New Orleans Car Accident Lawyer

New Orleans Car Accident Attorney

A car collision can happen suddenly, leaving you in shock and uncertain about what to do. The injuries from these accidents can impact you for months or even years. When another driver’s carelessness causes an accident, you could hold their insurer liable. Filing a claim is much easier when you have the support and knowledge of a skilled New Orleans car accident lawyer. An attorney can help you maximize your financial recovery and limit your stress during the process.

Diligent Legal Representation With Murphy Law Firm in New Orleans

When you are injured and dealing with your physical recovery, it is very difficult to navigate a claim and discuss with insurance adjusters who only care about their bottom line. You don’t have to manage this process alone. At Murphy Law Firm, our team support you and improve your chances of a successful claim. For more than 30 years, our firm has represented clients in personal injury claims throughout the state.

Our personal injury lawyer team brings you communicative, personalized, and caring legal support. We are proud to offer legal representation and fight for the justice of those who are injured by the carelessness of others. If you can’t come to us, we’ll come to you. We want to help you financially recover from a car accident and mitigate the impact it has on your life. You don’t have to manage this process yourself; let our team give you the support, resources, and advocacy you deserve.

Understanding Car Accidents in New Orleans and a Car Accident Claim

Car collisions can be single-vehicle or multi-vehicle accidents, and they can result in property damage, injuries, and fatalities. These accidents are one of the primary causes of injury in the nation and a frequent cause of personal injury claims.

In New Orleans and Orleans Parish, there were, sadly, 61 fatalities in 2024 in motor vehicle accidents and 8,215 suspected injuries. With approximately 203,790 licensed drivers in the city, this was an injury rate of 4031.13 suspected injuries per 100,000 licensed drivers. This was also the highest rate for a parish in the state, followed by East Baton Rouge Parish.

Car accidents can lead to many types of injuries, including:

• Cuts and lacerations
• Bruises and other soft tissue injuries
• Fractured bones
• Internal injuries
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Spinal cord injuries

When you are injured in a car accident because of another driver’s negligence, you can hold the driver liable for your damages. Typically, this means you file an insurance claim with their insurance company. A driver could be at fault for a number of negligent or reckless actions or even misconduct. All the insurance companies whose drivers were involved in an accident will investigate the crash to determine who is liable.

In very rare cases, a party other than a driver is liable. For example, a product manufacturer may be liable if an unreasonably dangerous car component caused an accident. An employer may be vicariously liable if their employee was driving for their work duties and caused the accident. An attorney can help you determine fault and navigate any unique circumstances.

Why Do Car Accidents Happen?

In order to determine which party was liable for the car accident, you must first determine what caused the accident. Some of the frequent causes of car accidents include:

• Distracted driving. This occurs when a driver’s eyes or attention is not on the road. A driver may be texting, calling, talking with passengers, or eating and drinking. There were five fatal crashes in New Orleans caused by distracted or inattentive drivers in 2024, 46 crashes with suspected serious injury, and 212 crashes with suspected minor injuries. In the city, there were 778 crashes caused by inattentive or distracted driving. Distracted driving is one of the main causes of car accidents in the nation.
• Driving under the influence. It is illegal to drive while impaired by alcohol or controlled substances. Driving under the influence can cause serious accidents and disproportionately lead to fatal accidents. Driving drunk reduces a driver’s reaction speed and limits their ability to think rationally. This increases the risk of a crash. An impaired driver can face criminal charges in addition to civil claims by people who are injured in an accident they caused.
• Speeding. Driving over the posted speed limit is illegal and also dangerous. If an accident occurs, it happens at a higher velocity, increasing the damages that result from the accident. Speeding increases the chances of an accident happening by limiting the time the driver has to react to road changes and increasing the distance required to slow down or stop. Drivers can also cause accidents by speeding when they are going past the posted speed limit, while the road or weather conditions are dangerous.
• Reckless driving. In addition to speeding, there are several types of reckless and aggressive driving. This includes tailgating, failing to use a turn signal, running red lights or stop signs, road rage, brake checking, and unsafe lane changes. These moving violations and other reckless actions can lead to crashes.
• Fatigued driving. When someone drives fatigued, they can limit their reaction speeds and ability to think clearly, similarly to if they were under the influence. This increases the chance of an accident happening. Fatigued drivers may even fall asleep while driving, making head-on and fatal collisions more likely.
• Dangerous road conditions. There are many hazardous road conditions that can lead to an increased risk of accidents. This includes flooding, debris on the road, low-visibility weather, construction on the road, other accidents, and poor road maintenance. While there may not always be an at-fault party in these cases, an agency may be liable for failing to maintain roads.Alternatively, a driver may be held liable for driving too quickly in hazardous conditions.
• Vehicle malfunctions. Accidents can happen due to vehicle errors and malfunctions. In some cases, the driver or owner of the vehicle is liable for failing to address malfunctions and get them fixed. A vehicle component manufacturer could also be liable for a dangerous product. If maintenance was completed on the vehicle, but it was done incorrectly and caused the malfunction, the mechanic could be liable.

