If you were hurt in a Calcasieu Parish car versus bicycle crash, a Lake Charles bicycle accident attorney from the Morris Bart law firm may be able to help you recover money damages. The lawyers from our personal injury law firm know how to develop a strong claim and secure a cash payout for car accident victims, including bicyclists struck by careless motorists.
Our attorneys provide complimentary consultations for bicycle collision victims in Lake Charles or the families of victims who passed away in these accidents. The Morris Bart Law Firm offers free, no-obligation, confidential case reviews. We will answer your questions and explain your rights.
Recovering Damages after a Lake Charles, LA, Bicycle Collision
Our team pursues financial payouts for our clients in bicycle accident cases. We may be able to recover compensation in one of two ways:
- Through a claim based on their auto liability insurance policy
- Filing a civil lawsuit, taking the case to trial, and asking the judge and jury for a financial award
Most cases do not require a lawsuit and instead settle out of court. We negotiate with the insurer and reach an appropriate settlement agreement. This should cover our client’s damages, including:
- Medical expenses
- Future treatment and care, if necessary
- Lost wages and other income
- Reduced earning capacity
- Property damages, including bike replacement
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Other intangible losses
We also handle wrongful death claims for immediate family members who qualify under La. Civ. Code Art. 2315.2. While financial recovery will not take away the pain of losing your loved one, it will hold the at-fault party legally responsible and allow you to help ensure your financial footing for the future.
For a free legal consultation with a Bicycle Accident lawyer serving Lake Charles, call (337) 377-0514
The Lake Charles Office of Morris Bart May be Able to Go to Work for You
For over four decades, the attorneys from the Morris Bart law firm have helped traffic accident victims seek justice and compensation. We may be able to go to work for you and pursue a positive outcome in your case, as well. The first step is discussing your case with us during a complimentary consultation.
When we handle a traffic accident case, we navigate a process that includes:
- Investigating what happened
- Gathering evidence
- Proving negligence
- Identifying the liable party or parties
- Valuing damages
- Demanding fair compensation
- Negotiations and settlement
We are usually able to get satisfactory case results for our clients through this process. We reach a settlement with the insurer. Then, our client signs an agreement not to pursue further action, and the insurance company cuts a check. Under some circumstances, it may be necessary to sue the driver who caused the crash.
When this occurs, our trial lawyers prepare the paperwork and file it. We already have strong evidence to support the accusations against the defendant because of the case we built to back the insurance claim. This often prompts the insurer to increase their offer. If not, we can:
- Go to trial
- Ask the judge and jury to award compensation if they believe it is warranted
- Present evidence of their damages
- Recover money for our clients in this way
In 2019, we reached settlements or secured trial verdicts for more than 6,500 clients across our four-state service area, including all of Louisiana. We have 15 locations serving the Gulf South states. This includes our Lake Charles location at 3307 Ryan Street.
The Morris Bart law firm is a contingency fee firm. We do not ask our clients to pay anything upfront.
Building Support for Your Lake Charles Accident Claim or Lawsuit
To recover compensation in any Louisiana traffic accident case, we have to show:
- The motorist acted negligently
- They are legally liable for the crash
- The victim suffered damages and the value of those damages
In general, since the state has fault-based auto insurance laws, proving negligence allows us to hold a driver liable.
This makes documenting the four elements of negligence one of the most critical steps to developing a case for compensation. These elements include:
- Duty
- Breach of duty
- Causation
- Damages
Our attorneys understand the most common ways bicycle versus car accidents occur and the evidence available to prove negligence in each of them. This could include failing to yield right of way, failing to check the adjacent lane before moving over, not looking for cyclists in the bike lane, and issues related to sharing the roadway.
Each of these requires the driver to violate a traffic law in place to keep cyclists safe. We document this law and their violation, which established the first two elements of negligence. Then, we show how this caused the crash and the damages our client suffered.
We can generally use this evidence to prove our case to the insurance company and negotiate a settlement based on our client’s damages. If this is not possible in a case or the deadline to sue is approaching, we may need to file paperwork to begin a lawsuit. Deadlines include:
- One year from the date of the injury per La. Civ. Code Art. 3492
- One year from the victim’s date of death in a wrongful death case
There may be additional deadlines depending on the facts of the individual case. We assess all potential timelines before we get started.
Click to contact our Lake Charles Personal Injury Attorneys today
Morris Bart Will Review Your Case Today for Free
You can speak with our team of attorneys from the Morris Bart law firm about your case for free today. We provide complimentary case reviews from our Lake Charles office. We will assess your rights and legal options and answer any questions you may have. Talk with a lawyer today to learn more about your case and how we can help.
Call now to get started.
Questions?Call (337) 377-0514
to find a Morris Bart office near you.