Have you been injured in a car accident in Metairie, LA because of someone else’s negligence? Ensure they are held accountable for the harm they’ve caused—don’t let them avoid responsibility. With strong legal representation, your fight for compensation doesn’t have to be an uphill battle. Contact Mansfield Melancon Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers at (225) 263-4787 to schedule a free consultation.
Our award-winning Metairie car accident lawyers can offer the experience and strategies you’ll need to win your case and maximize your recovery. We offer small-firm attention and big-firm results to car accident victims and families in Metairie and throughout the state of Louisiana.
As nationally-acclaimed civil litigators with 50+ years of combined experience, we’ve forced insurance companies, vehicle manufacturers, government agencies, and other tough opponents to pay our clients tens of millions of dollars in financial awards.
How Mansfield Melancon Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help You After a Car Accident in Metairie, LA
Even though you may have the legal right to pursue compensation for your car accident injuries, getting money from an at-fault party or their insurance company can be a challenge. It’s important to make it clear that you won’t back down without a fight and won’t walk away without the compensation you need and deserve.
Crash victims in Metairie trust Mansfield Melancon Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers because we’re top-rated legal advocates with a proven ability to win tough personal injury disputes. Our Metairie car accident attorneys have over 150 five-star reviews on Google and have been recognized as leaders in civil litigation by Super Lawyers, The National Trial Lawyers, the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, and other respected organizations.
You can count on our Metairie personal injury lawyers to handle all the aspects of your car accident case, including:
- Thoroughly investigating the circumstances of your crash
- Evaluating key evidence obtained during discovery, such as medical records, accident reports, cell phone records, property damage, forensics reports, witness statements, and video footage
- Consulting with reliable expert witnesses and specialists as we build your personal injury claim
- Assessing your damages and calculating the value of your car accident claim
- Filing your car accident claim with the local court clerk and/or the at-fault party’s insurance carrier
- Determining the best options for defending against claims of contributory fault
- Making the defense extend a fair settlement offer or take its chances going head-to-head against our accomplished litigators at trial
A car accident can turn your world upside-down. Contact our law office in Metairie, Louisiana to discuss the details of your car accident case today. Your first consultation is free.
Why Should I Hire a Car Accident Attorney?
While you can file a claim with the at-fault driver’s insurance company and attempt to recover compensation on your own, it’s best to hire an experienced car accident attorney to represent you.
Here’s why:
- You’re more likely to win your case and secure better case results.
- The insurance company has to engage in good faith negotiations and make an honest attempt to resolve your car accident claim fairly.
- You will protect yourself against claims of contributory fault that, left undisputed, could end your fight for compensation before it even starts.
- You benefit from the personal injury law firm’s technology, skills, and resources, which can set the stage for a swift and successful victory.
Hiring a car accident lawyer in Metairie, LA, also gives you the time you need to focus on getting better. Don’t underestimate the impact your choice of attorney can have on your car accident case. Put yourself in the best position to maximize your recovery by calling Mansfield Melancon Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers for help today.
How Much Money Can I Get From a Car Accident Case?
Many factors can affect the potential value of your car accident claim:
- What type of car accident were you involved in?
- Can you still work as you recover from your crash-related injuries?
- Have you experienced a change in your earning capacity?
- Are you temporarily or permanently disabled because of the car crash?
- What physical trauma did you suffer?
- What will it cost to replace or repair damaged property?
- Will you need a rental car while yours is in the shop?
- How has being in a collision altered your quality of life?
- How old are you?
- What degree of blame, if any, do you share for the auto accident?
- Did you take steps to mitigate your damages?
At the end of the day, the types of injuries you’ve suffered and their severity will have the greatest impact on the potential value of your personal injury lawsuit. Severe injuries can have a significant impact on your life. In turn, cases where a plaintiff is catastrophically injured tend to be worth more than those where a victim suffers more moderate trauma.
Do I Have a Car Accident Case?
While there are some exceptions, most car accident cases are based on the tort of negligence. Negligence refers to a party’s failure to exercise appropriate caution, which directly contributes to another party’s injury or wrongful death.
So, there’s a good chance that you’ll have a car accident case if you were injured or experienced the death of a family member in a collision because someone else was negligent.
For instance, you might have a case if:
- You got hit by a drunk driver.
- A driver caused a crash because they were texting or talking on the phone.
- Someone thought they could “beat” a red or yellow light and sped through an intersection.
- A driver suffering from road rage cut you off in traffic and then suddenly slammed on their brakes, causing you to rear-end their vehicle.
There are times when you could have a car accident case even if no one was negligent. If you get into a car accident because of a vehicle defect, you might have a legitimate claim against the manufacturer.
The best way to determine whether you have a car accident case is to discuss the specific details of your crash with an experienced personal injury attorney at our law firm.