Usually, one of the drivers in the accident is liable. However, multiple drivers could also be partially liable, including yourself. When this is the case, you may still be able to recover compensation, although it might be limited. Working with an experienced attorney helps you understand these situations, learn how to defend your rights, and uncover evidence of liability.

How Do You Hold an At-Fault Driver Liable for an Accident?

When a driver is liable in an accident, it is usually due to negligence. This means the driver did not intend to cause the accident, but they failed to uphold their duty of care because of distracted driving, fatigued driving, or another driver-cause of the accident. In order to prove a driver is liable for the accident and your injuries, you must prove the following:

1. Duty of care. The driver owed you a duty of care. Typically, all drivers owe each other a duty of care to operate their vehicles reasonably and consider the well-being of others.
2. Breach of duty. The driver breached their duty of care because of a negligent action or inaction.
3. Causation. The driver’s breach of care caused the accident or contributed to causing the accident. If the accident would have occurred without the driver’s breach of duty, they likely could not be held liable.
4. Damages. The accident led to you being injured and suffering other compensable damages. This includes both economic and non-economic damages.

Proving liability requires evidence of each of these elements. Your damages can be proven with information like medical documentation, medical opinions, receipts for other economic damages, and professional calculations of non-economic damages. Other evidence, such as the accident report, eyewitness accounts, cell phone records, and photos or videos of the crash and crash site, can be used to prove other elements of liability.

When insurance companies investigate the accident, they are protecting their financial interests. If you work with an attorney, you can protect your interests. Even if you believe you know what happened, working with an attorney can help you prove it and defend against insurance companies that may claim you were liable.

How Can a Car Accident Attorney Help Me?

A car accident attorney gives you significant benefits, including making you more likely to recover financial compensation and get the most compensation possible. There are many ways an attorney helps you, including the following:

• Helping you understand your options for compensation
• Answering any questions or concerns you have about the process
• Listening to your goals and priorities for this claim
• Developing a strategy to secure compensation
• Filing the insurance and/or civil claim by the relevant deadline
• Investigating the cause of the accident
• Gathering evidence to prove which driver(s) or other party was responsible for the crash
• Calculating the true cost of your economic and non-economic losses after an accident
• Handling your case for you while you physically recover
• Evaluating offers made by the insurance company
• Negotiating with the car insurance company for a full and fair settlement
• Taking the case to civil court if the insurer won’t agree to a fair settlement amount
• Representing you in court and advocating for the compensation you deserve

These claims can get complicated, especially when liability is unclear, or you may hold partial responsibility. When you work with a dedicated and experienced attorney, they can help you get the financial recovery you deserve, saving you time and stress.

What Should You Do if You Are in a Car Accident in New Orleans?

