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Personal Injury

Will a Mediation Settle My Car Accident Case?

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Will A Mediation Settle My Car Accident Case? Under the Louisiana Mediation Act, civil lawsuits are encouraged to be settled using the mediation process. One type of civil lawsuit that is often resolved through mediation is a personal injury case. The mediation process is geared towards the parties resolving their issues without appearing in court. Thus, in general, resolution through mediation is much faster, easier, and economical than litigating a lawsuit in court. What Is Mediation? The American Bar Association defines mediation as “a private process where a neutral third person helps the parties discuss and try to resolve a dispute.” In this process, a mediator, the independent 3rd party assisting the parties to a lawsuit, helps narrow the issues in a case to determine what points the parties are really in disagreement about. This process heavily involves negotiation and communication to work on a single goal for both parties to reach a comfortable settlement. Who Acts As A Mediator? As noted above, the mediator is an independent 3rd party individual that acts as an intermediary for both parties. Although a mediator is neutral, it does not mean that they are unknown to the parties to the lawsuit. The parties must agree on the mediator to use for their case. Generally, retired judges or private attorneys who specifically practice mediation law serve as mediators in lawsuits. In Louisiana, the qualifications of a civil mediator are stated in La. R.S. 9:4106, which includes that: A person must have completed a minimum of forty classroom hours of training in a mediator course approved by the MCLE Committee or the ADR Section, and must be licensed to practice law in any state for not less than five years; or A person, if not licensed to practice law, must have completed a minimum of forty classroom hours of training in a mediator course approved by the MCLE Committee or the ADR Section, and must have mediated more than twenty-five disputes or must have engaged in more than five hundred hours of dispute resolutions; If a person served as a Louisiana district, appellate, or supreme court judge for at least ten years, they do not have to meet the previous conditions but must no longer be serving as a judge to qualify as a mediator. Who Pays For The Mediation? The cost of mediation, which generally includes the salary of the mediator, rental of the space used during mediation, or any other expenses related to the mediation process, is typically equally divided between the parties. However, it is not uncommon for payment of the mediator’s fee to be one of the last items negotiated during a mediation. What Is The Mediation Process In A Personal Injury Case? Unlike a court trial, mediation is not about convincing a jury, judge, or a mediator to rule in your favor. Instead, the goal of the mediation process is for both parties to reach a comfortable settlement through the help of a mediator. Generally, the mediator will place each party in a separate room. During the process, the mediator spends time with each party to discuss the case. The mediator will then have to move back and forth between the rooms to address any developments or propose a resolution based on their assessment of where the parties are at with their position in the case. However, there are also situations where a mediator might feel that they need to get all the parties together in one room for a joint session. During this event, the mediator will address each party and engage them in a productive discussion to reach a resolution. Does Mediation Replace A Court Trial? The short answer is it can.. Mediation is meant to resolve issues, which in a personal injury case means a settlement is reached that is agreeable to both parties. This means that if a lawsuit is resolved through mediation, the case would be considered settled and the agreement’s terms reached through mediation are honored. No trial would be necessary. Can A Party Still Pursue A Court Action If Mediation Was Not Successful? Yes, you may still pursue court action if mediation is unsuccessful. The ultimate goal of the mediation is to settle the lawsuit. However, there are situations when mediation cannot resolve the issues in a case, and the parties cannot settle. In these situations, the parties to the lawsuit can pursue litigation in court to resolve the issues in their case. Generally, the parties to a lawsuit do not forfeit their rights to bring their lawsuit to court if they elect to pursue mediation. So, a court action is still available to the parties if the mediation process did not work in their case. However, if the mediation is successful and both parties to the lawsuit are able to reach a settlement, the court will deem the case resolved and will not rule on any issue pertaining to the legal action. Can Matters Discussed During Mediation Be Used In Litigation? Generally, no. Mediations are private and confidential. Unless the matters discussed during the mediation proceeding fall under the statutory exceptions, the information provided during the process cannot be used in subsequent litigation. Some of the statutory exceptions include: When disclosure is necessary for criminal prosecution; When essential to prove coercion or fraud that led to the lawsuit; To establish the existence or terms of the settlement; and When necessary to impose sanction or discipline counsel in connection to the mediation process. If you or your loved one is a party to a personal injury case, you need reliable legal representation to advocate for your interests. Our highly experienced personal injury lawyers are prepared to guide and help you in your case. Please call us at (225) 963-9638, or you can click here to contact us about a free consultation. Our dependable personal injury lawyers can help you assess your case, represent your interests, and answer any concerns you may have regarding your rights in your accident claim. We can also

Personal Injury

Will My Car Wreck Case go to Court?

