know how to properly, ethically and professionally try and win cases.


Below is a representative list of some of the many cases published
in the 
official law journals that we have successfully handled for our clients:

 

Black Washed Wall

Andel v. Burkeens,  2020 WL 6557839, 2020-0158  (La. App. 1 Cir. 2020) , writ denied by Louisiana Supreme Court 2021  (Won appeal and competing cross motions for summary judgment on coverage issues for defendant insurer under CGL policy with an auto liability endorsement, in UM suit brought by named commercial insured’s sole owner and member)

Holmes v. Secretary of Veterans Affairs,  2019 WL 1301987 (U.S.D.C. W.D. La. 2019)  (Won dismissal of federal  discrimination suit by Louisiana plaintiff on ground of the court's lack of personal jurisdiction over out of state defendants accused of negligent and fraudulent conduct directed toward the plaintiff while she was domiciled in Louisiana and also physically residing here when at least some of the alleged improper conduct occurred)

Velocity Express v. Progressive Ins. Co., 2018 WL 6718510  (La. App. 1st Cir. 2018)  (Won full reimbursement of all legal defense fees and costs from our Canadian trucking company client's own insurer, which had improperly declined to cover a large loss BI suit filed against our client by one of its own company drivers)

McKay v. Swift Transportation Co.,  2017 WL 4925518 (U.S.D.C. M.D. La. 2017)  (Won summary dismissal of alleged hit-and-run claim against nation's largest interstate motor carrier)

Hayes v. Sheraton, et al, 195 So.3d 563 (La. App. 4th Cir. 2016)  (Won summary judgment and appeal of negligent supervision claim against charter school by student who was raped by an older fellow student)

Che v. First Assembly of God, et al, 185 So.3d 125 (La. App. 2nd Cir. 2016)  (Won appeal and summary judgment for church's national general council on all claims arising out of child's severe and permanently disabling brain injury sustained at local church due to its alleged negligent practices and defective premises, including an unguarded baptism pool in which the plaintiff's child nearly drowned)
 
Knoten v. Westbrook, 2016-1260  (La. 10/28/16), 208 So. 3d 890  (CDC Orleans Parish 11/18/2013)  (Won unanimous defense verdict for commercial shipper in $100 million dollar nearly month-long multiple death and burn victims jury trial, modified on appeal)
 
Hall v. Brooks  (U.S.D.C. E.D. La. 2013)  (Won summary dismissal of high-dollar personal injury suit for commercial vehicle lessor and its liability insurer on ground of no cause of action against the lessor)
 
Matelski v. Maxum Ins. Co.  (19th JDC 605617, 2013)  (Won summary dismissal of severely injured trucking accident victim's claim against CGL insurer due to policy exclusion for such liability)
 
Isaac v. Remington College  114 So.3d 636  (La. App. 3rd Cir. 2013)  (Won trial and appeal of very favorable judgment for our insurance client and its commercial insured in personal injury suit by adult student)
 
Beeson v. K Partners  (32nd JDC 164995, 2013)  (Won summary dismissal of discrimination and wrongful termination suit on grounds of untimely SOP and legal prescription)
 
Parveen v. Tiki Tubing,  2011-CA-1477 (La. App. 1st Cir. 2012)  (Won summary dismissal and appeal of wrongful death suit against tubing company and its commercial liability insurer after customer drowned in river)
 
Seago v. Benedicts Restaurant,  2001-CA-1881 (La. App. 1st Cir. 2012)  (Won summary dismissal and appeal for CGL insured and its insurer in high-stakes premises liability-broken hips lawsuit alleging lessee liability)
 
Plauche v. Jacobs Engineering  (18th JDC 2011)  (Won summary dismissal for trucking company in very high-dollar case on ground that plaintiff's tort suit against his employer was legally insufficient to interrupt prescription against the alleged tortfeasor)
 
Stern v. Team One Adjusting, 93747 (La. 23rd JDC 2011)  (Won summary dismissal of professional negligence and breach of contract claims by homeowner against independent claims adjusting company)
 
Turner v. Schneider National Carriers,  30 So.2d 288  (La. App. 4th Cir. 2010)  (Won summary judgment and appeal for nation's then-largest interstate trucking company on ground that its driver was not within the course and scope of her employment, despite being under dispatch by her employer with a load of its customers' freight when she ran a red light and hit the plaintiff)
 
White v Great West Cas Co.,  2010 WL 1716777 (W.D. La. 2010)  (Successfully defeated plaintiffs' post-trial motions for JNOV and new trial after successfully trying case to jury and obtaining very defense-friendly verdict for trucking defendants in a multi-surgery personal injury suit)
 
