If you have been injured in Metairie, LA, due to someone else’s negligence, it’s important to know you have legal rights. If you need help with a claim, call Mansfield Melancon Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers at (888) 601-0127 to schedule a free consultation with a Metairie personal injury lawyer.
You might be dealing with hospital bills, missed days at work, and uncertainty. In Louisiana, personal injury law is meant to help people like you recover not just from the physical harm but also cover the costs that threaten your financial well-being. You do not need to take on the insurance companies or navigate complex rules alone.
Why Should I Hire Mansfield Melancon To Handle My Metairie Personal Injury Case?
Choosing Mansfield Melancon is a great choice for the following reasons:
- Our legal team has a proven track record of getting results and over five decades of combined experience helping people with serious injury claims.
- Many of our lawyers previously worked on the other side – for insurance companies and defense firms – which means we know the tactics adjusters use to limit what’s paid out, and we use that knowledge to help represent clients now.
- Every case is handled with personal attention, honesty, and care because we understand what’s at stake for you and your family.
- Our team has earned recognition from the Louisiana Association for Justice, Super Lawyers – Louisiana Rising Stars, Million Dollar Advocates Forum, and more top organizations.
We’ve recovered tens of millions of dollars in compensation across Louisiana, including multi-million-dollar settlements. Our results speak for themselves, and some of our recent wins include:
- $4,500,000 – Injuries resulting from a fall
- $1,800,000 – Injured plant worker
- $600,000 – Injuries from a fall at a national retailer
If you have any questions about an injury case in Metairie, Louisiana, call Mansfield Melancon to schedule a free consultation with a Metairie personal injury attorney.
What Benefits Would I Get If I Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer?
Hiring a lawyer is one of the smartest steps you can take after an accident, and here’s why:
- Leveling the playing field so you won’t get taken advantage of by insurance companies.
- Claims can get complicated quickly, often requiring experts, investigators, and accident reconstruction specialists. A lawyer knows who to bring in and how to build a strong, well-supported case.
- The other side will likely try to put some or all of the blame on you. A skilled lawyer can anticipate this, seek the results you need, and fight back to protect you from unfair claims that could lower your compensation.
- After an accident, your priority should be recovering, not dealing with the claims process or paperwork. Your lawyer handles the legal details and seeks results, allowing you to focus on your healing.
Having a lawyer on your side takes pressure off you and lets you focus on your recovery and moving forward.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer?
Most attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, meaning that you only pay if your lawyer wins your case. The attorney’s fee comes from a portion of the money you recover – either from a settlement or a verdict.
With Mansfield Melancon, you don’t pay hourly charges or up-front costs for our legal services, and you never pay anything out of your own pocket, so that you can get started right away.
Do I Have a Personal Injury Case?
Here are a few things that can help you determine if you may have a legal claim:
- Someone else was negligent: If the other party acted carelessly – like a distracted driver, a business with unsafe floors, or else – you might have a case.
- You suffered an injury or loss: If you got hurt, missed work, or faced property damage because of someone’s actions (or inaction), you may have a claim worth pursuing.
- Causation is clear: There needs to be a clear link between what the other party did (or didn’t do) and the harm you experienced. For example, you can show that you fell because the store left spilled juice on the floor for hours.
- Evidence can back it up: Some of the most important pieces of evidence include medical records, photos and videos, witness statements, and police or accident reports.
If you’re not sure if you have a case, talking to a lawyer can clear things up and help you figure out your next steps.
How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit After an Accident in Louisiana?
Louisiana law gives you one year from the date of your accident to file a lawsuit for accidents that took place before July 1st, 2024. Any injury that occurred on or after this date has a two-year statute of limitations.
Waiting too long can prevent you from ever bringing your claim, but there are a few exceptions where this deadline might be extended:
- Discovery rule: In cases where you did not and could not have reasonably known about your injury or who caused it right away, the deadline starts from the date you actually discover, or should have discovered, your right to bring a claim.
- Minors: If the person injured is a child, the clock doesn’t start until their 18th birthday.
- Disability: For those who are legally considered disabled, the clock doesn’t start ticking until the disability is removed.
- Fraudulent concealment: If the person who caused your injury hid their misconduct, the law should give you more time once you discover what happened.
Always talk to a lawyer as soon as you can after an accident so you can be sure your lawsuit is filed before your time runs out.
We Handle All Personal Injury Cases in Metairie
Our law firm has experience handling cases such as:
Car Accidents
Car accidents are one of the most common causes of injury. Our Metairie car accident lawyer investigates every detail – like police reports and witness accounts – to get to the truth and recover the full compensation you deserve.
Motorcycle Accidents
Motorcyclists are particularly vulnerable to serious injuries because they have less protection in a crash. We understand the specific challenges bikers face, which may include bias and complicated reconstructions, so your motorcycle accident case gets the respect it deserves.
Truck Accidents
Cases involving large trucks can be complicated by company regulations, multiple potential defendants, FMCSA regulations, and extensive injuries. Our Metairie truck accident lawyers know how to obtain and review driving logs and maintenance records, and hold trucking companies—and other parties—accountable for the harm caused by a truck accident.
Premises Liability
Slip and fall accidents, dog bites, or injuries at stores or apartment complexes are premises liability cases. We will work tirelessly to prove that the property owner knew, or should’ve known, about the danger and didn’t fix it, building a case for fair compensation.
Medical Malpractice
When a medical professional makes a mistake or fails to provide the right care, the consequences can change your life. We stand up for those injured due to negligence caused by doctors, nurses, or hospitals.
Wrongful Death
If you’ve lost a loved one because of someone else’s actions, we can help you bring a wrongful death claim to seek damages for your loss. We blend compassion with dedication to seek justice for your family during this difficult time.
What Damages Are Available to Metairie Accident Victims?
If you’ve been hurt in an accident in Metairie, you may be entitled to several different kinds of compensation, depending on the facts of your case.
Economic Damages
These are the out-of-pocket costs you face because of the accident. Economic damages cover things like your hospital bills, future care, lost paychecks while you’re recovering, physical therapy, and even the cost to fix or replace your vehicle.
Non-Economic Damages
Some losses are harder to put a dollar figure on. Non-economic damages provide compensation for things like pain and suffering, emotional distress, permanent scarring, disability, and the ways your life or relationships have been changed.
Punitive Damages
Punitive damages are used as a way to punish the wrongdoer, but are rarely awarded in Louisiana. A court might consider them in situations like drunk driving crashes.
Every injury case is different, but these are the main kinds of damages injured individuals should know about when considering a claim.
What Is Negligence and How Do I Prove It?
Negligence is a legal term that means someone failed to act with the care a reasonable person would use in a similar situation, and that carelessness led to harm. In many cases, proving negligence is necessary for you to recover compensation. Courts require you to show four specific elements:
- Duty of Care: Demonstrate that the other party had a legal responsibility to keep you or others safe, such as a driver following traffic laws.
- Breach of Duty: Prove that the other person failed to uphold that duty through careless or reckless behavior. This could be a driver failing to follow traffic laws.
- Causation: Link their careless conduct directly to your injury. For instance, if a driver ran a red light and crashed into your car.
- Damages: Demonstrate real losses that resulted, such as lost wages or emotional distress.
Proving all four elements is how a lawyer shows someone else caused your injuries and that you deserve to be compensated.
Personal Injury FAQ
How Much Is My Personal Injury Case Worth?
The value of your case varies depending on several factors. There’s no specific amount since every case is unique. Key factors that affect your case’s value include:
- Liability and Evidence: How clear it is that the other party caused your injury matters a lot. Strong evidence makes it easier to prove your case, which can increase its value. Disputes over who is at fault tend to lower the possible recovery.
- Policy Limits: The amount the defendant’s insurance will pay also sets a limit on what you can get. Even if your damages are high, you may only recover up to the policy limits. If the limit doesn’t cover all your losses, you may have to file a lawsuit against the defendant to get the rest of what you’re owed.
- Long-Term Impact: Injuries that cause lasting disabilities, such as a brain injury or spinal cord injury, or ongoing treatment needs usually lead to higher compensation.
- Skill of the Attorney: An experienced attorney can build a stronger case, negotiate better settlements, and maximize your recovery.
Your attorney can give you a better idea of what your case might be worth.
What if I’m Partially at Fault for the Accident?
Even if you’re partly at fault for an accident in Louisiana, the law uses something called pure comparative fault to figure out how much you can recover. This means your share of responsibility will reduce the amount of money you get, but it won’t stop you from recovering anything.
For example, if you are found 25% at fault, your compensation will be reduced by 25%. So, if your total damages are $100,000, you would receive $75,000 ($100,000 minus 25%).
Even if you are mostly to blame, you can still collect some money. It’s important to work with a lawyer who understands how these fault percentages are determined.
Will My Personal Injury Case Go to Trial?
Most cases settle before reaching a trial. However, here are some factors that determine if your case will go to court:
- Willingness to settle: If the insurance company is reasonable and ready to talk through your demands, there’s a good chance things will be resolved through negotiation.
- Liability and fault disputes: Sometimes, the other party won’t take responsibility or claims the accident was at least partly your fault. When there’s a big difference in the stories, it often takes a courtroom to get all the facts on the table.
- The value of your case: If the value of your damages can’t be agreed upon, negotiations can reach a standstill, and going to trial might be the only way to settle the dispute.
- Insurance company strategies: Some insurance companies prefer to avoid the cost of trial and may offer fair settlements when the evidence favors you. Others may delay the process, hoping you’ll give up, accept less, or avoid a lawsuit out of frustration.
Your attorney’s job is to be ready for both paths: smart negotiation, if possible, to avoid the time and stress of a trial, but ready for courtroom advocacy if that’s what it takes to get proper compensation.
How Long Will My Injury Case Take?
The length of an injury case can vary widely based on several factors. Typically, cases that settle quickly may take a few months, while others can last a year or more. The complexity of the injury, how clear the evidence is, and whether negotiations succeed without going to trial all play a part.
If the case goes to trial, the legal process naturally takes longer because of scheduling, motions, and hearings. It’s important to stay patient and work closely with your lawyer, who can guide you through what to expect as your case moves forward.
Contact Our Experienced Metairie Personal Injury Lawyers for Legal Help
Working with the right attorney gives you the legal support you need to focus on healing and caring for your family. We deal with the paperwork, gather evidence, deal with adjusters, and work to hold the responsible party accountable. Our goal is to lift the burden off your shoulders so you can move forward. If you’ve been involved in an accident caused by someone else, contact Mansfield Melancon to schedule a free consultation with an attorney in Metairie.
Visit Our Metairie, LA Office
111 Veterans Memorial Blvd # 255,
Metairie, LA 70005
Phone number: (888) 601-0127
24/7
Additional Resources
Personal Injury Infographic
