Each year, more than 119,000 injury crashes and over 4,000 fatalities are related to large truck accidents. Wrecks involving passenger vehicles and 18-wheelers are particularly traumatizing, leaving victims with life-altering emotional injuries on top of their physical scars.
If you or a loved one have been affected by a semi-truck accident in Hammond, contact Bart Bernard, a local truck accident attorney with the grit, knowledge, and rapport to get real results. Get it Done Right™
Our Hammond Personal Injury Lawyers Have Helped Hundreds of Accident Victims Just Like You
The stress of dealing with rehabilitation from serious injury, along with the mounting medical bills that inevitably pile up when you’re out of work, is too much to deal with on your own. Contacting a knowledgeable, experienced truck accident lawyer for a free consultation costs you nothing. In fact, we ask for no money upfront in the pursuit of justice. We work on a contingency basis. If you don’t get paid, we don’t either.
The Bart Bernard team of Hammond personal injury lawyers have helped hundreds of people in Louisiana recover from debilitating truck accidents. Bart Bernard is ranked in the top 1% of lawyers and received the prestigious Trial Lawyers Board of Regents Litigator Award in 2015. Our compassionate attorneys can help you connect with local resources for your recovery, while investigating your claim, negotiating with insurance companies, as well as filing a lawsuit, if necessary, to secure maximum compensation for the future.
How Much Compensation Do Semi-Truck Accident Victims Receive?
Compared to passenger vehicles, commercial trucks carry much higher amounts of liability coverage. Motorists in Louisiana are required by law to carry $15,000 per person and $30,000 per accident in bodily liability coverage. By comparison, truckers are required to carry between $300,000 and $750,000 per person. While this may seem like enough coverage for your injuries, keep in mind that insurance companies will do everything in their power to deny, decrease, and delay payment to you.
In determining how much money you’re owed, we’ll look at:
- How easily can “fault” be ascribed to the other party? Were you partially responsible?
- What is the extent of your injuries? How likely are they to cause permanent impairment?
- Did the crash cause a death?
Louisiana’s Comparative Fault Law
Louisiana has one of the more generous rules of comparative fault, as described in Louisiana Civil Code 2323. Even if the other party successfully argues that you were 75% to blame for causing the crash, you can still recover 25% of your damages. This rule also applies to wrongful death claims. Generally speaking, comparative fault is rarely assessed in settlement negotiations– only in judge and juried trials. Even so, you want a lawyer who can stand up strong in your defense so that you can recover maximum benefits.
Truck Accident Injuries
The severity of injuries and the cost of treatment are significant factors in how much a person can reasonably collect in a truck accident claim. Some of the higher dollar amounts are given to victims with traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, injuries involving permanent scarring and disfigurement, or permanent disabilities.
It is always imperative that you seek immediate medical attention. Keep records of your doctor’s evaluations and do your best to follow all advice, including keeping all follow-up appointments. This will help establish the severity of harm you suffered and shows that your continued suffering has not been caused by a failure to adhere to the treatment program. Never allow insurance companies permission to review your medical files without a lawyer’s approval. Insurance companies often use this tactic as a backdoor to dig for preexisting conditions to reduce or deny your claim.
Wrongful Death Claims in Louisiana
Passenger vehicle deaths often result from preventable semi-truck accidents. Though no amount of money can ameliorate your suffering in these cases, spouses and dependent children can take some solace in knowing they won’t be plunged into poverty following a primary breadwinner’s sudden, tragic death.
Louisiana law allows damages such as:
- Medical and hospital bills
- Funeral and burial expenses
- Loss of wage earnings or expected future income
- Lost companionship and guidance
Our compassionate team of attorneys will be available to you 24/7 to help you through this challenging time.
Ready to Pursue Justice?
There is a general one-year statute of limitations for taking civil action against a truck driver, a trucking firm, and other liable parties. The timeframe for filing could be more or less, depending on the circumstances surrounding your accident, so it is always best to contact a seasoned attorney to discuss your claim. Our Lafayette office is conveniently located less than two hours west of Hammond, via I-10 and I-12.
Click Bart First, Call Bart First™”.
