Car Accident Lawyer in Louisiana

Louisiana is a growing state, especially in its major metro areas like New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Shreveport, and Lake Charles. With this growing population comes an increase in traffic, as more people commute to work, drive their kids to school, run errands, and experience all that Louisiana has to offer.

Unfortunately, more cars on the road add up to longer commutes, more traffic congestion, and more automobile accidents. If you’ve been in a car accident this year, you need legal representation as you work to recover the costs of your injuries.

The Louisiana personal injury lawyers with Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys have 679+ years of combined legal experience fighting for Louisiana victims of car wrecks. Learn more about your rights by giving us a call at 888.501.7888 for a free legal consultation.

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Types of Car Accident Cases We Handle

Every car wreck is unique, and each comes with complex legal challenges that make it difficult to get the compensation you deserve. That’s why you should call the experienced Louisiana car wreck attorneys at Gordon McKernan today! We handle a variety of different auto accident cases including:

• Food delivery accidents
• Head on collisions
• T Bone accidents
• Rear end collisions
• Rollover crashes
• Pedestrian accidents
• Accidents involving rental cars
• Red light crashes
• Multi-car accidents
• Hit and runs
• Rideshare collisions
• And more

Louisiana Car Crash Statistics

According to the LSU Crash Reports and World Population Review, Louisiana was the site of 768 fatal traffic accidents in 2021—making it the 18th-deadliest state in the nation for car wrecks. What are the main contributing factors to car accidents in Louisiana? Two main causes stand out: drunk driving and distracted driving.

Sources: LSU Crash Reports and World Population Review

Driving Under the Influence of Drugs or Alcohol

According to the LSU study cited above, fully 40% of traffic fatalities were alcohol-related in 2021. This figure is part of a rising trend of alcohol-fueled deaths in Louisiana; in addition, the average blood-alcohol concentration (BAC) in impaired drivers has been increasing over the years, which translates to a higher likelihood of a deadly crash.

While alcohol is the most common drug abused before driving, many drugs can impair drivers’ ability to drive safely. Illicit drugs like marijuana and others can slow reaction time and lead to confusion, lane drifting, and other dangerous driving behaviors. Even prescription drugs can impair drivers’ ability, so if you’ve been prescribed a new medication, make sure to check its label and follow the warnings regarding operating heavy machinery.

Distracted Driving in Louisiana

After the advent of cellular technology, it’s become easier than ever to stay connected with the people we care about throughout the day. However, texting or otherwise using the phone while driving is one of the most dangerous activities you can engage in.

Distracted driving has killed 193 people between 2016 and 2020 in Louisiana, and injured 23,010 people in 2020 alone. Louisiana has multiple laws on the books to penalize distracted driving, so it’s now illegal to do any of the following while behind the wheel:

• Write, send, or read any kind of text-based communication
• Access, read, or post on social media
• Engage in a phone call in a school zone during school hours

Further restrictions apply to those with Learner’s Permits and drivers under 18. While the law is somewhat complex, the common wisdom is not: don’t use your phone while driving. If you’ve been hit by a distracted driver, you could be entitled to help with repairing your car, your medical bills, and your other expenses.

Other Causes of Car Accidents

While drunk and distracted driving are two of the most common causes of auto accidents, a sudden crash can be caused by a wide variety of factors so it’s important to stay alert and diligent while on the road. Other common accident causes include:

• Hazardous road conditions
• Driving while fatigued
• Texting and driving
• Speeding
• And many more

Possible Car Crash Injuries

With so many different types of car accidents and causes for them, unfortunately, bring a wide variety of injuries experienced afterward. It’s important to hire a car wreck lawyer that knows how to get you the highest compensation possible for common injuries including:

• Spinal cord injuries
• Neck injuries such as whiplash
• Quadriplegia and other forms of paralysis
• Broken bones
• Burns
• Hearing loss
• Head injuries
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Catastrophic injuries such as amputation
• Injuries to your eyes
• Wrongful Death
• And more

Who’s Liable for a Car Wreck in Louisiana?

