Friday

Louisiana Personal Injury Law

Louisiana personal injury occurs when someone is injured physically or mentally due to someone’s negligence. Personal injury is a blanket term that defines a broad category of incidents where someone may be liable. In most cases, personal injury claims are the result of negligent behavior or accidents caused by circumstances that could have been avoided. What are some common reasons people file personal injury cases?
  • Car accidents – for those who are injured in an auto accident, a personal injury attorney may help them recover damaged from the other driver. In many cases, insurance companies are going to attempt to keep the amount of a settlement as low as possible in order to protect their bottom line. A personal injury attorney can help ensure victims get the compensation they deserve. Personal injury suits will not help you pay for the damage to your vehicle, but will help pay for medical treatment over the short-term and long-term.
  • Medical malpractice – whether you have suffered because of a missed diagnosis or you have been prescribed medication that exacerbated an existing condition, you may be a victim of medical malpractice. In addition to these common claims, other medical malpractice includes loved ones who suffer nursing home abuse, surgical errors and in some cases, certain birth defects that were caused by a physician’s prescribing medications or failure to recognize warning signs of fetal distress.
  • Defective products – whether you have been administered a drug that is making you ill or you have purchased an appliance that caused you bodily injury, you may be entitled to file a defective product claim. A Louisiana personal injury attorney can help you determine your rights under the laws and make sure you get the compensation you deserve.
  • Premises liability – when you slip and fall, get hit by falling objects or are a victim of violence in a location that was poorly lit or had inadequate security, you may have the right to sue the owner of the property.
What to do if you suffer an accident because of someone else’s negligence

When you are injured because of someone else’s negligence, you may be entitled to remuneration for your injuries, for lost wages and for medical care including rehabilitation therapy, hospitalization, medications and doctor’s visits. However, you often have to fight for these rights since insurance companies are likely to fight you every step of the way. This is why you need to call a personal injury attorney as quickly as possible after an accident that was caused by negligence.

Louisiana law is very specific about when you must file a claim for personal injury. In nearly all cases, victims or their families are required to file a claim within one year. This is true whether you are filing a bodily injury claim after an automobile accident or whether you are filing a claim on behalf of a loved-one that lost their lives for any reason.

Victims of bodily injury may be eligible to receive compensation for medical treatment(s), lost wages, loss of consortium and pain and suffering. However, without contacting an attorney who understands the personal injury statutes, you may wind up at the mercy of an insurance company who is determined to pay as little as possible on your claim.