Dealing with the aftermath of an accident that took the life of someone you care about in St. Landry Parish is never easy. Unfortunately, you can never truly replace that loss of companionship and your loved one’s contributions to your home. However, if you believe someone else caused the collision that killed your loved one, you could hold them responsible with the assistance of a Port Barre fatal car accident lawyer.
An attorney from Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers can help you pursue compensation and hold liable parties accountable for the damage they have caused. So, if you are ready to file a wrongful death lawsuit, you could learn more about how we can help you fight to make things right during our free initial consultation.
Pursuing Compensation After a Fatal Car Accident in Port Barre
The at-fault driver’s insurance company might have offered you a settlement. However, it likely did not adequately compensate you and your family for what you’ve experienced. If that’s the case, it might be time to sue for damages.
While monetary compensation cannot make up for your loved one’s absence, it can help you deal with the mounting bills you can’t cover due to losing the income your loved one previously provided. Therefore, your settlement should adequately cover these expenses:
- The cost of your loved one’s medical care
- Their funeral and burial costs
- The loss of their income
- The loss of their benefits
- A loss of inheritance
Pain and Suffering and Other Noneconomic Losses
A wrongful death case could also allow you to pursue what is known as “noneconomic” damages. These are harder to quantify and are not something for which you get a bill, like the cost of a hospital stay.
Instead, these damages deal with the psychic toll you and your family have experienced due to losing your loved one. A fatal car accident lawyer serving Port Barre can help you fight for compensation that makes up for the following:
- The loss of care or companionship
- Diminished quality of life
- Emotional anguish
- Pain and suffering
Your compensation must account for the emotional damage the accident has caused, along with its financial aftereffects.
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.
ClientWhat a Fatal Car Accident Lawyer Can Do to Help
A fatal car accident attorney can do many things to help Port Barre residents with a wrongful death suit. You are not required to hire a lawyer when pursuing damages. However, keep in mind that a lawyer from our firm can do the following:
- Get the legal process started: Your attorney can file your case and help with any insurance paperwork. Both of these steps are critical because you do not have unlimited time to begin pursuing damages. The statute of limitations gives you just one year from when your loved one died.
- Gather evidence needed to make your case: Our team will compile all the necessary proof to show that someone else was to blame for the fatal car accident that took your loved one away from you. Whether another driver drove while distracted, under the influence, or acted recklessly, we will do everything possible to demonstrate their negligence and why they should be held accountable. Finally, your attorney will calculate fair compensation based on your losses.
- Protect your loved one from accusations: Other parties involved in the accident might try to blame your loved one for the collision, thus lessening their burden under CC Art. 2323. However, we will defend them from accusations that they contributed to the accident, protecting your right to the compensation you deserve.
- Field settlement offers: The at-fault party’s insurance company might offer you a settlement. We’ll field these offers and advise whether its offer adequately compensates all the losses you’ve experienced—economic and noneconomic.
- Make your case in court: If we cannot settle your case, our team stands ready to argue your case before a judge and jury.
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 | ClientWho Can Sue for Wrongful Death After a Fatal Car Crash in Port Barre?
You might be eligible to file a wrongful death suit if you are related to the deceased. However, CC Art. 2315.2 establishes a hierarchy for which family members can file a lawsuit:
- The decedent’s surviving spouse and children
- The decedent’s surviving parents
- The decedent’s surviving siblings
- The decedent’s surviving grandparents
So, if the deceased does not have a spouse or children, their parents can pursue wrongful death damages. If the decedent does not have a spouse, children, or surviving parents, siblings can sue, and so on.
The reassurance from Digger and his staff gave me that renewed hope that it’s going to be okay down the road.
ClientThe Dangers of Car Accidents in St. Landry Parish
Drivers bear an enormous responsibility when behind the wheel. Thus, anyone who does not take that responsibility seriously must be held accountable when they harm others.
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), injuries from car accidents cost Americans more than $18 billion in medical expenses every year. However, even though your loved one passed away, the bills they amassed receiving treatment don’t go away upon their death.
Instead, their estate becomes responsible for paying those bills—bills they would not have accrued except for the negligence of the at-fault driver. Thus, if someone else was to blame for the fatal crash, you could pursue compensation that helps your family recover from this horrific event and takes care of the medical bills.
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.
ClientGet Your Free Legal Evaluation Today After a Fatal Car Accident
Are you ready to learn more about your legal options following a fatal car crash in Port Barre? Contact Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers today and find out what a fatal car accident lawyer from our firm can do to assist you. We can determine the potential value of your case and explain how we can help make things right for you and your family during this free, no-obligation consultation.