The legal doctrine used to determine liability after a car accident in Louisiana is called pure comparative negligence. Under this scheme, multiple parties can be found liable for an accident, and each is required to pay for a number of damages proportional to their fault.

Applying pure comparative negligence to your accident case could mean any of the following:

• More than one party could owe you compensation for your losses, including
  • The other driver(s) responsible for your crash
  • Their employer if they were driving as part of their work duties
  • DOTD or other government entities who failed to properly maintain infrastructure
  • The manufacturer of your car, or an auto repair shop, if their mistake led to your accident
• You can still be awarded damages if you’re found partially at fault. For example: say you’ve suffered $12,000 in damages from a car wreck. If you were found 30% liable, you could still recover $8400 from the other party.

The more parties involved in a personal injury lawsuit, the more complex that suit becomes. A car accident claim can become quite complex quickly, so it’s important to hire a Louisiana vehicle accident injury attorney who can help guide your case to the outcome you deserve.

Car Crash Injuries Can Lead to Compensation

If you suffer any injuries because of a car crash that wasn’t your fault, you have the right to ask for compensation from the person who caused the crash. Thankfully, there are Louisiana car accident lawyers like us who specialize in helping with these situations.

The Louisiana car accident attorney at our firm work hard to make sure our clients get the money they deserve. The compensation you or someone you know can receive is for things like:

• medical care,
• lost wages,
• emotional distress,
• property damage,
• and more

In other words, when car accidents happen and people get hurt, they can get help from Louisiana car accident lawyers to help make things better again.

Louisiana Car Accident Statute of Limitations: What You Need to Know

When it comes to car accidents in Louisiana, you have limited time to act. To clarify, car accident claims in Louisiana are bound to a two-year statute of limitations, meaning if you wait any longer to file your claim, you could be left holding the bag. As soon as you’re stable following a car accident, call an experienced Louisiana car wreck lawyer with Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys.

Recent changes in Louisiana law have extended the statute of limitations for personal injury claims occurring on or after July 1, 2024, from one year to two years. Any injuries that occurred before July 1, 2024, will still have a 1-year statute of limitation. Learn more about Louisiana’s New Statute of Limitations here.

Statute of Limitation Changes in Louisiana:

• 1-year for injuries sustained before July 1, 2024.
• 2-years for injuries suffered after July 1, 2024.

How Louisiana Car Accident Lawyers Handle a Car Accident Case

In cases involving car accidents, our team of experienced Louisiana car accident attorneys is here to assist people who have sustained physical injuries due to the negligent actions of another party in a car crash.

A Louisiana car accident lawyer can guide you through the process of obtaining complete compensation from insurance companies, as well as assess the feasibility of filing a claim for additional damages against the responsible party for the accident. If you have suffered significant injuries as a result of the car crash, we are prepared to support you in pursuing a legal lawsuit to secure compensation that goes beyond what is covered by insurance claims.

Our legal team is ready to initiate the process of building your case by:

1. Gathering official police reports and accident scene documentation.
2. Interviewing people who witnessed the incident.
3. Reconstructing the scene of the car accident.
4. Taking pictures that depict the scene, vehicle damage, injuries, and vehicles involved.
5. Examining medical records related to the injuries.
6. Engaging expert witnesses to evaluate the available evidence.
7. Communicating with insurance providers on your behalf.

Your Louisiana car wreck attorney will expertly compile and arrange evidence to counter any opposing arguments and build a strong case on your behalf.

When Should I Hire a Louisiana Car Accident Lawyer?

At Gordon Mckernan Injury Attorneys, we understand that emotional and physical recovery come hand and hand after a car accident. We also know that you may not have the energy or time to fight with an insurance company and the complexities of your personal injury claim.

Contact a Louisiana Car Accident Lawyer Near Louisiana Today

The good news is that our staff has decades of experience helping thousands of Louisianans recover over $3 Billion following their car wrecks and other accidents, and we can help you too! Give us a call for a FREE consultation about your case. We’ll get started right away, and we promise to do everything we can to get you the compensation you deserve.

Louisiana Car Accident Lawyer Near Me

888.501.7888