Louisiana Truck Accident Lawyer
The Port of New Orleans is just one of many nearby transit hubs just a stone’s throw from Metairie. Interstate 10, Highway 61, and other major arteries into and out of New Orleans bring trucks through Metairie, while local restaurants and retailers require a steady flow of large trucks. This means that truck accidents are bound to happen in Metairie, but those accidents are all preventable.
You deserve justice after your truck accident, which means a fair financial recovery for medical costs and other damages. Call Smiley Law Firm today at (504) 788-1319 for your free, no-obligation consultation about having a Metairie truck accident lawyer pursue all the compensation you deserve.
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If You Have Not Received an Extensive Medical Exam After the Accident, Get One Right Away
Seeking medical attention after a truck accident has to be your foremost priority. If you do not receive a thorough evaluation from a qualified medical provider, your health and your case’s success can be in jeopardy. You might:
- Accept treatment from emergency medical technicians (EMTs) if that’s still a possibility
- Visit an urgent care facility, such as The Urgent Care – Metairie
- Go to a local emergency room, such as Lakeside Hospital Emergency Room
- See your doctor, so long as you can get an appointment promptly after the collision
It’s most important that you be seen by a qualified medical provider, specifically a doctor. You should receive a specific diagnosis of injuries, an explanation for why you’re experiencing your symptoms, any medical imaging that may be necessary, and referrals to specialists if you or your doctors deem it necessary.
Getting professional medical care is also important for your case. Expect insurance companies and any other liable parties to challenge how injured you are. Documentation of your injuries as they are just after the crash can be pivotal to your case’s ultimate success.
Step Number Two After a Metairie Truck Collision: Hire Your Lawyer
We also have to stress the importance of competent legal representation after a truck accident. Let us also note that Smiley Law Firm offers the caliber of representation necessary for cases like yours, which can be unusually time-intensive, complicated, and contentious.
Hire a truck accident lawyer serving Metairie right away because:
- Your legal team will make your life easier (you can take a weight off your shoulders): Haven’t you endured enough stress? Why expose yourself to the distress that often comes from dealing with insurance companies and fighting for compensation they may not want to provide? You deserve to focus on recovery. Allow Smiley Law Firm to handle your case so you can put yourself and your health first.
- Protection is critical when seeking compensation for a truck accident: Insurers, trucking companies, and other liable parties may take aim at your case. They may lowball you, twist your words, try to blame you for the collision, devalue your losses, and engage in other bad-faith tactics meant to reduce your financial recovery. A lawyer protects you from these and any other attempts to impede your case.
- You’ll need time to recover, but your case can’t wait: Auto accident survivors are at high risk for life-changing conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and disabling injuries. Because trucks are disproportionately likely to cause violent collisions and serious injuries, it’s a safe bet that you’re reeling from your accident-related injuries. Your long-term health demands that you dedicate yourself to recovery. Let us take your case off your hands, as it’s urgent.
- There’s no upfront cost to retain our firm, so there’s no reason to wait: Because Smiley Law Firm offers our services on contingency, you don’t have to pay us any upfront fee. We will finish your case, and your lawyer will receive a fair percentage of your financial recovery. Our team will ensure you’re entirely comfortable with our fee agreement before you hire us.
Also, recognize that Louisiana law generally requires you to file a truck accident case within one year of the collision. This is not much time when you consider all that goes into the claims process, and it is a shorter deadline than most states provide.
Injured in a Metairie Truck Accident? Get Smiley. Here’s Why.
Smiley Law Firm provides the exact type of representation truck accident survivors deserve. We are close with our clients, so we are constantly looking for ways to serve them better. Through these conversations, we have learned that our survivors of truck accidents in Metairie most appreciate the following:
Having Their Law Firm in Metairie
Smiley Law Firm has an office on Airline Drive, and we expect this to be the base of operations for your case. We also have an office in Louisiana to provide clients in-person service from multiple locations. Having a law firm so close means:
- We can easily come to you.
- You can easily come to us if you choose to.
- Your attorney can quickly respond to an accident scene, secure evidence, and complete other time-sensitive steps in your case.
- We know Metairie, understand the realities of trucking in Louisiana, and have often dealt with local courts.
Our care for Metairie, Louisiana , and the community’s safety is authentic. Attorney Seth Smiley is a Loyola Louisiana graduate, and he and his family live in the city. When you have an accident in Metairie, you deserve a Metairie-focused firm.
Our Familiarity with Truck Accident Cases
A truck accident case can pose several unique challenges. We may need to:
- File a letter of spoliation requiring a trucking company (and possibly other parties) to preserve evidence
- Conduct an extensive investigation into whose negligence caused your collision
- Secure compensation from insurers, a trucking company, or other liable parties that would rather not pay up
Trucks are unique vehicles that are used within a highly regulated industry. Our Metairie truck accident lawyers understand the nuanced laws and regulations that can be relevant to truck accident cases, as well as the common causes of collisions like yours.
Constant Two-Way Communication
We believe that when you trust a lawyer, the very least they can do is communicate actively. You deserve peace of mind, timely updates, and an attorney prioritizing your case. That’s what Smiley Law Firm provides.
