When you need a car accident attorney based in Lafayette, you don’t want to choose any lawyer you find online. It’s important to work with legal professionals who have the following qualifications:
- They understand Louisiana personal injury law.
- They have experience settling your specific type of accident and injury.
- They have built professional relationships in the Lafayette court system.
If you have been hurt in a collision, a lawyer from Laborde Earles who specializes in car wreck claims is qualified to evaluate your situation.
We will let you know if you are eligible for compensation for the damages you incurred as a result of your accident. Call us today at (337) 284-9548 for a free, no-obligation consultation.
Lafayette, Louisiana Car Accident FAQs
These frequently asked questions are the place to start when you’re thinking about filing a car accident lawsuit, but this is just a general overview. For more in-depth information, speak to one of our attorneys directly.
What Do Car Accident Lawyers Do?
Is It Worth Getting a Lawyer for a Car Accident?
When Should You Hire an Attorney for a Car Accident?
How Much Will My Car Accident Settlement Be?
How Much Does a Lawyer Cost for a Car Accident?
What Must You Prove to Establish Liability in an Injury Lawsuit?
What Do Car Accident Lawyers Do?
In addition to advising you about your rights and filing paperwork, your Lafayette car wreck attorney will take care of the following tasks to get your life back on track.
Get Compensation for Your Injuries
Every Lafayette car accident is unique. The amount of money damages you can seek will depend on the facts of your situation. These are some examples of the types of damages we have won for our clients:
Get Your Medical Expenses
We may be able to pursue damages to cover the reasonable cost of medical treatment you needed for your injuries, such as the costs for the ambulance, emergency room, doctors, hospital, surgery, prescription drugs, x-rays, lab tests, and physical therapy.
Get Reimbursement for Your Lost Wages
If you did not get paid for some or all of the time you missed from work because of your wounds, you can include that amount in your claim.
Collect Damages for Non-Economic Losses
Many people experience harm that does not come with invoices or receipts, like disfigurement, loss of the enjoyment of life, and pain and suffering. We can calculate the value of these items.
Get Compensation for a Wrongful Death
Our wrongful death lawyers might be able to pursue additional compensation for legal beneficiaries if your close relative died from injuries sustained in a Lafayette car accident.
For a free legal consultation with a car accident lawyer serving Lafayette, call (337) 777-7777
What Laborde Earles Did for One Louisiana Family
When this family’s son was seriously injured in a vehicle accident, they didn’t know where to turn. Our personal injury lawyers made sure their needs were taken care of so they could attend to their child.
Is It Worth Getting a Lawyer for a Car Accident?
A Lafayette car wreck lawyer is essential if you’ve been injured in an accident and another party was at fault. While you have the legal right to represent yourself during negotiations with the at-fault party’s insurance, it may end up costing you in the long run. At the very least, you should consider consulting with a wreck lawyer to make sure you understand your options.
In most cases, accident claims that settle without an attorney settle for far less than they would have if the injured party negotiated with insurance claims adjusters on their own. As attorneys, we take on the insurance companies on a regular basis. We know their tricks, and we understand how to avoid them so you won’t settle for less than you deserve.
When Should You Hire an Attorney for a Car Accident?
Call our Lafayette car accident law firm as soon as you are physically able to do so. While it may not seem like a big deal to wait a few days or even a few weeks to get the process of a lawsuit started, the truth is any delay can cause your settlement to be reduced.
Any accident attorney can tell you that over time witness memories will fade. Witnesses may also become difficult to track down, or valuable evidence you need to prove liability can be damaged or lost. The longer you wait to reach out to us, the greater the chance that you won’t get the full value of your claim.
How Much Will My Car Accident Settlement Be?
Our Lafayette car accident attorneys will give you an estimated value of your damages once we’ve had the opportunity to review your evidence. The following are examples of awards we have secured for car accident victims we’ve represented in the past.
- $5.25 million for an auto accident that resulted in brain damage
- $5 million for a paralyzed driver
- $2 million for an accident that caused spinal cord injuries
While there is no guarantee that you can expect similar results in your case, one thing you can count on is that we will work hard to get you the highest possible settlement that your evidence warrants.
How Much Does a Lawyer Cost for a Car Accident?
You might be wondering if it’s worth filing a lawsuit because you’ve heard that lawyers are expensive, and you don’t have hundreds or even thousands to spend on a retainer. This may be how the law works on television shows, but this isn’t how accident lawyers work.
When you call our Lafayette car accident lawyers, your initial consultation will be completely free of charge. You will be under no obligation to work with us, and your information will be kept confidential. If you do decide you’d like us to represent you, we will work on a contingency plan. We will get paid for our services when and only if your case settles or we win in court.
What Must You Prove to Establish Liability in an Injury Lawsuit?
Your Lafayette car accident lawyer will have to prove all four of these elements of liability before the at-fault driver can be held responsible for your losses:
Duty of Care
The defendant (the driver who caused the crash) must have owed you a legal duty. Everyone who operates a motor vehicle on public streets has an obligation to drive safely and obey traffic laws.
Breach of Duty
When a person’s conduct does not measure up to the legal standard, it is negligence. For example, if Lafayette car wreck lawyers can demonstrate that the defendant’s blood alcohol level was higher than the legal limit, we can prove they were negligent.
Causation
The negligence must be the thing that caused the accident that hurt you. If the defendant passed out at the wheel because he was intoxicated and his car veered into your lane and caused the collision, he would be liable for your injuries.
Measurable Damages
You must have quantifiable losses from the accident. Physical injuries count as measurable damages. When we can prove all four of these factors, we can go after the defendant for your losses.
Lafayette Car Accident Lawyer Near Me (337) 777-7777
Talk to a Lafayette Car Accident Attorney
Although the law does not require you to work with a lawyer on your injury claim, it can be a wise choice to do so. A Lafayette car accident lawyer can help you avoid possible mistakes that can decrease the amount of compensation you can recover. An attorney can deal directly with the claims adjuster so that you can devote your full attention to getting better.
Anyone can become a victim of a car accident in Louisiana, and when it happens to you, you’ll need the resources we can provide.
Click to contact our Lafayette Personal Injury Lawyers today
How a Lawyer Can Help You Focus on Rebuilding Your Life
People often feel overwhelmed when trying to battle insurance companies. Insurers do not make their profits by paying out the full value of valid claims to injured people. Rather, insurance companies gamble on being able to pay less than people deserve. To accomplish this goal, insurers hire investigators, lawyers, and claims adjusters to refute your claims.
Even one slip-up on your part can doom your right to compensation. For example, you have only a short time to take legal action against the person who harmed you under Louisiana Civil Code Art. 3492. If you miss the deadline, you can lose the right to damages.
For a free legal consultation with a car accident lawyer serving Lafayette, call Laborde Earles at (337) 284-9548
Call or text (337) 777-7777 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
