​Metairie Car Accident Lawyer

When you or a loved one have been injured in a car accident, your legal rights give you more power than you think. You may believe that you are helpless and must go hat in hand to the insurance company – at least, that is what they want you to think. The truth is the opposite of that. When someone else was responsible for your car accident injuries, they must pay you for the full amount of your damages. However, the legal process involves many difficulties.

Do not confuse a process with powerlessness. The attorneys at Stewart J. Guss Personal Injury Attorneys work with those hurt in car accidents. We help you get what you legally deserve for your injuries. Contact us today for your free initial consultation, where we can discuss your case and help you think about the path forward.

We are a national law firm with multiple offices around the country. We also work with affiliate law firms in most states that share our focus and dedication to excellence. No matter where you are located, we may be able to help you, so call or contact our Metairie car accident lawyer now. We are open, for free, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at 866-980-3955, or you may contact us now by clicking here to submit your case for review.

Dangerous Areas in Metairie

While car accidents can happen anywhere in Metairie, the intersection of Clearview Parkway and Veterans Memorial Boulevard has often been found on the list of the most dangerous intersections in the country. Local authorities have tried introducing safety measures, such as speed cameras, but it has not fully alleviated the situation. Metairie roads are as dangerous as ever, especially since serious car accident injuries have spiked since the beginning of the pandemic.

Why Car Accidents Are Happening More Often

The trend, both in Metairie and across the country, is pointing to increased car accidents with greater severity. Nationally, car accident fatalities increased by 10.5 percent in just one year.

We have seen more serious car accidents in recent years because:

• People have been paying less regard to safe driving practices, especially when they have gotten used to less traffic during the pandemic.
• Drivers have been more distracted in the last decade, especially as their use of smartphones and social media behind the wheel has increased.
• Louisiana roads are deteriorating due to a lack of investment in infrastructure.
• Drivers are just worse these days, both due to lack of experience and lack of care for the safety of others.

The result is that drivers and their passengers have a much higher risk of car accidents.

Common Causes of Car Accidents

Sometimes, a driver is just careless and does not see what is happening on the road, or they cannot react in time to a challenge. Although it does not excuse what happened, people can have a bad day and make mistakes. Much of what you read about car accidents points a sharp figure at drivers for reckless and hazardous practices. A driver does not have to do something extremely wrong to cause a car accident.

Here are some of the dangerous habits and unsafe actions that can cause a car accident:

• Speeding can cause a driver to lose control of their car or not be able to stop in time when a car is in front of them
• Distracted driving may mean that a driver does not see a car in their vicinity, or they may run a stop sign or traffic light.
• Drivers may not check their blind spots before they change lanes.
• Reckless driving (often excessive speeding or weaving in and out of lanes) causes many car accident injuries.
• Inexperienced drivers may not be able to fully anticipate the challenges around them on a roadway.
• In extreme circumstances, drivers may get behind the wheel when intoxicated.

The attorneys at Stewart J. Guss Personal Injury Attorneys will zero in on what happened and then determine who to blame and why.

How to Win a Car Accident Case

You are not automatically entitled to financial compensation after an accident. To put yourself in a position to receive a settlement check, you must prove that someone else did something wrong to cause your injuries.

There is a word for what you need to show to win your car accident case – negligence. You hear this word used often by lawyers, and it has a specific meaning.

Negligence is a key concept in personal injury cases. The word describes a situation where someone owes you a duty of care, and you fail to live up to it.

Motorists on the road owe a duty of care to other drivers and their passengers. They must act as a reasonable driver would under the circumstances. A reasonable driver is not expected to be perfect, but they are expected to exercise due care. They follow traffic laws, and they do not text behind the wheel.

To win your case, you must show what the other driver did that was negligent. You do not have to prove that they were on their phone during the accident, but you would have to prove that they cut into your lane when turning or changing lanes.

Evidence You Need After a Car Accident

There are often two sides to each car accident; yours and the other driver’s. The other driver may know full well what they did, or the fog of the car accident could have clouded their memory or perceptions. Regardless, the burden of proof is on you to show what happened.

In a car accident case, you meet your burden of proof by coming to the table with evidence of what happened. Your word is usually insufficient for the other driver’s insurance company to write you a check. You may not have the strongest case if your word is all you have.

