Personal Injury Attorney in Gonzales, & Southeast Louisiana

• A Louisiana Injury Lawyer Can Help
• Trespass To Chattels
• Trespass To Land
• Fraud/Misrepresentation
• False Imprisonment
• Personal Injury Through Infliction Of Emotional Distress
• Conversion
• Personal Injury From Battery
• Personal Injury From Assault
• Statutes Of Limitations
• Product Liability
• Personal Injury Damages
• Intentional Harm To Person Or Property
• Comparative & Contributory Negligence
• Negligence

Our society puts demands on all citizens to avoid harming others. This standard applies to possessions as well. Harm done to you or something that belongs to you is in direct violation of the applicable tort laws governing the situation. Such harm may be intentional or accidental, but both may cause the doer to be liability for the damage done. Intentional actions are designed to cause harm or injury, while negligent action is the failure to take appropriate action, which results in preventable harm. To discuss the difference between these two, call our Louisiana Personal Injury Lawyers. A brick thrown through your car window is intentional; driving into your parked car through careless vehicle operation is negligence. In both cases, the defendant was expected not to injure you or your property – our laws and society create that duty.

There is a more specific form of personal injury law called “strict liability.” Strict liability means that the injuring party is held responsible whether or not negligence or intention was involved – the simple fact that injury occurred is enough. This concept occurs in the area of product liability: manufacturers are held responsible for ensuring that their product is safe when used as directed.

After an occurrence of personal injury, the defendant (the injurer) is responsible for making good the damage done – rectifying the situation. The compensatory money owed to you is called “damages.” Damages may be agreed upon through insurance settlements, in court, or by other means. Many times, getting help from experienced Personal Injury Attorneys in Ascension Parish is advised to make sure that you get the maximum possible settlement for your injuries.
Remember to do these things to help yourself if you are ever the victim of Gonzales personal injury:

1. Seek and follow through on all medical care and physician instructions.
2. Contact and follow through with your insurance company.
3. Cooperate fully with police and other officials.
4. Contact an attorney to discuss your case and weigh your options. Call as soon as possible and, in the meantime, avoid discussion of the matter with strangers, insurance representatives (from companies other than your own) and others.

Most Gonzales personal injury cases are covered by a statute of limitations, which means that you only have a certain period of time in which you can file a lawsuit.

How To Negotiate Your Personal Injury Settlement With The Insurance Company?

If you are injured by an accident that was not your fault, you will need to deal with an insurance company for compensation for your damages. Insurance negotiations are typical in personal injury cases and are considered the easiest way of resolving your dispute, hopefully avoiding a lawsuit in the process. While hiring a Baton Rouge, Louisiana personal injury attorney can provide you with a significant advantage, you should always be sure that you understand the process of negotiations.

It is important to know the true nature of an insurance company. These companies do not exist to help people who have been injured. An insurance company is a company looking to make a profit. Profits are necessary for their success, so their employees will never have your best interests in mind. They will do anything necessary to limit your settlement or deny your claim. It is best to avoid dealing with the insurance company yourself and hire a personal injury attorney in Baton Rouge, LA to negotiate on your behalf.

Find a qualified Baton Rouge, Louisiana personal injury attorney to conduct an independent investigation of your accident. You will need to provide proof of fault to convince the insurance company that you’re entitled to compensation. You need actual evidence and a skilled personal injury attorney in Baton Rouge will collect it.

When negotiating your settlement, know the exact totals of your losses. Economic damages are easy to calculate. They include medical bills and lost wages. Non-economic losses are more complicated and include pain, suffering, and emotional distress. You need to find a way to calculate these when your Baton Rouge, Louisiana personal injury attorney is negotiating on your behalf. Most insurance companies use a standard formula which they apply to calculate your non-economic damages. This formula is based on economic damages, which you have proven with solid evidence. For example, if your lost wages and medical bills total $50,000 and the formula used by the insurance company is a multiplier of two, your non-economic losses would be calculated at a total of $100,000.

It is important to prepare yourself to acknowledge or defend all of the potential weaknesses of your case. Even if you are convinced that your claim is flawless and undeniable, you can expect the insurance company to find at least one flaw, which they will try to use to deny payment or reduce the amount of your settlement. Louisiana uses the rule of comparative negligence, which can end up reducing your compensation, if your own fault contributed to your accident and injuries. The insurance company will use this information to reject your claim whenever possible. Insurance companies will also review all your prior medical records before participating in negotiations with you or your Baton Rouge personal injury attorney. It will be considered questionable if you did not seek treatment for your injuries right away, failed to complete treatment, or failed to follow medical orders.

If you or a loved one is in need of legal assistance, call Gordon R. Crawford at (225) 228-3450. The initial consultation is free of charge for Personal Injury cases in Gonzales, & Southeast Louisiana, and if we agree to handle your case, we will work on a contingency fee basis, which means we get paid for our services only if there is a monetary recovery of funds. In many cases, a lawsuit must be filed before an applicable expiration date, known as a statute of limitations. Please call our Personal Injury Lawyers in Ascension Parish right away to ensure that you do not waive your right to possible compensation.