Accidents can leave you facing serious physical, financial, and emotional consequences that can follow you far into your future. Fortunately, a New Orleans personal injury lawyer can help.
Louisiana’s comprehensive personal injury laws protect injured parties in incidents involving negligence or intentional misconduct at work, on the road, or anywhere in the world. These laws can be difficult to navigate on your own.
Filing a claim can look a little different from case to case depending on the nature and severity of the accident. It’s important to note that you’re not automatically going to secure a fair settlement simply because you file for one.
It’s wise to hire a personal injury lawyer to walk you through your options for recovery. If you’re filing a claim in Orleans Parish or the surrounding areas, you can count on the local legal professionals at Ron Austin Law to be there for you.
Let our team assist you with your personal injury claim
Our local attorneys at Ron Austin Law have been representing injured parties through personal injury claims since 1995. Our Louisiana personal injury lawyers are familiar with every stage of the claims process.
We know what to expect from Louisiana insurance companies when it comes time to negotiate a fair settlement. Moreover, we’re not afraid to advocate for you in the courtroom if litigation is the only way forward.
Our team takes the time to listen to your story to determine the most effective next steps. We also make sure all your questions are answered so you know where your case is headed.
Louisiana personal injury laws cover a wide range of incidents that can occur anywhere. These types of cases involve establishing fault in order to recover compensation for losses. There are different rules and procedures for securing compensation after an accident depending on where it happened and who was at fault.
Our New Orleans personal injury lawyers bring over 88 years of combined experience navigating complex injury claims involving:
Every personal injury case is unique, which can make it challenging to know if you’re making the right moves throughout the claims process. A New Orleans personal injury lawyer can help you avoid common mistakes and pitfalls throughout the claims process, so you can focus on your recovery without excessive stress.
As a local personal injury law firm, Ron Austin Law is familiar with all the stages of a personal injury case in Louisiana. From negotiating with tough insurance adjusters to advocating for our clients’ rights in the courtroom, we’re prepared to give it our all to protect our clients’ rights and secure fair compensation.
If you’re injured in an accident due to another party’s negligence or intentional misconduct, you likely have grounds to file a personal injury claim. Under Louisiana law, you typically have two years to pursue legal action and recover damages for your losses. That said, different types of claims may have different filing deadlines.
There are many different types of personal injury claims you can file in Louisiana based on the nature and scope of your injuries and other losses. You can count on a New Orleans personal injury lawyer from Ron Austin Law to be there to help you navigate:
Regardless of the type of claim you’re filing, or how much time you have to get your claim in, it’s recommended that you get started as soon as possible. The sooner you initiate the claims process, the more likely you are to have access to the information you need to support your claim.
This includes forensic evidence from the scene and reliable witness testimonies. The further out you get from the incident, the less concrete your case can become.
Under Louisiana’s personal injury laws, injured parties can typically file claims to recover damages based on the scope of their losses. This includes both direct costs and more abstract losses like depression or pain and suffering. In many cases, both economic and non-economic damages are on the table with no limits on how much you can recover.
The size of your settlement hinges on the severity of your losses and the strength of your case. If you file a personal injury claim in New Orleans, you can recover damages for:
If you intend to file a claim against a government employee or healthcare professional, there are limits on the non-economic damages you can recover. Additionally, there are different steps you must take in order to pursue legal action. For example, you typically must file a notice of claim within a certain period of time prior to filing a claim against a government employee or office.
A New Orleans personal injury attorney can help you file your claim against the appropriate parties and secure a settlement that covers your losses. They can also help you navigate challenges with damage caps and other unique personal injury laws.
Louisiana is a modified comparative fault state, which means injured parties are eligible to file personal injury claims even if they’re partially at fault for the incident. It’s important to note that under Louisiana’s modified comparative fault law, you cannot be the majority party at fault. Furthermore, any percentage of fault you are found to have in the case is reduced from your total settlement.
Historically, Louisiana followed a pure comparative fault law, which allowed injured parties to file a claim to recover damages even if they were almost solely to blame for the accident. As long as they could prove some shared liability, they could recover damages based on their losses.
Louisiana’s switch to a modified comparative fault law is recent in order to provide a safer path of recovery for the true victims in these cases.
Establishing fault is the key to any successful personal injury claim. Understanding how an accident occurred and who is liable for damages is half the battle. Then, you have to prove it in order to recover fair compensation for your losses. Potential at-fault parties in Louisiana personal injury cases can include:
More than one party can be at fault in a personal injury case. It’s wise to hire a New Orleans personal injury lawyer to help you identify all liable parties in order to recover the compensation you’re owed from everyone.
The wake of an accident can be chaotic, especially if you’re injured. That said, it’s imperative that you’re able to stay calm and gather as much information as possible while you’re still at the scene. It’s not uncommon for accident scenes to be cleaned up quickly, effectively clearing away key pieces of forensic evidence before it can be used to support a personal injury claim.
If possible, it’s recommended that you record as many details as you can before you go your separate ways. For starters, it’s helpful to:
You can expect the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) and On-Scene Services (OSS), the Louisiana State Police, or the Port of New Orleans Harbor Police to respond to these calls depending on the nature of the accident. Either way, it’s recommended that you file a police report and request a copy of it for your own records. The more information you have about the incident and your losses, the better chance you have at winning your case.
A New Orleans personal injury attorney can help you collect the information you need and go the extra mile to secure more evidence in support of your claim. They can open their own investigation to learn more about the incident and interview witnesses for professional opinions.
