Any driver can fall victim to a truck accident. The consequences of these accidents are often life-changing, but help is available. A New Orleans truck accident lawyer may be able to pursue compensation on your behalf.
Laborde Earles has secured over $1 billion in damages on behalf of Louisiana residents in need of financial support. Our personal injury lawyers in New Orleans work on contingency, ensuring clients don’t have to pay any upfront fees to start working with our legal team.
We take pride in serving as Louisiana Lawyers Who Care. Our experienced attorneys have advocated for trucking accident survivors since 1995. There’s no fee until your case is won!
Our New Orleans Truck Accident Lawyers Want to Put Money in Your Hands
In the wake of an accident with an out-of-control truck, you have the right to name a responsible party and demand compensation for your severe injuries, alongside your other losses.
Laborde Earles and its New Orleans truck accident lawyers believe in fighting for settlements that can alleviate the financial hardships you’re facing as a result of someone else’s negligence.
Our team has helped previous clients walk away from their truck accident lawsuits with settlements like the following:
- $2,700,000 settlement for a client who was the victim of an 18-wheeler accident
- $410,000 for a client who was rear-ended by a semi-truck
- $375,000 for a commercial truck accident client who suffered a severe back injury
Laborde Earles injury was great for me they took care of me very fast and professional. If for any reason I need legal help they will be who I use.
ClientGetting Help From Our New Orleans Truck Accident Attorneys On Your Case
Although you can file an insurance claim or lawsuit on your own, you may find it easier and less stressful to hire a personal injury lawyer from our team to represent you.
An attorney serving New Orleans from Laborde Earles can assist you from the start of your truck accident case to the end. If you hire us, we can provide you with various services, which may include the following:
- Updating you on the status of your case: You will know what’s going on and will not be left in the dark.
- Investigating the accident: This includes collecting evidence, such as surveillance video and police reports, to help build your case.
- Identifying the liable party: You should be very sure of the at-fault party’s identity before filing a lawsuit. This includes identifying all at-fault parties if more than one individual or organization contributed to the accident.
- Filing essential paperwork: We will file an insurance claim and/or lawsuit on your behalf.
- Communicating with others: You do not have to speak directly with the liable party, their lawyer, or their insurance company. We will communicate on your behalf.
- Negotiating for a settlement: This may involve sitting down with the liable party’s insurance company and fighting for a fair settlement offer.
- Going to trial: We will pursue your case in court if we can’t reach a fair settlement with the insurance company.
We understand that the legal process can often seem complicated under the best of circumstances, let alone after an accident. If you ever have questions about your case, our procedures, or any other legal matter, Laborde Earles welcomes your call.
We Tackle Accidents That Are Important to You
The category of “truck accident cases” in Louisiana is broader than it first appears. We understand that all kinds of negligence can lead you to collide with an inattentive or reckless truck driver. That’s why our legal team tackles a wide range of cases.
When you turn to our New Orleans truck crash attorneys for support, you can count on us to tackle cases like the following:
- Semi-Truck Accidents
- Fatigued Truck Drivers Accidents
- Truck Accident Claims
- Commercial Truck Accidents
- Truck Accident Lawsuits
- Truck Driver Negligence
- Catastrophic Injuries
- 18-Wheeler Truck Accidents
- Fatal Truck Accidents
We can break down the specifics of your accident during a free case consultation. Notably, a consultation with Laborde Earles staff members does not lock you into legal action. You can walk away from a consultation, consider your options, and decide how to proceed with your recovery without any pressure from our team.
I thank God for Digger & David. I don’t know what we would have done if it hadn’t have been for them.
Rick Smith | ClientWhat to Do if You Receive a Settlement Offer After a Truck Accident
Trucking companies and insurance providers will want to connect with you shortly after an accident, but not always for great reasons. Most of the time, representatives from these institutions will want to offer you a trucking accident settlement before you’ve had time to decompress from your actual collision.
Is that a bad thing? Not necessarily, but the first settlement offer you receive likely won’t reflect the true value of all of your medical bills and property damage, not to mention your mental anguish and other noneconomic losses.
With that in mind, we recommend that you do not accept the first settlement offer you receive in the wake of an accident with an overloaded truck or commercial vehicle. Instead, inform the offerer that you need to discuss their offer with an attorney.
What Happens if You Reject a Settlement Offer
Rejecting a settlement offer won’t lock you out of the right to pursue accident damages later down the line. In fact, sending an offer back to the table often encourages trucking companies and insurance providers to more carefully consider losses like your loss of enjoyment of life and other out-of-pocket expenses.
In other words, don’t listen if an insurance adjuster or corporate representative tries to tell you that the first offer you receive is the only one you’ll get. Responsible parties want to try to resolve accident cases as quickly as possible, and they can misrepresent the facts of a case to do so.
