Louisiana § RS 37:93 - Proportionate liability

§ RS 37:93. Proportionate liability

Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, no judgment for money damages may be entered against any licensee or any employee or principal of a licensee by any person or entity claiming to have been injured by the licensee, employee, or principal except in accordance with the provisions of this Section:

(1)  If the party seeking a judgment for damages against the licensee, employee, or principal proves that the licensee, employee, or principal acted with the deliberate intent to deceive, manipulate, or defraud for his or its own direct pecuniary benefit, the liability shall be determined according to the principles that generally apply to such an action.

(2)  If the licensee, employee, or principal is not proven to have acted with the deliberate intent to deceive, manipulate, or defraud for his or its own direct pecuniary benefit, the amount of the liability in damages shall be determined as follows:

(a)  The trier of fact shall determine the percentage of responsibility of the plaintiff, of each of the defendants, and of each of the other persons or entities alleged by the parties to have caused or contributed to the harm alleged by the plaintiff.  In determining the percentages of responsibility, the trier of fact shall consider both the nature of the conduct of each person and the nature and extent of the causal relationship between that conduct and the damage claimed by the plaintiff.

(b)  The trier of fact shall next determine the total amount of damages suffered by the plaintiff caused in whole or in part by the plaintiff, the defendants, and other persons alleged to have caused or contributed to the damage.

(c)  The trier of fact shall then multiply the percentage of responsibility of the licensee, employee, or principal by the total amount of damages and shall enter a judgment or verdict against the licensee, employee, or principal in an amount no greater than the product of those two factors.

(d)  In no event shall the damages awarded against or paid by a licensee, employee, or principal exceed the amount determined in Subparagraph (c) of this Paragraph.  The licensee, employee, or principal shall not be jointly liable on any judgment entered against any other party to the action.

(e)  Except where a contractual relationship permits, no defendant shall have a right to recover from a licensee, employee, or principal any portion of the percentage of damages assessed against such defendant.

Acts 1999, No. 473, §1, eff. June 18, 1999.