Covington Car Accident Lawyer
Exceptional Advocacy & Compassionate Counsel from Experienced, Trial-Tested Car Accident Attorneys
After a car crash on LA 21, Hwy 190, or any street in Covington, LA, you may not know what happened or who’s to blame. And you don’t have to figure that out alone. At Morris & Dewett Injury Lawyers, our 5-star Covington car accident lawyers are here for you, ready to help 24/7. We have the answers and experience you need to get on the road to recovery.
Strategic, tireless, and compassionate, our Covington car accident attorneys are highly skilled at winning full, fair compensation in even the most complex auto accident cases involving the toughest opponents.
If you have been hurt in a traffic crash, make sure you get justice when it matters most by retaining fierce representation from successful trial-tested attorneys. Make sure you have a Covington car accident lawyer from Morris & Dewett Injury Lawyers in your corner.
Call 888-492-5532 or Email Us for a Free, Confidential Consultation.
We have recovered millions for car accident survivors and families who have lost loved ones to deadly wrecks. We are ready to make your claim and recovery our next victory.
Click on a link below to jump directly to that section and learn more about car accident causes, lawyers, cases, and compensation.
What Are the Leading Causes of Car Accidents?
Auto wrecks happen every day, and most of them are caused by some type
of negligence. Here is a closer look at the most common forms of negligence
that cause auto accidents in Covington, throughout Louisiana, and across the U.S.
Driver Negligence & Car Accidents
More than 9 in every 10 car crashes are the result of motorist errors (source: NHTSA). The majority of the time, these mistakes drivers involve errors in:
- Perception and recognition: About 41% of driver-error crashes are caused by motorists not seeing key signals in their surroundings or misinterpreting what they are seeing. This can include misperceiving things like traffic signs, brake lights, turn signals, and the movement of surrounding traffic.
- Decision: Around 1 in 3 car accidents involving a motorist error is the result of a driver making a dangerous decision behind the wheel. This may include making a left-hand turn without enough room, following other vehicles too closely, or speeding.
- Performance: Failing to properly control and maneuver a vehicle causes about 11% of all auto crashes caused by driver errors. This commonly includes maneuvers like failing to keep a vehicle within a lane of traffic or overcorrecting after turning a vehicle.
Drivers are far more likely to experience perception, decision, and performance errors behind the wheel when they are impaired by distraction, alcohol, drugs, and/or extreme fatigue.
Vehicle Equipment Malfunctions & Auto Wrecks
About 2% of all car accidents in the U.S. are caused by vehicle equipment failures (source: NHTSA). When this factor is involved in wrecks, the vehicle components that are most likely to experience problems are typically the:
- Tires: Around 35% of motor vehicle accidents caused by equipment failures are the result of tire failures, like blowouts.
- Brakes: Around 22% of these crashes involve braking system problems, like brake fade or the braking system failing to work altogether.
- Steering, suspension, transmission, or engine: About 3% of wrecks resulting from vehicle equipment failures involve one of these major systems malfunctioning.
Although drivers may have a sense of vehicle system failures immediately before a crash, it often takes thorough follow-up investigations to uncover and prove this cause of traffic wrecks. When it is a factor, negligent automakers and others can be liable for the crashes caused by their faulty or dangerous equipment.
Other Car Accident Causes
Environmental factors, including poor road and weather conditions, play a role in causing about 2% of all car accidents in the U.S. (source: NHTSA). While various parties can be responsible for maintaining safe roads, they may also have a duty to take special care with the roads when extreme or adverse weather hits.
These parties, which can include cities, counties, homeowners’ associations, and others, can be liable for their failures to keep the roads safe when dangerous roadway conditions play a role in causing wrecks.
Car Accident Facts & Statistics
The latest car accident statistics for Covington and Louisiana reveal just
how often people are getting hurt in crashes — and why car accidents
are a leading cause of injury and death in the U.S. (source:
LSU):
- There are an average of two car accidents every day in Covington, LA.
- Drunk driving causes about half of the deadly car accidents in Covington, LA, each year.
- At least two people, on average, are hurt in every car accident in Covington that ends with injury.
- On average, two deadly car crashes happen every day in Louisiana.
- More than 40% of all fatal auto accidents in Louisiana involve a drunk driver.
- About 56% of people killed in car accidents on Louisiana roads were not buckled up at the time of their accident.
- Louisiana car accidents cost its citizens about $8.6 billion annually. That’s more than $2,900 per resident.