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Will My Car Wreck Case Go To Court? Getting involved in a car accident involves a lot of aspects that usually boils down to a lawsuit. In this lawsuit, a determination of guilt and compensation for the damages incurred by the victim are settled. Typically, when a lawsuit is discussed, a trial by court comes to mind where the image of a judge presides in a trial as lawyers from each side of the courtroom argue on the merits of the case in hopes to convince the jury to side with their respective clients. Anticlimactic as it may, most trials, specifically civil lawsuits including automobile cases, are settled outside the courtroom. Will My Automobile Accident Case Go To Trial? Perhaps, but probably not. However, as noted above, an overwhelming majority of civil lawsuits, including automobile accident lawsuits, do not go to trial. Instead, most automobile accident cases are settled between the parties outside of the courtroom. According to the American Judges Association, as many as 97% of civil lawsuits are settled other than by a trial. This means that most civil lawsuits, including automobile accident cases, are resolved between the parties and without much court interference. This statistic is not surprising, especially in Louisiana, since there is a strong push from the legislation for parties to settle civil lawsuits without as much court interaction as possible. One of these laws is the Louisiana Mediation Act, which explicitly states that civil cases are encouraged to be settled under the mediation process. Why Would I Want To Settle Than Go To Trial For My Automobile Accident Lawsuit? There are many advantages to settling a lawsuit out of court than going to trial. Some of the benefits include, but are not limited to: Working on a settlement between the parties outside of court typically takes less time than going to trial. On average, settlements take three to six months to reach an amicable settlement amount, while a trial may take at least twice the amount of time. Thus, settlement is less stressful and costs less as your attorney would not take as much time to resolve the case than if they go to trial. Other than a mediator, a settlement negotiation does not involve other parties outside of the case. More so, no other party, not even the mediator, has to be convinced by either party to take their side. Thus, the settlement negotiation is strictly focused on finding a resolution that would appeal to both parties making it less stressful and contentious to everybody involved. You have more autonomy and authority when it comes to the settlement negotiations than when they go to trial in court. After all, it is based on your decision whether to accept, counter, or reject a settlement offer. Whereas if a lawsuit goes to trial, the judge or the jury becomes the authority to determine how much the compensation is. You cannot appeal or reject the number specified in the trial. Thus, there are solid arguments for parties to engage in settling their automobile accident lawsuit without having to try their case in front of the judge or jury. However, settlement in an automobile accident is not always the best route. There are also certain instances when going to court is better than further negotiating with the other party. Your lawyer can assist you in determining whether it is best to settle out of court or go to trial based on the circumstances of your case. Would I Get More If I Settle Or Go To Trial For My Automobile Accident Lawsuit? It varies greatly on the factors of the case. As with any lawsuit, it is not guaranteed that going to trial or a settlement would render higher returns. Generally, trial by court tends to involve more risks as you do not know how the jury or judge may interpret the evidence or the witnesses. However, this generalization is not absolute, as many other factors may affect the viability of your case. Nonetheless, your lawyer can help assess the risks involved in agreeing to a settlement or to go to trial as the case develops. Moreover, patience and preparations are essential to possibly getting the maximum settlement value for your automobile accident claim. After all, it is not uncommon for parties to reach an amicable settlement closer to the trial date as lawyers assess the risks of going to trial. Should I Still Prepare As If I Am Going To Trial For My Automobile Accident Case? Absolutely. Both parties need to be prepared to go to trial even if there is an active negotiation regarding the settlement of the automobile accident lawsuit. Although an amicable settlement between the parties is the priority for any civil litigation, including automobile accident claims, it is essential for parties to prepare for a possible trial. This is to avoid any unnecessary loss of time if a settlement is not reached. Moreover, during the trial preparation, lawyers can assess the development of their case and claims. As noted above, it is also not unheard of that a higher value of a settlement amount can be reached closer to the trial than during the initial negotiations. This is because lawyers for both parties can better assess the evidence, arguments, or any legal factor that may affect their analysis of the odds of their case. However, it is imperative to note that if your automobile accident lawsuit goes to trial, any information provided and discussed during the negotiations is not admissible and cannot be used as leverage against the other party. If you or your loved one has been involved in an automobile accident, you need reliable legal representation to fight for your rights. Our highly experienced personal injury lawyers are prepared to guide and help you in your case. Please call us at (225) 963-9638, or you can click here to contact us about a free consultation. Our dependable personal injury lawyers can help you assess your case, represent your claim,

Personal Injury

Why Should I get an MRI After a Back Injury?

