Marionneaux v. The Advocate et al

Case Background

Robert Marionneaux filed an auto negligence lawsuit against Wilson Alexander, his UIM carrier, Farm Bureau, and subsequently his employer, The Advocate seeking damages for injuries caused in a rear-end collision.

The lawsuit was filed in the Iberville Parish Courthouse, Plaquemine, Louisiana. Judge Tonya S. Lurry presided over this lawsuit. [Case number: 80592]

Cause

Robert Marionneaux, 32, described himself as a law student at Southern University and a law clerk at the Marionneaux Law Firm in Baton Rouge. On July 30, 2020, at 8:30 a.m., he drove a late-model GMC Denali SUV on the Perkins Road entrance ramp to I-10 in Baton Rouge. The ramp was reportedly short.

Wilson Alexander followed behind him in a Kia SUV. Alexander, a beat writer covering LSU football for The Advocate, was heading home to his apartment after picking up his laundry. The Advocate operated under Capital City Press.

Moments later, Alexander rear-ended Marionneaux.

Injury

Marionneaux sought treatment that day at Lake After Hours urgent care for radiating lower back pain. Doctors later diagnosed him with disc injuries at L4-5 and L5-S1. He underwent epidural steroid injections, but his condition persisted. His treating neurosurgeon, Dr. Eric Oberlander, recommended a two-level fusion surgery.

Damages

Marionneaux accumulated $82,347 in medical bills. He also based his claim on the need for future medical care.

Key Arguments and Proceedings

Legal Representation

  • Plaintiff(s): Robert Marionneaux
    • Counsel for Plaintiff(s): Michael P. Fruge | A.M. “Tony” Clayton | Keondra Riley
  • Defendant(s): Wilson Alexander | Farm Bureau Insurance | The Advocate
    • Counsel for Defendant(s): Daniel R. Atkinson | Stetson S. Aubrey | Matthew L. Mann | Valerie B. Bargas

Claims

Marionneaux initially sued Alexander, who carried a $50,000 policy with Garrison Casualty. He also pursued underinsured motorist coverage from his insurer, Farm Bureau, which had a $2.5 million policy limit. Farm Bureau partially settled, paying $500,000 upfront.

However, Farm Bureau tried to shift blame, arguing another party shared responsibility. It added The Advocate as a third-party defendant, claiming Alexander was acting within the scope of his job at the time. In response, Marionneaux amended his lawsuit to include the newspaper as a Defendant.

His argument relied on Alexander’s role as an LSU football reporter, which required constant availability. Even while picking up laundry, Alexander could have tweeted about football or taken a call from a coach.

Defense

Alexander claimed Marionneaux stopped suddenly, but the court resolved liability through summary judgment. The ruling found Alexander solely at fault.

Alexander defended the case as best he could, though his efforts were limited by his insurance coverage. Meanwhile, Farm Bureau relied on two main arguments. First, it claimed the $500,000 payment had fully compensated Marionneaux. Second, it argued that if more was owed, The Advocate should pay because Alexander was allegedly working at the time.

The Advocate dismissed Farm Bureau’s claim as an attempt to avoid its UIM coverage. It pointed out that Alexander was driving his personal car and running a personal errand unrelated to his job. Furthermore, although the crash happened at 8:30 a.m., Alexander did not post his first tweet until nearly noon. However, Marionneaux countered that Alexander’s social media presence suggested he was always working.

Jury Verdict

The trial lasted three days in Plaquemine. Since fault was not disputed, on January 16, 2025, the jury first determined that Marionneaux suffered injuries in the crash. It then found that Alexander had been acting within the scope of his employment at the time. This decision made The Advocate liable as his employer.

Next, the jury addressed damages. Marionneaux received $82,793 for past medical expenses and $340,141 for future medical costs. He also secured $16 million in non-economic damages across seven categories:

  • Past pain and suffering: $1,000,000
  • Future pain and suffering: $1,000,000
  • Past mental anguish: $2,000,000
  • Future mental anguish: $1,000,000
  • Past loss of enjoyment of life: $4,000,000
  • Future loss of enjoyment of life: $6,000,000
  • Disability: $3,000,000

The jury rejected a claim for scarring.

In total, Marionneaux was awarded $18,422,935. However, the verdict appeared to exhaust The Advocate’s policy and nearly all of Farm Bureau’s remaining UIM coverage.

Court Documents:

Documents are available for purchase upon request at jurimatic@exlitem.com