Brewer v J.B. Hunt Transport Inc.,  35 So.2d 230 (La. Sup. Ct. 2010)  (Won zero jury verdict in large loss brain damage trucking case, partly modified on appeal)
 
Lemon v Mike Smith Forest Products, LLC, 2009 WL 2765648  (E.D. La. 2009)  (Won dismissal of large PD claim by Amtrak in clear liability truck crossing case on procedural grounds)
 
Lozes v. Boone Transportation,  563,895 (24th JDC 2009)  (Won zero jury verdict in large loss bus accident case)
 
Munley v. KLLM Transport, 111973  (21st JDC 2008) and Pradier v. Crete, 36028  (18th JDC 2008)  (Won summary dismissal in both cases for interstate motor carriers on ground that the defendant drivers were not acting within the course and scope of employment when they injured the plaintiffs)
 
Loughlin ex rel Loughlin v USAA Cas Ins. Co.,  2008 WL 687187 (E.D. La. 2008)  (Won summary dismissal of high-stakes professional liability claim by an attorney-insured)
 
McCormack v. Harco Ins. Co.,  2008-CC-1060  (La. Sup. Ct. 2008)  (Won competing MSJs, appeal and writs to Louisiana Supreme Court in trucking accident suit involving UM claim against our insurer client and apportioned registration of insured veh under Int'l Registration Plan, based on choice of law principles) 
 
Audler v CBC Innovis Inc., 519 F.3d 239 (U.S. 5 Cir. 2008)  (Won summary dismissal of huge class action suit against flood insurers)
 
Talton v USAA Cas Ins. Co.,  981 So.2d 696 (La. App. 4 Cir. 2008)  (Won dismissal of homeowner-attorney's claims for negligence, breach of contract, and professional liability against independent claims adjusting company and its adjuster)
 
Braud v. Covenant Transport,  006-3730 (21st JDC 2007)  (Won motion to vacate multi-million dollar default judgment rendered against interstate trucking company before we were hired as its new defense counsel)
 
Thomas v. National Carriers, Inc.,  2007 WL 4462371 (E.D. La. 2007)  (Won exclusion of plaintiff's trucking liability safety expert in wrongful death suit against interstate motor carrier)
 
Ross v  J.B. Hunt  2007 WL 4374027 (M.D. La. 2007)  (Won exclusion of plaintiff's liability expert in large loss personal injury suit against our interstate motor carrier client)
 
Peregrin v. Smith, —WL—(U.S.D.C. E.D. La. 2006)  (Won zero jury verdict in multiple surgery disputed trucking lane change suit)
 
Taylor v TCA Transport,  928 So.2d 55 (La. App. 1 Cir. 2005)  (Won dismissal of trucking company and its driver on ground of lack of personal jurisdiction)
 
MacFarlane v Schneider Nat Leasing, Inc., 2004 WL 1196999 (E.D. La. 2004)  (Won summary dismissal of defective vehicle claim against truck leasing company)
 
Hose v Younger Bros Inc., 878 So.2d 548 (La. App. 1 Cir. 2004)  (Won full reimbursement for excess liability insurer against its own insured trucking company after insurer's settlement with the injured plaintiff)
 
Palmer v Schneider National,  65 Fed. Appx. 509 (5 Cir. 2003)  (Won defense zero jury verdict in stipulated liability multiple surgery, multiple plaintiff trucking case)
 
Salva v Safeco Ins. Co. of America, 2003 WL 22038366 (E.D. La. 2003)  (Successfully defeated injured plaintiff's MSJ against insured commercial carrier in major rear-end accident suit)
 
Estevez v PIIC, 828 So.2d 725 (La. App. 5 Cir. 2002)  (Successfully persuaded jury to hold adult female pedestrian 46% at fault after being backed over by our insured driver in convenience store parking lot)
 
Jackson v. Vastar, 2:06-CV-0879 (W.D. La. 2001)  (Won zero jury verdict in large loss offshore CGL and professional liability suit by severely injured and very sympathetic plaintiff who attempted suicide as a result)   
Applegate v. J.B. Hunt, 3:98-CV-375 (M.D. La. 1999)  (Won summary dismissal of interstate trucking company in suit involving hit-and-run by a trucker in which the plaintiff was seriously and objectively injured)
 
Ball v Trusler, 182 F.3d 913 (5 Cir. 1999)  (Won zero jury verdict for interstate trucking company in hotly contested large loss left turn squeeze case)
 
