If you or someone you love was hurt in a rear-end collision in Lake Charles, you could be entitled to financial recovery from the at-fault driver or their insurance provider.
Louisiana State University’s (LSU’s) Center for Analytics and Research in Transportation compiled 2019 statistics that cite rear-end collisions as the cause or contributing factor in:
- Crashes that resulted in injuries: 15,305
- Crashes that resulted in fatalities: 80
- Crashes that resulted in property damage: 40,090
Consider hiring a Lake Charles rear-end collision lawyer to represent you in your case against a negligent driver. They will thoroughly investigate your accident, establish your right to financial recovery, determine the appropriate monetary value for your claim, and skillfully negotiate an insurance settlement on your behalf.
Whiplash Is a Primary Injury in Lake Charles Rear-End Collisions
A Lake Charles rear-end collision can result in various disabling injuries, significantly impacting your life and limiting your income-earning potential. One such injury is whiplash, commonly associated with these types of accidents.
According to Mayo Clinic, rear-end car crashes are a leading cause of whiplash and could require:
- Pain management, including over-the-counter and prescription medications.
- Prolonged restorative rest, allowing your body to heal over time.
- Injections of numbing medication that help you cope with physical therapy.
- Physical therapy involving stretching and exercises to restore range of motion.
- Foam collars and other assistive medical devices that strategically position your head and neck.
Your compensation claim can include the cost of these treatments, required diagnostic tests, and exams. Suppose you can establish the at-fault driver’s negligence. In that case, they can be held financially responsible for the cost of treating your whiplash and any other injuries you sustained in the rear-end collision.
Identifying Whiplash Symptoms after Your Lake Charles Auto Accident
In the event of a Lake Charles accident, emergency medical technicians will likely stabilize your head and neck and then transport you to a local emergency room. Following this, a diagnosis of whiplash may be made.
However, if you declined emergency medical care, promptly reach out to your doctor, especially if you experience the following whiplash symptoms:
- Rigid, painful neck
- Pain that worsens with motion
- Limited range of motion
- Unexplained headaches
- Arm tenderness, tingling, or numbness
- Visual impairment
- Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
- Trouble sleeping
Prompt medical care after a car accident is essential to a full physical recovery. Our legal team can help you seek financial recovery for the full scope of health care you receive in the aftermath of a rear-end collision in Calcasieu Parish.
Additionally, you may be eligible to seek compensation for the lost income and missed work due to the time required for your injuries and treatments.
Other Common Types of Injuries You Could Suffer in a Rear-End Accident
In addition to whiplash, you could suffer severe or even catastrophic injuries in a rear-end car accident if other parties engage in negligent actions. Common injuries Lake Charles accident victims suffer include:
- Spinal cord injury
- Traumatic brain injury
- Broken bones
- Lacerations
- Internal bleeding
- Organ damage
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How Our Attorneys Prove Negligence
To be eligible for compensation for your injuries, you must prove that the party was negligent. To do this, your rear-end accident attorney in Lake Charles, LA, has to prove the following elements:
- The party owed you a reasonable amount of care to avoid harming you
- The party failed to give you reasonable care because they performed negligent actions or failed to take preventative actions
- You suffered injuries as a result of their negligent actions
- Your injuries have caused you to suffer financial and non-financial losses
If all of these elements exist in your case, you could file a personal injury claim to recover compensation to cover costs such as your medical expenses.
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What Parties Can Be Liable for Your Lake Charles Car Wreck?
When you get into a rear-end crash, there may be another responsible party besides the driver. Common liable parties in Lake Charles car accidents include:
Vehicle Manufacturer
You can hold a vehicle manufacturer for injuries you sustain in a rear-end car accident. For example, a defect in the vehicle’s braking system could make it more difficult or impossible for the driver to stop and avoid hitting the car in front of them.
In these cases, if the defect is the direct cause of the accident and subsequent injuries, the vehicle manufacturer may be responsible for the damages.
