Personal injuries often occur when they’re least expected. Whether they are from a dog bite, a trip and fall incident in Opelousas’ South City Park, or a car crash while driving home on Interstate 49, these injuries can change the course of your life significantly and make a lasting impact. A serious accident can lead to expensive medical bills, lost wages due to missing work to recover your injuries, and other losses that you did not plan for.
If you or a loved one was hurt in an accident due to another person’s negligence in Opelousas, Louisiana, an Opelousas personal injury lawyer with Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers will build your case and help you seek damages from the liable party. You do not have to take legal action on your own to recover the compensation you are due. To learn more about your legal options, reach out to us for a case review during a free consultation with our team.
We Will Help You Fight for Awards in Your Opelousas Injury Lawsuit
The attorneys at Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers have recovered more than $200 million in verdicts and cash settlements for clients. We have combined our 100-plus years of experience to help Louisiana’s injured recover monetary compensation that helps them put their lives back together. We are committed to representing our clients and their interests while protecting their rights. When you become our client, we will:
- Manage your entire Opelousas injury case
- Identify all liable parties and notify them of your intent to sue
- Represent you in all communications and meetings with all parties, including their attorneys and insurance companies
- Take care of all legal paperwork in your case and filing it by the appropriate deadlines
- Thoroughly investigate the incident and the injuries that resulted from it
- Assign a value to your case after assessing all your damages
- Negotiate with all parties on behalf of securing a settlement that is appropriate for your needs
- Fight for your recovery at trial if negotiations don’t result in a settlement
- Explain all laws that apply to your case and answer your questions
- Give you updates regularly to keep you aware of what’s going on in your case
You will never have to wonder how your case is going or what we’re doing. We take care of our clients and are upfront with them about what to expect at all stages of litigation.
You Don’t Have to Pay Us Upfront Fees to Start on Your Case
Our transparency applies to attorney’s fees, as well. We know that cost can be a barrier and that many people who could pursue a case don’t because they don’t think they’ll be able to afford it. We want everyone to have access to legal representation that allows them to seek justice and monetary awards.
This is why we work on contingency, which means a) you don’t pay us up front to work on your case, and b) we can start working on your case right away. We get paid only if you do. We’ll recover fees from an agreed-upon percentage of your compensation if we win your case. We can discuss this payment arrangement with you during your free consultation.
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.
ClientRecoverable Damages in a Successful Personal Injury Case
Injured victims face a great deal of stress and uncertainty as they watch the medical bills mount and miss more and more time away from work. If this is your situation, you likely have financial and non-financial damages you could recover in a successful injury case. Our Opelousas personal injury lawyer can help you build a case where you could be compensated for:
- Medical expenses for your emergency care and hospitalization
- Rehabilitation treatment for your injuries (e.g., physical therapy)
- Lost wages during your recovery period
- Reduced earning capacity if your injuries stop you from working or make you take a new job
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Temporary or permanent disability
- Impaired quality of life
- Psychological distress (e.g., anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder)
Our attorney will review all your damages, look for additional ones you may have, and calculate the numbers so that a value can be assigned to your case. We will use written documentation to prove losses that you paid out of your pocket. For others with no dollar value, such as pain and suffering, we will use standard formulas to come up with a figure.
Your Family May Be Able to Seek Wrongful Death Damages
We extend our sincerest condolences if you lost a loved one in an accident. We are truly sorry for your loss. When you are ready, we are here to help you navigate the possibility of recovering damages on behalf of your loved one with a wrongful death action. Louisiana law designates certain family members eligible for these awards.
If you recover financial awards in this case, they can compensate you for expenses that you paid for your loved one’s medical bills, funeral and burial costs, and other end-of-life financial obligations. We will take our time to explain how the legal process for wrongful death actions works in Louisiana.
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 | ClientWe Must Prove How the Liable Party Was Negligent
When we review your Opelousas case, we must be able to find evidence that proves who the liable party is in your case and how they acted negligently. In most cases, our Opelousas personal injury attorney must prove the defendant acted in a manner that did not reasonably demonstrate care or consideration toward you. Under Louisiana law, four elements must be present for a plaintiff to prove negligence:
- Duty of care
- Breach of the duty of care
- Causation
- Damages
We will review each of these below.
Duty of Care
The first step in establishing negligence is demonstrating that the defendant owed the plaintiff a duty to act reasonably to prevent harm to others. This duty looks different depending on the injury’s circumstances.
In some injury cases, including those stemming from a vehicle crash, the duty of care is clearer since all drivers assume this responsibility when they operate a vehicle. In other cases, including injuries that occur on another person’s property, the existence of a duty to the plaintiff is central to the case.
Breach
Next, the plaintiff must establish that the defendant failed to meet the duty they owed the plaintiff. This failure is considered a breach. Establishing a violation of the duty owed to the plaintiff is one of the primary roles of our personal injury attorney serving Opelousas.
Causation
The third element of negligence is causation. A plaintiff may only recover compensation for damages proximately caused by the defendant’s breach of their duty of care.
Damages
Finally, a plaintiff must establish that the injuries the defendant caused resulted in actual damages. The compensation available in an injury lawsuit could cover a wide array of losses, including physical, psychological, and economic losses.
Our attorney will review the evidence and circumstances in your case to establish how the four elements are present in your case.
The reassurance from Digger and his staff gave me that renewed hope that it’s going to be okay down the road.
ClientLouisiana Allows Two Years to Pursue Legal Recovery After an Injury
The time to seek legal recourse for an Opelousas personal injury is now. Louisiana allows only two years to start your case for damages after an injury occurs. You can find this statute of limitations deadline at CC Art. 3492. For wrongful death actions, you also get two years under CC Art. 2315.2. Your timeline could be shorter if your incident involves a minor or a government agency or employee. We will let you know what timeline applies during a free consultation.
Two years seems like a long time, but 12 months have a way of going by quickly. If the two-year deadline expires in your case, you risk losing your chance to recover your losses. We will keep your case on track and ensure you meet every deadline.
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.
ClientPersonal Injury Cases We Handle in Opelousas, LA
We handle various kinds of cases involving personal injuries, including:
- Car accidents
- Truck accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Maritime injuries
- Motorcycle accidents
- Slip and falls
- Trip and falls
- Premise liability accidents
- Birth injuries
- Dog bites
- Pedestrian accidents
- Defective or tainted products
- Defective devices
- Wrongful death
If you or a loved one is recovering from any of these types of incidents, you can reach out to us at any time to learn more about your rights and the legal options you can take. If you don’t see your case listed here, you can give us a call, and we’ll discuss your situation to learn more about how we can help. Everyone deserves a chance of recovering compensation from situations that brought them hardship from someone else’s actions.
Our Opelousas Personal Injury Lawyer Is Ready to Help You Now
Whether your injury stems from an accident or a wrongful act, you deserve to recover compensation from the person responsible for causing harm. We will fight for every dollar you are due and do everything we can to ensure you maximize your opportunity to pursue damages for all your losses.
We are ready to get started with a free, no-obligation consultation with you today. Call us at (337) 777-7777 to learn more about your legal options and how we can work with you on your case.
