Car Crash Lawyers Serving Baton Rouge

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Our aggressive injury lawyers — Stephen Babcock & Chase Tettleton — know Louisiana’s accident laws inside and out, and both are founding members of Trial Masters™ – a national organization comprised solely of lawyers who have tried 35 or more trials to verdict. We have the experience you need when you need it most. Insurance companies know we are serious about taking cases to court, and that helps us achieve success for our clients at the negotiation table. As a measure of our reputation and success, 50% of our files are referred to us by other attorneys.

Babcock Trial Lawyers is a group of award-winning Baton Rouge auto accident attorneys who realize that car accident injuries can turn your life upside down, especially if those injuries are serious or involve the loss of a loved one. We want to help you set things right.

While you focus on your health and your family and your job, consider letting our Baton Rouge auto accident lawyers aggressively pursue the compensation you deserve for medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, property damage and more.

Why Choose Babcock Trial Lawyers?

Insurance companies don’t always want to pay claims after car accidents. When they do it’s often for as little as possible. For this reason, you need an experienced team of Baton Rouge accident lawyers to negotiate on your behalf to help you achieve maximum compensation for your injuries.

Stephen Babcock and Chase Tettleton are highly experienced trial lawyers with a record of success in the courtroom. Stephen is the founding member of Trial Masters™ — a national organization comprised entirely of lawyers who have tried 35 or more trials to verdict.

2019 Louisiana Car Accident Statistics

A 2016 study by Nerd Wallet listed both Baton Rouge and New Orleans in the top 10 most dangerous cities for car accidents.

Car accident injuries (2019) for East Baton Rouge Parish and the state of Louisiana are shown in the tables below.

• In 2019, injuries have occurred in 23% of auto accidents in Baton Rouge.
• In 2019, injuries have occurred in 28% of auto accidents in Louisiana.

East Baton Rouge Parish
Injury Crashes by Month
(through September 2019)

Source: LSU Highway Safety Research Group

State of Louisiana
Injury Crashes by Month
(through September 2019)

Source: LSU Highway Safety Research Group

Louisiana Laws Concerning Car Accidents & Injuries

What Is the Statute of Limitations for Car Accident Claims in Baton Rouge?

Car accident claims in Louisiana must be filed within one year of the date of the accident, according to (Louisiana Civil Code). You should note that the statute of limitations does not apply to a car insurance claim. Lawsuits involving injury or property damage must be filed within one year, and the one-year “clock” starts running on the date of the accident. This includes any claims for injury or vehicle damage by a driver, passenger, pedestrian, motorcyclist, or bicyclist after a traffic accident.

Limits On Damages

In most cases, Louisiana has no cap on damages in personal injury or car accident cases. While there are no car accident damage caps in most cases in Louisiana, if the car accident involves a government agency, there is a state-imposed limit of $500,000 on the total amount of damages you can receive.

Additionally, the state of Louisiana does impose a relatively short time limit on how long a driver may wait before filing a lawsuit (the statute of limitations). In Louisiana, the limit is a mere one year.

Finally, for serious personal injuries that lead to hospital stays, Louisiana’s state-imposed cap on medical malpractice could prevent you from recovering your full damages. If a medical professional exacerbates your car accident injury, an individual medical professional may only be held liable up to $100,000, and your total recovery is limited to $500,000 (the Patient’s Compensation Fund pays up to $400,000). Source: FindLaw: Louisiana Car Accident Compensation Laws

Compulsory Coverage Rule

Louisiana has a ‘compulsory coverage’ rule (also referred to as ‘pay to play’). The compulsory coverage rule prevents an injured party from recovering for the first $15,000 of bodily injury and for the first $25,000 of property damage if the injured party is uninsured.

