An Abbeville personal injury lawyer may be able to help ensure the financial impact of your collision falls onto the right shoulders. At Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers, we can take steps on your behalf to hold the at-fault party responsible for your economic and non-economic damages.
To learn more, you can discuss your case with our team during a free case review. We may be able to file your insurance claim or sue the at-fault driver and collect a payout to cover the expenses and losses you incurred.
Car Accidents Affect Victims Physically and Financially
A car accident can change your life and alter your physical abilities in seconds. Even an accident that seems like a minor fender-bender can leave victims with substantial injuries. Months out of work or long-term impairments can create a mountain of medical bills and other debt.
You should not have to struggle financially after an Abbeville crash that another driver caused. Under Louisiana law, you can seek compensation for a wide range of expenses and losses due to your accident. This could include:
- Your medical assessment and treatment
- Hiring in-home help
- Renting or purchasing special medical or mobility equipment
- Renovating your home for your medical needs
- Repairing your vehicle
- Future medical needs
- Additional related expenses
- Pain and suffering
- Other intangible damages
We also help families seek compensation based on the state’s wrongful death statute, CC Art. 2315.2. This law allows spouses, children, and parents of those involved in fatal car accidents to pursue damages that cover the family’s economic and non-economic losses, including funeral and burial costs.
Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers will Fight for Your Recovery
At Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers, our team helps collision victims from Vermilion Parish build support for their claim and seek a payout based on their damages. Our attorney also understands the unique circumstances that could affect the pursuit of compensation if a commercial truck driver caused your crash.
If you or a family member sustained injuries in a collision, we may be able to help you navigate an insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit. It may be possible to avoid a lengthy trial and negotiate an insurance settlement instead. This requires us to:
- Gather, analyze, and organize evidence to show fault
- Document your injuries and losses, and value the claim
- Demand a fair payout from the insurer based on the case we built
- Negotiate with the insurance adjuster to reach a fair settlement
If the insurer refuses to agree on a settlement that we believe is fair, we may need to prepare and file a civil lawsuit in a Vermilion Parish court. Not all lawsuits go to trial, but we are prepared to represent you through a verdict and beyond.
Our lawyers work on a contingency fee basis. This means payment for our attorney’s fees is “contingent” on your case’s success. If we cannot get compensation for you and your family, you do not owe us payment for our legal services.
Proving Fault in an Abbeville Car Accident Claim
Establishing the cause of a collision is the key to defining fault and assigning financial liability. Your legal team will need to determine the cause of the crash and how the other party’s negligence led to it.
All drivers have a duty to follow traffic laws and drive in a way that does not harm others. This obligation begins the moment a motorist gets behind the wheel. When a motorist breaches this duty of care for any reason, they may be at fault for any collision that occurs.
Common Driving Behaviors That Cause Accidents
According to Louisiana State University’s Center for Analytics and Research in Transportation Safety (CARTS), these are among the leading causes of car injury and fatality accidents:
- Distracted driving
- Exceeding the speed limit
- Following too closely
- Ignoring traffic signs and signals
- Alcohol and drug use
Our team may be able to prove fault in your accident, appropriately assign financial liability, and pursue financial recovery from the at-fault driver or their insurance company.
Compiling Documents That Prove Your Claim’s Value
From the moment of impact in a car accident, expenses start adding up. When you are ready to file an insurance claim for financial compensation, various forms of evidence will help your lawyer understand and document your damages.
Using proof of your damages, they can complete tasks such as assigning value to your accident-related expenses, building a claim, and helping you receive a payment that covers your losses.
Some documents that can bolster your claim include:
- Hospital and rehabilitation facility bills
- Bills for medical equipment and assistive devices
- Pay stubs and employment records
- Auto repair and replacement bills
When it is time to negotiate compensation for your claim, these records will help you understand the range to expect. Your lawyer will be able to explain what a fair settlement might look like in more detail when this time comes.
It is a good idea to keep copies of any paperwork or bills you receive for your personal records and share them with your lawyer.
Time is of the Essence After a Car Accident in Abbeville
A personal injury insurance claim or lawsuit allows you to recover a payout from the at-fault driver or their insurance company. Time limits may limit how long you have to file your claim, though. CC Art. 3492 grants you only one year to take your case to trial.
That means that in one year, you will have to:
- Compile records and data
- Prove fault for the accident
- Obtain police reports
- Gather medical records
- Interview witnesses
- File an insurance claim
- Negotiate with the insurer
- Determine if you can reach a fair settlement
These tasks can quickly eat up time. Doctor’s appointments, physical therapy, or caring for a loved one can quickly turn days into months. If you do not act within the state’s statute of limitations, you will likely forfeit your ability to file a lawsuit against the negligent party.
While you focus on healing, your Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers attorney can concentrate on lessening or eliminating the financial impact of the accident. Your Abbeville car accident lawyer can share how various deadlines implemented by the state affect your case for compensation.
Seek Medical Attention Following Any Collision
When you or a family member suffer harm in a car accident, the severity of your injuries will determine the financial impact of your medical bills. From emergency room physicians to bone setting specialists to surgical teams, every injury you experience will create a new set of expenses.
Some injuries you might suffer in a car accident include:
- Whiplash
- Concussion
- Head injuries
- Broken or fractured bones
- Cuts, scrapes, and bruises
- Internal bleeding
- Dismemberment
- Disfigurement
After being in a car accident, no matter how minor it may initially seem, you should seek medical attention for your injuries. Even if you can walk away from the accident scene seemingly unscathed, internal bleeding and spinal cord damage may not be evident right away. Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), whiplash, and other injuries may take time to become symptomatic, as well.
Seeking prompt medical attention not only promotes your health and well-being but can also tie your injuries to the collision. This makes it more difficult for the insurer to deny your claim and allege that your injuries did not occur because of the crash.
Talk with Us About Your Abbeville Car Accident Injuries Today
The team at Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers wants to help you seek compensation. Let us take on your accident-related legal burdens today.
To begin a free case review, call the Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers office in Lafayette at (337) 777-7777.