Additionally, make sure you don’t sign anything or provide any of these parties with written or verbal statements about the nature of your traffic accident. Remind these parties that you have the right to speak with an experienced attorney and that they may not violate your right to counsel.
The reassurance from Digger and his staff gave me that renewed hope that it’s going to be okay down the road.
ClientWhat it Means for Us to Work On a Contingency Fee Basis
You have the right to work with a New Orleans, LA, truck accident lawyer after a collision, but should you? Many truck accident victims don’t want to incur any additional costs that may come with consummate legal representation.
Fortunately, there is no need to worry about attorney’s fees when you hire Laborde Earles. When you call us, you will receive a free, no-obligation case review. If we decide to work together, you will not have to pay us any retainers, start-up, or upfront costs. Once you receive a financial award for your damages, we will deduct our attorney’s fees from it.
At the beginning of your case, we will let you know what percentage of your compensation we will deduct so there won’t be any surprises at any point. If you don’t get reimbursed, neither will we.
They treated us like no other people would. Whenever we needed something they were there for us. I put my trust in them and I don’t regret it.
ClientExperienced Truck Accident Lawyers in New Orleans Prioritize Your Right to Recoverable Damages
When our attorneys take your case, we fight for your right to maximize the compensation you walk away with after negotiations or a civil trial. To do so, we pre-establish the value of all of the losses we can tie to your truck accident.
The specific value of your total damages depends on several factors, such as:
- The nature of the truck accident
- The severity and type of your resulting injuries
- The effect the accident has had on your overall quality of life
- How the aftermath of the accident has influenced your finances
Damages in a truck accident case may generally be placed into one of just two categories: economic damages and non-economic damages.
Economic Damages
Economic damages encompass the monetary losses you sustained because of the accident. These losses often include but are not limited to the following:
- Medical expenses: For people who received professional medical treatment for their injuries
- Repair expenses: For people who had to repair or replace their vehicle because of the crash
- Loss of income: For people whose injuries kept them home from work for any length of time
- Loss of employment: For people who can no longer work or have lost their job because of their injuries
- Loss of benefits: For people who, upon losing the ability or right to work, also lose access to retirement funds and other assistive benefits
If you want to fight for economic damages, make sure you or someone you love keeps a comprehensive record of the expenses affiliated with your recovery. The more invoices and bills you can bring forward, the easier it may be to argue for a settlement that addresses all of your post-accident expenses.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages encompass the physical and/or mental losses you sustained from the accident. These losses often include but are not limited to the following:
- Pain and suffering: For people who experienced physical and/or emotional anguish because of their injuries
- Disability: For people whose physical or mental abilities were affected by their injuries
- Scarring: For people whose injuries will leave large, disfiguring, or painful marks
- Reduced quality of life: For people who have been forced to substantially alter their lifestyle due to pain or limitations caused by their injuries
You May Recover Wrongful Death Damages If You Lost Your Loved One
Alternatively, if you are pursuing compensation in a wrongful death lawsuit, the recoverable damages may include the following:
- Funeral and burial costs
- Pre-death medical care
- Loss of financial support
- Loss of consortium and companionship
Only certain parties can pursue wrongful death claims in Louisiana. The deceased’s spouse and children have the first right to act in their name. If none of these parties are available, the deceased’s parents may pursue a claim. If the deceased’s parents aren’t available, the deceased’s siblings may act in their name.
If you are grieving the loss of a loved one in the wake of a devastating truck accident, you can schedule a case consultation with our attorneys right away. We will give you the space you need to process your grief while also protecting what rights you have to act on your loved one’s behalf.
Truck Accident Liability
Some truck accidents are the truck driver’s fault. A driver may ignore important driving laws, like the speed limit, or use drugs or alcohol while on the road. Negligent actions such as these could make a truck driver liable for an accident they cause.
However, suppose the truck driver was an employee and was working at the time of their accident. In that case, the company that employs them may be liable for the accident due to the legal principle of vicarious liability.
Other liable parties in a truck accident case may include:
- Another driver who got in the truck’s way
- A product manufacturer, if a defective auto part, such as faulty brakes, caused the truck driver to lose control of their vehicle
- A mechanic who incorrectly installed the correct part or installed the wrong part
- A cargo company responsible for improperly loading a truck
- A maintenance company that did not keep the truck in good repair
- A maintenance company that did not keep the roadway in good repair, or the government agency responsible for hiring that company
How To Prove The Liable Party’s Negligence
It might be difficult to decide exactly how the other party acted negligently. However, your New Orleans, LA, truck accident lawyer will need to prove four different elements of negligence, which are:
- Duty of care: The liable party had a responsibility to drive safely on the road.
- Breach of duty: They failed to uphold this standard of care.
- Causation: Their carelessness caused the truck accident and your injuries.
- Damages: You have resulting emotional, physical, and financial damages.
Laborde Earles can investigate your accident and identify the liable party when we represent you. If you believe another party’s negligence caused your accident, we can review how a New Orleans truck accident attorney can help you during a free case evaluation with a member of our team.