While the compulsory coverage rule may seem harsh to injured parties, the ‘pure comparative fault’ system Louisiana uses is quite generous. Under the ‘pure comparative fault’ rule, as long as a driver is less than 100% at fault, that driver may recover a portion of that driver’s damages. For example, if a driver is found to be 99% at fault and suffers $10,000 in damages, that driver may still recover $100 in damages. This is a stark contrast to certain other states where a driver who is more than 50% at fault would recover nothing. Source: FindLaw: Louisiana Car Accident Compensation Laws

Comparative Fault System

While the compulsory coverage rule may seem harsh to injured parties, the ‘pure comparative fault’ system Louisiana uses is quite generous. Under the ‘pure comparative fault’ rule, as long as a driver is less than 100% at fault, that driver may recover a portion of that driver’s damages. For example, if a driver is found to be 99% at fault and suffers $10,000 in damages, that driver may still recover $100 in damages. This is a stark contrast to certain other states where a driver who is more than 50% at fault would recover nothing. Source: FindLaw: Louisiana Car Accident Compensation Laws

Frequently Asked Questions

What information will I need to bring to the first meeting with you?

The first thing we recommend is for you to call us at (225) 500-5000 so that we can get a general idea of what happened to help us determine whether you have a valid injury claim against the other party. When & where did the accident happen? How did it happen? Was the other person at fault? What is the extent of your injuries? Were you taken to the hospital or emergency room? Have you had follow-up treatment for your injuries? Have you already received a settlement offer from the other person’s insurance company? In the meantime, do not sign anything presented by any insurance company representative. You could be signing away your rights to the compensation you deserve.

• For our first meeting, in addition to all insurance company communications since your accident, please try to bring: If you reported your accident to police or any other authority (such as the facility manager or owner of where it happened) their report should name those involved, including witnesses, as well as date, time, location and other basic facts. A police report should indicate any criminal charges filed. If you haven’t obtained a copy of the police report, we can get one for you. You can request a copy of the police report here.
• In most cases, we’ll file a claim that seeks compensation through liability insurance held by the person or entity that injured you. But you may have applicable coverage as well. Please bring your car insurance policy (or at least your auto insurance card) and any medical and homeowners insurance policies you have. If you are on Medicare or Medicaid, bring your card.
• Bring any receipts or records from medical care you have received since your accident. The primary issues in a personal injury claim are the extent of your injuries, your prognosis for recovery, and the cost of medical care you require. To help us develop your case, we will explain how to request copies of all of your relevant medical records, which we will have our medical consultants review.
• If you have been in a car accident and your insurer has told you to get estimates of damages and repair costs, you should do so if you can. If you already have this information, or receipts from repairs, bring them to our first meeting. If you do not have damage and repair estimates, we can help you with that. An accident claim may include a demand for compensation for property damage. Bring any information you have about the cost to repair or replace any other personal property damaged in your accident, such as a bicycle, jewelry, clothing, etc.
• If you have photos, video, notes or other records of your accident and injuries, please share this information with us. Anything that helps paint a picture of the impact this accident has had on your life may be helpful.

How Much Does a Baton Rouge Car Accident Lawyer Cost?

No lawyer can tell you on day one exactly how much it will cost to handle your car accident lawsuit. There are a lot of questions that still need to be answered. There is a chance the other driver will be willing to settle your case quickly. In fact, the insurance company may agree to pay your claim at the outset. However, if the defendant disputes liability, they may decide to drag your case to trial.

If your case has to go to trial, it can become expensive. Trials are time-consuming. In order to prepare for trial, our Baton Rouge car accident lawyers will have to do a lot of work. They’ll need to investigate the matter in order to prove fault. They may need to hire experts to testify on your behalf. Now, that doesn’t mean you’ll have to pay for all of these things up front.

Some of the expenses involved in your lawsuit may include the following:

• Medical consultations & expert opinions from doctors and specialists
• Medical records and copies
• The costs for things like police reports, depositions, interrogatories, etc.
• Miscellaneous fees such as postage, copies, filing fees, court costs, etc.

If your case involves a lot of fees, your Baton Rouge injury lawyer may offer you a variety of payment options.

How Do I Know If I Have a Case?

