Tulane University, J.D. 1967 University of Louisiana at Lafayette, B.A. 1966
Memberships
Louisiana Bar Foundation Fellow
Maritime Law Association of the United States, Proctor
American Arbitration Association
Board Certified Mediator
Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel
Joel E. Gooch is a partner in the Lafayette office of Allen & Gooch and is a member of the firm's Litigation Group. He has been admitted to United States Supreme Court.
Joel has achieved an AV Martindale-Hubbell rating, which is the highest rating established by this service.
Joel's practice focuses on professional liability defense, including medical malpractice (doctors, hospitals, nursing homes and other health care providers), legal malpractice, and errors and omissions by insurance agents and other professionals. He also handles a significant amount of insurance coverage issues, insurance fraud and defense of energy related companies regarding personal injuries and contract disputes.
Noteworthy Cases
Trial Counsel for defendant in Louisiana Supreme Court decision of Deshotel v. Guichard Operating Company, Inc., 916 So.2d 72 (La. 12/17/04) establishing that Workers Compensation Act's exclusive remedy provision, which applies to employee's non-dependent personal representative and non-dependent relations, does not violate state constitution's open court provision, and employer's executive officers and employees are immune from wrongful death action by non-dependent adult children of employee under Workers Compensation Act's exclusive remedy.
Trial Counsel for defendant in Louisiana Third Circuit Court of Appeal decision of Head v. Continental Casualty Company, 931 So.2d 1192 (La.App. 3 Cir. 5/31/06) establishing that plaintiff's employer's workers compensation insurer had no cause of action against plaintiff employee's prior legal counsel for subrogation/reimbursement of benefits paid due to underlying on job injury.
Amicus Curiae for defendants in Louisiana Supreme Court decision of Hood v. Cotter, No. 2008-C-0215 (LA 12/2/08) wherein conflicting court of appeal decisions on claims made and reported policies were reconciled by recognizing the validity and giving full effect to the coverage limitation of such policies.