This can include:
- Compensation for medical bills
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering
- Other damages related to the accident
It’s important to note that liability in these cases can be difficult to determine. This is because it involves multiple parties, such as the manufacturer of the defective part or the dealership that sold the vehicle.
An experienced rear-end accident attorney in Lake Charles, LA, can help you navigate the legal process and determine your case’s best course of action.
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Holding a Commercial Driver’s Employer Accountable
In a Lake Charles rear-end car accident, you can file a claim against the driver’s employer. This applies particularly if the driver operated a company vehicle or was on the job during the accident. In such cases, the employer may be vicariously liable for any damages or injuries caused by the driver’s actions.
This legal concept is known as the doctrine of respondeat superior, which holds that an employer can be held responsible for the actions of their employees if those actions were within the scope of their employment at the time of the accident.
For instance, a delivery driver making a delivery causes a rear-end accident. In this case, the company employing the driver can be liable for damages or injuries. Similarly, if a salesperson employed by a company causes a rear-end accident while driving to a client meeting, the company may also bear liability for the damages incurred.
Seeking compensation from the driver’s employer can be a possible action to ensure that all responsible parties are held accountable for their actions in a Lake Charles rear-end car accident.
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Holding the At-Fault Party’s Mechanic Accountable
In certain situations, the mechanic responsible for the other driver’s vehicle can be held liable for a Lake Charles rear-end car accident. This is especially true if their negligence in repairing the vehicle contributed to the accident.
If the mechanic fails to repair or maintain crucial components like the brakes and a driver loses control and rear-ends your car, the mechanic may bear responsibility for your injuries or damages.
To pursue a claim against the mechanic, gathering relevant evidence pertaining to the other driver’s vehicle and the repairs conducted is essential.
This includes collecting receipts, maintenance logs, and other documentation associated with the repairs. Again, consulting an experienced Lake Charles car accident attorney could prove beneficial.
They will investigate the circumstances surrounding the other driver’s mechanic and assess their potential liability for the accident.
Taking appropriate legal action can help ensure that all parties responsible for the Lake Charles rear-end car accident are held accountable, including negligent mechanics whose actions or inactions contributed to the incident.
Protect Your Right to Financial Compensation Recovery
You only have limited time to file a personal injury lawsuit in Lake Charles. According to Civil Code (CC) § 3492, you are generally limited to one year to file.
Failure to file within the one-year deadline could lead to an inability to seek compensation from the at-fault driver. That, in turn, could lead to financial hardship for you and your family.
If you were injured because another driver negligently rear-ended you, they should bear the full financial burden of the accident. A Lake Charles rear-end collision lawyer can help you meet the statute of limitations. They could also negotiate a financial settlement that lets you avoid going to court and recovering fair compensation.
Filing a Wrongful Death Claim Can Help You Achieve Justice
Our wrongful death attorneys send their deepest condolences if you lost a loved one in a Lake Charles rear-end accident. We can only imagine the difficulty of handling a legal case after losing someone special to you. However, our rear-end accident lawyer in Lake Charles, LA, can help you file your wrongful death claim on time.
Louisiana Civil Code § 2315.2 states that you must file a claim one year after your loved one’s death. We encourage you to file as soon as possible to increase your chances of recovering maximum compensation so you can return to grieving your loss.
As our client, we’ll help you gather all the necessary paperwork and documents to file your wrongful death claim. Common evidence you’ll need when filing a wrongful death claim includes:
- Medical bills
- Death certificate
- Paychecks and tax documents
- Police report
- Photos of the accident scene
- Statements from an accident reconstruction specialist
- Autopsy report
Important Benefits of Hiring a Lake Charles Personal Injury Lawyer
Hiring a lawyer to represent you after a car accident can have many benefits and advantages. The lawyers on our experienced team can let you focus on getting better while we focus on your compensation claim. When we represent you in your pursuit of financial awards, we might review:
- The official crash report for your motor vehicle accident and its details.
- Independent witness statements.
- Your medical records and bills.
- The at-fault driver’s insurance policy.
- Your insurance policy if the at-fault driver was uninsured or underinsured.
