Gretna, Louisiana, is a lively and historic city that still maintains a laid-back, small-town feel. From attending Saturday morning farmers markets to taking the ferry across the Mississippi River to New Orleans, there is a lot to do for residents and visitors alike. As in any city, though, accidents are always possible. Whether you experienced an accident on Highway 90 or anywhere else in the city, help is available.
At Santana & Blanchard Personal Injury Lawyers, we take pride in fighting for hurt members of our community. If you or your loved one have been injured in a car accident in Gretna, LA, contact us today at (504) 323-6000 to schedule a complimentary consultation with a Gretna car accident lawyer.
How Santana & Blanchard Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help You After a Car Accident in Gretna, LA
At Santana & Blanchard Personal Injury Lawyers, we have over 26 years of combined experience and have recovered millions of dollars in compensation for our clients who have been injured in accidents. If you or a loved one have been in a car accident in Gretna, LA, you can trust that we can do the following for you:
- Speak with you regarding your accident
- Investigate the circumstances of your accidents and all involved parties
- Gather evidence to support your claim/s
- Negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf
- Handle all of the legal paperwork
- Negotiate a favorable settlement
- Take your case to trial if a settlement can’t be reached
You shouldn’t have to handle your case all on your own. With our contingency fee system, you won’t owe anything unless our team succeeds in securing recovery for you. Reach out today to schedule a time to meet with a Gretna car accident attorney.
Why Should I Hire a Car Accident Lawyer?
You might be able to handle simple car accident claims on your own. However, even if you do so, you might not be getting all of the compensation that you deserve. This is because the odds are stacked against you. The insurance company you’ll be up against will have access to a wealth of legal resources and legal professionals. Hiring your own legal counsel can ensure you aren’t taken advantage of or offered an unfair settlement.
If liability, damages, or even the parties involved are contested, you’ll have all the more trouble handling your case by yourself. Your lawyer will be able to use their resources, connections (such as expert witnesses), and legal knowledge to your advantage. They’ll be able to gather evidence, speak with witnesses, and, ideally, use their skills to bring your case to a positive outcome.
Finally, hiring representation gives you the time you need to rest and recover after you are injured in an accident. Depending on how serious your injury or injuries are, you might be navigating doctor appointments, medical bills, rehabilitation, and lifestyle changes, not to mention physical pain and mental stress. Let us take some of the weight off of your shoulders and help you through the legal processes you’re facing.
How Much Money Can I Get From a Car Accident Case?
Because every case is different, the best way to find out how much your particular case might be worth is to speak with a qualified car accident attorney and discuss the facts of your situation. However, there are some general factors that are likely to affect your case value, including:
- The severity of your injuries
- Whether you are able to work
- How long your recovery takes
- Whether you were partially at fault
- The type and amount of insurance involved
- How willing to negotiate the other party is
- The skill of your attorney
We will consider all of the above factors and more when discussing how much your car accident case might be worth.
How Long Do I Have To File a Car Accident Lawsuit in Louisiana?
Louisiana gives you two years from the date of the accident to bring your case. If you don’t do so, you’ll risk losing your right to bring suit against the person or persons who hurt you.
What Types of Damages Are Available After a Car Accident in Gretna, Louisiana?
After an accident, you might be experiencing financial as well as physical and psychological difficulties. Damages are meant to compensate you for these losses.
Damages you might be entitled to in Louisiana include economic and non-economic damages.
Economic damages are easy to add up and compensate for financial losses. You might get money for:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Lost earning potential
- Out-of-pocket expenses
Non-economic damages are intended to compensate you for your damages that aren’t as easily seen. You might be able to recover for:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Anxiety and depression
No matter the nature or extent of your losses, an attorney can help you identify them, prove them, and pursue the full compensation you deserve.
How Much Does it Cost to Hire a Car Accident Lawyer in Gretna?