The good news is that an experienced car accident lawyer can investigate what happened and collect the evidence for a successful claim.

Here are some helpful forms of car accident evidence:

• The most persuasive form of evidence is witness testimony from a neutral and objective third party who saw what happened.
• You can use the police report to help your case when you file an insurance claim (but not when you have filed a lawsuit in court because it is hearsay).
• You may have taken pictures of the scene (or others there took pictures for you).
• You, or someone in the vicinity, may have caught the accident on a dashboard camera, or a nearby traffic camera may have recorded footage).
• If you have no other evidence, you may be able to rely on an expert witness who can reconstruct what happened in the crash.

What to Do After You Have Been Injured in a Car Accident

You can help your case by:

• Seeing a doctor and following their recommendations – If you were not hospitalized after the car accident, you should get checked out by a medical professional. Follow their treatment recommendations and follow up with your medical care. Otherwise, the insurance company may accuse you of failing to mitigate your damages and try to blame you in part for your medical condition.
• Hiring a lawyer as soon as possible – You have limited time to gather evidence and file a claim. The sooner you hire a lawyer, the quicker you can begin the legal process. It can take a considerable amount of time to get your check. When you are on your own, you may feel a sense of panic and helplessness about the legal process.
• Saving any documentation that could help your case – This could include evidence about the accident or any proof of your damages. Being organized as best as you can makes your lawyer’s job easier.

Why You Need a Metairie Car Accident Lawyer

When you are up against an insurance company, you are dealing with professionals who may act unprofessional. Their interest is their finances and how they can get away with paying you as little as possible for your case. The insurance company skews the process in their favor to put you at a disadvantage. Your car accident lawyer is there to level the playing field in your favor.

A car accident attorney can:

• Investigate the cause of your accident and gather the evidence that you need to prove your case
• Advise you of your legal options and answer any questions that you may have about the legal process
• Prepare the claim for the insurance company or the lawsuit against the responsible driver to file in court
• Handle all communications with the insurance company for you
• Evaluate your claim and come up with the dollar value to seek in settlement negotiations
• Negotiate a potential settlement with the insurance company, responding on your behalf to any offers they may make you
• Argue your case in court if it needs to go to a jury

Never try to handle your case on your own. Your injuries alone would prevent you from vigorously speaking up for yourself. Combine that with the insurance company playing on their home field, and you are in a difficult situation.

Car Accident Compensation

Once you prove that someone else was to blame for your car accident, you may recover:

• The complete cost of your medical care
• Lost income for time that you missed from work
• Pain and suffering for what you endured after the accident
• The loss of enjoyment of the life that you had before the accident
• Embarrassment and humiliation
• Permanent scarring and disfigurement

If your loved one died in a car accident, your family could file a case under Louisiana’s wrongful death laws.

Stewart J. Guss Personal Injury Attorneys will know how much your case is worth. We hold the insurance company accountable when they try to shortchange you in settlement negotiations. The insurance company will not pounce on you before you know the value of your claim.

You Can Afford Our Car Accident Lawyers

We know that money may be in short supply for you after a car accident. After all, your injuries may have left you unable to work, and you must pay your share of the medical bills. You may worry about juggling legal expenses with the rest of your bills. In a personal injury case, you do not need to juggle anything.

You do not need to pay any money upfront to our lawyers. You do not need to pay us by the hour. If the insurance company pays you, then you will pay your lawyer. You do not pay your lawyer if you do not get a check.

Contact a Metairie Car Accident Lawyer Today

Stewart J. Guss Personal Injury Attorneys are the determined fighters you need when you are injured and need all the financial compensation you can get. We know how to battle the insurance company because that is exactly what you must do to get the most possible compensation. We offer free consultations to prospective clients, where we will discuss your case and answer your questions.

The legal team of Stewart J. Guss Personal Injury Attorneys, is nationally recognized for protecting the rights of injured victims for more than 20 years. If a Metairie car accident injures you, call our office right now for a free consultation! Because we take all of our Metairie 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 a day, seven days a week, so call us today at 866-980-3955 or contact us now by clicking here. You just need to reach out to us. We are standing by to help you.