Minden Personal Injury Lawyer

Why Should I Hire Morris & Dewett Injury Lawyers To Handle My Personal Injury Case?

When you’re involved in an accident, you need to focus all of your time and energy on recovery. Hiring the experienced personal injury lawyers at Morris & Dewett Injury Lawyers will give you the peace of mind of knowing that you have a team of professionals with a track record of success on your side. Some of our noteworthy case results include:

• $409 million award in a case involving an intoxicated truck driver, making it Lousiana’s largest personal injury verdict at the time. The accident resulted in the untimely loss of the Grantham family’s beloved daughter, Katie. Although no amount of money could make up for their loss, we were able to help the Grantham family hold the driver and his employer accountable for their negligent actions.
• $31.5 million for an oil field safety violation that resulted in brain, back, and spine injuries.
• $4 million for catastrophic neck and back injuries caused by a driving safety violation.
• $2.75 million in a truck accident case that caused orthopedic injuries.
• $2.17 million in a car accident case that caused severe injuries.

These results, as well as our outstanding commitment to client success, have earned us some of the most prestigious awards and distinctions of all personal injury attorneys in Minden. We’ve been included in the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum®, received an AV Rating from Martindale-Hubbell, and amassed over 1,200 five-star client reviews across our service areas. To put it simply, our top priority is always to achieve the best possible outcome for our clients.

Letting the talented team of lawyers, paralegals, and assistants at Morris & Dewett Injury Lawyers take care of your case will give you the confidence you need to focus on getting better after your accident. We will handle every step of the process, letting you know what options are available and what the next steps are until you receive your settlement. If need be, we won’t hesitate to take those responsible for your injuries to trial — all while you focus on recovering and returning to your normal life.

What Is Personal Injury Law?

Personal injury law deals with claims for injuries caused by negligence. This means that you can seek financial compensation for any damages you incurred if you were injured because of the actions or inaction of a third party. This compensation is intended to rectify any economic losses or pain and suffering you may have experienced due to your injuries.

Types of Personal Injury Law Claims

No two accidents are the same, so you need to ensure that your team of attorneys has experience handling cases similar to yours. At Morris & Dewett Injury Lawyers, we have an excellent track record in the following types of personal injury cases:

• Car accidents
• Bicycle accidents
• Bus accidents
• Catastrophic injuries
• Construction accidents
• Motorcycle accidents
• Negligence accidents
• Oil field accidents
• Pedestrian accidents
• Premises liability
• Product liability
• Truck accidents
• Workers’ compensation
• Wrongful death
• Offshore accidents

Our team of skilled Minden personal injury attorneys has recovered over $450 million in awards and compensation for the above types of personal injury cases. We have the talent and experience to help you maximize the damages you receive from your personal injury claim, no matter the severity of your injuries.

Proving Negligence in a Personal Injury Case

In almost any personal injury case, the first thing the defendant does is deny all responsibility for the accident. This is something that most insurance companies and defense attorneys are trained to do since Louisiana follows pure comparative negligence rules. This means that the maximum amount you can recover will be commensurate with the level of negligence the court determines each party to have. In other words, if the court finds that you are 50% responsible for your accident, then you can only recover up to 50% of the total damages.

This is why having an experienced personal injury lawyer on your side who can prove that the other party was responsible for your accident is one of the best things you can do for your case. Our team of legal professionals has successfully proved negligence in Minden personal injury cases by showing that:

• The party responsible for your accident owed you a legal duty of care.
• Said party breached their duty of care by being negligent.
• That breach in their duty of care resulted in your injuries.
• Your injuries caused you harm and suffering.

Our compassionate and highly skilled injury attorneys in Minden will discuss every detail of your case with you to find the best way to prove that the other party was negligent. Let us put our decades of experience to work and hold those responsible for your injuries accountable for their wrongdoings.

