The First Thing We Need to Find Out Is Who Is Liable for the Accident

In every personal injury case, the plaintiff assigns fault to a negligent party. However, the burden of proof falls on the plaintiff, so they must also be able to prove how the opposing party’s negligence led to the accident that caused their injuries and that the opposing party was, in fact, negligent. The Legal Information Institute (LII) describes a basic setup of a case argument using the four elements of negligence:

  • Duty of care: The opposing party owed the plaintiff a general duty to keep the plaintiff from harm.
  • Breach of duty: The opposing party’s negligence—be it in the form of their actions or omissions—violated this duty of care, meaning they failed to fulfill this task.
  • Causation: Because the opposing party breached their duty, they caused an accident.
  • Damages: The plaintiff suffered injuries—either bodily injuries or harm to their property—in the accident caused by the opposing party.

You May Be Able to Financially Recover from Your Damages

Personal injury cases can involve minor injuries that snowballed into large setbacks and major injuries that immediately impacted a person’s life. If your injuries caused you several kinds of damages, they may be calculated to determine how much compensation you need to recover your losses. Your legal team might help you calculate your:

  • Medical expenses
  • Property damage costs
  • Loss of income
  • Reduced earning potential
  • Out-of-pocket expenses, such as for prescription medicines or medical equipment

However, not every type of damage has a financial value. Non-economic damages generally get compared to your monetary damages and assigned a value that reflects their impact on your life. These types of damages might include:

  • Pain and suffering
  • Permanent disability
  • Loss of quality of life
  • Loss of consortium

A Chalmette personal injury lawyer from our firm can work with you throughout this process and advise you on when to pursue compensation. If you are still going through extensive medical procedures or other financial damages, your lawyer might also refer to appropriate expert witnesses to determine the trajectory of your recovery or strain. By doing so, they may be able to estimate future damages you might experience and include this value into your compensation demands.

Our team wants to be as accurate as possible when calculating your damages because you will not be able to pursue additional compensation once you accept a settlement offer or receive a verdict in a court trial. While your case is on a strict deadline, we also do not want to rush this stage of preparing your case, lest we risk underestimating your future needs.

To start this process, call Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers today or contact us online. A representative of our law firm can review your case for free and take notes on the damages you have already experienced.

Do Not Forget to File Your Case by Its Deadline

Personal injury tort cases must be filed by the deadline set by the statute of limitations. In Louisiana, CC Art. 3492 dictates that plaintiffs have two years from the date of their injury to file their civil action lawsuit against the party who caused them harm.

However, this is a general deadline and does not necessarily apply to all personal injury cases. Other factors like whether your case involves a minor, a municipality, or medical malpractice might change the statutory deadline. You can consult your lawyer about the statute of limitations applicable to your case.

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Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers Handles Many Types of Personal Injury Cases

Our law firm has practiced in several areas of personal injury tort law. Because personal injury law covers many situations in which a person might get seriously hurt or have their property damaged, cases may be categorized in the following ways:

  • Premises liability cases, which apply to injuries that happen on someone else’s property
  • Product liability cases, which apply to injuries caused by defects in products sold in the public market
  • Automobile accident cases, which apply to injuries caused by motor vehicles or hazards on the road
  • Medical malpractice cases, which apply to injuries caused by medical errors
  • Maritime accident cases, which involve injuries caused by water vessels or hazards in open water

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Michelle Brouillette is a wonderful addition to the Laborde Earles team.

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Melanie B.

Stephanie Brooks was wonderful to work with! She was very professional during our interaction and extremely pleasant throughout the entire process. He...

Stephanie Brooks was wonderful to work with! She was very professional during our interaction and extremely pleasant throughout the entire process. Her kindness and clear communication made everything smooth and easy. Highly recommend working with her and the Laborde Earles Law Firm!

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Jenifer Leger Dendy

Lafayette

Working with Toni Stelly has been a great experience. She is compassionate and listens to me when I have a concern or need some information. Toni is q...

Working with Toni Stelly has been a great experience. She is compassionate and listens to me when I have a concern or need some information. Toni is quick to respond to my questions and gets things done!! Good experience working with this firm.

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kelly

Lake Charles

I am very impressed with Jillie Boone’s professionalism and dedication. She demonstrates excellent communication skills, strong attention to det...

I am very impressed with Jillie Boone’s professionalism and dedication. She demonstrates excellent communication skills, strong attention to detail, and a high level of reliability. Jillie consistently goes above and beyond to ensure that everything is handled efficiently and with care. Her knowledge and work ethic make her an outstanding professional, and I would highly recommend her!

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jazlynn meece

Baton Rouge

Elizabeth Lachney was super helpful in explaining a lot of things i didnt understand about my case. Very respectful and seemed so welling to help me! ...

Elizabeth Lachney was super helpful in explaining a lot of things i didnt understand about my case. Very respectful and seemed so welling to help me! She is the best, I 1000% recommend her if you have any questions!

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skylar bachman

New Iberia

I had an amazing experience working with my paralegal, Wesley Guillory, at Laborde Earles Law Firm. Wesley went above and beyond for me throughout the...

I had an amazing experience working with my paralegal, Wesley Guillory, at Laborde Earles Law Firm. Wesley went above and beyond for me throughout the entire process. He was always patient, knowledgeable, and quick to respond to any questions I had. What stood out most was how genuinely he cared. He made sure I understood every step and always made me feel supported and informed.

Wesley’s professionalism and compassion truly set him apart. He made a stressful situation so much easier, and I’m incredibly grateful for all of his hard work. I highly recommend Wesley and the entire Laborde Earles team. They really do put their clients first.

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Jaine Fisher

Lafayette

I am able to witness Karely Cornwell handle calls from people who are in need of Laborde Earles services. She is always polite and professional. I thi...

I am able to witness Karely Cornwell handle calls from people who are in need of Laborde Earles services. She is always polite and professional. I think it’s safe to assume that the majority of people who call in are stressed and to have someone who is calm and kind taking the call is a great representation of the company.

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Debbie Fontenot

Marksville

Michelle Brouillette is always so pleasant whenever I call or stop by the office. She always has a smile on her face.

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Christine G.

Eryn Laughlin is a good employee, we love her!

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anonymous

Car Accident

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A Chalmette Personal Injury Lawyer from Our Firm Wants to Help You

If a personal injury uprooted your life, whether your injuries drastically changed your physical capabilities or caused you major financial setbacks (or both), call Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers to represent you in your case. Our personal injury team wants to help you prepare your claim or lawsuit and fight for the compensation you deserve.

Still need more information? Call our office today for a free consultation with a team member here at Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers. They can explain your potential legal options, including the next steps on what to submit to your lawyer, so they can begin working on your case right away.

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