Hammond Car Wreck Attorney

Rear-End Accident Attorneys

You are stopped at a red-light patiently waiting for your turn to go when suddenly, you are struck in the rear. A rear-impact collision can be very traumatic. Either the vehicle smashes into you without warning, or you cringe at the sound of the screeching brakes while helplessly watching your rear-view mirror and bracing for impact. Even at low speeds, being hit from behind can cause serious injuries. Attorney Gordon McKernan and his personal injury team have proudly represented thousands of rear-end collision victims throughout Louisiana in Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Alexandria, Shreveport, Ascension, Livingston, Zachary, Hammond, Lake Charles and Monroe. Our team is very familiar with the common injuries suffered in rear-impact accidents, including:

• Whiplash and soft tissue damage
• Traumatic brain injury
• Spinal cord injury
• Herniated disk, neck, and back injuries
• Face and head trauma from the dashboard or airbags
• Chest injuries from the steering wheel
• Carpal tunnel syndrome or broken arms from bracing for impact
• Fatal injuries
• Insurance Companies’ Defense Tactics

Since fault is usually not a question in a rear-impact collision, insurance companies often resort to another tactic to minimize your case – THE LOW IMPACT DEFENSE. In short, the insurance company will try to claim that the impact was not hard enough to cause the physical injuries you are suffering from. Since most of the time, the insurance company is aware that it was, in fact, their driver that caused your wreck, they use this tactic to avoid giving you the compensation that is rightfully yours. Fortunately, we have encountered this situation plenty of times and we have yet to lose a case based on this defense tactic. We routinely use the best experts in biomechanics, accident reconstruction, and human factors to calculate and demonstrate the forces applied to your body during a rear-impact collision.

If You Are Injured, We Are Here for You!

Liability is usually clear in a rear-end crash, but compensation can be complicated. Our experienced attorneys have helped clients obtain compensation under every scenario, including hit-and-run accidents, crashes caused by drunk drivers or uninsured drivers and careless texting drivers. We will help you obtain the right medical attention to ensure that you get well.

Head-On Collision Attorneys

One minute you are driving along, and suddenly, there is a car closing in fast in your lane. The seat belt and airbags offer only so much protection from the tremendous impact. You are now facing serious injuries and the financial and personal fallout from a head-on collision.

Why Was Their Vehicle on Your Side of the Road?

Head-on crashes can be so violent that the next person who comes upon the scene can’t determine how the accident occurred. Law enforcement will investigate, but they might lack the time, skills and training to uncover the real cause of your crash. As a result of pursuing thousands of automobile and truck accident cases, we have the experience to know what clues to follow and what evidence to seek to prove negligence on the part of the driver that collided into you, like:

• Roadway hazards or Road defects
• Intoxicated driving
• Talking on a cell phone or texting while driving
• Unsafe passing or racing
• Falling asleep while driving
• Driving too fast/losing control
• Driving the wrong way (one-way street, entrance ramp)
• Roadway hazards or Road defects

Not only do the Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys have the necessary experience to determine the best way to prove your case, but we have the financial resources to employ the top professionals who aid us in reconstructing your accident in detail, so a jury can understand exactly what has happened to you. We understand the serious, catastrophic injuries and fatalities that are often suffered in head-on collisions as well as the devastation they can have on your life. Let us help you today.

Louisiana Laws on Texting & Cell Phone Use While Driving

As of August 2010, drivers of any age that engage in texting while driving are now committing a primary traffic offense, which can be punishable by a $175 fine and up to $500 for a repeat offense. Drivers under age 18 are prohibited from using any type of wireless device while operating a vehicle, subject to the exact same penalties. Fines are doubled if an accident occurred while violating the law.

Texting While Driving Is As Dangerous As Driving Drunk

Multiple studies have revealed that using a cell phone while driving is not safe. A motorist talking on a hand-held cell phone is four times as likely to be involved in an injury crash. A person who is texting while operating a motor vehicle has the exact same impaired reaction time as a driver with an alcohol intoxication of .08. Those drivers are more likely to run a red light, hit a pedestrian, veer out of their lane or rear-end another vehicle. This all adds up to greater harm, including serious or permanent injuries or fatality. We have the resources and experience to prove that a driver was texting or talking on a cell-phone was solely at fault or made the injuries worse. We can subpoena cell phone records and hire an accident reconstructionist if necessary to establish that the defendant driver was texting at the time of the accident. Our trial attorneys have a record of outstanding settlements but are prepared to go to a jury to secure full and fair compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, pain, and suffering, and lasting disability or disfigurement.

