Car Accident Statistics for Lake Charles, Louisiana
Lake Charles definitely leads all cities in Calcasieu Parish in car accidents. According to statistics kept by the state’s Department of Transportation, in one recent year Lake Charles saw:- Seven fatal crashes, resulting in seven fatalities
- 1,343 crashes, resulting in 2,148 injuries
Legal Considerations Involved in Car Accidents
The central question in most car accidents is, “Who is at fault?” The person who caused the accident must bear the financial burden of the crash, including all of the pain and suffering experienced by injured motorists. If you were injured in a car accident, then you can seek financial compensation for your injuries, but you first need to identify the at-fault driver. You also need to consider whether your own negligence contributed to the crash. Were you reading a text message when someone hit you? Did you fail to use your turn signal right before someone plowed into your car? Multiple causes can contribute to accidents, including your own errors. If so, your proportion of fault can reduce the amount of compensation you recover—but you should still try to seek compensation for yourself! Moreover, you should carefully analyze the severity of your injuries. Injured motorists can recover compensation for economic and non-economic losses, such as:- Medical expenses, including surgeries, nights in the hospital, doctor’s office visits, and prescription drugs
- Lost wages
- Lost future wages
- Property damage to your car
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress or mental anguish
- Lost enjoyment of life
- Disfigurement
Do You Really Need a Lawyer?
Car accident cases require knowledge of Louisiana's laws to recover compensation. If you don’t know whether you need a lawyer, ask yourself a few questions:- Is there a dispute about who is at fault for the accident?
- Did you or anyone else suffer a bodily injury as a result of the accident? Did one of your loved ones die?
- Is the other driver’s insurance policy inadequate to cover your medical expenses, lost wages, and property damage?
- Have you suffered severe emotional distress and physical pain from the accident?
- Do you 100 percent understand the paperwork sent to you by your insurer?
- Does the entire process overwhelm you?
Questions to Ask a Car Accident Lawyer
To find a good lawyer, you want to “kick the tires,” so to speak, before agreeing to anything long-term. There are so many considerations that go into finding the right lawyer for you—but first, let’s dispense with some myths:- You DON’T need to hire the same lawyer your friend, coworker, or family member hired. Their preferences in what they want in a lawyer might differ from yours.
- You DON’T need to hire the lawyer who has the fanciest office. Nice offices make the day easier, but you want a lawyer who can deliver results.
- You DON’T need to hire a lawyer who promises to win your case. No lawyer can promise a particular result, and you should run from any who do.
- How many car accident clients have you represented? Some lawyers handle only divorces or DUIs and criminal defense. You want someone who has handled thousands of car accidents during their careers.
- Do you take cases to trial or only settle? Some cases are unable to settle, and the only way to vindicate your rights is to go to court, which has its own unique, complicated rules.
- What are the strengths and weaknesses of my case? What other information do you need? This gives your lawyer a chance to explain how the relevant law applies to the facts and circumstances of your injuries.
- How do you like to communicate? Everyone has different communication styles. Some prefer to speak in person, over the phone, or through email. Make sure to hire an attorney who will communicate with you in the way that you most prefer.
Collecting Evidence
To receive compensation, youll need to show that a driver contributed to your injuries. This means you will need evidence—and a lot of it. Many clients, with the help of their attorneys, may obtain:- Pictures of the crash scene so that the jury can better understand where the cars ended up after the collision. Pictures can also capture skid marks or any obstructions that might have impaired someone’s vision.
- Proof of the severity and location of your injuries. Medical records are key, but sometimes you also need testimony from doctors or other emergency personnel.
- Proof of your pain and suffering. You can typically testify as to what you are feeling, but people who know you can also testify about how the accident has changed you. Your pharmacy records may also show the medication that you need to control your pain.
- Evidence that the other driver acted in a negligent or reckless way. For example, you might obtain cell phone records that show the driver sent a text message or made a phone call in the seconds before the collision.
Understanding Insurance Agent Tricks
Many injured motorists try to settle their own personal injury claims without the help of a lawyer. They believe they have read enough online to know how to negotiate on their own behalf and they don’t want to spend any money on an attorney. Unfortunately, most people do not understand how insurance companies and agents operate quite like the experienced team of attorneys and legal professionals at Stewart J. Guss Personal Injury Lawyers do. Over the years, we have seen insurance agents pull many different tricks to deny injured motorists the compensation they deserve. Here are some examples:-
- An injured motorist tells an insurance agent they can’t really remember what happened. The agent uses this statement to argue that >the other driver isn’t to blame.
- An insurance agent asks an injured motorist to speculate about what might have caused the crash. Trying to think of something to say, the injured person—often on painkillers at this point—says maybe they failed to use a turn signal right before a negligent driver plowed into their trunk. The insurance agent uses this statement to reduce the amount of compensation the victim receives.
- An insurance agent tells an injured victim that they will collect all of the evidence in the case and that they should sit back and relax. The agent doesn’t collect the relevant evidence that shows their client was at fault.
Injured in Lake Charles? Call the Attorneys of Stewart J. Guss for a Free Consultation
To check whether you have a valid claim, contact the offices of Stewart J. Guss Personal Injury Lawyers immediately to schedule a FREE consultation. Avoid delay! Louisiana law gives injured victims only one year from the date of an accident to file a lawsuit. Because investigation and insurance company negotiations can take far longer than that, you do not want to risk forfeiting your ability to obtain compensation. The attorneys and legal team of Stewart J. Guss Personal Injury Lawyers are nationally recognized leaders in the industry who have protected the rights of injured victims for more than 20 years. If you were injured in a car accident, call our office right now for a free consultation! Because we take all of our personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis, you will not owe us a DIME unless we win your case. We are available 24-hours, 7-days a week, so call us today at 800-898-4877 or send an email by CLICKING HERE.See what past clients have to say:
Review: 5/5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
"Mr. Guss was wonderful. He fought hard against the insurance company to get us what we deserved. I went from owing almost $5000 in medical bills to actually getting money in my pocket. Absolutely Amazing!!!!! A big thank you from me and my family!!!"
-Karley B.