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Why Should I Get An MRI After A Back Injury? Being involved in a car accident is a serious matter. Although it might not be evident at the outset, or even a few hours or days after the crash, being involved in an accident may have caused severe injury to your body. These serious physical injuries can include brain trauma, neck, back, or other limb injuries. Sometimes, pain or discomfort from these injuries are subtle and easily dismissed, given that it is common to experience these types of pain associated with a car accident. However, these injuries should be taken seriously even though they are deemed common car accident effects. Given the risk for internal injuries and possible life-long discomfort and pain caused by a back injury, it is vital to get a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) after an accident to ensure that it is properly documented and is a valid part of your claim. What Is An MRI? An MRI or a Magnetic Resonance Imaging is a non-invasive diagnostic tool that creates images of internal tissues and organs through radio waves and magnetic fields. An MRI can reveal issues that cannot be seen by other types of imaging methods such as X-Rays, CT scans, and ultrasounds. Moreover, an MRI can determine the extent of injuries to the spinal cord, brain, and head, internal organs, back, neck, and muscles or tissues. Is An MRI Safe And Painless? Yes, an MRI is a safe procedure, and it is generally painless. Unlike other imaging scans, an MRI does not use ionizing radiation that damages cells, so it is generally safe and painless. This medical imaging procedure typically takes 15 to 90 minutes, and it involves the patient being inserted into an MRI scanner while lying on a motorized bed. However, given that an MRI scanner is a cylindrical chamber, and the procedure requires that the patient is still while the images are being taken, some people might find the process uncomfortable or claustrophobic. Nonetheless, the MRI procedure can provide valuable information. Overall, an MRI is a safe medical procedure for the general public. However, it is essential to let the medical professional know of your complete medical history and symptoms to ensure that you are fit to go through an MRI. What Can An MRI Reveal? Since an MRI looks into the inner side of a person’s body, it can provide insight regarding any present internal injuries. An MRI can provide valuable information regarding internal injuries that the patient might not even be felt or detected by other tests. Generally, a lumbar MRI can detect issues on a person’s back, including: Spinal alignment issues Abnormalities of the spinal cord Damages or inflammation in a person’s spinal disc, including, but not limited to: Herniated Disc. This injury occurs when the soft center of a person’s spinal disc pushes through a crack in the outer casing. This occurrence irritates the nerve, thus causing pain, numbness, and weak sensation to a person’s back. Bulging Disc. This injury is not as severe as a herniated disc since it only affects a small portion of the disc. Nonetheless, this injury also causes pain, numbness, and weak sensation to a person’s back. Extruding Disc. This injury occurs when the outer wall of the intervertebral disc tears, thus causing the inner disc material to seep into the spinal canal. This type of injury is a severe form of disc hernia and is extremely painful. Why Should I Get An MRI After Getting Involved In A Car Accident? There are numerous important and valid reasons for getting medical attention, especially an MRI after a car accident. Some of the reasons include, but are not limited to: A medical professional can detect internal back injuries that may explain the pain or discomfort you have been experiencing. Moreover, an MRI can uncover any damages that you may not be aware of. Getting a proper diagnosis might assist in your personal injury case. Will Getting An MRI Make My Personal Injury Claim Stronger? It is possible. However, it is important to remember that an MRI result by itself cannot determine whether your case is viable or not. Nonetheless, having an MRI can increase the value of your claim if you are validly injured or if your existing back problems were exacerbated by the accident. An MRI can assist your case since having an MRI test can back up your injury claims and prevent insurance companies from claiming unfair arguments. Basically, an MRI can prove that your back injuries were caused by the accident and not existing before the incident. Moreover, it can also show if an existing injury was made worse by the accident. After all, an MRI image can clearly show the extensive damage to the spine, spinal discs, ligaments, tendons, and muscles in the neck and back. Moreover, a doctor can then recommend the proper treatment and give you a prognosis of recovery based on the results of the MRI. This information can also aid your claim when calculating damages against the insurance companies or the other party. One of the biggest reasons car accident victims hesitate to obtain an MRI after their accident is cost. This concern is understandable as an MRI typically costs between $1,250 to $5,000 in Baton Rouge, LA. This cost is pretty steep, especially for those that either do not have medical insurance or have limited medical insurance. However, this should not refrain a victim from seeking medical attention, including an MRI, given the serious repercussions of untreated injuries. If you or a loved one was involved in a car accident, you need a reputable lawyer at your disposal. Our highly experienced car accident lawyers are prepared to guide and help you in your ordeal. Please give us a call at (225) 963-9638, or you can click here to contact us for a free consultation. Our dependable car accident lawyers can help you assess your case, represent your claim, and answer any concerns you may

Personal Injury

Do Airbags Always Deploy in an Accident?

