Personal injury questions, answered

If you were injured because of someone else’s negligence, you may have a claim for compensation. An insurance company will often delay, deny and defend claims, try to blame the crash on you or someone other than its insured, or argue that your injuries were not caused by the incident. That is why it is important to talk with a Baton Rouge personal injury attorney about your options.

To understand the value of a client’s case, we consider several factors, including:

• The nature and extent of the injuries
• The type of medical care obtained, and for how long
• The pain, suffering and discomfort endured during treatment
• Whether surgery was required
• Whether future medical care will be needed, and what type
• The total cost of past and future medical treatment
• Any permanent pain, suffering or discomfort
• How the injuries affected quality of life during treatment, and will affect it in the future
• Any impairment or disability, during treatment or going forward
• Lost income during treatment
• Whether the client can return to their previous job, and if not, what work they can do
• Any scarring or disfigurement
• Any similar symptoms or pre-existing conditions in the same areas of the body

If you have any pain or discomfort after an accident, no matter how minor it seems, see a doctor right away. Symptoms often progress over time. Getting checked early helps you heal and documents that you were injured in the accident.

Insurance companies are not focused on paying you what you deserve. Filing a claim on your own or accepting the first offer can make it much harder to receive a fair settlement.

The legal process is complicated and can be overwhelming if you don’t deal with it every day. Some small claims can be handled without a lawyer, but most serious injury claims benefit from an experienced attorney. Our consultation is free, so you can talk with an attorney and decide what is right for you.

An insurance company is a business, and its goal is to pay as little as possible. Accepting a quick settlement ends the process sooner, but early offers often leave out future medical care, lost earning potential, and pain and suffering. Before you accept anything, talk with an attorney about what your claim may be worth.

For injuries on or after July 1, 2024, Louisiana generally allows two years from the date of the injury to file a personal injury lawsuit (La. C.C. art. 3493.1). Injuries before that date fall under the former one-year period.

In some cases, the deadline can be shorter or longer depending on the facts and circumstances. It is important to talk with a lawyer soon after an injury so all of your rights are preserved.

TODO: attorney to confirm the "shorter or longer" sentence (verbatim from the old page).

Bring any documents related to the incident or your injuries, including:

• Medical records
• Incident reports and police reports
• Your health insurance card
• Your vehicle insurance card
• Records of any out-of-pocket expenses
• Names and phone numbers of any witnesses

We want to get to know you. We will ask what happened and about your injuries, so explain everything in as much detail as you can. We will go over how you were hurt, the circumstances that led to the incident, the medical treatment you have received, and any care you will need in the future. We will also need to understand your medical and work history and any wages you have lost.

Once we understand your situation, we will explain the laws that apply to your claim, what we can do to help, and how we are paid for our services.

We handle all personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis. Under a contingency fee agreement, you are not required to come out of pocket for any fees or expenses associated with your injury claim. We agree to cover all case expenses during the course of the case. At the conclusion of the case, we are paid a percentage of the total amount of money paid by the defendants. If we don’t win, you won’t owe us anything.