Imagine you are on vacation in the greater New Orleans area, having a great time, until the unexpected occurs: a car accident. Being in a car accident, especially if you are an out-of-state driver, can be an overwhelming experience. Worse, you could be injured, facing a large number of medical bills, and unsure what step to take next.
The team at Morris Bart can help guide you through the process of filing a personal injury claim. We understand how overwhelming it may be to get into an accident, especially when your accident occurs out of state and far from home. We have worked on cases like this before and have won compensation for our clients.
We work on a contingency-fee-basis, which means we ask for no money upfront or out-of-pocket while you may already be facing additional medical bills and potential time off work healing from your injuries. We are paid only if we receive a successful outcome in your case.
For a free review of your case, contact Morris Bart today at (504) 613-4771.
Common Causes of Car Accidents
There are a number of common behaviors that may lead to a car accident. The most common among these are:
Distracted Driving
Distracted driving cost 2,841 people their lives in 2018, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Distracted driving includes any type of behavior that may take your focus or eyes off the road, such as eating behind the wheel, changing the radio station, talking to passengers, or using a phone. Texting and driving is a common form of distracted driving behavior. Of all the types of distracted driving behavior, texting is particularly dangerous since it involves all three types of distraction: Visual, manual, and cognitive.
Speeding
The NHTSA reports that speeding accidents killed 9,378 people in 2018. This type of behavior is dangerous because it increases the force of an impact, which generally increases the severity of any injuries that may occur. It also increases the likelihood of an accident, as drivers do not have as much time to react and avoid an accident.
Drowsy Driving
Drowsy driving is a type of driving behavior that is not discussed as often, however, with so many Americans suffering from sleep deprivation, it may be a huge problem. Drowsy driving makes it harder to pay attention to the road, to avoid an accident if you need to react quickly, and further impacts your ability to make good decisions. A study conducted by the National Sleep Foundation found that being awake for 18 hours created an impediment that was similar to driving with a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.05 percent.
Driving Under the Influence
According to NHTSA, almost 30 people die every day as a result of drunk driving accidents. At a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.08 percent, the legal limit, drivers experience short-term memory loss, difficulty controlling their speed, impaired perception, and difficulty concentrating.
If you or someone you love was hurt or killed by a driver while visiting New Orleans, you may be entitled to compensation for their actions. For a free, no-risk case evaluation or to find out how our team may be able to help, contact Morris Bart at (504) 613-4771.
For a free legal consultation with a Out of State Drivers Accident lawyer serving New Orleans, call 800-537-8185
Laws You Should Know That May Impact Your Claim
There are two laws you should be aware of that may impact a personal injury claim after a car accident: The statute of limitations and the doctrine of pure comparative fault.
Many states have a statute of limitations, where the victim has a certain amount of time to pursue legal action to recover their losses. However, according to Sec. 3492 of the Louisiana Statutes, Louisiana places a one-year limit on the amount of time that you have to file a claim pursuing damages after a personal injury or wrongful death accident. This means that you may not have much time to wait if you intend to take legal action.
Additionally, it may be important to know that Louisiana is a pure comparative negligence state. This means that liability for an accident may be spread to everyone who is in any way responsible. In other words, you may be partially liable, which may impact the amount of compensation you may be entitled to recover. For example, if you are found to be 30 percent responsible for a collision, you could only recover 70 percent of any damages awarded.
What is important to understand about the comparative fault is that it is a commonly used defense tactic. Sometimes defense lawyers may try to prove that a plaintiff is responsible for an accident to reduce their client’s liability. A New Orleans out of state drivers lawyer may be able to help defend you against these tactics in Orleans Parish.
How a New Orleans Out-of-State Driver Lawyer May Help
A New Orleans out-of-state driver’s lawyer may be able to help you by making it easy for you to return home and focus on recovering from the accident while they help pursue the compensation you may be entitled to for your injuries.
At Morris Bart, our team has worked on car accident cases. We have a network of professionals, including accident scene reconstruction experts, whom we may be able to call as we build a strong case for your personal injury or wrongful death claim. We may gather evidence, calculate the full value of your claim, and negotiate with the insurance company to pursue a fair settlement.
For a free review of your claim, contact Morris Bart today at (504) 613-4771.
Questions?Call 800-537-8185
to find a Morris Bart office near you.
