If a vehicle accident caused you physical and emotional pain, a car accident lawyer in Lake Charles, LA, can help. You could qualify to hold the negligent party liable for damages if they are responsible for the crash and your injuries.
Our law firm has over 250 years of combined experience, and we’re ready to help you recover compensation. We’ve successfully recovered over $600 million in compensation for our clients, and when you work with us, you don’t pay us anything unless we win.
Trust Our Louisiana Personal Injury Lawyers To Fight for Maximum Compensation
Our team can assist you in pursuing a fair settlement for your injuries. While automobile crash cases can be complex, a personal injury attorney can guide you through the process and work diligently to help you reach a settlement or recover a court award. The settlements we’re most proud of include:
- A $5,250,000 settlement for a client with a brain injury from a car accident
- A $2,000,000 settlement for a client with spinal cord injuries from a car accident
- A $1,000,000 settlement for a victim of an auto crash
- A $900,000 settlement for a victim of an auto accident
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How an Experienced Attorney Can Help You With Your Case
Distracted, impaired, or inattentive drivers could make careless errors on the road, even though they have an implicit duty of care to operate their vehicles safely. When drivers make mistakes behind the wheel, they threaten the lives and safety of others on the road. As a result, they may be legally negligent and liable for any crashes that result from their actions.
When you work with a personal injury lawyer on our team, we’ll take on your case while you focus on recovering from your injuries and the disruption the crash caused. We handle tasks such as:
- Collecting evidence to support your claim
- Protecting your right to sue the liable party
- Documenting your recoverable damages
- Abiding by all deadlines that apply to your case
- Filing your claim and negotiating with the insurer
- Preparing and proceeding with a personal injury lawsuit, if needed
If you or a loved one suffered physical, emotional, and financial harm in a Lake Charles traffic collision, our team will review your case and explain how we can help. For example, we could seek compensation for you and your family based on the details of what happened and the losses you sustained.
We Work on a Contingency Basis
Our car accident attorneys represent our clients with no upfront fees. Instead, our attorneys receive payment based on contingency, so when we recover a settlement on your behalf, our fees come from this financial recovery, never your bank account.
You do not have to go through this alone. We are here to help, starting with a free legal consultation and case assessment.
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Timeline for Pursuing a Lake Charles Personal Injury Civil Action
Most Louisiana car crash cases settle out of court, meaning the victim never needs to go to trial to recover compensation. But we can often negotiate an agreement with the insurer to pay our clients’ bills during the claims process. Unfortunately, however, this is not true in every case.
If our team needs to take your case to trial, there are time limits we must meet. According to CC Art. 3492, you only have one year to take legal action and file a compensation claim for your injuries. And you’ll have the same time limit of one year if you lost a loved one to file a compensation claim.
Exceptions exist, and you may have more or less than one year to sue. One of our car accident attorneys in Lake Charles, LA, can explain this further based on the circumstances of your crash.
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Automobile Collision Accident Claim Liability
The negligent driver who caused the collision is generally liable for the damages. However, this is complex in Louisiana because of the state’s pure comparative fault statute.
Under this type of comparative fault, determinations of liability are sometimes complicated. Specifically, a claimant in Louisiana can still recover damages even if they are 99% at fault.
Per CC Art. 2323, the court can reduce the plaintiff’s damages in proportion to their fault, which means the claimant and the defendant may share the responsibility for the crash.
For example, if the court finds the claimant 20% liable and the defendant 80% responsible for the accident, the claimant could recover only 80% of their total damages. A car accident attorney from our team can walk you through the negligence principles that may apply to your specific personal injury claim.
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Common Car Wreck Injuries
When you get hit in a car crash, you could suffer a wide range of injuries. Common car wreck injuries include:
- Whiplash
- Broken bones or fractures
- Head trauma
- Spinal cord injuries
- Cuts and bruises
- Traumatic brain injuries
Accident victims should seek immediate medical care following an accident to:
- Ensure they do not suffer any ill effects from unnoticed injuries.
- Document their injuries to support their claim.
Injury documentation is a critical component of any civil case. One of our car crash attorneys in Lake Charles, LA, can help collect the medical documents for your injury claim.
Seeking Medical Treatment and Recovering Damages
Because of the different injuries a person may sustain in an automobile accident, victims may recover several different types of damages depending on their circumstances. Personal injury cases may include compensation for:
- Medical expenses: You could recover damages for ongoing and future medical care, rehabilitation, physical therapy, occupational therapy, emergency room visits, ambulance rides, and transportation to medical appointments.
