How Much Is My Personal Injury Case Worth?
The value of your case will be based on the facts and circumstances surrounding the incident. While the cases involving the most serious injuries are usually worth the most, the topic is more complicated. Other factors that could come into play include, but are not limited to:
Ultimately, the easiest way to find out how much your case might be valued at is to speak with our experienced lawyer.
How Much Does it Cost to Hire a Personal Injury Attorney in Lafayette?
Most personal injury attorneys in Lafayette work on a contingency fee basis. This means their fee is contingent upon the outcome of your case. If your attorney obtains a settlement or verdict for you, they will take a percentage (usually 30 to 40%) of the award as compensation for their services. If they fail to recover an award, you will not owe any compensation.
Moreover, most injury firms provide free initial consultations to all prospective clients. Therefore, it costs virtually nothing upfront to hire a personal injury lawyer.
What Compensation Can I Recover After An Accident?
Victims of personal injury accidents in Lafayette can pursue economic damages as well as non-economic damages. Punitive damages might also be available in limited circumstances.
Economic damages represent your financial losses, including things like:
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Rehabilitation
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Decreased earning capacity
Non-economic damages represent your other categories of losses that are not necessarily financial in nature, such as:
- Pain and suffering
- Anxiety, depression, and other similar conditions
- Emotional distress
- Scarring
- Disfigurement
Punitive damages are meant to “punish” the at-fault party rather than to compensate you, although they still do in effect. These damages are reserved for specific cases, such as drunk driving or domestic violence.
How Long Do I Have To File a Personal Injury Lawsuit in Louisiana?
Louisiana law allows you two years (effective as of July 1, 2024) after the date of your accident to file a personal injury lawsuit in most cases. It is of the utmost importance that you file your claim in a timely manner – otherwise, you won’t be able to pursue compensation in a court of law.
However, there are exceptions to the one-year deadline in some cases. For instance, you might have additional time for certain types of personal injury lawsuits – such as product liability lawsuits – if you did not discover your injury until long after the accident took place.
You should feel free to contact us if you believe the deadline for your case is soon approaching, as we can provide additional help during your free evaluation.
What Is the Personal Injury Claims Process?
While no two personal injury claims will play out exactly the same – this area of the law is relatively fact-dependent – there are stages that most will go through that can provide you with a sense of what to expect. These are:
- Investigation – We’ll conduct a thorough investigation into your case to collect evidence, determine every liable party, and accurately assess your case’s value.
- Demand Letter – The next step is to send a demand letter to the appropriate party (usually the at-fault person’s insurance company).
- Negotiation – Most likely, the insurer will offer a settlement amount that is much less than what your case is actually worth in response to the demand letter. Negotiations will then kick off in earnest.
- Settlement or lawsuit – If the other side refuses to settle for an adequate amount, you may need to file a lawsuit and take the case to court.
- Pretrial procedures – Once the case reaches court, various pretrial processes must take place, such as pretrial discovery and pretrial motions.
- Trial – Cases can settle all the way up to and even during trial, but this is ultimately the last stage that a case will go through.
Keep in mind that most cases won’t make it to court, let alone trial. However, Kenny Habetz Injury Law is always willing to take a case the distance if that’s in the best interest of our client. Reach out today for a free case review.
Will My Case Go to Trial?
Many personal injury cases are resolved without the need for trial. Insurers and other defendants prefer to settle instead of risking the costs and uncertainty of litigation. Therefore, there is a high probability that your case may end in a settlement agreement.
However, your case may need to go to trial if any of the following are true:
- Your claim is denied
- Less than the full value of your damages is offered
- The defendant is uninsured
- The defendant is alleging comparative negligence
Your lawyer will be able to tell you whether you should expect your case to go to trial. You can also make your preference for a settlement known to your lawyer.
