Lafayette Car Accident Lawyers

Helping Our Clients Make Sure Reckless Motorists Are Held Accountable

Even as public transportation options increase, well over 90% of Americans still drive motor vehicles. Unfortunately, we’ve seen increases in car accidents across the nation recently. In fact, Louisiana has one of the highest rates of fatal motor vehicle accidents in the country. If you’ve been involved in a collision, you may be wondering what to do next. Fortunately, there are options available if your accident was caused by a reckless or negligent driver. Through either settlement negotiations or a personal injury lawsuit, a car accident lawyer in Lafayette may be able to assist.

At The Law Office of Tony Morrow, our dedicated team of legal professionals can help you understand your options. We’ve worked with many car accident victims in some of the most complex cases our state has ever seen. Our goal is to make sure the at-fault party is held accountable, and we’ll work to help you secure maximum compensation. At a time when medical expenses are rising, and you may be unable to work, our Louisiana car accident lawyers can assist through the insurance claims process and file a lawsuit on your behalf when necessary.

Do You Have a Valid Car Accident Claim?

Securing financial compensation in your car accident claim requires establishing liability. Typically, there’s an at-fault driver who may be the clear target of your claim. However, these cases can get very complex. Lafayette car accident laws have many nuances, and your ability to seek financial recovery will depend on establishing several elements. These are really only mandatory if your case goes to trial, but if you can’t convince the insurance company that they exist, your likelihood of getting a fair settlement is low.

These are the most important elements that must be proven if you hope to get fair compensation:

Duty of care: All motorists have a duty to avoid unsafe actions while behind the wheel. Doing so greatly reduces the potential risk of car crashes occurring.
Violation of duty: Whether filing an insurance claim or a lawsuit, you’ll need to show that the responsible party violated a duty of care. Reckless driving, speeding, texting while driving, and other negligent acts would qualify.
Damages sustained: We see people violating duties of care every day on American streets. Anytime a car travels above the speed limit, they’re doing exactly that. However, these violations only result in liability if damages actually occur.
Causation: It’s also necessary to show that the damages sustained by the injury victim were a direct result of the defendant’s violation of duty. For instance, auto accident injuries sustained when a negligent motorist runs a red light would likely qualify.

When a car accident victim suffers injuries — either physical or emotional — they may find their entire life upended. An inability to work can lead to lost wages, and this happening at a time when your medical bills are rising is a daunting reality. Fortunately, you don’t have to face these difficulties alone. If you have a valid personal injury claim, it’s possible to recover compensation for your losses. This financial support can’t reverse what happened, but it can make dealing with an uncertain future an easier task. You need an experienced Lafayette car crash lawyer on your side.

That’s exactly what you’ll find at The Law Office of Tony Morrow. Contact us today.

Who Is At Fault for Your Accident?

Unless the liable party in your accident is uninsured, you’ll likely be dealing with their insurance provider. However, fault isn’t always clear in personal injury cases. Envision a scenario where a 20-year-old driver runs a red light and crashes into another vehicle. In that situation, it may seem clear that the young motorist is at fault. After reviewing the police report, a judge or jury may have no problem believing this. However, what happens if that 20-year-old driver was drunk after leaving a bar that illegally served them under the legal age?

Louisiana does not have a dram shop law that holds alcohol-serving establishments or third parties responsible for the actions of a drunk driver. However, these parties can be held responsible if they serve an underage patron — and individuals can face liability if they falsely represent a drink as having no alcohol before the responsible party consumed it. Clearly, this example shows that a car accident case may not always be as straightforward as one might expect. In reality, there are many other situations where fault may be more complex.

Perhaps the liable motorist went into the wrong lane to avoid a large pothole that the city knew about and failed to fix. In such a situation, the local government may share fault. Maybe a local rideshare company hired a driver without first doing a background check — a check that may have found several drunk driving convictions. In that situation, the company may share liability. Due to the complexity of fault and negligence, it’s always ideal to have a Lafayette car accident lawyer on your side.

Should You Accept a Settlement From the Insurance Company?

After an accident occurs, you may be surprised at how quickly an insurance company contacts you. They’ll often reach out and say that they’re very concerned for your well-being. They’ll claim that they want to quickly get you the money you need. However, such concern is typically insincere. Insurers lose a lot of money when they have to pay compensation for Lafayette car accidents, so they’re usually focused on reducing their financial responsibility. Because of this, you should never accept the first settlement offer from an insurance company.

