What to Expect in your personal injury case
Personal injury lawyers in Bastrop serving the legal needs of individuals and businesses throughout Northeast LA
The resolution of a personal injury in Bastrop or elsewhere in Louisiana can take anywhere from a few months to several years. Attorneys will advise you that the amount of time depends largely on:
- Whether an out of court settlement can be reached or if litigation is necessary
- If a defendant or their insurer contests the claims against them
While you don’t have to hire attorneys to represent your case, it is highly advisable that you retain legal representation with a personal injury law firm or attorneys that understand local laws and statutes. This can greatly increase you chance of collecting a fair settlement and avoiding pitfalls in the process. Each case is different. The following is a list of some typical phases of personal injury litigation and what you can expect from each one.
Documenting your injuries, expenses, time missed from work and pain and suffering
Collecting a full settlement for your personal injury depends largely on the ability of you and your personal injury attorney to document any medical problems and expenses as well as time missed from your job. It is vital that you:
- Seek medical help. Visit a doctor right after an accident and report all injuries. In addition to a doctor’s records, you should also take photos of your injuries starting from the time of the accident and continuing until you are fully healed.
- Maintain records of medical costs. Keep detailed records of all medical expenses, treatments, therapy, prescriptions, medicines taken, etc. and their costs.
- Document lost work time. Record all of the days you missed at work due to injury. Also note times you had to leave work early for appointments or because of your injuries.
- Keep a diary. Maintain a daily diary of all experiences since the accident and share this information with your personal injury lawyer. Chronicle your daily activities and changes in your work life, family life and free time. Any documented suffering, whether mental or physical, can be included in a claim against a defendant.
Investigating the accident
The strength of your case against a defendant has a strong correlation with the evidence collected. A thorough investigation by experienced injury attorney in Monroe includes:
- An accident scene investigation: It is important this is done soon after the accident in order to preserve key evidence, take photographs, gather clues and observe any factors that may have led to the accident.
- Obtaining an accident report: In the case of a motor vehicle accident, the responding police officer fills out an accident report. This report contains key information such as witnesses, insurance information, road conditions, citations, injuries, and possibly the officer’s opinion of who was at fault.
- Interviewing witnesses: If liability is disputed, witness testimony can be very important. Witnesses can describe the accident and who was at fault.
Call our Bastrop personal injury lawyers with confidence for a free initial consultation
You owe it to yourself to see what the combined 135 years of courtroom experience at Rankin, Yeldell & Katz can do for you. We offer a risk-free, no-cost initial consultation on personal injury, auto accident, and SSD cases, and only charge you attorney fees when we recover on your claim. Contact us online or call us at 318-239-4364 for help with your personal injury lawsuit.
We represent clients throughout Northeast Louisiana, including Bastrop, Monroe, Oak Grove, Farmerville, Rayville, Morehouse Parish, Ouachita Parish, Union Parish, West Carroll Parish, Richland Parish, Madison Parish, and East Carroll Parish.