Determining whether or not you have a case depends on three things. First, your lawyer will have to decide if there are enough damages involved to make it worth their while. If your case is only going to settle for a couple of thousand dollars, it may not be worth their time and effort. This may seem harsh, but it’s the truth.

The second thing your lawyer will look at is whether the defendant has resources. If there’s an insurance company involved, there’s a good chance your damages will be paid. However, if the suit is against an individual, your attorney is going to want to know if they have assets. If not, it may be difficult. Your judgment may not be worth more than the paper it’s printed on.

Finally, you need to determine if you can prove liability. If there is no evidence to support your claim, your lawyer will have a hard time proving fault. There has to be sufficient facts and evidence to prove that the other party was responsible for your injuries.

Top Baton Rouge Car Accident Lawyers

Our auto accident attorneys Baton Rouge, Stephen Babcock, and Chase Tettleton, know Louisiana’s accident laws inside and out, are both founding members of Trial Masters™ – a national organization comprised solely of lawyers who have tried 35 or more trials to verdict. This means we have the experience you need at the time you need it most.

Insurance companies know we are serious about taking cases to court – and that helps us achieve success for our clients at the negotiation table.

We are committed to seeking maximum fair compensation for car accident victims and their families in Baton Rouge and throughout Louisiana. We can provide a free case evaluation of your case today. In that case review, we will discuss Louisiana state accident laws with you and how your case is impacted by them. We will then give you an assessment based on many years of experience of the merits of your claim and advice about your best legal options.

The consultation is absolutely free. In fact, if you don’t obtain a financial recovery, you will pay no attorney’s fee or costs. And if you are not satisfied with how your case is going, we will return your case file to you within 30 days of being hired as part of our 100% Satisfaction Guarantee with no attorney’s fee or costs owed to us whatsoever.

• Your case is our top priority
• Aggressively seeking maximum compensation for you
• Collision legal claims and settlements

Don’t wait to take action after a car accident. GET EVEN. CALL STEPHEN.™

Types of Baton Rouge Automobile Accident Cases

• Rear end collision – If you have been hit from behind in a car accident, you are not alone. Rear-end collisions are the most common type of car accident. They are also the most common cause of whiplash, a painful and potentially disabling neck and back injury.
• Head on collision – A head-on collision is the type of car accident most likely to result in death. Head-on collisions account for about 2 percent of car accidents but cause about 10 percent of all motor vehicle fatalities.
• Rollover accident – A rollover accident, in which a car tips over onto its side or roof, is a dangerous car crash. Rollover accidents have a higher fatality rate than other car accidents. If you or a loved one has survived a rollover, your accident injuries are likely to be serious, but you may be lucky to be alive.
• Distracted driving or texting and driving car accident – The driver who caused your car accident may have had something entirely different from driving on their mind at the time of the wreck. We’ve all seen examples of distracted driving: cell phone use behind the wheel, texting while driving, turning to deal with kids, applying makeup or shaving, fiddling with the radio, etc. Distracted driving is multitasking at its potentially deadly worst.
• Collision at an intersection – It should come as no surprise that intersections are the scenes of many car accidents. Multiple streams of traffic cross and turn in front of each other. When drivers don’t pay attention or yield right-of-way at intersections, crashes are often the result.
• A car accident on the highway – As you may expect, the increased speeds allowed on Louisiana interstates and highways result in more serious injuries when car accidents occur. When high-speed highway accidents happen in heavy traffic, multiple vehicles may become involved, resulting in pileups that damage many cars and injure or kill multiple people.
• Drunk driving car accident – Drunk driving is responsible for thousands of fatalities each year. People between the ages of 16-20 have a higher probability of being involved in a drunk driving car accident. While DUI accidents happen throughout the year, drunk driving fatalities rise around holidays and celebratory events.
• Speeding and reckless driving – Speeding or reckless driving account for over 30% of all car accident fatalities in the U.S. each year, according to reports from NHTSA. Male drivers between the ages of 15-24 are at the highest risk of speed-related car accidents. Speeding paired with any other distraction can increase the chances of accident and fatality dramatically.