How Long Do I Have to File a Car Accident Lawsuit in Louisiana?
The clock starts ticking the moment you’re involved in a car accident in Metairie, Louisiana. This clock, known as the statute of limitations, gives you a set amount of time in which you can seek compensation for any crash-related damages.
Barring any exceptions, the statute of limitations for car accident cases in Louisiana is two years. You must file your legal claim with an insurance company or Louisiana state court by the second anniversary of your collision to preserve your legal rights. Once the statute of limitations runs out, you’ll forfeit the ability to demand compensation from a negligent or otherwise liable party.
What Damages Can be Awarded to Metairie Crash Victims?
As the plaintiff in a civil car accident claim in Louisiana, you can request two types of monetary awards: economic damages and non-economic damages.
Known collectively as compensatory damages, they’re designed to help you deal with different types of consequences arising from your recent wreck.
Economic Damages
Economic damages are paid to cover your crash-related costs and expenses, such as:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Disability
- Diminished earning capacity
- Rehabilitation
- Property damage
- Out-of-pocket costs
- Funeral and burial expenses after a fatal crash
You can receive compensation for current expenses as well as future financial losses, as long as they’re supported by evidence.
Non-Economic Damages
Not all consequences of a motor vehicle accident come with a price tag. However, it doesn’t mean they have less of a negative impact on your life. Non-economic damages are designed to help you cope with these harder-to-value losses.
Non-economic damages can include money for:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of consortium
- Embarrassment
- Disfigurement and scarring
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Chronic physical pain
Since these experiences are more subjective, they’re often the source of a lot of arguments regarding valuation. Our car accident lawyers in Metairie work hand-in-hand with reliable, experienced experts to help us fully understand the ways in which a crash affects our clients – financially and in more personal ways. The more we understand how a collision has impacted you, the better positioned we’ll be to leverage a meaningful financial award on your behalf.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Car Accident Attorney?
We represent our clients on a contingency fee basis. Simply put, if we take your case, it means we believe in our ability to win. We’re even willing to stake our attorney fees on the outcome. You will pay nothing until we’ve won compensation for your car accident case. If we win, our fees will be deducted from your financial award, less any costs we’ve fronted to pursue damages on your behalf.
Can I Get Compensation if I Was Partly At Fault For My Car Crash?
Yes, but Louisiana law limits how much compensation you can get if you share responsibility for the wreck.
Under the state’s pure comparative fault rule, a plaintiff’s damages are reduced proportionately to fault up to 99 percent. So, compensation can be awarded as long as you’re not entirely responsible for a traffic accident. The more responsibility you bear for a collision, the more it’ll limit your financial recovery.
For instance, you could expect to recover 80 percent of your damages if you’re assigned 20 percent of the blame for a recent car crash in Metairie. So, you’d only receive $80,000 if your claim was initially valued at $100,000.
Will My Car Accident Lawsuit Go to Trial?
Statistically speaking, not many car accident cases go to trial.
Most often, car accident lawsuits go to trial when:
- There’s a legitimate dispute regarding liability that prevents negotiations from moving forward.
- Parties have drastically different opinions on what a legal claim is worth.
- An insurance company acts in bad faith when handling a car accident case.
Going to trial isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Many times, it can be in your best interest to bring your car accident case to trial, especially when the insurance company won’t fight fairly. However, you can increase the odds of getting a swift and favorable settlement without having to navigate the time and expense of a trial by hiring an experienced civil litigator to handle your car accident case.
What Should I Do After a Car Accident in Metairie?
Once you’ve been involved in a car accident in Metairie, Louisiana, it’ll be important to:
- Call 911 to report the auto accident to the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office.
- Move your vehicle to the side of the road or another safe location near the scene of the crash, if you’re able to do so.
- Exchange insurance details with other parties.
- Provide short, concise answers to questions posed by the police when they arrive on the scene.
- Take pictures of your injuries, damage to your car and other vehicles, as well as other evidence at the crash scene.
- Refuse to accept responsibility for the car accident, even if you genuinely believe you’re to blame.
- Seek prompt medical attention so that any injuries you’ve suffered are documented and treated right away.
- Refuse to provide the at-fault driver’s insurance company with a recorded statement unless advised to do so by legal counsel.
- Direct any and all requests for information or negotiations to your car accident attorney.
The sooner you contact an experienced lawyer for help after a collision in Metairie, the better. Whether you got into a wreck in the middle of the night, over a long weekend, or in rush hour, members of our team are always available to take your call and offer the support you need.
Types of Car Accident Claims We Handle
The insurance company handles thousands of car accident claims every day. Adjusters know how to navigate the unique circumstances of different types of crashes inside and out. If you want a shot at maximizing your financial recovery, you’ll want that kind of experience and knowledge in your corner, too.
