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Car Accident Lawyers in Baton Rouge

It is an unfortunate reality that car accidents happen every day, and sometimes the people involved in those accidents sustain serious injuries and other damages. At Bohrer Brady, our car accident lawyers in Baton Rouge have the experience and skills to evaluate your car accident case and determine if you may be eligible for compensation for your injuries and losses. 

We want to listen to your case and help you fight for the justice and compensation you deserve.

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To discuss your situation, contact us online or call us toll-free at 1-800-876-3911.

How a Baton Rouge Car Accident Lawyer Can Help

After a car accident, insurance companies will contact injured victims as soon as possible to try to settle the case quickly and cheaply. Before the insurance companies get involved and attempt to settle the case for a fraction of what compensation is truly due to the injured party, it is best to consult with an experienced personal injury attorney to find out what legal rights are available and what type of compensation can be negotiated. Insurance agents are not looking out for your best interests, but the car accident lawyers at Bohrer Brady certainly will. 

Our attorneys and team of medical researchers and experts will work together to prove the extent of your injuries and determine if they resulted from another driver’s negligence, and utilizing our combined experience as well as our determination to get justice for our clients, we will work tirelessly to ensure you get the compensation you deserve for your injuries and losses. We do not represent large corporations, insurance companies, or other large institutions because we are dedicated to helping victims of car accidents seek fair and just compensation for their injuries and losses.

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Seeking Compensation for Car Accident Injuries

An individual who has been injured in an automobile accident may be able to seek monetary compensation for injuries and damages. Each case depends on the facts, and they can sometimes be complicated by issues of proof and questions of fault. 

After an accident, the first step in any personal injury claim is to identify all possible factors that contributed to the accident and determine who was responsible for causing them. In some cases, there may be more than one at-fault driver, in which case, you can use this information to maximize your compensation.

Below are some of the potential factors that the skilled personal injury lawyers at Bohrer Brady will help you investigate:

Road Construction Whether you were injured due to a lack of construction zone warning signs, a collision involving construction equipment, or debris from a work zone, depending on the circumstances involved, you may be able to collect from the construction company responsible or the government agency that is in charge of maintaining the road.

Drunk Driving – Drunk driving accidents can be devastating. Under Louisiana law, those injured in an accident caused by a drunk driver have a right to punitive damages.

Distracted Driving Nothing is more dangerous than a distracted driver who is talking on a cell phone, fiddling with the radio, or paying more attention to the person talking in the passenger seat than the road. Distracted driving remains one of the top causes of car accidents.

Hit-and-Run Hit-and-run victims often struggle with the financial burden of recovering compensation after the accident. In Louisiana, victims of hit-and-run collisions have the right to seek compensation, whether from the driver responsible for their injuries or through uninsured motorist coverage.

The First Steps After an Auto Accident

There is plenty that you likely dealt with at the scene of the accident. If you were not seriously injured, you likely traded contact and insurance information, and you may or may not have filed a police report.

As soon after the accident as possible, write down any and all information you can recall about the accident. List any witnesses who may have seen what happened, as well as anything unusual that occurred. Note what the weather was like, what the speed limit was, how fast you were traveling if you were in a vehicle, and estimate how fast you believe the person at fault was likely traveling.

Be sure to keep records of the names of police officers who responded to the scene, as well as the incident number. You’ll use the incident number to obtain a copy of the police report, once it is written.

Do not admit fault to the police, to the other driver, or to an insurance company at any point in the process.

Visit a doctor (or an emergency room, if necessary) to fully assess your injuries, and save any reports or documentation provided. When an accident happens, your body becomes filled with adrenaline, which can keep you from feeling or realizing that you’ve sustained an injury. Early treatment can prevent injuries from getting worse. In addition, an insurance company could argue that your failure to seek medical treatment aggravated your injury, or even that your injury did not arise from the accident at all.

Dealing With Insurance Companies

Unless you or the other party are not insured, you will be contacted by both your insurance company and the insurance company of the other driver. Chances are good that you will receive a settlement offer from an insurance company. 

Insurance companies can be tricky. Their representatives often sound kind and caring on the phone—but do not be deceived. They do not represent you. They represent the insurance company, and their primary goal is to settle with you for as little money as possible.

Insurance companies count on the fact that you probably don’t know how much you can actually recover in damages. They can sound very convincing, and will attempt to coerce you into signing a waiver that absolves them from responsibility, or to settle for a relatively small amount.

Your insurance company is legally obligated to follow through on the terms of its contract with you. Do not accept an offer, sign any waiver, or cash any checks from an insurance company without first consulting Bohrer and Brady car accident attorneys.