Evidence Can Prove Negligence And More
Part of building a persuasive case involves collecting enough evidence to prove that the accident and your injuries happened as you – not the liable party – say they did. Evidence in truck accident cases may come from many sources, including but not limited to:
- Personal testimony: You and those who know you (friends, coworkers, etc.) can talk about how the accident has changed your life and health.
- Expert statements: We frequently partner with medical professionals, accident reconstruction specialists, economists, and more to confirm various aspects of our client’s stories.
- Video footage: Traffic cams, surveillance cams, and witness cell phones may have captured the accident – including the liable party’s negligent behavior.
- Official reports: The police report concerning the accident contains a wealth of information about the event. Also, if we must investigate the trucking company, inspection reports or past complaints may demonstrate a pattern of negligent behavior.
- Medical documents: Whenever you receive medical treatment for your accident injuries, your provider records your visits in a medical record that can establish the cost and toll of your injuries. Such records can also link your injuries to the accident if you sought treatment promptly after the collision.
Our team can investigate your case to determine the likely sources of evidence and then pursue them for inclusion in your case. Not only can this information prove the at-fault party’s liability, but it can also establish the monetary worth of your case.
Abiding By State Deadlines
You may need to act quickly if you are thinking of seeking damages for your truck accident injuries. CC Art. 3492 limits the time accident victims have to file a personal injury lawsuit in Louisiana, while CC Art. 2315.2 governs wrongful death lawsuits.
In general, the time limit to sue is two years from the date of the accident or the date of death. If you wait longer than this to take legal action, the court may dismiss your lawsuit.
In addition to these official deadlines, it is important to keep the impermanent nature of evidence in mind as you consider starting a case. Many types of evidence are easier to find or more valuable if collected quickly, so it is a good idea to contact a New Orleans truck crash attorney and start your case while such materials are still available.
What to Expect if Louisiana Police Open a Criminal Investigation Into Your Accident
The negligence that led to your truck accident may lead Louisiana police officers to open an investigation into the driver’s behavior. There is a chance that officers may charge a negligent driver with distracted driving, driving while intoxicated, or a litany of other crimes that they can commit while on the road.
If officers begin to investigate any criminal activity linked to your accident, a prosecutor may call you to provide testimony about a driver’s behavior at the time of your collision. Your testimony may lead to a conviction, at which point a driver may face jail time, fines, and the loss of their commercial driver’s license.
Can a Criminal Truck Accident Case Impact Your Civil Case?
Generally, a truck accident’s civil and criminal cases will operate independently from one another. However, if a criminal court convicts a negligent driver of a crime, you can submit that conviction to a civil judge for their consideration. That conviction may help you argue that you deserve compensation for your losses.
Our truck accident attorneys in New Orleans, LA, can elaborate on the relationship between these cases as you continue to recover.
Common Injuries Caused By Truck Accidents
Truck accident victims generally suffer much more severe consequences than people involved in passenger car accidents. The injuries victims endure in commercial truck accidents can be catastrophic. A catastrophic injury is one where the victim is left with physical trauma, temporary or permanent disability, or fatality.
If you were in a big rig accident, a New Orleans truck accident attorney at our firm can help you recover the financial compensation you deserve for injuries like the following:
- Spinal cord injury
- Quadriplegia, paraplegia, or other forms of paralysis
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- Neck injury or back injury
- Nerve damage
- Dismemberment
- Broken bones
- Damaged organs
- Muscle, tendon, ligament sprains, strains, or tears
- Burns
You can count on our team to directly tie injuries like these to your fight for accident compensation using medical records, expert witness statements from emergency responders, surgeons, and medical professionals, and accident reports from police officers.
Knowing What Your Injuries Are Worth Is Crucial To Your Compensation
The severity of truck accident injuries often demands a higher payout than those sustained in smaller motor vehicle crashes. It’s important that you seek the help of a legal professional from our law firm serving New Orleans to assess your injuries and calculate the related damages accurately.
Understanding the merits of your case is crucial to receiving the compensation you deserve and holding the liable party accountable for all they’ve put you through.
Call Our New Orleans Truck Accident Lawyers Today
You are not alone in the wake of a truck accident. New Orleans, LA, attorneys want to help you financially recover from your recent losses. We offer legal guidance and representation on a contingency fee basis, meaning you don’t have to pay anything upfront to start working with our staff.
Laborde Earles will only collect attorney fees in this arrangement when we win your case and secure the compensation you need to account for your losses. Our commitment to our clients’ financial well-being ensures that everyone can benefit from our legal advice, no matter what their financial situation looks like.
Our team representatives are ready and waiting to schedule your free truck accident case consultation. Contact Laborde Earles online or by phone today to set up your appointment. Let the Louisiana Lawyers Who Care take care of you during this challenging time.