We can compile the necessary documents to build a comprehensive evidence file. Then, we’ll conduct an independent investigation and assign a financial value to your claim if necessary.
We will fight to negotiate a favorable monetary settlement with the at-fault driver’s insurance representative. If we cannot reach a settlement agreement, we’ll represent you in court to achieve the best possible financial outcome in your case.
Negotiations Can Recover These Expenses and Losses
Negotiating a favorable financial settlement starts with assigning an accurate value to your injuries and their related expenses. Damages you might be able to recover include:
- Medical care
- Income loss
- Property damage
- Property loss
- Pain and suffering
- Disabling injuries
- Permanent scarring
- Funeral costs
- Burial expenses
- Emotional distress
Our Lake Charles team will ensure your claim is not undervalued or underpaid. We can protect your settlement’s value from the insurance company’s deceitful tactics.
We analyze each line item of your compensation claim to arrive at a final total that makes sure you are not left with out-of-pocket expenses resulting from someone else’s negligence.
Factors that Determine Your Lake Charles Rear-End Accident Claim’s Value
Many of our clients are curious about their claim worth and how much they could win in a settlement. Since there is no average Lake Charles rear-end accident settlement, our lawyers rely on three factors:
Severity of Injuries
How critical your injuries are after another driver’s negligence causes the accident is one of the most significant factors affecting your settlement amount. If you suffered injuries that require a lot of medical care or even lifelong care, your claim would be worth more than if you only have minor injuries.
Your settlement must be enough to cover your medical bills and any other accident-related expenses. For example, you suffered a traumatic brain injury. Your settlement should cover associated surgeries, physical therapy, and medical equipment you need to recover from your injury or support you in your pain.
Number of Liable Parties
Depending on the details of the crash, multiple parties may be responsible for your damages. In some cases, this includes other drivers, manufacturers, or even government entities. How many liable parties are involved in your accident can significantly impact how much you recover in a settlement.
Determining the liable parties in a rear-end accident can be complex and may require legal analysis. For example, if the accident occurred due to a poorly maintained road, the government entity responsible for maintaining the road may be held accountable, in addition to the other driver.
Moreover, determining the degree of fault for each party involved in the accident is critical in calculating the compensation you may receive. Working with an experienced personal injury attorney can help you navigate your situation and ensure you do not bear the burden of your injuries and losses alone.
Insurance Company Negotiations
Your lawyer’s experience negotiating with insurance claims adjusters can also affect how much you receive in your rear-end accident settlement. Our team of rear-end accident attorneys in Lake Charles have over 250 years of combined experience, so you can trust that we know how to negotiate.
We know how the insurance claims adjusters will try to devalue your claim and convince you that your accident injuries aren’t as severe. But we’ll be ready to shut down their tactics and fight for you to receive a settlement that covers your medical expenses and other losses you’ve suffered.
Remember that these are general factors and that your Lake Charles claim may be worth more or less depending on these factors. The only sure way to know your claim’s worth is to consult a rear-end accident lawyer in Lake Charles, LA.
Costs Associated with Working with Our Rear-End Accident Attorneys
You might wonder about the financial aspect of hiring our rear-end accident attorneys. We are pleased to inform you that our law firm operates on a contingency fee basis. This means that if we cannot secure a settlement for you, you will not be responsible for any fees or payments. In other words, you only pay us if we win your case and obtain a favorable settlement on your behalf.
You never take a risk when you work with our team. If we win you a settlement, we will take a percentage of your settlement to cover our attorney’s fees and other expenses.
You can discuss the contingency fee rate when you meet with your rear-end collision attorney in a free legal consultation. We hope this relieves some of your stress, knowing that you won’t have to pay out of pocket for our services.
You Can Recover from a Rear-End Wreck With Our Team
A Lake Charles rear-end collision attorney from our law firm might be able to help you seek financial compensation if you or someone you love was injured in a car accident. For example, if another driver ran into the back of your car, the cause of the collision might entitle you to financial compensation.
Contact Laborde Earles’s client intake team today to learn about our free consultations. During this confidential meeting we will discuss your legal options.
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