Kyle L. Gideon joined the firm in 1986 after having served for two years as a law clerk to the Honorable Jerome E. Domengeaux, Chief Judge, Louisiana Third Circuit Court of Appeals.
He specializes in the defense of railroad grade crossing accident cases, F.E.L.A. suits, derailments, ERISA claims litigation, and insurance defense litigation. His ERISA litigation work includes life, disability and health benefit issues. The Railroad and ERISA work complement each other, as both involve complex Federal preemption issues. His practice includes experience in class action law suits in both the railroad litigation and ERISA arenas.
Gideon received his B.A. Degree in 1980 in political science/pre-law from The University of Louisiana at Lafayette and his law degree in 1984 from the Louisiana State University, School of Law.
His strong tie to the legal community is reflected in his membership in the National Association of Railroad Trial Counsel, The Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel, The American Inns of Court and the Lafayette, Louisiana and American Bar Associations. Kyle also regularly attends meetings of the Texas Association of Railroad Trial Counsel and the Claims Conference put on by the Association of American Railroads. He was a charter member of and former member of the Board of Directors of the Lafayette Young Lawyers Association.
Kyle is admitted to practice in all Louisiana courts, the U. S. District Courts for the Eastern, Western, and Middle Districts of Louisiana and the U. S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.
An avid outdoorsman, he is particularly proud of his conservation work, serving on the state board of directors of the Coastal Conservation Association and is a committee member and sponsor of the Lafayete Chapter of Ducks Unlimited.
As an active member in the community, he has worked as a member of the American Red Cross Board of Directors, served as legal chair of the United Way Campaign and is a member of the Greater Lafayette Chamber of Commerce.
A sampling of Kyle L. Gideon's reported cases include:
- Palacios v. Louisiana and Delta Railroad, Inc., 2000 WL 1886351
- Clancy v. Employers Health Ins. Co., 101 F.Supp. 2d 463 (E.D. La 2000)--ERISA
- Clancy v. Employers Health Ins. Co., 82 F.Supp. 2d 589 (E.D. La 1999)--ERISA
- Palacios v. Louisiana and Delta Railroad, Inc., 740 So.2d 95 (La. 1999)
- Palacios v. Louisiana and Delta Railroad, Inc., 721 So.2d 557 (La. App.3rd Cir. 1998)
- Western Company of North America v. Dynasty Transportation, Inc., 696 So.2d 1 (La. App. 3rd Cir. 1997)
- Palacios v. Louisiana and Delta Railroad, Inc., 682 So.2d 806 (La. App. 3rd Cir. 1996)
- MARTCO Partnership v. Lincoln National Life Ins. Co., 86 F.3d 459 (C.A. 5th Cir. 1996)
- Miguez v. Southern Pacific Transportation Company, 645 So.2d 1184 (La. App. 3rd Cir. 1994)
- Bertrand v. Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, 635 So.2d 579 (La. App. 3rd Cir. 1994)
- Coles v. Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, 837 F.Supp 764 (M.D. La. 1993)--ERISA
Hensgens v. Deere & Co., 869 F.2d 879 (C. A. 5th Cir. 1989)
Areas of Concentration:
kgideon@davidsonmeaux.com