As harrowing as these statistics can be, they don’t even come close to depicting what it’s like to have your life turned upside down by a serious car accident. Whenever that happens, you can rely on a Covington car accident lawyer at Morris & Dewett Injury Lawyers for tireless advocacy and experienced counsel in the pursuit of justice.
When Should I Contact a Covington Car Accident Lawyer?
ASAP. A Covington car accident attorney can immediately advise you of your rights and what you need to do to protect, initiate, and advance a claim as you move forward.
Even if you are not 100% certain about fault or the extent of your injuries, talking to a car accident lawyer as soon as possible can help immensely when it comes to:
- Determining liability and all of your available legal remedies
- Gathering and preserving the evidence that’s essential to your car accident claim
- Making sure your claim is filed within state-mandated filing deadlines (the statute of limitations)
- Strategically dealing with the insurance companies to prevent them from taking advantage of you
- Managing case deadlines and taking care of the complicated administrative details necessary to advance your case
- Calculating damages and effectively handling negotiations and settlement talks
With a Covington car accident lawyer from Morris & Dewett Injury Lawyers on your side, you can be confident that your claim is on track for success — and that you have an experienced legal team fighting for you — at every phase of your case. The sooner that happens after a car accident, the stronger your case may be, and that can improve and solidify your chances of success.
How Does a Car Accident Claim Work?
Car accident cases can proceed in different ways, depending on who the liable parties are and whether fault for the crash is disputed. In general, these cases start with investigations, liability determinations, and claims with insurance companies. From there, it may be necessary to bring in experts, take depositions, and come to the negotiation table to see if an out-of-court car accident settlement is possible. If not, court may be the next step.
When it comes to the process of filing and resolving car accident claims, please be aware that:
- The process can take weeks, months, or longer, depending on how complex a case is.
- Most car accident claims are resolved out of court via negotiations and settlements. Often, this is the best path for both the injured and the at-fault parties because going to court takes more time while typically increasing the risks and costs for both sides.
- Having a car accident attorney guide you through the process can help you avoid any missteps that could weaken your claim and your chances for recovery.
How Long Do Car Accident Cases Take to Resolve?
There is no cookie-cutter answer to this question because the details of
any given case can impact how long it takes to resolve that claim and
what challenges may arise along the way.
A Covington car accident lawyer from Morris & Dewett Injury Lawyers can answer this question in a no-obligation, confidential consultation after hearing more about your collision and situation. That said, here are some important facts to understand about the duration and resolution of car accident cases:
- The more complex the case is, the longer it will likely take to resolve. Fault disputes and multiple-vehicle crashes are a couple of factors that can complicate car accident claims and potentially prolong them.
- Fighting it out in court will generally take longer than negotiating out-of-court car accident settlements.
- The choices a car accident survivor (the plaintiff) makes can also affect how long a case takes to resolve. For instance, the timeline of a case can vary dramatically based on whether a crash victim wants to wrap a case up ASAP versus have his day in court.
How Much Are Car Accident Settlements & Compensation?
The damage and injuries caused by a wreck play a key role in determining car accident compensation amounts. So do liability determinations because, in Covington and throughout Louisiana, traffic crash victims can still file claims for compensation even if they shared some portion of liability for the accident.
When claims are successful, car accident compensation can include damages for losses like (but not limited to):
- Medical bills (past and future)
- Lost wages, benefits, and bonuses (past & future)
- Lost earning capacity
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
- Funeral expenses (after deadly crashes)
- Loss of consortium
This type of compensation can never change the past, and it may never fully make up for the permanent losses and harm caused by car accidents. It can, however, help survivors and families rebuild their lives, cover key expenses without additional financial stress, and heal as they move on with their lives.
Talk to a Covington Car Accident Lawyer Before It’s Too Late
When you or a loved one has been hurt in an auto accident, the sooner you get answers, the better. Find out more about your rights and legal options by contacting a Covington car accident lawyer at Morris & Dewett Injury Lawyers.
Backed by decades of experience and a well-earned reputation for diligence and success, we have what it takes to provide extraordinary counsel and the highest quality representation when it’s time to seek financial recovery and justice after a car accident. From identifying all available legal remedies to fiercely advocating your rights and protecting your interests, we are the team you can count on at every step.
Call 888-492-5532 or Email Us for a Free, Confidential Consultation. Your path to justice can start with a call or an email.