Mansfield Melancon Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers has a proven track record of helping victims of all types of crashes in Louisiana, including:
Rear-End Collisions
Rear-end collisions, which typically happen at intersections or in stop-and-go traffic, occur when the front of one vehicle crashes into the rear of the vehicle in front of it. Any rear-end collision, including those at low speeds, can cause serious physical injuries, such as whiplash, nerve damage, and concussions. Our Metairie rear-end collision attorneys are here for you.
Head-On Crashes
When two moving vehicles collide head-on, the force of impact is doubled. As a result, crash victims are more susceptible to catastrophic physical injuries, not limited to spinal cord injuries, bone fractures in the neck and lower back, and crush injuries. Nearly 11 percent of the nation’s fatal car accidents in 2022 were classified as head-on collisions. Our Metairie head-on crash lawyers can assist you with your claim.
Rollovers
Vehicles with a high center of gravity – including vans, SUVs, and light trucks – are more susceptible to rolling over when there’s a sudden change in centrifugal force. Many times, rollovers occur when a motorist swerves suddenly to avoid a hazard, makes a sharp turn without slowing down, or drives over a tripping hazard on the road’s surface. Our Metairie rollover accident attorneys will support you throughout the development of your legal proceedings.
T-Bone Accidents
T-Bone accidents occur when two vehicles collide and make a “T” shape, as one vehicle crashes directly into the side of the other. Since there’s very little on the side of a vehicle to protect occupants in these types of serious collisions, the resulting injuries can be quite severe. Our Metairie T-bone accident lawyers will help you pursue compensation.
Who Could Be Liable for My Car Accident Damages?
In Louisiana, anyone who contributed to your car accident – even indirectly – could be liable for your injuries, costs, and trauma.
Depending on why and how your collision happened, liable parties might include the following:
- Driver of another passenger vehicle
- Commercial vehicle operator
- Motorcyclist
- Pedestrian
- Bicyclist
- Uber or Lyft rideshare driver
- Mass transit company
- Government agency
- Vehicle manufacturer
- Negligent party’s employer
- Property owner
- Car rental company
The more responsibility a party bears for your collision, the more they’ll be on the hook for your medical care, disability, and chronic pain.
Common Types of Car Accident Injuries
While a multitude of factors can influence the types of injuries you’re most likely to sustain in a Metairie crash, some of the most commonly reported car accident injuries include:
- Soft tissue injuries
- Chest injuries
- Nerve damage
- Burn injuries
- Broken bones
- Whiplash
- Neck injuries
- Back injuries
- Herniated disc injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Paralysis
- Concussions
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Crush injuries
- Eye injuries
- Leg injuries
- Amputation injuries
- Catastrophic injuries
- Wrongful death
You don’t have to navigate the aftermath of a serious car accident in Metairie on your own. Once you’ve reported your car wreck and sought medical attention, don’t hesitate to reach out to our trustworthy legal team for assistance. We can listen to your story, offer preliminary guidance, and fully support your pursuit of damages from a liable party.
What Are the Most Common Causes of Car Accidents?
While car accidents can happen for many different reasons, most happen because someone is negligent.
Specifically, some of the leading causes of collisions include:
- Distracted driving
- Drunk driving
- Drugged driving
- Fatigued driving
- Unsafe lane changes
- Illegal turns
- Speeding
- Tailgating
- Road rage
- Ignoring traffic safety laws
- Failing to yield the right of way
- Vehicle malfunctions related to negligent maintenance
Of course, not all car accidents happen because a driver is negligent. Other contributing factors include vehicle defects, road defects, bad weather conditions, and driver inexperience.
Metairie Car Accident Statistics
Located just a stone’s throw from New Orleans, it’s no surprise that thousands of car accidents are reported in and around Metairie, Louisiana every year.
According to Louisiana State University’s Center for Analytics & Research in Transportation Safety data reporting system, 3,327 injury crashes and 32 fatal crashes were reported in Metairie and surrounding towns in Jefferson Parish in 2023. That same year, 11,736 collisions resulted in property damage only.
Call Our Metairie Car Accident Lawyers Today for a Free Consultation
If you’ve been involved in a car accident in Metairie, you deserve to tell your story and demand compensation from those who are to blame. Don’t fight for compensation on your own. Call Mansfield Melancon Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers. Our Metairie car accident attorneys can give you the edge you need to win your legal battle and maximize your financial award.
Backed by over half a century of combined legal experience, our top-rated Louisiana trial attorneys have helped clients win millions of dollars in settlement agreements and jury awards. Now, we’re prepared to take on the insurance company in your car accident case to make sure you’re made whole, too.
There’s no charge for an initial case review. Contact our law office to get started.
