Accidents can take place unexpectedly even if you are careful in all areas of your life. You never know in advance how someone’s negligence could cause you to be injured. If this happens to you the expense of a serious injury can add up and in the end be a financial burden.
Because of this unexpected expense, it’s sensible to contact a personal injury lawyer who can assess your eligibility for filing a compensation claim so that you can be fairly compensated by the person found to be responsible for your injuries.
Choosing a Personal Injury Attorney in Baton Rouge, LA
If you live in Baton Rouge there is no shortage of personal injury lawyers. At the last count, it was 479 spread throughout the city who are all qualified to offer legal advice and help for victims of personal injuries. To be certain that you have made the right choice choose a licensed attorney who can prove he or she has a successful track record in gaining compensation for victims of accidents.
Typical Injuries in Baton Rouge
Although there are many reasons why you could end up with unexpected injuries, there are certain types of accidents that happen more frequently than others. In Baton Rouge the most common injuries are due to accidents involving cars, motorcycles and trucks.
Car drivers in this busy city are always in a hurry to reach their destinations and don’t always pay attention to speed rules. Once they are driving too fast it’s difficult to stop when road conditions change.
Anyone who is hit by a speeding driver could end up in a wheelchair for the rest of their lives, if they have serious back injuries. Similarly injuries from collisions on a motorcycle could be life changing meaning there is no opportunity to return to a normal job again.
Collisions with trucks and smaller vehicles could be devastating. A life could be lost and injuries such as serious spinal injuries and traumatic brain injuries could occur to the victims.
The Personal Injury Claim Process in Louisiana
If you live in the State of Louisiana there is a deadline of 12 months from the date of the accident for filing a personal injury claim. It is called the statute of limitations. The important thing to remember here is that there is a distinct possibility you could lose your right to file a lawsuit if your claim is submitted after this date.
Louisiana also has a "comparative fault" rule which reduces the damages of an injured person by an amount which is equal to the share of fault that the injured person has been assigned. Louisiana is a "fault" state which means when it comes to insurance and car accident injuries, injured motorists can choose whether to file a personal injury claim with an insurer or go to court and file a lawsuit to seek damages.
Louisiana insists that drivers carry a minimum amount of car insurance, including injury coverage. This type of cover may be sufficient to pay the bills caused by the accident, but if it isn’t, there is the option of going to court.
Personal injury claims in Baton Rouge may be filed in either the City Court or District Court, depending on the amount of damages to be claimed. If you are seeking $35,000 or less, the lawsuit can be covered by the Baton Rouge City Court, 233 St Louis St. And for more than $35,000, it should be submitted to the 19th Judicial District Courthouse, 300 North Blvd. For smaller claims worth $5,000 or less, the City Court small claims division is an option.
Use a Free Claim Evaluation to Find a Suitable Personal Injury Attorney
It is best to start the process of filing a claim as early as possible considering the 12 month time limit on claims imposed by the Louisiana’s statute of limitations. Finding a personal injury lawyer may seem an easy task with 479 of them available in Baton Rouge, but who is the best attorney to take on your case? That’s where our free claim evaluation form can help you the most. You can use it to find a Baton Rouge attorney who will help you file your claim.