The good news is it might not cost you anything out of pocket to hire a Gretna car accident lawyer. This is because most personal injury law firms, including Santana & Blanchard Personal Injury Lawyers, offer their services on a contingency fee basis. A contingency fee agreement means:
- You won’t pay anything upfront
- Your attorney will handle all of the costs associated with your case
- If your case isn’t successful, you’ll never owe anything
- Your attorney will be paid from the sum of your recovery (typically between 33% and 40%)
This type of fee arrangement allows everyone to access legal services when they need them, and it aligns your attorney’s interests with your own.
Can I Receive Compensation If I Was Partly At Fault for a Car Accident in Louisiana?
You might be wondering if you can still recover compensation if you were partially to blame for your accident. The simple answer is that you most likely can, but there are caveats. This is because Louisiana follows a rule called pure comparative fault. This rule means that you can still recover as long as you are less than 100% at fault, but your percentage of fault can reduce your compensation proportionally.
For example, if you are 60% at fault, you will still be able to recover 40% of the total damages you would have been entitled to. Luckily, this system is one of the most lenient in the country, but you’ll still benefit greatly from an experienced lawyer on your side to fight for maximum compensation and deny unfair allegations of fault.
Will My Car Accident Case Go to Trial?
Statistics suggest that only around 4% of personal injury accidents go to trial. Most accident cases are resolved through settlement before reaching the courtroom, but this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be prepared. Factors that determine whether or not your case will go to trial include:
- The value of your claim
- The severity of your injuries
- Whether or not compensation is contested
- Whether or not liability is contested
- How willing the insurance company is to negotiate
- Your attorney’s skill
- Court backlogs and delays
Hiring an attorney with trial experience is a smart move—even if you hope to settle out of court. A seasoned trial lawyer signals to the insurance company that you’re prepared to fight for fair compensation, which can strengthen your negotiating position and maximize your chances of a successful recovery.
What Should I Do After a Car Accident in Gretna?
If you are involved in an accident in Gretna, LA, you’ll want to take certain steps to make sure your case is strong and create a trail of evidence. You should:
- Stay at the scene: Remain at the scene or as close as is safe.
- Check yourself and others for injuries: Check yourself, your passengers, and anyone else involved in the accident for injuries.
- Call 911: Call the authorities, making sure to specify if you or others need medical help.
- Get contact information: Get the contact information of anyone involved, including witnesses. You should make sure you have their name, number, and insurance information, if applicable.
- Don’t make any admissions of fault: Refrain from discussing fault with the other party, witnesses, and law enforcement. It is in your best interest to stay silent until you have legal representation so you aren’t unfairly blamed.
- Document the scene: Take photos, videos, and notes documenting the accident scene. Include any damage to vehicles and any injuries experienced.
- Seek prompt medical care: Visit a medical professional after your accident, even if you don’t feel hurt. Injuries may be masked by adrenaline or may manifest later. Seeking medical help also ensures that you create a paper trail of your injuries and expenses.
- Contact a personal injury lawyer: While you might be able to handle minor claims on your own, hiring an attorney gives you a better chance of a favorable outcome.
Your attorney will be able to listen to your story, help you gather evidence, and gather any resources needed to prove your case.
Types of Car Accident Claims We Handle
At Santana & Blanchard Personal Injury Lawyers, we handle all kinds of car accident claims in Gretna, LA. No matter the circumstances of your accident, we are confident we can help. We regularly handle:
Rear-End Crashes
Rear-end crashes occur when a vehicle moves forward into the back of another vehicle. This type of accident commonly results from factors like distracted driving, tailgating, speeding, mechanical failures, and reduced traction due to weather conditions. These accidents are often more “minor” in nature due to the fact that the vehicles are moving in the same direction, but significant injuries can still result.
Head-On Collisions
Head-on collisions are among the most dangerous types of car accidents and often lead to serious or even fatal injuries. These crashes typically occur when a vehicle crosses into oncoming traffic, which can happen due to driver distraction, fatigue, intoxication, or attempting to pass improperly on a two-lane road. Because of the force involved—especially when both vehicles are traveling at higher speeds—the impact can be devastating. Injuries from head-on collisions may include traumatic brain injuries, spinal damage, internal injuries, and broken bones.
