Part One: Alfred Austin v. Abney Mills, Inc.: The Full Impact of the Louisiana Supreme Court's Decision to Uphold a Landmark Ruling

photo-4Recently, the Louisiana Supreme Court reached a decision in Alfred Austin v. Abney Mills, Inc.¹ The court addressed the highly disputed issue of when a cause of action in a long latency occupational disease case arises for the purpose of triggering the Louisiana Workers Compensation Act. Because Louisiana enacted significant changes in their Workers Compensation Law in 1975 and in 1976, the effect of exactly which Act is triggered in an occupational disease case is extremely important in the liability faced by employers and their insurers. This article will explain the legal issues associated with employer liability in occupational …