Negligence per Se in Personal Injury Lawsuits

Some Louisiana personal injury cases may be based on the concept of negligence per se. This doctrine can be used when those responsible for your accident violated a law or regulation meant to protect the public’s safety. For example, if you were involved in a motor vehicle accident and the other driver was intoxicated, then the other driver violated Louisiana’s laws against driving under the influence.

By showing that the other driver broke the law in an accident that resulted in your injuries, you can prove that the driver was negligent per se. This will make it significantly easier for you and your legal team to prove that the other driver was responsible for your accident, as negligence per se proves that the defendant owed you a legal duty of care and breached said duty. Our skilled attorneys will explore ways to use the concept of negligence per se in your case to show that the defendant is at fault in your personal injury case.

Intentional Torts

Intentional torts are a category of personal injury cases where a party committed wrongful acts on purpose. Showing that the other party engaged in deliberate acts that resulted in your accident is an excellent way to prove negligence, not only because it pins the blame on the defendant but also because additional damages may be available in tort cases. Some examples of intentional torts are:

• Physical assault
• Sexual abuse
• Wrongful death from intentional acts

What’s more, an experienced Minden injury lawyer knows that intentional torts also include acts that didn’t mean to cause harm. For example, if you were injured in a prank, you may also be able to treat your personal injury case as an intentional tort case. Our lawyers will help you determine whether you’re dealing with a tort case and help you maximize your financial compensation.

What Are the Most Common Injuries in Personal Injury Cases?

Any accident can result in a wide range of injuries, from broken bones to post-traumatic stress. Whether you were involved in a car accident or a workplace accident, you need to consider the full extent of your injuries when filing a personal injury claim in Minden.

Physical Injuries

When people think of injuries, they most often think of bodily injuries. These are the types of injuries you’d expect to see from a slip-and-fall accident or a bicycle accident. Although some injuries can be very minor, others can require long-term hospitalization and potentially life-long treatment.

Some of the most common physical injuries are:

• Broken bones
• Brain injuries
• Burns and scalds
• Lung damage
• Organ damage
• Partial or complete paralysis
• Poisoning and exposure to toxic chemicals
• Skin damage
• Spinal cord injuries
• Wrongful death

Psychological Injuries

Psychological injuries can be overlooked in the immediate aftermath of a severe accident, but they too can have short- and long-term effects on your well-being. If you’ve experienced a traumatic accident, you need time and support to overcome any potential psychological problems that you may have developed as a result.

Some common psychological injuries include:

• Anxiety
• Adjustment disorder
• Depression
• Flashbacks and nightmares
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Trouble sleeping
• Vehophobia (the fear of driving after an accident)
• Suicidal ideation

Damages Available in Minden Personal Injury Cases

Being involved in a severe accident can change your life significantly. From medical bills for the treatment of your bodily injuries to long-term disabilities that may affect your ability to work, you deserve to be compensated for all of the damages incurred from the accident. At Morris & Dewett Injury Lawyers, our highly skilled attorneys will explore all avenues of compensation, including economic and non-economic damages.

Economic Damages

Economic damages include all direct and indirect expenses incurred due to the injury. They can be quantified relatively easily and added up to reach an aggregate total of monetary losses from the accident.

Some typical economic damages include:

• Medical bills, both past and future
• Any damage to private property caused by the accident
• Lost wages and income
• Lost or diminished earning capacity
• Rehabilitation costs

Non-Economic Damages

Non-economic damages refer to those that cannot be quantified or easily assigned an objective monetary value. Insurance companies often attempt to minimize the magnitude of non-economic damages to reduce the final compensation amount. However, a skilled personal injury attorney can help you fight for compensation for non-economic damages to receive the award you deserve.

Some of the most common non-economic damages in Minden personal injury cases include:

• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Loss of consortium
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Mental anguish
• Quality of life decreases
• Scarring and disfigurement

Punitive Damages

Also known as exemplary damages, punitive damages are awarded in certain tort cases when the defendant is found to have committed particularly egregious acts. They are meant to punish the defendant and deter future offenses by awarding a financial amount to the victim at the expense of the defendant.