Our Ability to File Lawsuits and Win Cases at Trial
We have no ulterior agendas at Smiley Law Firm. Our priorities are to:
- Get you the compensation you deserve (every single dollar of it)
- Resolve your case as efficiently as possible
Our priorities fall in this order: Goal number one must be getting you the most compensation you are eligible to receive. If we need to file a lawsuit, go to trial, or take both of these steps to secure fair compensation for you, we will.
Your case is time-sensitive. Do not wait any longer to speak with our team. Call Smiley Law Firm today at (504) 788-1319 and complete a no-obligation, no-cost consultation about the benefits of hiring a Metairie truck accident attorney.
We Understand Why Truck Accidents Happen on Metairie’s Streets
A truck accident can happen virtually anywhere in Metairie, from West Esplanade to Highway 61. Each crash has a unique cause, which is why we will immediately secure evidence related to yours. That said, we know that a truck accident can occur because of:
- Negligence by a truck driver, such as speeding, driving while tired, tailgating, passing dangerously, or failing to reduce speed in hazardous conditions
- Negligence by trucking companies, such as hiring unfit drivers, failing to discipline or terminate unsafe drivers, not providing safe trucks or trailers, not implementing the latest safety technology, or encouraging employees to flout rules or regulations
- Metairie’s roads, which are often riddled with potholes and plagued by other hazards (which the city may be liable for)
- Dangerous trucks and trailers, which may be the fault of manufacturers, trucking companies, drivers, or others
- Unsafe cargo, which may result from unsafe loading, failure to secure the cargo or other types of negligence
Investigating your accident will be one of several critical steps in your case. Allow us to start this investigation right away. Don’t wait to contact us about your case, as we will answer your questions and provide details on the steps ahead.
How Your Metairie Truck Accident Attorney from Smiley Law Firm Will Fight for the Compensation You Deserve
Our representation is personalized. We are going to create a tailored plan for you and your case. That being said, we want you to have an idea of how involved a truck accident claim may be.
The road ahead may involve:
- Dealing skillfully with insurers: We say “skillfully” because insurance companies do not typically make truck accident claims easy. Our attorneys cooperate with insurance companies for our client’s sake, but we are also firm in our demands. We do not tolerate bad faith toward our client’s claims, and we will draw a line in the sand as we deal with insurers.
- Gathering all evidence of negligence: Your lawyer will immediately pursue any witness statements, video, police reports, and other evidence that suggests who is at fault for your truck accident. Understanding fault will also allow us to determine who is financially responsible for your damages.
- Proving your accident-related losses: Our team will reach out to doctors, mental health service providers, economists, and anyone else who may help document your accident-related damages. We will also secure medical records, financial statements, and any other direct proof of losses.
- Pursuing a fair settlement for you: “Settle” does not mean “accept an unacceptable offer.” When we negotiate a settlement, it’s the settlement our client deserves. We will help determine what a fair settlement value is, and we will demand that settlement for you.
- Weighing a lawsuit: If your case reaches a crossroads where a lawsuit is worth considering, we will discuss the option with you. As the client, you have an outsized voice in how we handle your case. That said, you can rely on our experience and legal knowledge to make the right decisions for you.
Allow the Smiley Law Firm team to handle these and other obligations for you. We have the attorneys and staff to complete your case efficiently, paying close attention to the details many overlook. This is what we do, and you deserve help now as much as ever.
Big Trucks Often Mean Big Damages for Victims Like You
Commercial trucks are far larger and heavier than, say, a Toyota Camry or even a Ford F-150. When you factor in the additional cargo weight, trucks become a hazard that every motorist—including truck drivers—must have a healthy respect for.
This is why truck accidents can be so catastrophic. Attorney Seth Smiley and his team have seen firsthand how a collision involving a large truck can cause:
- Medical expenses, including the cost of emergency services and long-term care
- Pain and suffering, which may last a lifetime in cases of serious injury and trauma
- Lost income, which can destabilize the victim financially and be a substantial feature of a truck accident case
- Property costs, including the cost of repairing and replacing motor vehicles
- Disabilities, which may require the survivor to have a long-term caregiver, purchase medical equipment, retrofit their home, purchase a new vehicle, and cope with severe pain and suffering
Over recent history, trucks have increasingly been involved in fatal accidents. Smiley Law Firm understands the heavy burden you may be facing after the collision, and we intend to have liable parties compensate you for your losses.
Call Smiley Law Firm Today for Your Free Consultation With a Metairie Truck Accident Lawyer
We are a local firm, but we offer the same caliber of resources and representation that you might get from a national firm. It takes a New Orleanian to truly connect with clients like you, and attorney Seth Smiley and his team live and breathe the same daily experiences as our clients.
Put your trust in us. Call Smiley Law Firm today at (504) 788-1319 for your free, no-risk consultation about a Metairie truck accident attorney.
Metairie Office Location
7809 Airline Dr 200
Metairie, LA 70003
Phone: (504) 788-1319
Hours: M-F, 9AM-5PM