Gonzales Car Accident Lawyer

At Murphy Law Firm, our team works to get you the compensation you need as quickly as possible so that you can get back to living your life. For more than 30 years, our firm has supported injured individuals and families throughout Louisiana in insurance and civil claims, like car accident claims. Our team has over 150 years of collective legal experience between us, and we can leverage this knowledge in your favor.

When determining the cause of a car accident, a crucial first step is to find out which party was at fault and, therefore, can be held liable. In some cases, multiple parties are partially liable, and you can recover a portion of your compensation from each party. In most car accidents, a driver is at fault, and they are liable under the theory of negligence. This means that they did not intentionally cause the accident but were careless in a way that caused the accident.

Some common causes of accidents due to driver negligence include:

• Distracted Driving: Any distractions that cause a driver to take their eyes or focus off the road put themselves and others at risk. This is one of the primary causes of accidents. Distracted driving can occur when a driver is eating, drinking, talking on the phone, texting, talking with others in the car, or dealing with a navigational or music system.
• Driving Under the Influence: It is incredibly dangerous for drivers to operate their vehicles while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Drivers who are intoxicated are more likely to cause an accident due to poor judgment and slowed reactions. If a driver causes an accident while they are under the influence, they face criminal charges as well as civil penalties.
• Fatigued Driving: Driving while tired is nearly as dangerous as driving under the influence, and it happens more frequently. If a driver caused an accident because they were tired, they could be liable. Drivers who fall asleep at the wheel are likely to cause head-on collisions, which can be fatal.
• Speeding: Speeding is a type of reckless driving. It increases the chances of an accident occurring because it reduces the time a driver has to react, and it also increases the damage from any accident that occurs. Drivers can also cause an accident by driving too fast for the conditions. A driver may be going the speed limit, but there may be inclement weather, road construction, uneven pavement, or other dangerous conditions. Drivers are responsible for reducing their speed by an appropriate amount.
• Moving Violations: These include failing to yield the right-of-way, not stopping at red lights or stop signs, failing to signal turns and lane changes, and otherwise breaking the flow of traffic. Even minor moving violations can result in an accident.
• Improper Vehicle Care: Drivers are responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of their vehicles. If a malfunction caused an accident, and the driver or owner of the vehicle knew about the concern but didn’t address it, they can be held liable.

If you are partially at fault for a car accident in Louisiana, this does not prevent you from recovering compensation, although it can limit your final settlement amount or case award. You can still file a car accident lawsuit. Louisiana uses comparative negligence for personal injury claims. Therefore, if the court finds you partially at fault for the accident, your damages will be reduced by the same percentage that you are at fault.

If you can prove that the other party is fully at fault for the accident, then you may be able to recover the entirety of the damages you suffered in the incident in Gonzales. This includes economic and noneconomic damages. Economic damages are losses with a clear financial value, such as:

• Past, current, and long-term medical expenses
• Costs of expected complications associated with the injury
• Lost income during recovery
• Lost earning capacity in the event of disability
• Repair or replacement costs for property damage