Although punitive damages are not always available, our team of skilled attorneys has recovered millions of dollars in punitive damages in Minden's personal injury cases. When you hire Morris & Dewett Injury Lawyers to handle your case, you can count on us to look for ways to obtain punitive damages when appropriate.

Frequently Asked Questions in Minden Personal Injury Lawsuits

How Long Do I Have To File a Personal Injury Claim in Minden?

According to Louisiana Civil Code section 3492, all personal injury claims must be filed within one year. This is an unusually low statute of limitations, especially if your accident was severe enough to require an extended time of intensive rehabilitation. This could potentially ruin your chances of securing fair compensation, as Louisiana courts will often throw out legitimate cases simply for not being filed on time.

Certain exceptions may allow you to extend the statute of limitations, but these are rare. If you were recently in an accident in Minden, LA, the best decision you can make is to contact a personal injury attorney right away. Even if you’re not ready to start the claims process immediately, having a legal team on your side can ensure that you don’t miss any important deadlines.

How Much Does a Personal Injury Lawyer Cost?

Most reputable personal injury lawyers won’t charge you a single dollar until you’ve received financial compensation for your injury. These types of arrangements are known as contingency fee structures, where the attorneys only get paid after you get paid. This ensures that maximizing your settlement amount is also in your attorney’s best interest, as contingency fees are a percentage of the final compensation amount.

At Morris & Dewett Injury Lawyers, we only work on contingency fee structures to make sure all Louisiana injury victims can afford to have the best legal representation on their side. That way, if we don’t win, we don’t get paid. It’s as simple as that.

What Should I Do After an Accident To Help My Case?

The steps you take immediately after an accident can have a tremendous impact on the rest of your life. When you’re involved in an accident, you should:

• Seek medical attention. Getting a full physical evaluation is essential, even if you don’t think you were injured. Many victims of car accidents often report not feeling injured until hours or even days after their accident. Seeing a doctor right away can help protect your health and provide essential evidence for your case.
• Notify the relevant authorities. If you were involved in a motor vehicle accident that resulted in injuries, you need to call the police and your insurance company right away. If you were injured on the job, then contact a supervisor as soon as possible.
• Collect evidence. Any evidence that you can gather right after the incident could help you in your personal injury case down the line. Take pictures of the scene of the accident, get the contact information of any witnesses, and ask for copies of the police report and any medical bills.
• Call an attorney. Once you’ve completed the steps above, you should call an attorney as soon as possible. Even if you don’t think you’re ready to start the claims process, having a skilled team of professionals on your side will help you meet important deadlines and maximize the chances of securing the financial compensation you deserve.

What Happens if My Minden Personal Injury Case Goes to Trial?

Most personal injury cases are settled outside of court. This means that your attorney and the defendant will reach an agreement on a financial award for your injuries. If the parties cannot agree on a settlement, then the case will go to trial. This can significantly extend the time it takes for you to receive the financial compensation you need and deserve.

At Morris & Dewett Injury Lawyers, we are ready to fight to secure the best possible outcome for your case. Our team of skilled trial attorneys won’t hesitate to take the defendant to court if we cannot obtain a fair settlement for you. Although we are prepared to take 100% of our cases to trial, we are able to secure fair settlements outside of court in 95% of our cases. For the remaining 5%, we are ready to put the collective experience, knowledge, and expertise of our entire team of skilled legal professionals behind you to get you the compensation you deserve.

Get in Touch With a Minden Personal Injury Lawyer Today

The last thing you need after a serious accident is to have to worry about your personal injury claim. You deserve time and support to recover from your injuries and put your life back together after a traumatic event. That’s why ensuring you have an experienced Minden personal injury attorney on your side is critical.

At Morris & Dewett Injury Lawyers, we specialize in handling all kinds of personal injury claims in Louisiana. With decades of combined experience, our attorneys have recovered over $450 million in awards and settlements for our clients. These stellar results have earned us many prestigious awards and over 1,200 five-star customer reviews. Call us today at 888-492-5532 and let our team of highly skilled legal professionals work for you.