Personal Injury Lawyers

The financial and emotional burdens caused by a personal injury can put your entire life on hold. If the injury was caused by someone else’s reckless behavior it is important to speak to an experienced lawyer to determine if you may be able to seek compensation to help you move forward.

The Louisiana personal injury lawyers at Galloway Jefcoat have fought hard for injury victims’ rights for over two decades and have successfully recovered millions in compensation on behalf of our clients.

Founding partner John Jefcoat is a Lafayette native and member of the prestigious National Trial Lawyers Association Top 100 and the American Association for Justice.

There are no upfront fees to talk to a lawyer at our firm to find out if you have a case and we only get paid when we obtain a recovery for your case.

Have Questions? Call Today: 337-984-8020.

Why Should I Hire a Lawyer?

Since many personal injury cases settle, some injury victims may not see the need to hire an attorney to help them file a claim. However, research has shown that injury victims who choose to take on the insurance company alone may not get the full value of their case.

The legal process is complex and insurance companies go through it every day. They know how to manipulate crash victims into admitting fault or saying something that damages their credibility.

Not only can an experienced attorney manage your case, but he or she can protect the full value of your damages and explain what you can do to help your case. At Galloway Jefcoat, we are prepared to conduct a detailed investigation of your claim to determine who may be at fault and the true extent of your injuries and damages.

Our firm has the resources to bring in medical experts and other experts to help you prove the extent of your damages and as establish the connection between your injuries and the negligence of the liable party.

Our legal team has decades of combined experience negotiating with insurance companies on behalf of injury victims. We know how to counter their attempts to deny and devalue claims.

Our firm works on contingency, which means no upfront fees. We are paid at the end of your claim when we have successfully recovered compensation on your behalf. If we do not win, we are not paid.

Do I Have a Case?

Every accident is unique, so it is important to discuss the facts of your claim with one of our licensed attorneys who may be able to determine whether you have a case. One of the central issues that must be considered is whether a duty of care was breached.

What is a Duty of Care?

A duty of care is a requirement to act toward others with a reasonable amount of caution, just as a reasonable person would in a similar situation. When that duty of care is breached, the party that breached it may have been negligent.

Proving Negligence

When filing a claim for negligence, the injury victim must prove:

• The at-fault party owed the victim a duty of care
• The at-fault party acted in a manner that breached duty of care
• Any injuries the victim suffered were a direct result of the at-fault party’s negligent actions

Our attorneys are prepared to investigate the nature of your claim to determine whether you may have a case, all at no upfront cost to you.

No fees. No risks. Call today: 337-984-8020.

Will I Have to Go to Court?

One of the most common concerns for injury victims is whether they will need to go to court to recover compensation for their damages. While each case is different, most cases are settled without a trial, even if a lawsuit is filed. Most of the time, it is unlikely injury victims will need to enter a courtroom to have a chance of recovering compensation.

That said if our experienced attorneys believe it may be a good idea to go to court, know that our attorneys are prepared to do so at no upfront cost to you.

This is an issue you can discuss in detail with a licensed attorney from Galloway Jefcoat in a free consultation.

How Much Might My Case Be Worth?

When one party suffers an injury at the hands of another party, the economic and non-economic hardships suffered by the victim may be included in a claim for compensation.

Economic Damages

These are tangible damages the injury victim suffered, including:

Medical Bills

One of the main goals of an injury claim is to secure compensation to cover the cost of treating your injuries. This includes the cost of doctor’s visits, hospital stays, medical equipment such as wheelchairs or crutches, in-home care, surgeries and many other expenses.

Lost Wages

If your injuries caused you to miss time at work, you may be eligible to recover compensation for the wages you lost. If you were seriously injured and no longer able to do the work you used to do, you may also be able to recover compensation for future lost income.

Damage to Personal Property

For example, your personal injury lawyer may be able to recover compensation for damage to your car. If other property was damaged in the accident, you may be able to include it in your
claim.

Non-Economic Damages

The emotional/psychological toll of an injury may be included in your claim. These types of damages are known as non-economic damages.

Pain and Suffering

Injury victims who suffer emotional distress and physical pain may be able to recover compensation for past and future damages. The amount of physical and emotional pain a victim experiences must be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Loss of Enjoyment of Life

Victims whose injuries prevent them from participating in activities that once brought them enjoyment may be able to seek compensation for lost enjoyment of life. For example, active individuals whose injury forces them to limit physical activity such as working out or playing sports could be eligible for loss of enjoyment of life compensation.

Loss of Consortium

If your relationship with your spouse or significant other is affected, you may also be able to recover compensation for this damage.

The types of damages that may be available and their value must be assessed on a case-by-case basis. It is important to discuss this issue with a qualified attorney.

Who May Be Liable for My Damages?

Depending on the facts of your claim there are several parties who may be liable. In some cases, more than one party may be to blame. Examples of parties who may be liable for a personal injury include:

Call Galloway Jefcoat today if you believe your injuries were caused by another party’s negligence. There are no fees and no obligation to take legal action.

Call today for a free consultation: 337-984-8020.

Can I Still Recover Compensation if am Partially at Fault?

Yes, as Louisiana’s pure comparative negligence law, you can recover compensation if you are partially at fault – even if you are 99 percent at fault, you may be eligible for compensation.

In Louisiana, if you are found to bear fault, any compensation awarded will be reduced based on your percentage of fault. If your attorney recovers $100,000 in compensation, and you are 25 percent at fault, you should receive $75,000.

How Much Time Do I Have to File a Lawsuit?

Louisiana gives injury victims just one year to file a lawsuit against the party that caused their injury. In other words, if the lawsuit is not filed within that time, the victim loses the right to file a lawsuit. If you file a lawsuit more than one year after being injured, it will likely be dismissed in court.

While this is the standard deadline, there are exceptions. If you are a minor, the one-year clock will not begin running until you turn 18. As each claim is unique, it is important to discuss the filing deadline with an experienced attorney. The clock may already be ticking, so reach out to a lawyer right away.

How Insurance Companies Try to Deny or Devalue Claims

Insurance companies are generally more concerned about their profits than the needs of injury victims, even when they tell you their interests are the same as yours.

There are various tactics they use to try and deny or devalue claims:

Hurrying or Delaying Settlement Offers

Insurance companies may quickly offer compensation to victims. However, you should be wary of any compensation offers made early in the process as they are usually not worth anywhere close to the full value of your claim.

On the other hand, insurance companies may delay the process, allowing your medical bills to pile up so you feel pressure to accept any money offered, even if it is a lowball offer.

Asking for Recorded Statements

Unless your attorney has filed a lawsuit and you are undergoing a deposition as part of the pre-trial process, you are under no legal obligation to provide a recorded statement. Insurance companies may say otherwise in hopes you will agree and say something that hurts your claim.

Asking You to Sign a Blanket Medical Release Form

Insurance companies frequently ask injury victims to sign medical release forms to access all victims’ medical records, not just those that apply to accident-related injuries. They do this to try to find an old injury to blame for your current medical problems. Insurance companies cannot gain access to these records unless you sign a release.

The Lafayette personal injury lawyers at Galloway Jefcoat have dealt with many insurance companies and know the tricks they use to attempt to avoid paying compensation. Our goal is to secure full compensation.

Contact a Louisiana Injury Attorney Today

Knowing who to contact after suffering a personal injury can be a daunting task for many victims and their families. At Galloway Jefcoat, we have many years of experience successfully handling injury lawsuits and can help to review the details of your specific claim.

There are no upfront fees to find out if you have a case, no upfront fees while we work on your case and we only get paid when we obtain a recovery on your behalf.

Call today. Phone: 337-984-8020.