Tammi Young Jardneaux v. Guernsey Holdings Sdi Tx Holdings Co, LLC

── Tammi Young Jardneaux v. Guernsey Holdings Sdi Tx Holdings Co, LLC ── Court: Louisiana Court of Appeal Date: May 13, 2026 Category: General STATE OF LOUISIANA COURT OF APPEAL, THIRD CIRCUIT 25-548 TAMMI YOUNG JARDNEAUX VERSUS GUERNSEY HOLDINGS SDI TX HOLDINGS CO, LLC & ZENITH INSURANCE COMPANY ********** ON APPEAL FROM THE OFFICE OF WORKERS’ COMPENSATION, DISTRICT 3 PARISH OF CALCASIEU, NO. 24-03886 THOMAS E. TOWNSLEY, WORKERS’ COMPENSATION JUDGE ********** JONATHAN W. PERRY JUDGE ********** Court composed of Elizabeth A. Pickett, Jonathan W. Perry, and Wilbur L. Stiles, Judges. AFFIRMED. Megan C. Gladner Blue Williams, LLC 3421 North Causeway Blvd., Suite 900 Metairie, Louisiana 70002 (504) 830-4980 COUNSEL FOR DEFENDANTS/APPELLANTS: Guernsey Holdings SDI TX Holdings Co, LLC & Zenith Insurance Company Roy Wygant Cox, Cox, Filo, Camel, Wilson & Brown, LLC 723 Broad Street Lake Charles, Louisiana 70601 (337) 436-6611 COUNSEL FOR PLAINTIFF/APPELLEE: Tammi Young Jardneaux PERRY, Judge. In this workers’ compensation case, the employer and its workers’ compensation insurer appeal the various penalties and the attorney fee awarded to the injured worker. We affirm. FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY This case arose from a work accident on May 23, 2024, when Tammi Jardneaux (“Ms. Jardneaux”) injured her shoulder, head, and leg as a result of her employment as a carhop at the Kinder Sonic (“Sonic”).1 Ms. Jardneaux stated that she was cleaning out the unventilated shed, became heated, and felt dizzy. She walked into the front of the Sonic restaurant and was placed in a chair. After sitting in the chair, Ms. Jardneaux passed out and fell out of the chair. The left side of her head struck the concrete floor, leaving a knot on the left side of her head above her ear; she also struck her left shoulder and arm, as well as her left knee and leg. Ms. Jardneaux was taken from Sonic by ambulance to West Allen Hospital and then airlifted to Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center (“Lourdes”) in Lafayette where she was treated for a stroke. There, she was diagnosed as having had a stroke and tPA, a very aggressive blood thinner, was administered by Dr. Saad Karim (“Dr. Karim”), a board certified vascular neurologist, to abort the stroke. After a two-day hospital stay at Lourdes, Ms. Jardneaux was told not to go back to work and to see her family physician, Dr. Patrick England (“Dr. England”). 1 For clarity, the legal name of the defendant/employer is Guernsey Holdings SDI TX Holdings Co., LLC. However, it is known and referred to in the record as Sonic. For ease of reference, we will refer to the employer/appellant as Sonic.  Ms. Jardneaux saw Dr. England on May 31, 2024. At that time, Ms. Jardneaux had bruising on the left side of her body from her shoulder to her elbow and from mid-thigh to mid-calf. On June 4, 2024, Ms. Jardneaux was notified that Sonic was controverting her workers’ compensation claim, questioning whether her injury was due to a pre- existing condition or disease that was the cause of her fainting spell. Counsel for Ms. Jardneaux filed a disagreement, stating “No pre-existing condition caused client’s injuries. There is no medical basis that this is true. Claimant was injured in the course & scope of her job.” Thereafter, on August 5, 2024, Ms. Jardneaux filed her petition for wage benefits, medical treatment, penalties and attorney fees, against Sonic and its insurer, Zenith Insurance Company, (collectively, “Defendants”). On or about August 23, 2024, Dr. Brett Cascio (“Dr. Cascio”) filed a request with Zenith, seeking to evaluate and treat Ms. Jardneaux’s left knee pain and left shoulder pain. Shortly thereafter