Why Should You Get a Car Wreck Lawyer Baton Rouge?

You’ve been hurt in a car crash, and you may be wondering:

• Will an accident lawyer be worth it?
• Are my accident injuries really that bad?
• Was it my fault?
• How can I handle so many medical bills?
• Are the physical, emotional, career and psychological damages worth a court battle?
• Do I really want to sacrifice the time and energy it takes to pursue financial compensation for my losses?

Maybe you’re thinking about just letting it go, moving on with your life without looking back. Still, the burning question remains: Should I get a car accident attorney Baton Rouge?

If you believe that another person’s actions or negligence directly led to your injuries or the wrongful death of a loved one, you’ll need legal guidance and support to get you through the tough times. An accident lawyer will understand how the system operates and will have a clear idea of the evidence required to win your case.

The primary reasons an accident lawyer is worth your time and effort is because they:

• Are court-savvy and know how to build a strong case that is aimed at securing maximum fair compensation
• Know which evidence will be needed for your claim and how to gather it quickly and thoroughly
• Take the pressure off you, which allows you precious time to recuperate
• Help you understand the long-term costs of injuries like yours, so that you can seek appropriate compensation

Contacting an accident lawyer immediately after the accident is in your best interest because this is the prime time to collect evidence and gather testimony. So if you’re on the fence, you could always err on the side of caution and at least receive an initial consultation.

How Bad Are My Car Accident Injuries?

Typically, the severity of your injuries is determined by the:

• Kind of injury you received in the accident
• Amount of time it will take for you to regain normal functioning
• Amount of any present or future medical bills required regarding your injuries

There are also clear guidelines that separate short-term, long-term and permanent disability.

• Short-term disability – Short-term, or temporary, injuries can last anywhere from one day to three months. These can range from minor aches to incessant and debilitating agony.
• Long-term disability – Usually, long-term disability is the result of an injury that continues to affect your functioning for over a year. This can be recurring headaches, torn ligaments or chronic pain.
• Permanent disability – Permanent disability is when an accident impairs your functioning for the rest of your life. This type of disability can pertain to any part of your body or daily functioning.

With very minor injuries and relatively insignificant losses, you may be able to settle the claim on your own. If you have the time, energy and money to put toward addressing your claims, you can always opt to take it on yourself.

If, however, you endure suffering that lasts longer than a couple of days and demands medical treatment, it is in your best interest to find a good accident lawyer. Solid legal representation can mean the difference between alleviating the heavy burden of debt and drowning under the weight of it all.

Car insurance companies would like to avoid paying any more than they have to. The ones in your case may use their own lawyers to discount or minimize your personal injury claim. This is where the right representation by an excellent car accident injury lawyer can make all the difference.

Determining Fault for a Car Accident in Louisiana

It’s not uncommon for victims to blame themselves for an accident. This is a natural human inclination that should be balanced out with the facts.

The truth is, most of us want to prevent conflict no matter what it takes. We may even convince ourselves that we did something wrong to avoid confronting someone else’s negligence or actions.

A good accident lawyer will be able to help you sort out the details with minimal stress for you. People don’t like conflict because they don’t like the toll it takes on their bodies. But with the support of a lawyer, you can get the results you deserve without excessive drama.

How Can I Handle So Many Medical Bills?

If you weren’t at fault for the accident, you may not have to pay your own medical bills for injuries suffered in the crash. Medical bills can mount very quickly after an injury, and you might be able to have them paid in part or full through a successful car accident claim.

Medical bills can include hospital admittance, surgeries, medical equipment, prescriptions, physical rehabilitation, and much more.

A personal injury lawyer can help you seek compensation for all of your medical expenses.

