Do I have to go to court for a car accident lawsuit in Baton Rouge?

In East Baton Rouge Parish, there are over 18,000 wrecks per year – roughly 50 car accidents per day.

In the event you fall into this statistic, the first thing you should focus on is whether anyone is hurt, including the other driver. Second, you should start thinking of financial and legal obligations, which includes facing inevitable lawsuits in the event of disputes.

At Pierce & Shows, we’ve been helping car accident victims in Baton Rouge and throughout Louisiana for decades. One of the first questions our clients want to know is, “Will I have to go to court?” The short answer is, probably not. But here, we’ve also laid out the long answer.

Whether a case will end up in court often depends on the type of car accident lawsuit being filed. Here are a few of the most common types of car accident lawsuits in Baton Rouge.

Personal Injury Lawsuit

The main type of car accident lawsuit is a personal injury suit.

Throughout the United States, only 5% of personal injury lawsuits actually go to trial. If you’re involved in one of these types of lawsuits in East Baton Rouge Parish, odds are you will not have to attend court. In some situations, even if you do go to trial, it may end up being over Zoom.

However, personal injury lawsuits can often be the most costly, with the court taking the following financial loss into account:

• Hospital bills
• Car repair
• Work lost due to injury
• Emotional damages

Property Damage Lawsuit

In addition to personal injury lawsuits, there are also property damage lawsuits.

This type of lawsuit focuses on vehicle damage costs but, in really messy accidents, could extend to objects that were in the car, too. For example, if you run into a vehicle full of expensive watches, the watches damaged would be included in the property damage total.

Insurance typically sets more aside for property damage rather than personal injury, so if there is no personal injury involved and just property damage, this can be a silver lining.

Insurance Lawsuit

Another type of outcome is an insurance lawsuit. This type of car accident lawsuit has a lot of crossover with the first two types.

When there is no way of proving whose fault an accident is, a case arises to resolve this issue. But the drama doesn’t end when insurance figures out payment.

In the event a low insurance settlement occurs — whether it be for personal injury or property damage — the individual who received this amount may decide to seek more money.

While every case is different, here are some of the ways that clients involved in lawsuits can work to avoid trial.

(And remember – it’s always important to consult with your attorney about any changes in your case before making a final decision.)

1. Settling Early

One of the easiest ways to avoid trial is to consider settling on an amount early.

Although it’s not true in every case, sometimes agreeing to a settlement in a lawsuit quickly can save you more in the long run. During lawsuits, legal fees are constantly adding up, and you don’t want to spend any unwanted time disputing an amount if it’s not necessary.

2. Cooperation

One of the main reasons car accident lawsuits go to trial is because one of the parties was willfully negligent – or failing to care for another individual’s well-being.

For this reason alone, cooperation is key. During the process of a lawsuit, situations can quickly worsen when you do not cooperate. Examples of not cooperating include dodging phone calls, not equipping yourself with proper legal defense, or not showing up for court.

But in many instances, if you cooperate from the beginning, you won’t have to go to court at all!

3. Having Insurance

In the state of Louisiana, it is illegal to drive a motor vehicle without proof of insurance. If you’re caught without proof, you may face a fine ranging from $100 – $700.

Because of this, the easiest way to avoid court is to simply to make sure you have car insurance. Sometimes, the most complex part of a car accident lawsuit is someone’s lack of insurance.

Making sure you always have up-to-date insurance may help prevent future issues in case of a car accident.

At Pierce & Shows, we’ve been helping Louisiana car accident victims through these processes for decades.

We know that a car accident can change your life dramatically. These accidents are not just scary- they can cause physical and emotional damages as well.

Accident victims that have legal representation recover more compensation compared to those that do not have a lawyer.

After a wreck, victims are contacted by the insurance company of the at-fault driver. The insurers take advantage of the situation and try to rush the victims into accepting a settlement that is usually less than the true value of the claim.

That’s why hiring a Baton Rouge lawyer can help to protect your rights and ensure that your best interests are being protected while you focus on the recovery process.

If you or someone you love has been in a car accident, contact Pierce & Shows today. Our legal team understands the complexities of dealing with both insurance companies and the court, if your case comes to that. Give us a call as soon as possible so we can help you through this difficult time and fight to get you the compensation you deserve.