The simple fact is that they’ll probably try to lowball you. While their offer may seem substantial on its face, the reality is that they’ll never offer maximum compensation from the start. You may encounter future medical bills in addition to non-financial losses, and the likelihood of insurers including such losses in their offer is minimal. Fortunately, an experienced Lafayette car accident attorney can handle these negotiations on your behalf. Once an insurance company knows you have legal representation, they’ll be less able to take advantage of you.

At The Law Office of Tony Morrow, we’ll handle the insurance claim on your behalf — and if these big companies refuse to do what’s right, we have no problem filing a lawsuit to get what you deserve.

What Damages Are Available for Car Accident Claims?

When you’re involved in a car accident, it’s important to realize that you may be entitled to various forms of personal injury compensation. A Lafayette car accident lawyer can discuss your options in more detail, but these cases typically involve specific types of recoverable damages. The circumstances of your case will dictate what you’re entitled to, and some of these damages may not be available to everyone. Still, it’s important for injured parties to understand whether they may qualify for the following forms of compensation after car accidents:

Economic damages: You may also hear these referred to as special damages. This form of court award is meant to compensate a person for financial losses. This could include lost wages, property damage, medical expenses, future medical costs, and more.
Non-economic damages: You may also hear these referred to as general damages. This court award focuses on losses that aren’t easily measured in dollars. For instance, you may be able to recover money for pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment in life.
Punitive damages: Not all personal injury awards are meant to compensate for losses. Punitive damages instead focus on punishing the at-fault party for particularly egregious acts of negligence or recklessness. Your legal representation can explain if you might qualify.

Keep in mind that these damages are only available when a car accident in Lafayette results in a personal injury lawsuit. If your attorney is able to secure fair compensation via an insurance settlement, the money you receive won’t have any specific designation. It’s also important to recognize that a wrongful death lawsuit may entitle an individual to a different type of damages (e.g., burial costs rather than future medical expenses). Again, these nuances go to show just how complicated personal injury law can be. This is why it’s advisable to work with Lafayette car accident attorneys.

Contact The Law Office of Tony Morrow today.

Do You Really Need a Lafayette Car Accident Attorney?

Experienced car accident lawyers in Lafayette can be a major benefit to your case. However, many people question whether they actually need an attorney. This is very common when injury victims believe liability in their case is clear. However, it’s important to remember that not everyone who deserves compensation actually receives it. You’re working against an insurance company and liable parties who want to keep money in their pockets. This is why you should at least schedule a legal consultation following your car crash.

Unfortunately, there are many nuances of the law that could derail your case. For instance, did you know the Louisiana personal injury statute of limitations is only two years? While this may sound like a long time, it can fly by when you’re dealing with medical bills, recovering from injuries, and going back and forth with an insurance adjuster who doesn’t want to pay what you deserve. Unfortunately, this deadline is even shorter if there’s a government entity involved that shares some level of liability. From personal injury to wrongful death damages, such nuances can affect your ability to recover compensation.

Fortunately, you don’t have to face these challenges alone. Contact The Law Office of Tony Morrow today.

Contact a Lafayette Car Accident Lawyer Today

Most car accident claims are minor in nature. The majority of “fender benders” only result in property damage. However, not everyone is so lucky. Car accident injuries and deaths have increased dramatically in our country in recent years. Sadly, Louisiana has been a significant contributor to this growth. There are times when an injured person can’t blame anyone for their car wreck — such as when no other drivers are involved. However, even single-vehicle collisions may still result in liability from other parties. That’s why you need an experienced professional to help you through the legal process.

At The Law Office of Tony Morrow, you’ll work with a dedicated car accident lawyer in Lafayette who will strive to secure a fair outcome on your behalf. If you decide to move forward with our personal injury lawyers, we’ll investigate your case, identify all liable parties, handle settlement negotiations with the insurance company, file a lawsuit if necessary, and take on all other legal burdens you may encounter. We know that you’re going through a difficult time — whether you suffered minor injuries or lost a loved one in a wrongful death accident.

No matter the difficulties you’re facing, we’re here to help. Contact us at (337) 201-9222 to schedule your in-depth case review.