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Do Airbags Always Deploy In An Accident? In the event of a car accident, especially those involving an impact, a car’s airbag is expected to deploy to possibly save or prevent severe injuries to the vehicle’s driver and passengers. However, there are certain situations where airbags may not deploy in a car accident. In this article, you will learn some of the reasons why a car’s airbags would not deploy in the event of a car accident that includes: The Severity Of The Crash Sustained By The Vehicle Deployment of a car airbag depends on the severing of the impact of the car accident. This means that a car airbag is not meant to deploy automatically because your vehicle is involved in a crash. This is because on light to moderate impact, a seat belt is sufficient to protect the driver and the passenger, and an airbag deploying might cause more injury to the people in the vehicle. It is essential to know that an airbag may cause serious injuries or even death to a person, given the force of its deployment. Thus, an airbag is designed to only deploy in moderate to severe impact, which is equivalent to hitting a solid, fixed barrier at 8 to 14 mph or higher. In these situations, the airbag is deployed as the injury from the severity of the impact on the car would cause more harm to the person than by deploying an airbag. If claiming compensation for an injury That being said, everybody in the vehicle needs to have their seatbelt securely fastened at all times. The Type Of Collision Sustained By The Vehicle According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the point of the impact on the car would likely determine whether an airbag would deploy, even more than the amount of force of the impact to the vehicle itself. This phenomenon occurs because an airbag sensor would have to be triggered by the impact in order to deploy the airbag. Specifically, if the moderate to severe impact was sustained in the front area of the vehicle, then the airbag sensor would deploy the frontal airbags. However, the front sensor is not likely to be triggered, so the frontal airbags would not be deployed in the event that the impact was sustained on the side or rear area of the car or if the vehicle rolled over. However, some vehicles are equipped with side airbags, which have corresponding sensors that would trigger a side airbag deployment in the event of a moderate to severe impact on the vehicle’s side area. The Vehicle Is Equipped With Automatic Shut-Off Sensors Another reason why airbags won’t deploy is if a vehicle is equipped with advantaged frontal and/or side airbag systems that automatically detect if a person is seated or not. An issue with this type of technology is that the sensor would mistakenly determine that a person is not sitting in the driver’s passenger seat if that person is small in stature or a child. This is gravely dangerous since the sensor would not be triggered to deploy an airbag even in a moderate to severe impact since the car assumes that there is no person in that particular seat. Therefore, it is crucial to make sure that passengers, especially children, are seated in the appropriate area of the car as mandated by law. This means that children should be restrained and sit in their car seats or booster seats suited to their size and weight and in the appropriate position in the vehicle. Your Car Has Defective Components Or Installation As with any product, defects can occur in vehicles and their components. Defects can occur in numerous ways, including, but not limited to, the installation of the components, the design of the parts, or the manufacturing of the elements themselves. An airbag’s failure to deploy in a moderate to severe impact is not limited to any defects in the airbag or the sensors. Other electronic components of the vehicle can also affect the deployment of the airbag. Thus, it is crucial to keep yourself aware of any manufacturer recall pertaining to your vehicle or its parts. The Car Is Not Equipped With A Working Airbag Another possibility that an airbag would not be deployed in a car accident is if the vehicle is not equipped with an airbag or has an airbag but is either defective or nonfunctional. As noted above, an airbag itself can be defective. However, an airbag is nonfunctional if it has been previously deployed. Generally, airbags cannot be reused, so a new airbag must be installed on the vehicle to deploy in the unfortunate event of a moderate to severe impact if it has previously been deployed in another accident. Given the life-saving benefit of being in a vehicle equipped with an airbag in the event of an accident, it is imperative to make sure that your car is equipped with an active airbag, Being involved in a car accident is not a small feat. These cases tend to be complicated and time-consuming, so having a reliable lawyer specializing in car accident cases is valuable. A lawyer specializing in car accident cases can represent your interests against the appropriate parties and ensure that your rights are protected through the confines of the law. You do not need to fear or face the complexities of your car accident alone. Our firm is here to help. If you or a loved one was involved in a car accident, you need a reputable lawyer on your side. Our highly experienced car accident lawyers are here to guide and help you in your case. Please call us at (225) 963-9638 or you click here to contact us about a a consultation. Our dependable car accident lawyers can help you assess your situation, represent your claim, and answer any concerns you may have regarding your car accident.

