Car Accident Attorneys in Lafayette

Helping Car Accident Victims in Pursuit of Financial Recovery

In America, we rely upon our motor vehicles to get us to where we need to go for work, school, health care, and social activities. We entrust that our motor vehicles will keep us and our family safe. And most of the time, we enter our cars with no second hesitation about the dangers of the commute. However, car accident injuries are among the most common personal injuries in America today. And in addition to causing serious injuries, many people die in car wrecks every year.

Louisiana is a dangerous state for motorists. In 2021, only Arkansas, Mississippi, New Mexico, and South Carolina had higher motor vehicle accident death rates. One way to measure roadway fatalities is in deaths per every 100 million miles traveled. For the US, that figure is 1.11 highway deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled. In Louisiana, it’s considerably higher at 1.42, meaning that our state has a higher rate of car wreck fatalities than the national average.

In 2022, Lafayette, Louisiana, saw more than 10,000 motor vehicle accidents. On average, that means that there was one car crash every hour in Lafayette. Of these 10,000 motor vehicle collisions, 37 were fatal, and more than 2,000 drivers and 1,000 passengers suffered injuries. Thankfully, approximately 70% of Lafayette car accidents do not result in personal injury or major property damage. However, the remaining percentage can result in severe injuries and sometimes wrongful death.

If you were injured in a car collision in Lafayette, LA, you may be eligible to recover financial compensation for your injuries and other losses. To pursue a car accident claim in Louisiana, it is important to be familiar with the state’s personal injury laws and comparative fault laws.

Car Accident Claims

At Landgrave Garcia Injury Attorneys, our highly skilled legal team has extensive experience representing clients in a variety of different personal injury cases, including the complexities of Louisiana car accidents. Our personal injury law firm prides itself on providing dedicated and communicative legal services to victims in need. If you or your family is a car accident victim, it should be unthinkable that you would be the party responsible for paying off costly medical bills, vehicle repairs, and more. With a strong personal injury lawsuit, it is possible to hold liable parties accountable for their role in the cause of a personal injury case so that you may recover the settlement appropriate for your economic and non-economic damages. However, sometimes this is all easier said than done. The other party’s insurance company will fight hard to limit their exposure in your personal injury case and reduce the damages you may recover. Additionally, the other party may claim that you hold some responsibility for the case or deny your claim altogether. That is why it is highly advisable that you work with experienced personal injury lawyers to help take your case to the most satisfactory conclusion.

Landgrave Garcia Injury Attorneys offers free initial case reviews to prospective new clients interested in their legal rights in personal injury cases. The consultation comes with no obligation, so if you feel that we are not the right fit for you and your case, you are allowed to look elsewhere. However, we feel confident that after you have had a chance to speak with our legal staff, you will feel that we are the right legal team to represent your car accident case. To learn more about our compassionate legal services, please schedule your free case review today.

What Should You Do After an Automobile Accident in Louisiana?

Immediately following a motor vehicle accident, it is vital that you call 911 to report the accident and injuries. If you are able, call 911 to request emergency medical attention.

Seek Medical Attention

It is imperative that you receive medical treatment from professional doctors and physicians following a motor vehicle collision. Failure to get adequate medical care following an auto accident could be harmful to your life and to your personal injury case. If you do not seek medical treatment following your car crash, the insurance companies may attempt to dismiss your car accident claims.

If you are able, check on the injuries to your passengers and to anyone else involved in the motor vehicle accident. This may involve getting out of your car and checking on the other drivers, pedestrians, and others involved in the accident.

Photograph the Scene

While awaiting law enforcement and paramedics to arrive at the accident scene, take photographs and video as evidence of the crash. You want to get photographic evidence of your accident injuries, the state of the vehicles following the collision, and any debris left in or around the road. Also, attempt to get testimony from eyewitnesses. Eyewitness testimonies can prove invaluable to your car accident claim.

Exchange Insurer Details

Exchange insurance provider information and contact information with the other drivers. Attempt to remain polite in all talks with others at the scene of the accident, but do not go so far as to admit faults or dismiss the severity of your injuries or property damage. Anything you say could be used against your car accident case at a later date.

If an insurance company adjuster arrives on the scene, you do not need to speak with them. While they may come across as sympathetic, they are there to represent the interests of the insurer and are not there looking out for you. It is their aim to reduce the amount of money that their insurance company providers must pay in any resulting car accident case. If an insurance adjuster insists on speaking with you, direct them to your personal injury attorneys instead. We’ll guide you through the insurance claims process.