They can also make sure the at-fault party does not have to come back with their own evidence that places blame on you. If you end up sharing blame in a personal injury case, you can expect to recover a smaller settlement.
Establishing clear liability is the only way to recover the full scope of damages you’re owed. A New Orleans personal injury lawyer from Ron Austin Law can help you form a strong case.
Serious accidents can result in long-lasting, even permanent, losses. These are often referred to as catastrophic injury cases.
While there is no exact definition of what a “catastrophic injury” is, these cases typically involve some form of long-term injury or permanent disability. It’s important to understand the scope of your losses both in the immediate aftermath of the incident and the months or even years to come.
Common catastrophic injuries that can affect Louisianans of all ages include:
The scope of your injuries and total losses can determine how much you may recover through your settlement. A New Orleans personal injury attorney can help you understand your rights under Louisiana injury laws.
Unfortunately, these incidents can sometimes result in fatal injuries. If you lose a loved one due to another’s actions or negligence, you have legal options before you.
It’s highly recommended that you hire a personal injury lawyer to help you understand Louisiana’s wrongful death laws. For starters, you can file a wrongful death claim as well as a survival action to recover a fuller scope of damages after the death of a loved one.
Wrongful death claims allow claimants to recover damages based on the losses of the surviving family members. Survival actions, on the other hand, focus on recovering damages on behalf of the victim before their death.
Recoverable damages in New Orleans wrongful death cases can include:
Navigating the loss of a loved one can feel impossible. At Ron Austin Law, we understand that no compensation can replace what you’ve lost. Still, we’re aware of the importance of holding those responsible accountable for their actions, and we’re committed to helping you find peace through financial recovery.
When an incident affects more than one party, it’s possible to open a class action case instead of filing an individual personal injury claim. A class action makes it more efficient for companies and other at-fault parties to address wrongs that impact a number of different people and reduce the financial burden of filing multiple claims for the same issue.
Common types of class action cases can include:
Along a similar vein, Ron Austin Law handles mass tort cases in Louisiana, too. Mass torts differ from class actions because they maintain individual cases for each claimant. Then, the court groups the cases for efficiency. Each filing party is going to recover damages based on the facts of their individual cases.
A New Orleans personal injury lawyer can evaluate the situation and discuss the right path forward for securing the appropriate compensation for your losses.
At Ron Austin Law, we’re committed to protecting our clients when they need us most. We’ve settled thousands of cases over the years, recovering more than $1 billion for injured Louisianans like you.*
Our experience spans multiple districts and states. We’re dedicated to seeking justice for individuals and families throughout Orleans Parish and beyond.
We’re familiar with the tactics used by Louisiana insurance adjusters. We’re not afraid to handle matters through the Orleans Parish Civil District Court or the First/Second City Courts depending on the scope of the damages.
Attorney Ron Austin brings extensive experience with personal injury and mass torts cases. Moreover, he serves as Bellwether Co-Chair of the Plaintiff Steering Committee and is AV Preeminent® peer-rated through Martindale.** You can trust our firm to help you navigate the claims process and work towards fair compensation.
The grounds for filing a personal injury claim in New Orleans include negligence, intentional misconduct, and strict liability. Establishing grounds for pursuing legal action involves proving some form of fault on behalf of another party.
Many situations may qualify as a personal injury case in Louisiana, including:
A New Orleans personal injury lawyer can work with you to establish clear grounds.
Yes, you can avoid going to court for a personal injury claim in New Orleans. Many claimants are able to reach a fair settlement agreement with the at-fault party through direct negotiations with their insurance provider.
This process involves back-and-forth communication with insurance adjusters in order to settle on a fair amount of compensation for your losses. Other methods for reaching a settlement agreement without going to court include mediation and arbitration.
How long it takes to reach a settlement agreement after you file a personal injury claim in New Orleans ultimately depends on whether you settle through negotiations or in the courtroom. Litigation typically takes longer due to busy court schedules.
It’s typically a last resort for reaching a resolution if negotiations fail, and you’re unsuccessful with other out-of-court methods. These less formal settlement methods can also take time. It’s wise to hire a personal injury lawyer.
How much you can expect to pay to hire a personal injury lawyer in New Orleans mostly depends on how much you recover through your claim and whether the case settles out of court or through litigation.
New Orleans personal injury lawyers typically work on a contingency fee basis. For claimants, this means no upfront or out-of-pocket payments. Instead, you can expect your attorney to collect their payment as a percentage of your total settlement.
Filing a claim in the wake of an accident can be challenging, especially if you’re dealing with serious injuries and other losses. It’s important to act quickly to file your claim in order to give yourself a chance at recovering a fair settlement. A New Orleans personal injury attorney can help get you on the right track and work with you through every stage of the claims process.
The legal professionals at Ron Austin Law bring nearly nine decades of combined experience navigating complex injury claims for Louisianans in need. As a nationally recognized leader in personal injury and mass torts, we’re confident we can help you with your case. You can contact the office to discuss your case in more detail with an attorney you can trust today.
Call us to schedule an initial consultation, and we can take care of the rest. Our office is conveniently located right off US-90 on the West Bank of the Mississippi River, making us an easy trip for our clients throughout southeast Louisiana.
*Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every case is different and must be evaluated on its own merits.
**Awards and recognition are not guarantees of future results. Selection criteria vary by organization.
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