Lafayette Personal Injury Lawyers

Located in the heart of Cajun country in Southern Louisiana, Lafayette is a culturally diverse city that’s home to more than 120,000 residents. With seemingly unlimited opportunities to enjoy world-class music, dining, and art, as well as numerous outdoor activities, like camping, hiking, and fishing, the city also draws thousands of visitors each year.

Dubbed the “Happiest City in America,” Lafayette is a great place to live or visit, but it’s not without its risks. Like any other big city, the potential exists for you to become involved in an accident that can severely injure you or someone you love.

If you suffered serious injury or lost a loved one because of someone else’s negligence or carelessness, you could obtain compensation from those responsible, but you will need an attorney for help.

Why Choose Us as Your Lafayette Personal Injury Lawyer

For more than 20 years now, the attorneys at Stewart J. Guss Personal Injury Lawyers have helped thousands of injured victims with their personal injury claims. Our top-ranked lawyers have decades of combined legal experience, and we can advise you of your legal options and deliver the aggressive legal representation you need to recover the maximum compensation possible.

Our attorneys have in-depth knowledge of Louisiana law, and we have achieved remarkable success in helping our clients recover compensation following a preventable tragedy. To date, we have recovered millions of dollars in total compensation for our clients, and you can rely on us to work hard to help you get financial compensation to cover your injury-related expenses, lost wages, emotional distress, and the other adverse effects your injury has had on your life.

You can trust we will always place your needs first and deliver the personalized attention your case deserves, and we can handle all aspects of your legal claim or personal injury lawsuit so you won’t have to worry about it.

Our lawyers have received national recognition as being among the top personal injury attorneys in Louisiana as well as the entire country, and we have received perfect 10.0 client ratings on Avvo along with numerous client testimonials and referrals.

The days after an accident can feel overwhelming. Between dealing with your injuries, speaking to doctors, and managing time off work, you may not know what steps to take to figure out your legal options.

If someone else injured you through their reckless or careless actions, you want help from a legal team who has experience in your specific area of injury. Stewart J. Guss and his team of attorneys and legal professionals have handled a variety of different accident cases, and we can help you prove liability, file your personal injury claim, and make sure the insurance company treats you fairly.

Motorcycle Accidents

Those who own a motorcycle know that there’s nothing better than riding down the road unencumbered by the steel casing of a car. Many people opt to spend a beautiful day exploring the roads around Lafayette on their motorcycles. While this is an enjoyable pastime that encompasses a certain feeling of freedom for the rider, there are always risks to riding a motorcycle. Unfortunately, motorcycle accidents can happen when another driver isn’t paying attention and causes a collision. Rear-end accidents are common at a stoplight. Other times, a car might not notice a motorcycle when changing lanes on the highway, resulting in a high-speed accident. Regardless of how it happens, the motorcycle rider usually sustains the most serious injuries.

Trucking Accidents

We rely on large trucks to deliver a variety of different goods in Louisiana. For this reason, semi trucks are common fixtures on roadways. Truck accidents are among the most dangerous scenarios you can encounter. These vehicles often weigh up to ten times more than a passenger car, and the impact of a collision causes serious damage and catastrophic injuries. Truck drivers often push to drive through the night and spend many hours behind the wheel, making them distracted and drowsy. Although these professional drivers are held to a higher standard of regulations, that doesn’t always mean that they always drive safely. Some of the most dangerous truck accidents include jackknife accidents and rollovers. If you have been in a truck accident, it is important to speak with a skilled team of personal injury attorneys and legal professionals to learn how to protect your rights.

Other Motor Vehicle Accidents

From Uber, Lyft, and other rideshare accidents, to bus and taxi accidents, the personal injury lawyers at Stewart J. Guss Personal Injury Lawyers handle all types of motor vehicle accident injury claims. Contact us to see how we can help you regardless of the type of motor vehicle accident that caused your injuries.