Provide Accident Report

When law enforcement arrives on the scene, provide them with your accident report. A police report will be valuable evidence for your car accident attorneys.

Speak With Experienced Car Accident Attorneys in Lafayette

If you have not done so already, now is the time to contact car accident lawyers to represent your case. Our attorneys have years of experience representing car accident cases in and around the Lafayette area. We are familiar with the courts, the judges, and the laws pertaining to your case. We would be an invaluable asset to have in your corner as you seek compensation for your injuries.

What Are Common Causes for Car Crashes?

Many auto accidents occur as a result of driver negligence and other negligent behaviors. However, sometimes, a car accident can be the fault of defective products, dangerous weather conditions, poorly loaded cargo, and more. Whatever the cause of the accident, a car accident victim deserves the right to pursue compensation for their injuries, emotional trauma, and property damage. Hire professional legal representation for an improved chance of recovering compensation.

Common causes of car accidents in Lafayette include:

•  Distracted driving. This can include eating while driving, personal grooming, talking to passengers in the back seat, changing the radio station, texting, talking on a cell phone, and more.
•  Drowsy driving and driver fatigue. Though driver fatigue makes the headlines in commercial truck accidents and rideshare accidents, drowsy driving is a threat in all sorts of motor vehicle accidents. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that over 90,000 accidents in 2017 were caused by driver fatigue.
•  Drunk driving and driving under the influence of drugs. Whether the motorist was driving under the influence of alcohol, marijuana, stimulants, or other drugs, their behavior behind the wheel of the car would likely be impaired and slowed. This may result in deadly auto accidents.
•  Mechanical failures and defective vehicles. Sometimes, a motor vehicle comes off the assembly line wrong and should never be allowed onto the roads with other drivers and passengers. If a vehicle defect caused your car accident, it may be possible to hold the vehicle manufacturers liable for damages.
•  Reckless driving and aggressive driving. Different behaviors fall under the category of reckless and aggressive driving, including speeding, tailgating, aggressively changing lanes, failure to signal turns, running red lights, and disregarding stop signs.
•  Road hazards. Louisiana is not unfamiliar with dangerous road conditions caused by weather and other factors. While dangerous weather like hurricanes can cause road disrepair, other instances of dangerous road conditions can be chalked up to laziness and poor government spending. If a road hazard or hazardous road condition led to your auto accident case, you may have an uphill battle in pursuit of compensation. It is vital that you consult with professional legal counsel.
•  And more.

Whether you survived severe or minor accidents is not the point. Regardless of the size and scope of your case, you deserve the chance to seek compensation for your injuries and other losses. Our law firm takes care of car accident cases big and small, and we would be proud to represent your legal rights and your pursuit of compensation.

What Are Common Auto Accident Injuries?

The injuries suffered in motor vehicle accidents can vary wildly. In minor accidents, it is possible to walk away without a scratch. However, in other more serious accidents, loss of limbs and loss of life are not uncommon.

Common injuries seen in motor vehicle accidents include the following:

• Amputations and loss of limbs.
• Back and neck injuries.
• Broken bones and bone fractures.
• Burns.
• Catastrophic injuries.
• Complete or partial paralysis.
• Crushing injuries.
• Dental injuries.
• Emotional distress.
• Facial disfigurement.
• Hearing loss.
• Internal bleeding and organ damage.
• Loss of sight.
• Mental anguish.
• Soft tissue injuries like cuts, lacerations, bruising, and torn ligaments.
• Spinal cord injuries.
• Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs).
• Whiplash.
• Wrongful death.

Regardless of the severity of your injuries, you deserve the right to recover compensation. Failure to take legal action could result in you being responsible for your own medical bills and other expenses that resulted from the motor vehicle accident. Schedule a free initial consultation with our Lafayette law offices to discuss your personal injury claim in more detail.

What Types of Car Accident Cases Does Our Law Firm Represent?

Landgrave Garcia Injury Attorneys is well experienced in representing the legal rights of injured victims pursuing compensation for accidents caused by driver negligence. Every car accident is unique. Our legal team creates and executes legal strategy tailored to the needs of your unique case.

