Louisiana Injury Lawyers Blog

Injury-causing chain-reaction accidents are stressful and potentially legally complicated. Don’t go it alone — get the knowledgeable legal counsel you need for a successful outcome.

When you are injured in a chain-reaction accident, you are likely feeling many things. First and foremost, you may be struggling with the aftermath of the accident. This may range from physical pain to emotional angst regarding lost time at work or mounting medical bills. On top of all that, though, you must act in a timely manner to pursue your rights in court and get the damages award you need. That’s where experienced legal counsel can help. You can focus on yourself, while your skilled Louisiana injury attorney focuses on the legal aspects of getting you the compensation you deserve.

When you are injured in an auto accident, there may be multiple different bases for your compensation. There may be an award for pain and suffering, for lost wages, and for your past medical bills. But what if a third party, like your employer’s insurer, has already paid your past medical bills? In many cases, that may not matter, and you may still be entitled to recover those damages in addition to your other damages. Making sure that you are getting everything that the law says you are entitled to receive is a key reason why you should take the time to consult an experienced Louisiana car accident attorney about your case.

The Louisiana Court of Appeal recently ruled on a case in which an injured driver had medical expenses paid by a third party. EJ was traveling along the Evangeline Thruway near Lafayette when, for reasons not explained by the Court of Appeal, another driver (Marcus) left his lane and crossed into EJ’s, hitting EJ’s vehicle. The accident caused EJ’s knee to slam into the dashboard. He also twisted his back. Both men were working on behalf of their respective employers when the accident happened.

There is a well-worn stereotype depicting a vehicle passenger or driver who is not injured in an auto accident but, after the fact, starts feigning injury. The stereotype portrays the person as completely unaffected at the scene, only to reappear later in a bulky neck brace. As with many stereotypes, this is often inaccurate and overlooks many important facts. One of those is that a substantial number of people who suffer serious harm as a result of an auto accident may, for one legitimate reason or another, not experience noticeable pain for hours or days after the accident. That delay in noticeable or debilitating pain does not make that person’s injuries any less real and doesn’t make their legal claims any less valid. If you’ve been hurt in an auto accident, whether or not your symptoms “hit” right away, be sure to retain a skilled New Orleans injury attorney for your case.

An example of this type of injury was the one suffered by M.A. in his case. M.A. was a man driving his pickup truck in the left lane of eastbound I-20 on a wintry February morning when M.C., who was driving an SUV in the center lane, allegedly lost control of the vehicle after encountering a patch of ice in the road. The SUV allegedly veered into M.A.’s lane and crashed into the right side of his truck. According to M.A., M.C. did not stop, despite M.A.’s numerous attempts to get his attention by using his horn and headlights.