Intersection Accidents
Crashes at intersections are extremely common and often result from a failure to yield, running red lights, or misjudging the speed or path of oncoming traffic. These accidents can involve side-impact collisions, rear-end crashes, or even multi-vehicle pileups. Determining fault in an intersection accident can be complex, especially when multiple drivers share the blame or traffic signals are in dispute. Injuries may range from whiplash and lacerations to more severe trauma, depending on the angle and speed of the collision.
Hit-and-Run Accidents
A hit-and-run accident occurs when a driver leaves the scene of a crash without providing contact information or offering help to those injured. These incidents can be incredibly frustrating and traumatic for victims, especially if the at-fault driver cannot be located. Despite the absence of the responsible party, victims may still be able to recover compensation through their own uninsured motorist coverage or other legal avenues. Prompt investigation and legal guidance are crucial in these situations to preserve evidence and identify potential sources of recovery.
Who Could Be Liable for My Injuries Resulting from a Car Accident?
It’s easy to assume that the only person responsible for your accident is the driver who hit you. In reality, multiple parties could share liability depending on the circumstances of the crash. Parties that might be able to be held liable for your injuries include:
- Another driver: Sometimes, more than one driver shares fault in a crash, especially in multi-vehicle pileups or chain-reaction collisions.
- A passenger: In rare cases, a passenger’s actions—like distracting the driver or grabbing the wheel—can contribute to an accident.
- A driver’s employer: If the driver was on the job at the time of the crash, their employer could be held responsible under certain circumstances.
- Vehicle or parts manufacturers: Defective parts or design flaws in a vehicle can lead to accidents, making the manufacturer potentially liable.
- Repair shops or mechanics: If a mechanic’s poor workmanship or failure to fix a problem caused the crash, the repair shop or mechanic could face liability.
- Rideshare companies: When a rideshare driver causes a crash while working, the company may share in the responsibility depending on the details.
- A third party: Sometimes, someone outside of the vehicles involved—like a cyclist or pedestrian—can create a hazard that leads to a collision.
Your lawyer will be able to help find the parties responsible for your accident and hold them accountable.
Common Types of Car Accident Injuries
Our personal injury team sees all kinds of car accident injuries. Some injuries common in Gretna car accidents include:
- Whiplash
- Head injuries (such as TBIs)
- Neck injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Broken bones
- Cuts and lacerations
- Burns
- Soft tissue injuries
- Organ damage
- Psychological injuries, like anxiety and PTSD
No matter what kind of injuries you suffered in your accident, Santana & Blanchard Personal Injury Lawyers is here to help.
Most Common Causes of Car Accidents
Car accidents happen for many different reasons, some of the most common being:
- Distracted driving
- Speeding
- Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Reckless driving
- Inexperienced drivers
- Drowsy driving
- Weather conditions
- Failure to follow traffic laws, such as running red lights or failing to yield
- Poor road conditions
- Inadequate vehicle maintenance
- Mechanical failures
No matter how your accident happened, we’ll investigate your case, gather evidence, and help you hold the liable parties accountable.
Gretna Car Accident Statistics
In 2023, there were 32 fatal crashes and 4,836 injuries in Jefferson Parish, where Gretna is located. Eight fatality crashes, or just over a quarter of the parish’s total fatalities, and 174 injury crashes were alcohol-related. Other major accident contributors included failing to wear seatbelts, aggressive driving, speeding, and inexperienced drivers. These numbers highlight the dangers of car crashes and the importance of safe driving.
Call Our Gretna Car Accident Lawyers Today For Help
Gretna, Louisiana, is a lively and historical city—but like many suburban communities, it faces safety challenges, particularly when it comes to traffic and road conditions. If you or your loved one has been involved in a car accident in Gretna, don’t try to handle your case on your own. The experienced team at Santana & Blanchard Personal Injury Lawyers is here to help you through this difficult time. Reach out as soon as you can to schedule a free consultation with a Gretna car accident lawyer.
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Car Accident Resources
- Highway Safety – Louisiana Emergency Response Network
- Distracted Driving – The Louisiana Highway Safety Commission
- Traffic Safety Laws – The Louisiana Highway Safety Commission
Car Accident Infographic