The car accident cases we represent include the following:

•  Bicycle-auto accidents.
•  Commercial truck accidents.
•  Dangerous road condition accidents.
•  Defective vehicle accidents.
•  Drunk driving accidents.
•  Food delivery accidents.
•  Head-on collisions.
•  Highway accidents.
•  Hit-and-run car accidents.
•  Intersection accidents.
•  Left turn accidents.
•  Motorcycle accidents.
•  Multi-car pileups.
•  Pedestrian accidents.
•  Rear-end collisions and fender benders.
•  Reckless driving accidents.
•  Rollover crashes.
•  Sideswipe accidents.
•  Single-car accidents.
•  T-bone accidents.
•  Underinsured and uninsured driver car accidents.

Whatever the cause of your accident, you deserve the right to pursue compensation for your injuries, pain and suffering, and other damages sustained as a result of the accident. We would like to help you in that pursuit. Schedule your free case review today.

Can Personal Injury Lawyers Help You Seek Financial Compensation?

With a strong personal injury claim, it is possible to recover financial compensation for your injuries, emotional distress, and property damage. This compensation will come in the form of economic and non-economic damages.

Economic damages can help compensate you for the following:

•  Lost wages and lost income earning capacity.
•  Past medical bills and future medical expenses.
•  Physical therapy costs.
•  Property damage, such as compensation for motor vehicle repairs.
•  And funeral, memorial, and burial expenses in the event of a fatal car accident.

Non-economic damages can help provide compensation for the following:

•  Disfigurement, disability, or dismemberment.
•  Emotional distress.
•  Lost companionship or consortium.
•  Lost quality of life.
•  Mental anguish.
•  Pain and suffering.
•  Wrongful death.

The type of compensation and the amount of compensation you may qualify for depends greatly upon the specifics of your case. Your car accident lawyers will have a better chance of reaching a fair settlement for your case the sooner they have a chance to review the facts surrounding it. Do not delay contacting us for a free consultation today.

Is the At-Fault Driver the Only Liable Party in Your Car Accident Case?

The negligent driver may seem like the most obvious at-fault party in your car accident case, but they may not be alone. Louisiana law allows for several parties to hold liability for car accident cases.

Louisiana operates under a pure comparative negligence understanding of personal injury law (also known as pure comparative fault). What this means is that multiple parties could be found liable for causing an accident. Additionally, even those deemed partially responsible for causing the accident may have the potential to recover compensation, provided that another party shares at least 1% of the fault.

Potentially liable parties for your motor vehicle accident case include:

• Auto repair shops.
• Cargo loading businesses.
• Commercial trucking companies.
• Cyclists.
• Delivery companies.
• Food delivery companies.
• Government entities who failed to maintain safe road conditions.
• Motor vehicle manufacturers.
• Pedestrians.
• Rideshare app companies like Uber and Lyft.
• The employers of the at-fault driver if they were on duty at the time of the crash.
• The other driver(s) involved in the crash.

Should You Accept the Initial Settlement Offer for Your Insurance Claim?

When you file your insurance claim, it is highly likely that the insurance company will offer you a lowball settlement in an effort just to make your case go away. You are under no obligation to accept the initial offer. In fact, it is highly recommended that you do not accept the offer. They can always do better than their initial offer.

A Louisiana car accident lawyer can help you negotiate better terms for your settlement. Depending upon the facts, you may be able to recover maximum compensation.

Landgrave Garcia Injury Attorneys has extensive experience representing clients and complex car accident cases being argued against reluctant insurance companies. We would be proud to represent your rights as you take legal action to pursue the compensation you deserve. Schedule a free consultation today.

Is There a Statute of Limitations for Filing Your Car Accident Claim?

There is a strict statute of limitations for car accident claims in Louisiana. If you do not file your personal injury claim within one year of the date of the car collision, your claim may be summarily dismissed and thrown out.

It is absolutely imperative that you do not waste time and that you take swift legal action right away. You do not want the chance of recovering a full settlement to be dashed away because you waited to file your claim. The sooner you speak with our car accident lawyers, the better prepared we will be to represent your case and help you obtain the compensation you rightfully deserve.

Schedule a Free Consultation with an Experienced Car Accident Attorney Today

The legal staff of Landgrave Garcia Injury Attorneys has extensive experience representing clients in the complexities of Lafayette car accident cases. There are many laws that must be followed and steps that must be taken on the pathway to financial recovery following a motor vehicle accident. We would be proud to lend legal guidance to you during this difficult time.

To speak about your car accident case in more detail, please contact our law firm to schedule your free initial consultation today. You may contact our Lafayette law office at 337-242-7604.