The steps that you take following a car collision are crucial. Knowing what to do can protect your health and the health of others. It also ensures you follow the law and helps you protect your legal rights for a potential claim.

If you are in a car accident, you should first call 911. Report the accident and any injuries that you are aware of. When an accident causes an injury or causes more than a set amount of property damage, you are legally required to report the accident. Other steps you should take after an accident include:

1. Moving to a safe location. You and anyone else who was involved in the accident should move to a safe location if possible. If individuals in vehicles cannot move themselves, moving them could make their injuries worse. Only move them if there is immediate danger. If vehicles can be safely moved out of the roadway, do so. Once you have called 911, remain at the scene until emergency services arrive.
2. Exchange contact information. While you and the other driver(s) wait for emergency responders, exchange important information. This includes contact information like names, numbers, and addresses. It also includes vehicle information like driver’s licenses, license plates, and other identifying information. Finally, exchange insurance information, including the name and contact information of their insurer.
3. Get medical treatment. When emergency responders arrive, request medical care. Even if you think you aren’t injured, getting medical care is essential. Some injuries may not be obvious to you because you are in shock or because they take hours or days to manifest. Medical professionals can check for injuries you may miss.Getting this treatment is crucial to your own health, and it is also important documentation for a claim. Without this documentation, it may be harder to show that your injuries were caused by the crash.
4. Provide a police report. When the police officer at the scene requests information for the police report, answer truthfully about what happened, and don’t speculate about what you think caused it. Don’t admit fault.The New Orleans Police Department’s non-emergency number is (504) 821-2222, which can be helpful in securing information about the accident report and how to obtain a copy. There are numerous NOPD headquarters locations in different districts of the city, and the office closest to you can be found on this map on the city’s website.
5. Gather evidence at the scene. Take photos and videos of the crash, the positioning of the vehicles, damage to the vehicles or surrounding area, and other important information. Document your injuries. If there are eyewitnesses to the crash, try to get their contact information.
6. Report the accident to your insurer. Even if you were not at fault for an accident, your insurance may require you to report the accident to them. If the insurance company of any other driver tries to contact you, wait until you have an attorney before accepting any settlement from them or even talking with them.
7. Get additional medical treatment. Once you are able to leave the scene, go to your primary care provider or another medical provider to get treatment.
8. Get in contact with an attorney. After a car accident, you should work with an attorney as soon as possible.

Compensation Available in a Car Accident Claim

In a successful claim, you could recover up to the entire cost of your damages. These damages include both economic and non-economic losses. Economic damages are financial losses, including:

• Medical bills
• Long-term medical expenses
• Property damage costs
• Lost income
• Lost earning capacity

Non-economic damages are damages with subjective values, including:

• Pain and suffering
• Emotional anguish
• Reduced enjoyment or quality of life
• Disability
• Disfigurement
• Scarring

Assessing these damages is much easier with the resources and experience of an attorney. Many people underestimate the true cost of their damages.

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Contact Murphy Law Firm in New Orleans Today

At Murphy Law Firm, we can help you pursue the compensation you are owed. Contact our firm today.

New Orleans, Louisiana Car Accident Resources

• Causes of Car Accidents in Louisiana
• How Long After A Car Accident Can You File A Claim In Louisiana?
• Who Is At Fault in a Multi-Car Accident?
• Can I Sue for a Car Accident if I’m at Fault in Louisiana?
• Types of Brain Injuries from Car Accidents in Louisiana
• Factors To Know About Louisiana Car Accidents
• Negligence in a Louisiana Car Accident Lawsuit
• Louisiana Car Accident Settlement Timeline and Process
• Average Car Accident Settlement in Louisiana
• How To Get a Police Report After a Car Accident in Louisiana?

Your Path to Legal Resolution Starts with Murphy Law Firm.

When you choose Murphy Law Firm, you gain access to a team of experienced attorneys with a proven track record of success. We understand the importance of trust, and we strive to build lasting relationships with our clients by delivering exceptional results.

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