Personal Injury Attorney in Hammond, Louisiana
A personal injury lawyer from Simien & Simien, LLC should be one of the first people you call after an accident. With almost 40 years of experience, our legal professionals can guide you toward the compensation you may be entitled to. The future may seem uncertain after a serious fall or car crash, but you are not alone on the road to recovery. Our lawyers can provide legal advice, representation during negotiations, and many other services. Although filing a personal injury lawsuit might seem daunting, it could be easier than you realize — and you might not even need to go to court. The most logical way to learn more about this process is to call for a consultation with Simien & Simien, LLC today at 225-224-2222.
How Can a Personal Injury Lawyer from Simien & Simien, LLC Help Me?
At Simien & Simien, LLC, we serve clients across Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, and other states with the help of local counsel. Our experience extends to various types of communities, from urban centers to smaller towns. A personal injury lawyer from our firm can help you in a number of different ways:
- Consultations: Your journey with a personal injury lawyer begins with a consultation. During this initial meeting, you can discuss your unique concerns and priorities. Your lawyer will listen carefully and ask their own questions. Based on this consultation, you and your lawyer can decide what to do next.
- Recommendations: A lawyer can recommend that you take certain courses of action. Although you always have the final say, it makes sense to listen to our experienced personal injury lawyers. For example, a personal injury lawyer might recommend that you sue a specific trucking company involved in your accident.
- Investigations: Once you determine who is responsible for your accident, your lawyer can start investigating the situation in more detail. During this process, they may uncover additional evidence. This might include video footage, witness testimony, digital records, police reports, and much more.
- Negotiations: You might not need to go to court in order to receive compensation for your accident. In fact, most personal injury cases are settled outside of court by insurers. Although this is generally more straightforward compared to a personal injury trial, negotiations are still challenging. A personal injury lawyer can represent you at the negotiation table and fight for fair compensation on your behalf.
- Litigation: Negotiations are not always possible. In this case, you may need to proceed with a personal injury trial alongside your lawyer. Rest assured: Your lawyer can represent you during litigation with compelling evidence, oral arguments, and, if necessary, appeals.
Our firm’s extensive experience allows us to handle complex cases and take on large insurance companies effectively. We understand the emotional toll these situations can take and are committed to providing both legal and emotional support throughout the process.
How Much Time Do I Have to File an Injury Claim?
It’s important to be aware of recent changes in personal injury law regarding time limits for filing claims. While many states have a statute of limitations of two or more years, some states have shorter timeframes. For example, Louisiana only gives you two years to file your injury claim in most cases, and some cases only allow one year to file a suit.
Given these time constraints, it’s crucial to consult a personal injury lawyer at your earliest possible opportunity. Your lawyer can get the ball rolling while you shift your focus back toward medical treatment.
There are other deadlines to consider as well, even if they are not as clear-cut as the statute of limitations. First, you should consider the “ephemeral,” fading nature of important evidence. Your case might rely on testimony from an eyewitness who saw your accident. But what happens if this witness moves away? What if they pass away? This is just one example of how important evidence can slip away if you wait too long.
Should I Accept a Settlement Offer After an Accident?
There is also time limits associated with your medical treatment. First and foremost, it is important to seek treatment as soon as possible. If you delay treatment, people might argue that your injuries are not very serious. If you fail to get treatment at all, people may argue that your injuries are not even real. This can be particularly problematic if you suffer “invisible” injuries, such as a brain injury or PTSD.
Another healthcare-related time constraint to consider is your maximum medical improvement, or “MMI.” This is the point at which your injuries no longer improve, and it may arrive within weeks, months, or even years. MMI is an important time limit because it affects your total compensation. Until you reach your MMI, it may be impossible to predict how your injuries will affect you on a long-term basis.
This could drastically affect your earning potential and your psychological well-being, and you could be eligible to pursue higher levels of compensation once we have all the needed information. If you had simply accepted a settlement offer a few days after your car accident, you may have received inadequate compensation for uncertain long-term issues.
You should know that insurance companies are primarily concerned about their profit margins — not your well-being. As a result, their representatives will likely attempt to offer you the lowest possible settlement offer they can get away with. These lowball offers inevitably fail to cover your medical expenses, missed wages, and general damages such as pain and suffering and emotional distress. Although many injured plaintiffs unwittingly accept these offers, a personal injury lawyer can help you negotiate for a higher, more appropriate sum.
Can I Get Compensation for a Trucking Accident?
A trucking accident can certainly result in compensation if the truck driver was at fault. Reckless truckers cause accidents all the time, and these accidents lead to some of the most catastrophic injuries imaginable. Semi-trucks suffer from sluggish handling, excessive blind spots, poor braking distances, and other inherent mechanical issues. Negligent trucking companies often make these issues even worse by failing to properly maintain and inspect their vehicles or hire and train their drivers properly.
