Questions to ask your car accident lawyers include those about how much your case might be worth, how long it might take you to get compensation, and how fault is determined. These questions can help you get clear answers about your case, your options, and what to expect as you move forward with your case.
You don’t have to figure out what to do next all on your own. Instead, let a New Orleans car accident lawyer help you proceed. You’re already dealing with the mental and emotional side of things, so let your attorney handle the rest.
That way, you can focus on recovering from your injuries and healing from the trauma you endured. Understanding the legal process starts with asking the right questions, so keep reading to learn more about what to ask when you meet with your car accident lawyer.
The Role of Questions in Protecting Your Rights
Even when the facts of the crash seem clear, the legal system and insurance process can both introduce their own sets of complications. Asking strategic questions not only helps you stay informed, but it can also play a major role when it comes to protecting your rights.
11 Questions to Ask Your Car Accident Lawyer
Now, let’s take a closer look at the answers to 11 questions you should ask your car accident attorney in New Orleans.
1. How Familiar Are You With Louisiana’s Car Accident Laws?
Laws differ significantly from state to state. New Orleans car accident lawyers who are well-versed in Louisiana’s Civil Code and its application to vehicle collisions will better understand issues like prescriptive periods, comparative fault, and damage caps.
2. How Is Fault Determined in Louisiana Car Accidents?
Determining liability is a major part of the process, especially when you’re working with a fault-based system. This question helps you understand how evidence—such as police reports, witness statements, and traffic laws—will be used to establish fault in your case.
3. What Kind of Compensation Can I Recover?
Louisiana allows victims to recover both economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages include measurable losses like medical bills, vehicle repairs, and lost income.
Meanwhile, non-economic damages may include intangible losses such as pain and suffering or loss of enjoyment of life.
4. What if I Was Partially at Fault?
Since Louisiana follows a pure comparative fault rule, this is an important question to pose. It will allow you to gauge how much your percentage of fault might impact your final compensation and what evidence can help reduce that percentage.
5. How Do You Handle Negotiations With Insurance Companies?
Insurance companies are known to protect their bottom line. In doing so, they might offer a settlement amount that is much lower than what you deserve. This question helps you learn about the approach to dealing with insurers.
6. What Is the Timeline for Resolving a Car Accident Claim in Louisiana?
While every case is different, it helps to understand the typical stages—filing the claim, gathering evidence, negotiating a settlement, and potentially going to court—and how long each might take within Louisiana’s legal framework.
7. How Are Medical Expenses Covered While My Claim Is Pending?
This is a major concern for many car accident victims. Louisiana state laws do not require Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage, so you may have to rely on your health insurance, MedPay—if you’ve purchased it—or letters of protection from healthcare providers.
8. What Evidence Will Strengthen My Case?
Photographs, medical records, witness statements, traffic camera footage, and repair estimates are all valuable. This question helps ensure you’re preserving the right evidence from the very beginning.
9. Can I Recover Damages if I Wasn’t Wearing a Seatbelt?
Louisiana has a seatbelt law that requires front and rear seat passengers to buckle up. However, failing to wear a seatbelt does not prevent you from recovering damages—it may simply reduce your compensation based on comparative fault principles.
10. Are There Any Caps on Damages in Louisiana Car Accident Cases?
There are no general caps on damages in car accident claims, except for certain cases involving public entities or medical malpractice. Understanding this can help you assess the potential value of your claim more realistically.
11. What Happens if the At-Fault Driver Is Uninsured or Underinsured?
Louisiana requires drivers to carry liability insurance, but not everyone complies. If the driver who hit you lacks insurance or has inadequate coverage, your Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM) coverage may come into play—if you’ve opted into it.
Types of Car Accidents Commonly Litigated in Louisiana
Each car accident is unique in its own way, but some types of collisions are more common than others. There might be specific legal implications involved as well, depending on the details of your case.
All in all, understanding the kind of accident you were involved in can help you better understand which questions to ask and how to prepare for what’s to come.
- Rear–end collisions: These are often straightforward, but fault can be disputed if the lead driver stopped suddenly.
- Side–impact collisions: Common at intersections, these collisions may involve issues with the timing of traffic signals or understanding failure-to-yield laws.
- Head–on collisions: These tend to result in serious injuries, and the accidents themselves are often caused by distracted or impaired driving.
- Multi–vehicle crashes: Fault may be shared by a wide array of drivers, which often complicates the process of filing insurance claims and proving liability.
- Hit–and–run accidents: In many cases, these incidents prompt reporting, and they usually involve reliance on UM/UIM coverage or eyewitness evidence.
Understanding the specific nature of your crash helps clarify liability, evidence requirements, and potential damage recovery.
Contact Our Car Accident Law Firm in New Orleans for Help Today
If you or someone you love was involved in a car crash, you shouldn’t have to deal with the fallout all by yourself. From physical injuries and property damage to insurance disputes and negotiations, the aftermath of a collision can feel incredibly overwhelming.
However, you don’t have to do it all by yourself. Instead, turn to the New Orleans car accident lawyers at Cueria Law Firm. Our attorneys have decades of combined experience helping personal injury victims just like you.
We have recovered millions in compensation since 1993, and we’re here to pursue justice on your behalf, too. The sooner you contact our New Orleans car accident law firm, the sooner we can start the process of pursuing compensation and seeking justice in your case.