- Property damage: Including towing or auto repair costs associated with the accident, as well as vehicle replacement costs.
- Transportation fees: If you had to use a rental car or a taxi service while waiting for your car to be repaired.
- Lost wages: If you had to miss work while recovering from the accident, you could be compensated for that time lost. If you cannot return to work in the same capacity or at all, you could also seek damages for lost future earning potential.
- Pain and suffering: This is considered a non-economic damage for victims whose injuries have caused physical pain.
- Loss of enjoyment of life: If you can no longer participate in activities you used to enjoy because of your injuries, you could recover this damage.
- Wrongful death: If a loved one passed away in the accident, you could sue for wrongful death. This could include any medical bills, funeral and burial costs, cremation costs, and loss of income from the decedent.
- Loss of consortium: If you suffered injuries in a car crash in Lake Charles, you could recover damages for losing your connection with your spouse.
A car accident lawyer in Lake Charles, LA, can assist you in gathering medical records and bills supporting your personal injury claim. Your recoverable damages will depend heavily on the severity and type of injuries.
For example, individuals who sustained soft tissue injuries in a car crash may undergo months of physical therapy and strengthening exercises to improve their range of motion and reduce pain. On the other hand, those with severe head, neck, or back injuries may face permanent disability and years of treatment. In addition, since various complications may accompany severe injuries, some victims may require specialized long-term care to manage their condition.
How To Prove Your Damages
You should keep any bills or receipts you receive when pursuing a car accident lawsuit. Having your bills available lets you show the insurance adjuster the care you received when you meet with the insurance company. Make sure to keep the following documentation:
- Receipts for collision repairs, towing, and a rental car
- Medical bills for current and ongoing medical care, emergency room, and ambulance bills
A car accident attorney can give you more information on the documentation you need to gather.
What To Do After a Vehicle Collision
A car accident is a stressful event that can cause emotional distress. If you are physically able, it is important to document important information immediately following an accident. After you have confirmed the accident scene is safe, you should:
- Check to see if anyone from the accident has injuries. If so, call for medical attention. Even if there is a small injury, you need to document it.
- Call the police and file a police report.
- Take pictures of all damage and injuries. If something could be pertinent to the case, take a photo.
- Gather information from all parties involved in the accident. This includes their name, contact information, and insurance information.
- Take any notes of how the accident occurred and other relevant information.
- Contact your insurance company and inform them you’ve been in a crash.
Gathering this information directly after an accident can help your car accident attorney build your case in Lake Charles, LA. The stronger your evidence is, the higher your chance of winning your case.
Car Crash Statistics in Louisiana
According to 2021 crash data from Louisiana State University (LSU), there were 2,277 car crashes in Lake Charles, also known as Calcasieu Parish. Fifteen of the crashes were fatal, and five of the fatal crashes had alcohol involved.
The most common age range for drivers under the influence in a fatal accident is their mid-20s.
The Most Dangerous Louisiana Roads
In addition to drunk driving accidents, the condition and traffic volumes also contribute to many crashes. For example, the I-10 in Louisiana is one of the state’s busiest and most dangerous roads.
The roads and bridges are worn down, making drivers more likely to suffer accident injuries. Other roads that see high traffic and frequent accidents in the state include:
- US-61
- US-190
- US-171
- I-20
Our Lawyers Can Help With Your Car Accident Case in Lake Charles
At our law office, we have the experience and knowledge to help with your car accident lawsuit. We work relentlessly to ensure you receive fair compensation for your injuries. Our car accident attorney in Lake Charles, LA, is always here for our clients in the following ways:
- We are available all the time. A car accident attorney is always available to answer your questions or update your status.
- Negotiating with the insurance company to ensure you obtain the maximum compensation you qualify for.
- We offer free consultations, during which we can review your case and give you an estimate of how much your car accident lawsuit could be worth. During your consultation, we’ll also walk you through the possible timeline for your case, so you know the timeframe.
Call for a Free Consultation with a Lake Charles Car Accident Attorney
You do not have to go through the legal process of seeking financial recovery after a crash in Lake Charles, LA, alone. If you were injured in an auto wreck due to another person’s negligence, you could benefit from having a Laborde Earles car accident lawyer by your side.
Call us or fill out the contact form on our website for a free initial consultation for your injuries after your Calcasieu Parish crash.
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