New Orleans Personal Injury Lawyer
Get the compensation you deserve for your personal injury claim
Getting into an accident resulting in an injury can be stressful and overwhelming. Not only do you have to recover from the physical and emotional pain that comes with being injured, you must recover from your accident financially. That’s when things can become complicated.
Of course, you shouldn’t have to pay for the cost of your medical expenses, lost wages, and other financial losses if someone else caused your accident, but dealing with an insurance company can be tricky. That’s when turning to a personal injury lawyer to learn your legal rights and options can make a dramatic difference in the outcome of your personal injury claim.
John S. Williams is an experienced New Orleans personal injury attorney who fights for accident victims throughout Louisiana. Known for treating his clients with compassion and care while aggressively advocating for their best interests, John is passionate about fighting for what’s right, what’s fair, and what’s just.
We handle cases involving slip and fall accidents, premises liability claims, negligent security injuries, and wrongful death. If you were injured in an accident or someone you love died due to negligence, call The Law Offices of John S. Williams, LLC right away to schedule a free consultation.
- What does personal injury consist of?
- Do I really need a personal injury attorney?
- How much does a personal injury lawyer cost?
- How long does a personal injury settlement take?
- How much is my personal injury case worth?
What does personal injury consist of?
In the legal world, personal injury law is known as tort law. If you suffer physical or emotional injuries due to the negligence of another party, you are legally allowed to pursue compensation from the at-fault party to recover compensation for your damages.
To have a successful case, you or the lawyer representing you must show that you were owed a duty of care, that duty of care was breached, and you suffered damages as a result.
Specific examples of personal injury claims that we handle at our law firm include the following:
- Auto accidents – In New Orleans, motor vehicle accidents can involve drivers, truckers, motorcyclists, cyclists, and pedestrians. A personal injury claim may arise from an accident with passenger vehicles, a crash involving a commercial truck, or if a bicyclist or pedestrian is hit by a car.
- Premises liability – Many people are severely injured because of a property owner or manager’s negligence. Common premises liability cases involve slip and falls due to hazardous conditions on the property and violent attacks due to negligent security.
- Wrongful death – Any accident has the potential to cause fatal injury. If a loved one died due to negligence, certain family members have the right to seek compensation for funeral expenses, burial costs, the deceased’s medical expenses, pain and suffering, and other losses.
These types of cases often include severe and debilitating injuries, such as whiplash, head and brain injuries, broken bones, serious neck and back injuries, spinal cord damage that results in chronic pain or paralysis, burn injuries, lost limbs, scarring, disfigurement and other catastrophic injuries.
Do I really need a personal injury attorney?
If you were injured in an accident where you’re not at fault or someone you love died due to negligence, it can be worth your while to hire a personal injury lawyer. Knowing when you need an attorney and when you don’t is key. Some scenarios where you may want to call a lawyer include:
- You were injured due to the negligent, reckless, or intentional acts of somebody else.
- You sustained a debilitating or permanent injury due to negligence.
- You need to prove someone else is responsible for your accident and injuries.
- You need help calculating the true cost of your accident-related expenses, or damages.
- You don’t know if the settlement offer you received is fair.
- You need help negotiating with the insurance company.
- Your claim has been denied by the insurance company.
- You want to file a personal injury lawsuit.
- Your loved one died in a preventable accident, and you want to file a wrongful death lawsuit.
How much does a personal injury lawyer cost?
At the Law Offices of John S. Williams, LLC, we believe everyone deserves access to experienced legal representation. That’s why we work on a contingency fee basis. That means there are no upfront or out-of-pocket costs, and you pay no fees unless we win your case. If we recover compensation for you, our fee is a percentage of the recovery. If we don’t win, you don’t pay.
How long does a personal injury settlement take?
The time it takes to negotiate a personal injury settlement depends on many factors and the specific details of your case. Some claims can be settled successfully in weeks, while others may take months or years. Factors impacting how long your personal injury settlement takes include the circumstances surrounding your injury, the extent of your damages, and whether your case goes to trial.
Consequently, the sooner you get a personal injury lawyer working on your case, the better. While the outcome of your claim may not have a concrete timeframe, there is a statute of limitations to pursue legal action in Louisiana. Under state law, you have one year from the date of your injury to file a personal injury claim. If you miss this deadline, you may not be eligible to seek compensation for your damages.
How much is my personal injury case worth?
While you can try to use an online damages calculator to get an idea of what your personal injury case is worth, determining how much money you’ll receive from a settlement or verdict is a lot more complex. That’s because the amount of compensation you’re eligible to recover will depend heavily on the specific details of your case, the total cost of your economic and non-economic damages, and whether you can prove the at-fault party is legally responsible for your accident-related expenses.
You may be entitled to recover compensation for:
- Your current and future medical expenses
- Lost wages if you can’t work
- Loss of earning capacity if you become disabled or severely limited due to your injury
- Replacement services, such as housekeeping and childcare
- Pain and suffering
- Wrongful death, if your immediate family member died in an accident that wasn’t their fault
Accident-related expenses such as doctor bills, lost income and property damage are all considered economic damages because they represent an actual financial loss. Compensation for punitive damages, which are intended to punish the at-fault party for egregious acts of negligence (common in cases involving drunk driving accidents), along with compensation for pain and suffering, fall under the category of non-economic damages.
That is why many people choose to hire a lawyer for their personal injury case. An attorney knows how to accurately calculate the true cost of your accident and can request compensation that covers the total cost of both your economic and non-economic damages.
Want to learn more? Visit our personal injury FAQ page.
Let a New Orleans personal injury attorney fight for you
Whether it’s through a negotiated settlement or by way of a court verdict, Attorney John Williams will keep your best interests at heart and fight to get you the highest amount of compensation possible for your case. John has a reputation in New Orleans as a personal injury lawyer who treats for treating his clients like family and prides himself on being open, honest and accessible.
When you put your trust in John to represent you, he doesn’t take that trust for granted. He will stand by your side and guide you throughout every step of the process as he works to get a positive outcome in your case.
The Law Offices of John S. Williams, LLC serves clients in New Orleans and offers legal representation on a contingency fee basis. That means you don’t have to pay anything unless we win your case. Contact us today to learn more in a free consultation with an experienced personal injury lawyer.