Putting mechanical issues aside, even the safest and most advanced trucks can crash if driven by reckless operators. The average truck driver struggles with serious boredom behind the wheel. Driving for 12 or 14-hour shifts makes various distractions very tempting. These might include text messages, video games, YouTube social media, eating, reading, and much more. Anything that takes a trucker’s eyes off the road for even a few seconds can cause severe accidents.
Some truckers struggle with substance abuse, and this is another way they attempt to address the monotony of the open road. Truckers may also take various stimulants while attempting to stay awake. Although caffeine is a popular option, some turn to harder drugs — including amphetamines, prescription medication, and others. Driving while under the influence of drugs is illegal — even if a trucker consumes legal drugs.
Trucks can cause devastating crashes. Even after an initial impact from a semi-truck, motorists may experience secondary threats from fires and explosions. The average truck carries a high-capacity gas tank filled with flammable fuel. All it takes is a slight rupture and a small spark to cause a massive explosion. Trapped inside the wreckage of their vehicles, motorists may suffer disfiguring burns and smoke inhalation. These injuries often prove fatal.
If you have suffered a permanent disability caused by a truck accident, it is important to pursue enough compensation to last for the rest of your life. Your working days may be over, and your truck accident lawsuit could represent your last opportunity to achieve financial security. By taking effective legal action, you may receive compensation for what you would have earned throughout the rest of your career. You may also receive compensation for the emotional or psychological impact of the crash — such as loss of enjoyment of life.
What Should I Do After Suffering a Neck Injury?
The most important step after any injury is to seek immediate medical attention. After your car accident or fall, you should accept treatment at the scene and allow yourself to be transported to the nearest hospital. If no first responders arrive, it may be necessary to organize transport on your own. If in doubt, call 9-1-1.
When you arrive at the hospital, accept further emergency treatment and listen carefully to the recommendations of healthcare professionals. They may advise you to seek further treatment or testing, such as X-rays and CT scans. You might also need to follow up with specialists, such as an orthopedic doctor or others.
Medical treatment is necessary to protect both your health and your legal options. Without clear medical records that describe your injuries, it may be difficult to prove you suffered legitimate physical harm. With no documented physical injuries, it is typically impossible to prevail in a personal injury lawsuit.
After your condition stabilizes, you may wish to consider your legal options. The easiest way to do this is during a consultation with a personal injury lawyer at Simien & Simien, LLC. If possible, bring any relevant documentation to your consultation. This might include photographs of the accident or your injuries. You may also want to bring your medical records and income statements.
What Damages Can I Claim in a Personal Injury Lawsuit?
You may be able to claim both economic and non-economic damages in a personal injury lawsuit. Economic damages represent your financial losses, while non-economic damages represent your psychological losses. Both can lead to significant compensation, depending on the circumstances of your accident.
Here are a few examples of economic damages:
- Medical Expenses: You should not have to pay any of your medical expenses if someone else caused your accident. This includes not only emergency treatment but also ambulance transport, follow-up appointments, medications, and more.
- Missed Wages: You may be able to recover compensation for your missed wages after an accident. Even if you miss a few days of work due to your injuries, you may still be entitled to compensation for those missed earnings. This can be crucial for both high-earners and those living paycheck-to-paycheck.
- Funeral Costs: If you lost a loved one to a fatal accident, you may be able to pursue compensation for funeral expenses. The average funeral in the United States costs many thousands of dollars.
- Property Damage: If your vehicle was damaged in a collision, you may also pursue compensation for the necessary repairs or replacements.
Here are a few examples of non-economic damages:
- Disfigurement
- PTSD
- Loss of Enjoyment of Life
- Humiliation
- Emotional Distress
- Pain & Suffering
- Depression
Work With Simien & Simien, LLC
If you would like to learn more about your options, book a consultation with Simien & Simien, LLC at your earliest convenience. With our help, you can approach a personal injury lawsuit with confidence and knowledge about your rights. Remember, online research only gets you so far. While you may have learned the basics about personal injury lawsuits, there are many more steps to take. Each case is different, and no amount of reading can provide you with a personalized action plan.
Contact Simien & Simien, LLC Today
During your first consultation with Simien & Simien, LLC, you can discuss the specific circumstances of your accident. With almost 40 years of experience, we can help with even the most unique and complex cases. Our team is committed to providing both legal expertise and emotional support throughout your case. Reach out today to get started with a personal injury lawyer. Call us at 225-224-2222 for a free initial consultation and let us help you understand your legal options.