Lake Charles Car Accident Lawyers

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

These numbers represented a slight dip from the previous year, when 17 people died in fatal crashes and 2,225 people suffered injuries after a car wreck, and are closer to the numbers from the year before that, when 11 people died in crashes and 2,012 people suffered injuries. With luck, Lake Charles will continue the positive trend of safer streets and fewer collisions. Of course, drunk driving continues to plague Lake Charles, as well as the entire state. Last year, alcohol contributed to three of those fatalities and 66 injuries. To improve public safety, Louisiana needs to continue to discourage drunk driving by enforcing its laws fairly across the entire population.

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

Hang onto proof of lost income, and bills and receipts for medical treatments, since your personal injury attorney can use them to help calculate your economic losses.

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.

Conversely, you do need to speak with an attorney and their intake staff to get important information about the lawyer’s skill and abilities. Ask the following questions:

• 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.

Consider how comfortable you felt after consulting with a lawyer’s team and whether those individuals explained your case in a way you could understand. Also, gauge how comfortable you felt asking questions. If the legal staff intimidated you, then you cannot participate effectively in your case, and you might feel unhappy with the results. To help you decide whether we are the right legal team to handle your case, we offer potential clients a FREE consultation. This consultation comes with no strings, no contract, and no fine print. You can send an email through this contact form at any hour of the day, and we will promptly get back to you.

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.

Each case is unique, so we cannot say ahead of time what evidence you will need to prevail in your case. Consult a car accident lawyer as soon as possible.