Personal Injury

Getting the Most Money for Your Car Wreck Case

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Getting The Most Money For Your Car Wreck Case If you’ve been in a car accident in Louisiana, you probably have questions about what types of payments you are entitled to and how much money you can get. Each case is unique and the amount one person gets in a case may be different than what someone else gets, even in a very similar auto accident case. The injuries can be different and certain injuries can impact your life differently. There can be differences in lost wages, costs to fix or replace a car, and the medical treatment necessary after an auto accident. After you’ve been injured in a car accident, there are several steps you can take to make sure you recover the most money for your case. Types Of Damages Available To Recover The types of damages available to accident victims in Louisiana fall into two broad categories known as general damages and special damages. Special damages include things like medical bills, lost wages, the cost to fix your car, and other amounts that can be fixed to a definite number. General damages include things like physical pain and suffering, mental anguish, emotional distress, and the loss of enjoyment of life. You cannot put a fixed number on general damages, but over time the legal system has developed ranges in which certain types of general damages would likely fall. Know How Much Insurance Is Available In a car accident, there can be several sources of insurance available to pay for your injuries. The most common source is the insurance of the at-fault driver. Depending on how much insurance the at-fault driver has, your own uninsured or underinsured motorist policy may provide coverage – if you have UM coverage. We recommend that everyone purchase UM coverage. Many policies carry a small amount of insurance that will pay medical bills regardless of who was at fault in the accident. If you were in the course and scope of your employment at the time of the accident, workers’ compensation benefits may be available to pay for your medical bills and a portion of your lost wages. If the at-fault driver was in the course and scope of his or her employment the time of the accident, the employer may have an excess insurance or umbrella policy that provides additional coverage. Insurance Coverage For The At-Fault Driver Louisiana has state minimum insurance policies of $15,000 per person per accident, with a $30,000 maximum. That means if one person was injured in an accident, and the at-fault driver has a state minimum policy, the most the injured person can recover from the at-fault driver’s insurance is $15,000. Two people injured in the accident would be able to recover $15,000 each. But three people injured in the accident would have to divide the $30,000 policy between them. It is possible to get a judgment for more than the amount of the policy against the at-fault driver personally, but it can be very difficult to actually get any money out of the at-fault driver above the amount of insurance he or she carries. While $15,000/$30,000 is the state minimum for bodily injury insurance policies, not everyone has state minimum coverage. Lots of people carry more coverage than the state minimum. If the at-fault driver has a $25,000/$50,000 policy, then one injured person would be able to recover up to $25,000 from the at-fault driver’s insurance company. Three people injured in the accident would be dividing up policy limits of $50,000. If the at-fault driver was a commercial vehicle, like an 18-wheeler or a company work truck, the vehicle is likely covered by at least $1,000,000 in coverage. An injured person would be able to recover up to $1,000,000 against the at-fault driver’s insurance company. This may be true also if the person was driving a company car or even a personal car while in the course and scope of employment with the company. Uninsured Or Underinsured Motorist Coverage Uninsured motorist coverage provides insurance coverage to you if you are in an accident that is caused by someone without insurance. Underinsured motorist coverage provides insurance coverage to you if you are in an accident that is caused by someone who has insurance, but whose insurance is not sufficient to cover the costs of your injuries or property damage. Both are often referred to as UM coverage. I advise everyone to get UM coverage. It usually only costs a few dollars a month and it is a huge help if you find yourself in a position to need it. When you purchase car insurance in Louisiana, it actually automatically comes with UM coverage unless you affirmatively select that you do not want the coverage. UM coverage can be for just property damage and economic losses, or it can also provide compensation for injuries. One example of an economic damages UM claim would be if the person that hit you does not have enough insurance to pay for the damage to your vehicle. A Louisiana state minimum policy covers up to $25,000 in property damage. If you are driving a $40,000 vehicle that is totaled in an accident, the at fault driver will not have enough insurance available to pay for your property damage. If you have economic damages UM coverage, it would kick in to cover the rest of your property damage. Another example of economic damages would be medical bills. A Louisiana state minimum policy only provides $15,000 for both bodily injury claims and medical bills. If you were in an accident that required a trip to the emergency room followed by several months of therapy and a consultation with an Orthopedic physician, your medical bills alone could easily exceed $15,000. In that situation, your UM coverage would kick in to cover additional medical bills up to the limits of your UM policy. You can also purchase UM insurance to provide additional coverage for bodily injuries. If you are in an accident caused by someone

Personal Injury

How is a Wreck With an 18-Wheeler Different than a Regular Car Accident?