Pedestrian Accidents

Walking can be a great way to relax and avoid the stresses of driving a car. It’s also great for the environment and helps to reduce traffic on the road. Unfortunately, a pedestrian accident can result in serious injuries. When there’s nothing between you and the road, even a slow-moving collision can be incredibly dangerous. With the increase of distracted drivers who attempt to multi-task by utilizing electronics while driving, the potential for an accident is fairly significant. If you were hit by a vehicle when you were walking, contact our Lafayette law firm as soon as possible.

Bicycle Accidents

With pleasant weather for most of the year in Lafayette, many people choose to ride their bikes to work or for exercise. As traffic around town increases, bike accidents are becoming a MAJOR issue on the roads throughout Lafayette. Often, cars or other motor vehicles will fail to offer the right of way to a bicycle or simply won’t notice them on the road. While there are ways to protect yourself, like wearing a helmet and brightly colored clothing, sometimes accidents still happen. If a negligent driver hit you while you were on your bike, it is in your best interest to seek knowledgeable legal consultation before you talk with the insurance company. LEARN MORE about how the team at Stewart J. Guss Personal Injury Lawyers can help!

Construction Accidents

A construction site is one of the most dangerous workplaces. Between working with electricity, driving heavy machinery, and climbing tall ladders, it’s no surprise to state that injuries are relatively common in this working environment. If you have been injured when you were at work on a construction site, it can be difficult to know if you are facing a workers’ compensation claim, or if a specific person should be held liable. We can help you work through this process.

Wrongful Death

If someone caused an accident that claimed the life of your spouse, child, parent, or another immediate family member, you can pursue compensation through a wrongful death claim or a wrongful death lawsuit. You may obtain compensation to cover the financial expenses of your loss, such as funeral costs and medical expenses, but you may also receive compensation for the loss of the deceased’s earnings, loss of consortium, emotional distress, mental anguish, and more.

Every state has statutes of limitations on when injury victims must file a personal injury lawsuit in civil court. Louisiana has one of the SHORTEST statutes of limitations and allows you only one year from the date of your accident or injury to file suit. This means that if you don’t file a claim within one year of the accident date, a judge will dismiss your case, and you won’t be able to pursue any further legal action on the claim. There are rare exceptions to this rule, and your team of personal injury attorneys and legal professionals can advise you of your options.

If you suffered serious or catastrophic injuries because of someone else, you may know you should hold the other party accountable, but you may be unsure of how to proceed with obtaining compensation.

An experienced personal injury lawyer from the legal team at Stewart J. Guss Personal Injury Lawyers can explain your rights and options and manage the claims process for you so you can focus on the important task of recovering.

Here are several of the ways we help our clients who have been injured in an accident:

Identify the negligent party

Depending on the circumstances of your accident, you may be able to hold different parties liable. You might be surprised to learn that the actions or inactions of a business owner led to the dangerous situation that caused your accident. Or maybe a car manufacturer released a vehicle that was mechanically unsafe. We will review the details of your accident and can help to identify if an individual or a company was negligent.

File a claim within the statute of limitations

As noted above, the statute of limitations in Louisiana is merely ONE year. This time can fly by quickly, and a delay could result in a dismissal before you even have a chance to present your personal injury case. Your personal injury lawyer will help manage the timeline to make sure that you are well within the statute of limitations. The first step depends on you, so call TODAY for your free consultation. Once we have evaluated your case, we can suggest how best to proceed.

Communicate with the insurance companies on your behalf

Insurance companies try to run profitable businesses and will likely push back on your request for compensation. Insurers use many tactics to encourage you to settle quickly and for less money than you deserve. Sometimes, they will attempt to delay the process of your claim or refuse to cover certain injury-related expenses. Other times, they will insist that you are only owed compensation for your immediate medical expenses. Don’t let the insurance company pressure you into accepting less money than you deserve. This can hurt you in the long run, and an experienced personal injury lawyer can help you avoid this situation.

If another party is at fault for your injuries and losses, you need experienced legal representation to increase your chances of getting the financial compensation you deserve. The cost of medical care and ongoing physical therapy can add up quickly, and you shouldn’t have to pay if the accident was not your fault.

Insurance companies and their teams of lawyers will do everything in their power to minimize what they pay you, so you have every legal right to hire a dedicated personal injury attorney as well.

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