Damages Suffered in Car Accidents

Many people easily notice the monetary consequences of a car wreck or other personal injury cases, but fewer fully grasp the non-monetary effects. Let’s take a look at the various ways you may be impacted by an accident:

Monetary Impacts

• Car repairs
• Hospital stays, treatment, surgeries, and other medical expenses
• Lost wages due to time off work during the recovery phase
• Possible loss of job due to recovery time
• Loss of future income due to disabilities
• Depleted savings during the recovery period
• Cost of therapeutic care for mental, behavioral or physical concerns pertaining to the accident

Non-Monetary Impacts

• Long- and short-term physical
• Long- and short-term emotional
• Long- and short-term psychological

Physical consequences of an accident can include injuries such as these examples and many others:

• Slipped disc
• Torn shoulder
• Whiplash
• Chronic pain
• Long-term eye or ear impairment
• Trauma to the brain (TBI)
• Hemorrhaging of the brain
• Partial or complete paralysis
• Broken bones
• Burns
• Internal injuries

Emotional impacts of an accident can include:

• Survivor’s guilt when a friend, family member or someone else dies in the same accident
• The “what ifs?” What if I had done something differently?
• Anger, rage or resentment turned either inward toward self or toward the person responsible for the accident
• Sadness, grief, and pain over the physical losses
• Relationship strain and social impacts

The psychological impact of a personal injury may include, for example:

• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Phobias of driving or loud sounds
• Other stress-related symptoms

Pain and Suffering From a Car Accident

Following an accident, you’ll experience the more tangible losses identified in the previous section. These include immediate medical bills, repairs, and counseling.

An accident also involves the more intangible pain and suffering due to various indirect losses. These can include the toll injuries take on your career, social life, intimate relationships, and isolation or abandonment fears. For example:

• Career – We’ve already identified how the recovery period can affect employment. Beyond that, you may also experience limitations in what you’re able to accomplish at your job.
• Social Life – The need for belonging is a basic human need. Your social life is an important part of your life. It’s not a luxury, but a must-have. Due to your accident, you may not be able to do the social activities you once enjoyed. You might have subtle symptoms that prevent you from socializing at gatherings, such as tinnitus, chronic pain or paralysis.
• Intimate Relationships – Your most intimate relationships may be altered in a drastic way. Certain accident injuries can affect sex drive. Some accidents can result in post-traumatic stress disorder as well. You might have phobias, such as intense fear of driving or avoiding certain places that remind you of the place where you had your accident. Anxiety may be triggered in specific settings or by noises, which keeps you from wanting to go out on dates with your spouse.
• Isolation and Abandonment Fears – Victims of personal injury sometimes believe that it’s best to hide away to take the burden off of family or friends. This is especially true if a person becomes paralyzed. Isolation can create abandonment fears.

Do I Really Want to Sacrifice the Time and Energy to Pursue Financial Compensation?

It can be easy to be intimidated by the time and energy you believe it will take to recover financial compensation for what you’ve been through. This is perfectly natural. But do the cons of getting legal counsel really outweigh the pros?

Potential Cons

1. An accident lawyer costs you money.
2. You’ll be required to recount your ordeal.
3. You’ll need to complete several interviews and answer questions.
4. You’ll need to provide evidence for your case.

Potential Pros

1. You’re typically going to recover more money than you spend because law firms take cases they believe they can win. Also, you won’t owe anything in legal fees unless you recover maximum compensation.
2. You’ll have an ally and receive support during this trying time.
3. You’ll receive legal guidance and know exactly what to expect.
4. An accident lawyer will help you understand what your claim is worth. (It’s probably more than you think.)
5. You can recover and get on with your life with a better peace of mind.

For Support on Your Healing Journey

As you can see, the losses for accident victims extend far beyond the scope of tangible impact. An accident lawyer can help you uncover all of the areas of your life affected by your accident. Our law office can provide you with the legal advice you need to get the justice that you deserve.

If you’re ready to make that call, check out Babcock Trial Lawyers. We stand up for car, motorcycle and truck accident victims so they don’t get a raw deal.

Related Links

• Rear-End Accidents
• Head On Collisions
• Rollover Accidents
• Distracted Driving Accidents
• Intersection Collisions
• Interstate / Highway
• Scars, Lacerations & Disfigurement
• Rideshare Accidents