Have You Been Injured in a Car Wreck on I-10 or I-12?

The I-10 and I-12 interstates provide important north-south and east-west connections in Louisiana and the greater Baton Rouge area. These routes connect major cities, including Houston, San Antonio, Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Mobile, and Tallahassee. Both routes are well-traveled, with a great deal of highway construction and a plethora of vehicle accidents. The Mississippi River Bridge (Horace Wilkinson Bridge) in Baton Rouge on I-10 connects East Baton Rouge Parish to West Baton Rouge Parish, carries over 90,000 vehicles per day, on average, and is the scene of many minor and major accidents. Each day careless drivers cause vehicle accidents by drinking, texting, speeding, and not providing the proper maintenance on their cars. If you have been the victim of a vehicle accident on one of Louisiana’s highways, you could be entitled to monetary damages for all of your losses. Gordon McKernan and the Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys are licensed attorneys who are here to represent interstate accident victims in Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas and Alabama.

I have been injured in a highway accident – what should I do now?

It is normal to feel overwhelmed after a car crash with injuries. Now you are facing doctor and hospital bills, as well as lost work time and physical and emotional pain, not to mention damage to your vehicle. It helps to talk to someone who knows Louisiana personal injury law and understands the pain you are going through. Once we accept your case, we investigate the accident thoroughly. Because we are a larger personal injury law firm, we have a network of trained investigators and consulting experts who are ready to visit any crash scene, anytime. Whatever caused your accident, we will get to the bottom of it, and hold the negligent driver accountable. The sooner we begin investigating your car wreck, the stronger your Interstate accidents case will be.

Alcohol-Related Accidents

According to National statistics, every half-hour someone passes away because of an alcohol-related vehicle crash. If you or someone you know has been injured because of an intoxicated driver’s reckless actions, our team at Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys understands the drastic effect this can have on your life, and wants to help you every step of the way. You might be suffering from debilitating injuries, incurring huge medical expenses, lost wages and sometimes even surgeries. Thankfully, you do not have to go through this alone. Our caring team at Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys is fully aware of the physical, emotional, and financial damages that are caused by individuals who consume alcohol and operate a vehicle. All you need is an aggressive and experienced team that will fight for you while you worry about getting the necessary medical attention you require. Recent Louisiana statistics claim that there were a total of 226 alcohol impaired driving fatalities and 65% of them involved those individuals that were impaired with high blood alcohol content (BAC) reported for 2011. If you have been a victim of a drunk driving crash, all you have to do is call the Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys and you will receive a free consultation to talk about your case. Our caring and hardworking team will investigate your accident and fight to recover the most for your suffering and pain. All you will have to do is focus on getting healthy again while our team fights to get you everything you deserve!

T-Bone Accidents

T-Bone accidents, also known as side-impact or broadside collisions, occur when another driver strikes the side of your vehicle. This kind of car wreck can cause severe injuries, and in worst cases, death. The sides of your vehicle unfortunately don’t provide enough protection when there is high impact. In addition, your vehicle can spin, flip, or cross into oncoming traffic after being struck on the left or right side.

Injuries that can result from a T-Bone accident include:

• Injury to the diaphragm
• Damage to the pulmonary vessels
• Injury to the aorta
• Spinal damage
• Injury to the spleen
• Femur fractures
• Brain trauma
• Bruised lungs
• Pelvic and rib fractures

The priority in T-Bone cases is determining liability. Insurance companies will work hard to blame anyone or anything for the accident but their client, which is why you need an expert legal team on your side. As your car wreck attorney, we will investigate all of the available evidence pointing to the driver’s negligence that caused him or her to crash into your vehicle. The driver who caused a side impact collision most likely broke a safety law such as failing to yield or operating their vehicle carelessly. These drivers are also typically speeding, driving aggressively, or driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

If you have been injured in a T-Bone accident, our team at Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys are deeply sorry for the stress and pain these wrecks can cause. We will fight for you to receive full compensation to recover from paying hospital bills and other expenses for your case. Contact our office today for a free consultation. Get Gordon, Get It Done!