Get Your Legal Questions Answered

“Contingency basis” means that you do not pay upfront for anything related to your claim. Instead, the attorney handles all costs related to the case and is ONLY paid if he recovers anything for YOU. Our contingency fee is 30% of the recovered amount if no suit is filed. If a lawsuit is filed our fee is 33.33%. That fee remains the same through the trial and appeal of your case.

You need a skilled personal injury attorney who has knowledge of specific federal and state laws which apply only to truck drivers and companies to recover the maximum amount for your injuries.

We are often asked how much a claim is worth at the very beginning of a case. It is difficult to value a claim at inception as the duration of medical treatment and the extent of the injuries are often unknown. Each personal injury case is different, and the value of your claim depends on the type of injury sustained and the medical treatment received. In some circumstances, due to the nature of the accident and immediate injuries, such as broken bones or extensive emergency room treatment, we can estimate a minimum amount of damages that may be recoverable.

Those estimates are based on years of experience in handling similar claims as well as reported case law wherein a court awarded damages for similar injuries. As you seek medical treatment, the value of your claim changes. If you are injured but did not seek medical treatment, it is more difficult to recover funds for those injuries. That is why seeking medical treatment for the entire duration of your injury is so important. Surgical procedures, broken bones, and permanent injuries are higher value claims. The value of your claim also includes economic damages like costs for medical treatment, lost wages, physical therapy, and paying for any help you need at home.

We can recover for the medical invoices as well as for the pain and suffering experienced by the client. (See also the other accident-specific categories as they apply for additional information.)

The at-fault vehicle’s insurance company is referred to as the “third-party insurer.” Your insurance company is referred to as the “first-party insurer.” You have no contractual relationship with the insurance company of the vehicle that was at fault in the accident, thus you are a “third-party” in that relationship. You do have a contractual relationship with your insurance company, thus you are a “first-party” in that context.

The third-party insurer in most instances will not reveal how much insurance coverage is available to you. Once a lawsuit is filed we can force the insurance company, through a process called discovery, to produce the actual policy and declaration page for the at-fault vehicle. In some instances, when the medical billing and treatment indicate that the value of the claim will exceed the insurance policy limits of the at-fault insurer the insurance company will reveal the policy limits because they want to settle the claim. Throughout the claim, our attorneys provide the insurance companies updates on your medical condition and incurred medical costs.

In the event a policy limits settlement is offered we require the production of the declaration page for the insurance policy to confirm the actual policy limits and an affidavit of no other insurance. An affidavit of no other insurance is a sworn statement by the owner and/or driver of the at-fault vehicle attesting that there is no other insurance coverage available. In Louisiana, the minimum amount of liability insurance required is $15,000 for personal injuries and $25,000 for property damages. In Mississippi and Alabama, the minimum insurance required is $25,000 for personal injuries. If you are in an accident with a vehicle from one of those states it is a reasonable assumption that there is $25,000 in coverage available to you.

Many people are hesitant to make a claim against their own policy for fear of increasing their premium. Insurers are not supposed to charge you for an accident that was not your fault. Think of uninsured motorist coverage in the same way as you would your fire insurance/dwelling policy on your residence. If your house burns down, you will make a claim against your homeowner’s insurance policy. Your insurance company collected an insurance premium from you and contractually agreed to replace your home (or the value of it) in the event of a fire. The same rationale applies to uninsured motorist coverage; you pay a premium to your insurance company to protect you in the event you are in an accident, and the person that was at fault does not have sufficient insurance coverage.

We recommend that all motorists carry uninsured motorist coverage. The level of coverage depends on your individual economic situation. Our attorneys are experienced with all aspects of insurance coverage and can further explain how the insurance coverage applies in your particular case.