Battaglia v Texas Farmers Ins. Co., 732 So.2d 119 (La. App. 4 Cir. 1999)  (Won zero judgment for insured driver)
 
Broussard v Razdan, 763 So.2d 644 (La. App. 1 Cir. 1999)  (Convinced jury to award only small amount of special damages in multiple surgery, clear liability auto liability suit against our insurer client)
 
Wilson v DOTD, 737 So.2d 866 (La. App. 4 Cir. 1999)  (Won dismissal of multi-million dollar property damage class action suit against construction company and its liability insurer)
 
Daniels v Jenkins, 709 So.2d 362 (La. App. 4 Cir. 1998)  (Won writ of reversal to appellate court for auto liability insurer based upon policy defenses and violation of the regular use restriction)
 
Glover v Shiflett Transport Services, Inc., 718 So.2d 436 (La. App. 4 Cir. 1998)  (Defeated plaintiff's effort to add truck lessor as defendant and greatly enlarge her damages claims)
 
Melancon v. Schneider National, 45823 WL 96 (W.D. La. 1996)  (Won zero jury verdict for interstate motor carrier in large loss interstate accident suit) 
 
Lennix v Schneider National Bulk Transport, 652 So.2d 50 (La. App. 5 Cir. 1995)  (Split liability between our client's illegally backing driver of its fully loaded 18-wheeler tanker and a severely injured under-ride victim in his own small hometown)

Wood v May, 658 So.2d 8 (La. App. 4 Cir. 1995)  (Succeeded in having rear-ended plaintiff held partly at fault for not moving his non-disabled vehicle out of road after initial daytime collision)
 
Juneau v Strawmyer and Farmer Ins. Co., 647 So.2d 1294 (La. App. 4 Cir. 1994)  (Successfully defeated application of Louisiana's unique and plaintiff-friendly legal presumption of medical causation)
 
Purolator Courier Corp. v City of New Orleans, 635 So.2d 1232 (La. App. 4 Cir. 1994)  (Won judgment of no liability at trial for commercial delivery company and its driver who ran a stop sign and broadsided plaintiff's vehicle) 
 
Kelley v Price-Macemon Inc., 992 F.2d 1408 (5 Cir. 1993)  (Won zero jury verdict in product liability wrongful death and survival suit against our insurance client and its commercial insured)

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"Our firm hallmarks are legal excellence, integrity, common sense, and efficiency.  We partner with each  of our clients and always provide them with a calm, steady, experienced hand on the wheel.   

 

We are proud to protect our clients' interests with passion, principle, and professionalism.  We work tirelessly in every matter to provide them with superior legal results at competitive legal rates for their

greatest overall savings possible. 

 

Every case is handled by experienced, first-chair trial counsel who are able to understand the key issues quickly and who are always honest, reasonable, skilled and credible in presenting our client's case to the judge or to the jury, because our clients deserve nothing less." 

Dave Vasser.jpg

Managing Partner
Dave Vasser

Home: Meet the Team

Vasser & Vasser's managing partner is C. David ("Dave") Vasser, Jr., who is married to his lovely wife Trish,  and together they have three wonderful adult children, one very lovely granddaughter, and three terrific dogs. Dave was born and raised in Baton Rouge, and after graduating from LSU Law School he practiced commercial litigation at Louisiana's second largest law firm, in New Orleans, until he co-founded Vasser & Vasser with his father, Claude D. Vasser, Sr., who was a senior partner at Louisiana's largest law firm for more than a quarter of a century.  Before practicing law, Claude was a first Lieutenant in the U.S. Army and a claims adjuster at Travelers Insurance Company, and later he was honored to serve as Loyola Law School's Editor of the Law Review.
 
Dave has substantial experience in all aspects of civil litigation. He has represented numerous insurers and their insureds and numerous transportation companies and their drivers, as well as other types of commercial enterprises in many different types of tort and breach of contract matters, including claims related to general liability, professional liability, transportation liability, premises liability, employer liability for negligent or intentional employee conduct, sexual abuse, discrimination, worker's compensation, and claims of negligent hiring, training and supervision. Dave is a founding member of TIDA, one of the largest and most respected organizations of insurance and transportation companies, claims adjusters and attorneys in the country, and since its inception he has been the designated author of the official Louisiana claims law summary for that national organization. In 2018, Dave was proud to witness his son Brandon graduate law school and become the third generation of the family to be sworn in at the Louisiana Supreme Court and licensed to practice law in this State.

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Vasser & Vasser Law Firm, 516 Myrtle Hill Drive, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70810-4215
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