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How Is A Wreck With An 18-Wheeler Different Than A Regular Car Accident? I want to talk to you today about how a wreck with an 18 wheeler is different than a regular car accident. Now there are some obvious similarities in that both happen on the road, both involve a vehicle. But there’s some important distinctions that can affect the outcome of your case. One distinction is the nature and intensity of the injuries. Because a wreck with an 18-wheeler usually happens at high speed and involves a much larger vehicle, the injuries can be much more severe. Another distinct is that federal regulations that apply to 18 wheelers. For example, a driver can only drive for so long before he has to take a break. A third distinction is the amount of insurance involved. When you’re dealing an 18-wheeler, you’re dealing with a policy of usually at least a million dollars if not more. Because of the size of that policy, the insurance companies have much more incentive to fight your case. If you or a loved one have been injured in a wreck with an 18-wheeler you should hire an attorney who has the resources and the experience to make sure that you get the maximum compensation you deserve. You can call my office for a free consultation at (225) 384-6760.

Personal Injury

What should I do if I’m injured using a defective product?

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What Should I Do If I’m Injured Using A Defective Product? You hear about them on the news, and see warning posts about them on social media all the time; products being recalled because they’re defective and dangerous, and have injured (and unfortunately sometimes even resulted in the deaths of) some of their users. In fact, every year defective and dangerous products injure Baton Rouge residents, sometimes resulting in costly medical bills or even permanent disability.

Personal Injury

If two people were injured in the same accident, can they use the same lawyer?

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If Two People Were Injured In The Same Accident, Can They Use The Same Lawyer? This situation happens in Baton Rouge all the time. Two or more people, say you and a family member or friend, are driving around town, and are injured in a car accident. You have medical bills, lost wages, and want to be compensated for your pain and suffering. You know you need a personal injury lawyer to help you with your case, but you’re wondering, can you both use the same lawyer? The answer depends on who was at fault for the accident, and whether or not there are enough funds available to pay for all parties’ injuries. Let me explain a bit further. A Driver And Passenger(S) Can’t Use The Same Baton Rouge Personal Injury Attorney If The Driver Was Partially At Fault. Let’s say you were a passenger in a car accident. Clearly, you’re not at fault at all – you weren’t in control of any of the vehicles involved. But, your family member or friend who was driving was in control of his or her vehicle. And because Louisiana is a comparative negligence state, the car insurance companies may try to say your driver was partially at fault for the accident – even if the other driver was mainly at fault. This could be the case if your family member or friend who was driving was going slightly over the speed limit, didn’t use a turn signal, was texting while driving, etc. If you were a passenger in a car with a driver who is partially at fault for the accident, even only 10 or 20%, you may be able to recover that portion of your damages from your driver’s car insurance company. Clearly, as a Baton Rouge personal injury attorney, I can’t help a passenger sue a driver that I also represent. In this case, the driver and the passenger would need to get different attorneys. Personal Injury Attorneys Can’t Represent Two Or More Seriously Injured People If There Are Limited Insurance Funds In the state of Louisiana, motorists are required to carry a minimum $15,000 of bodily injury liability coverage per person, with at least $30,000 per accident. That seems like a lot of money, until you factor in just how much medical bills, lost wages and pain and suffering can be in a serious car accident. First, it’s important to know that for the most part, case law has determined what each type of injury is “worth.” For example, if you and your fellow passenger require a one level cervical fusion after a car accident, both of your pain and suffering claims can be worth anywhere between $100,000 to $150,000. But if the driver at fault only carries the minimum amount of insurance required by Louisiana law, and doesn’t have supplemental umbrella insurance, or you don’t have sufficient under insured motorist coverage, there isn’t enough money to go around. I would be put in a situation in which I’m fighting for more money for one client, and less for another – which is clearly unethical. In this case, both injured parties would need to use two different personal injury attorneys. Call Me If You’re Injured In A Baton Rouge Car Wreck Car accident cases can be complicated. If you were injured in a Baton Rouge car accident, and you have questions about what to do next, call RM Legal to schedule a free consultation. You can call us today at (225) 963-9638.

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