About No Pay, No Play

Many states, including Louisiana, have a “No Pay, No Play” law. This means that, if you are in an auto accident and you do not have car insurance, you lose your right to recover a certain amount of damages.

In Louisiana, the No Pay, No Play law says that, if you are in an accident while driving an uninsured car, you lose your right to recover the first $15,000 in damages. This law does not apply to passengers in a vehicle.

An experienced personal injury attorney at Bohrer Brady in Baton Rouge, Louisiana can help you sort out all the losses related to your accident.

Car Accidents | Compensation for Your Losses

The injured party in an auto accident may be able to recover damages from the party or parties who caused the accident, and our car accident attorneys can help.

Damages for injuries or losses are awarded through monetary compensation. They can include:

Physical Injuries

Broken bones, spinal cord injuries, and head injuries suffered in an auto accident can be compensated.

Medical Bills

You may be entitled to damages sought to pay medical bills—both those that arose directly after the accident, as well as reasonable future medical bills. This includes rehabilitative therapy or services.

Accommodations for Disabilities

If you need accommodations, such as a ramp leading to your home, due to injuries suffered in a car crash, you may be qualified for compensation.

Lost Past and Future Wages

If you are or were unable to work due to an auto accident, you may be eligible for compensation.

Pain and Suffering

In addition to compensation for your physical injuries and related bills, pain and suffering resulting from the accident may also be compensable. You may be able to recover damages for loss of enjoyment of life in certain situations, as well.

Personal Property Damage

Compensation for damage to personal property may also be recoverable, including vehicle damage or other property losses.

Spouse’s Damages: Loss of Consortium

Even if the husband or wife of the victim was not in the car at the time of the crash, he or she may also be experiencing a loss. Almost every state recognizes the claim of loss of consortium, which refers to the negative effect the accident has had on the marital relationship. This can include loss of companionship, comfort, assistance, or sexual relations and affection. Loss of consortium can be temporary or permanent.

How Much Can I Recover?

The level of damages to which the auto accident victim may be entitled depends on numerous factors. State law, the victim’s injuries, proving the facts of the case, and even the victim’s own actions can come into play. So can the type and length of medical treatment, the insurance coverage of each party, the effect of the accident on the victim’s income and the permanence of the injuries. This is why our experienced auto accident attorneys can be such a strong ally in planning the case and assessing damages. View more frequently asked questions about car accident cases.

Take Action with a Car Accident Attorney Today

Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage protects accident victims when they are most vulnerable. Not every policy has such coverage, however, and how you respond to the police, the insurance company, and the person who caused the accident can affect how much compensation you receive.

Indeed, some rules do not require the victim’s insurance company to pay the victim if the victim settles prematurely with the at-fault motorist’s insurance company. This is why it is so important to work with an experienced personal injury lawyer from Bohrer Brady in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a car accident, contact the car accident attorneys in Baton Rouge at Bohrer Brady today for a free consultation. We are here to listen to your case, evaluate your options, and fight for the compensation you deserve. We want to represent your best interests and fight for justice on your behalf. Call us today for a free, confidential initial consultation.

Contact Bohrer Brady Baton Rouge Attorneys Today

Motor Vehicle Accidents Resource Links

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)

The NHTSA is a government agency dedicated to making American roads safer for travelers.

National Safety Council

The National Safety Council, a nonprofit organization, provides links and articles on topics like seat belt use, safe driving for teenagers and reducing motor vehicle crashes.

U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)

The Department of Transportation is a federal agency focusing on policy and lawmaking to ensure safer travel in the U.S.

MedlinePlus: Motor Vehicle Safety

This website, from the National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health, offers information on preventing motor vehicle crashes.

Defensive Driving

This primer on defensive driving discusses factors such as weather, speed limits and parked vehicles.

Nine Ways to Lower Your Auto Insurance Costs

This article discusses steps you can take to obtain a lower auto insurance rate.

Distracted Driving Shatters Lives

This article discusses the epidemic of distracted driving on America’s roads.

Stop Aggressive Driving

Learn tips on planning to give yourself extra time to get to your destination and what to do when you encounter an aggressive driver.

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety/Highway Loss Data Institute

These organizations focus on studying and preventing highway motor vehicle accidents.

Other Information You Should Know About Auto Accident Lawsuits:

  • The insurance adjuster’s job is to represent the insurance company and to settle your case cheaply. He or she is NOT on your side.
  • You should not give a recorded or written statement because it may be used against you later.
  • You have one year from the date of your accident to file a lawsuit, otherwise your rights will be lost.
  • If an insurance company does not pay your claim in a timely manner, it may owe you penalties.
  • If you were on the job, you may also be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits.