Car Accident Lawyer in Lafayette

Nestled in the heart of Louisiana, Lafayette is a vibrant testament to the unique blend of cultures that have converged in the region for centuries. Steeped in history, Lafayette is a melting pot where Cajun, Creole, and other cultural influences harmonize.

Tourists visit from all over the world to experience the city’s living history museums, remarkable food, and lively culture. As you navigate Lafayette’s vibrant streets and neighborhoods, it’s important to stay aware and cautious, the city has a large bustling population and constantly has visitors from all over the world.

As the hub of a populous parish, Lafayette experienced around 1,500 car accidents in 2020, many causing injuries, underlining the complexity of personal injury cases that necessitate experienced legal representation to secure rightful compensation.

Facing the aftermath of such an event can be daunting, but you don’t have to go through it alone. Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys offer comprehensive support, guiding you through various accident scenarios, from rear-end collisions to complex cases, advocating for your rights at every stage, from claims to court.

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Our Lafayette Car Accident Attorneys’ Proven Results

Contact Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys today for a complimentary consultation with our Lafayette car accident lawyers. With a vast reservoir of 679+ years of combined legal experience in assisting Lafayette residents, we’ve aided numerous clients in their recovery and pursuit of compensation for their accident-related injuries.

Drawing from our substantial history, Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys has enabled countless personal injury victims to secure $3 Billion, and we are here to extend the same support to you.

Highlighting remarkable 200+ Personal Injury Million+ verdicts and settlements, our commitment to clients is unwavering and reflected in our G Guarantee. This assurance ensures that clients only bear fees and expenses when their case triumphs, prioritizing their rightful compensation.

Types of Lafayette Car Accident Injury Claims

After an accident, Louisiana law outlines three distinct paths for seeking compensation. Depending on the injuries you’ve sustained, their severity, and the circumstances of your auto accident, your claim will be categorized under negligence, product liability, or wrongful death.

Figuring out which of these applies to your case is one of the first steps to take after your accident, and it’s the first thing we’ll do when you give us a call.

NEGLIGENCE

The most common claim resulting from a car wreck, negligence is the failure to take necessary action or uphold a duty of care, resulting in harm. A person practicing negligence is one that places you or your passengers in an unsafe situation, leading to a car accident.

Common negligent driving behaviors include drunk driving, aggressive driving, distracted driving, or drowsy driving.

PRODUCT LIABILITY

Your car is a collection of thousands of moving parts, any of which could fail at almost any time. If one of these parts fails due to a fault in its construction and leads to a car accident, you can seek remuneration in a product liability case.

Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys have helped clients prove that their accidents or injuries were caused by blown-out tires, brake failure, faulty airbag deployments, and other product liabilities. All of these can result in serious injury, so call us if you’ve been injured by a faulty part during an accident.

WRONGFUL DEATH

Tragically, some Lafayette car accidents result in the deaths of the driver or their passengers. If your family member was killed in a Louisiana car accident, you have the right to seek damages under Louisiana’s wrongful death statute.

While a wrongful death case won’t bring your loved one back, it can help you collect compensation to pay for the costs associated with the burial, the deceased’s lost wages, medical expenses, and your loss of consortium.

Most Dangerous Roads and Intersections in Lafayette

Lafayette has a reputation for terrible traffic, and with terrible traffic comes an increased risk of accidents. Every year, police respond to thousands of accidents in Lafayette alone, and the majority of them are at one of the following roads and intersections:

• West Congress Street
• Ambassador Caffery Parkway, especially the intersection with Johnston Street
• West Pinhook Road
• Kaliste Saloom Road

Who Is Liable for Car Accident Injuries?

In Louisiana, liability in civil cases is determined by civil courts, using a legal concept called pure comparative negligence. Under this system, one or more parties to an accident can be held liable for that accident, and all are eligible for compensation for their damages proportional to their amount of liability.

Applying the doctrine of pure comparative negligence to your Lafayette car accident means two main things:

1. Multiple parties can owe you compensation for your losses:
   • Other drivers or passengers contributing to the crash
   • Employers of working drivers
   • Government entities that failed to properly maintain infrastructure
   • Manufacturers or mechanics who made or repaired a faulty part
     
     
2. Even if you’re found partially at fault, you could still be eligible for a portion of your sought damages. For example, if you and another driver are found to share equal blame in an accident costing you $10,000, you can still receive 50% of your losses, or $5,000.

Ideally, everyone involved in a car accident has their vehicle insured. However, this is not always the case, and even when both drivers are insured, the claims process can complicate your journey toward compensation. This complicated system of filing claims and determining liability is a major reason why it’s crucial to work with an experienced Lafayette car wreck lawyer at Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys!

Lafayette Car Accidents Statute of Limitations

In Lafayette, Louisiana, it’s important to be aware of the statute of limitations when it comes to car accidents.

Statute of Limitation Changes in Louisiana

In 2024, Louisiana law extended the statute of limitations for personal injury claims occurring on or after July 1, 2024, from one year to two years. Any injuries that occurred before July 1, 2024, will still have a 1-year statute of limitation. Learn more about Louisiana’s New Statute of Limitations here.

• 1 year for injuries sustained before July 1, 2024.
• 2 years for injuries suffered after July 1, 2024.

The statute of limitations is a legal deadline that sets a time frame for filing a lawsuit. In Louisiana, this is known as the “prescriptive period,” which determines how long you have to take legal action against the responsible party after an injury occurs.

This means that if you’ve been involved in a car accident in Lafayette, you generally have one year to file a lawsuit seeking compensation for injuries and damages sustained in the accident. 

Acting promptly within the statute of limitations ensures that your rights to pursue a legal remedy are protected and maximizes your chances of obtaining the compensation you deserve.

How a Lafayette Car Accident Lawyer Can Help

A Lafayette car crash lawyer can be an invaluable ally in navigating the complexities of legal proceedings following a car accident. These professionals possess the expertise to guide you through the intricate legal landscape, ensuring that your rights are protected and your best interests are represented. From gathering evidence, assessing liability, and negotiating with insurance companies to advocating for your rightful compensation, a skilled Lafayette car accident lawyer understands the nuances of Louisiana’s legal system. 

They can help you navigate the intricate details of your case, whether it’s a rear-end collision, sideswipe accident, or another type of car crash. With their experience, they work to build a strong case on your behalf, increasing your chances of achieving a fair settlement or favorable verdict. By partnering with a Lafayette car crash lawyer, you can focus on your recovery while leaving the legal complexities in capable hands, allowing you to pursue the compensation you deserve with confidence.

Lafayette Car Accident Laws and Regulations

Lafayette car accident laws and regulations encompass a comprehensive framework designed to ensure safety on the roads and provide guidance in the event of accidents. Louisiana’s “fault” insurance system requires the at-fault driver in an accident to bear responsibility for damages.

Lafayette follows this system, obliging drivers to carry liability insurance to cover potential injuries and property damage caused by their negligence. Additionally, the state mandates specific minimum insurance coverage limits.

Compensation You Could Recover After a Lafayette Car Accident

Every personal injury case is different, so having a Lafayette car accident lawyer to examine the evidence in your case is important. Damages you could recover after a car accident include the following:

• Past and future medical expenses, including hospital bills, ongoing therapy, assistive devices, and in-home care
• Property damage, including the cost of repairs to your vehicle or its replacement
• Lost wages, including future wages, if you can no longer work
• Pain and suffering

If you’ve lost a loved one in the accident, your family could also be entitled to wrongful death damages including

• Funeral and burial expenses
• Loss of protection and support from the deceased
• Loss of wages and benefits previously provided by the deceased
• Loss of consortium with the deceased

In extreme cases, victims are awarded punitive damages—damages intended to punish the defendant and discourage them from repeating the behavior that led to the car accident.

Do I Need a Police Report to File a Car Accident Claim?

While you can file a claim without a police report, Louisiana law requires police involvement in any car accident involving drunk driving, bodily injury, over $500 of property damage, or death.

Even if this doesn’t seem to be the case in your accident, a police report can serve as a definitive record of the accident. If you don’t have one, you could leave out crucial evidence in your testimony, and the jury will have to weigh your story against the other party’s, which could weaken your case.

The reason for filing a police report is simple, having the details of the auto accident documented will serve as your definitive record of the circumstances of your Lafayette car wreck. Even if the damages or injuries sustained are minimal, car accident victims should still file a report.

Start the Healing Process—Call Gordon McKernan Car Accident Lawyers in Lafayette Today

The team of auto accident lawyers at Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys in Lafayette will begin investigating your auto accident injuries immediately. Call us 24/7 at 337.999.9999 to speak to a car crash lawyer about your case.

Our goal as your Lafayette car accident attorney is to help you through this traumatic situation and get the financial compensation you deserve to heal from your injuries. Contact our law office to speak to an experienced Lafayette car accident lawyer to recover compensation and Get Gordon today!

Lafayette Car Accident Injury Lawyer Near Me

337.999.9999