If you are a teen driver or the parent of a teen driver, and you were in a car accident in the New Orleans area, you may be facing overwhelming bills. These can include medical bills, lost income, or expenses dealing with the fallout from other damages. You may have questions about your rights and how to seek compensation for these costs.
The team at the Morris Bart law firm is here to help with your teen’s driving accident. Our firm can help you build your case and pursue compensation for your injuries. To find out what options you have or to get started right away, call today at (504) 613-4771.
We offer a free, no-risk consultation for car accident victims. Our New Orleans car accident attorneys also work on a contingency fee basis, which means we do not get paid if we are unsuccessful in your case. In other words, there is zero risk to you. Call us today.
Liability in Teen Driving Accidents
To secure a settlement for your injuries in an Orleans Parish teen driving accident, it will be necessary to prove the other parties responsible for committing a negligent act that caused your injuries or those of your teen. There are many forms of negligence in car accidents, including:
Violating Traffic Laws
There are many ways a driver can violate traffic laws that are designed to keep our roads safe. This can include:
- Speeding
- Failing to stop at a stop sign or red light
- Failure to use a signal
- Not yielding the right of way to a vehicle or pedestrian
- Not using lights while driving at night
- Tailgating
- And more
In some cases, disregard for a traffic law is so severe that a driver will be issued a ticket for reckless driving. If a police officer issued the other driver a ticket for violating a traffic law in your accident, this could be important evidence to prove driver negligence in your case.
Distracted Driving
There are many causes of driver distraction, from cellphone use to interacting with a passenger to eating while driving. Teens and adults alike can be susceptible to these and other distracted driving behaviors. Although teens are the largest group of distracted drivers, other age groups participate in risky driving behaviors, according to a 2017 Distracted Driving in Fatal Crashes study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Intoxicated Driving
According to the 2017 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 16.5% of high school students reported that they had been in a vehicle with a driver who had been drinking alcohol within the last month. If the driver in your accident was a minor, it does not rule out the possibility of alcohol, drugs, or prescription medications impairing their ability to drive safely at the time of your accident.
Drowsy Driving
Drowsy driving is dangerous, no matter who is behind the wheel. When drivers are too tired to stay focused on the road, they could nod off or even fall asleep at the wheel, with disastrous results.
The New Orleans teen driving accident lawyers at the Morris Bart law firm can research the negligent act that caused your injuries and gather evidence to support your claim. For a free consultation in your New Orleans East case, call the Morris Bart law firm at (504) 613-4771.
For a free legal consultation with a Teen Driving Accident lawyer serving New Orleans, call 800-537-8185
Damages You May Recover After a Teen Driving Accident
There are a variety of damages that teen victims can recover after a driving accident. The range and extent of the damages you could receive depends on the specifics of your case. Some common types of damages that victims recover in cases like these include:
- Medical costs, including ambulance rides, hospital stays, surgical procedures, medication, doctor’s examinations, and assistive devices.
- Lost wages.
- Future wages if your earning potential is diminished or lost.
- Pain and suffering.
- Property damage.
- Out-of-pocket costs.
In cases where your family member did not survive the accident, you may be able to file a wrongful death claim on their behalf. Recoverable damages in a wrongful death case may include:
- Funeral and burial expenses.
- Pain and suffering.
- Loss of consortium.
- Benefits and wages previously provided by the deceased.
- Medical costs left to the family.
To speak with a member of our legal team about what awards are possible in your teen driving accident case in Orleans Parish, call the Morris Bart law office today at (504) 613-4771.
Laws that May Impact Your Claim
You should be aware of a few Louisiana laws when considering legal action after a teen driving accident.
Comparative Fault
This law is designed to allocate damages after an accident where multiple parties were at fault. According to the law of comparative fault, if you were partially responsible for causing an accident, any compensation you are awarded can be reduced by the degree to which you were at fault. If you are found 20% responsible for causing an accident, your compensation can be reduced by 20%.
Louisiana’s Statute of Limitations
The Louisiana statute of limitations in Louisiana Civil Code Article 3492 places a one-year limit on the amount of time you have to pursue damages through a lawsuit. If you do not file your claim within one year of the date of the accident, you may be barred from recovering any compensation.
There may be a legal exception to this one-year time limit in some cases. For a free case review on how the statute of limitations pertains to your case, contact the Morris Bart law firm at (504) 613-4771.
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How a New Orleans Teen Driving Accident Lawyer Can Help
If you or someone you love was injured as a teen driver in New Orleans and surrounding areas, you have the right to pursue compensation to recover your losses. Some specific ways that a New Orleans teen driving accident lawyer can help include:
- Gathering evidence like police reports, eyewitness statements, and surveillance video.
- Gathering medical records, doctor’s reports, bills, and receipts to calculate the total value of your claim, including your pain and suffering.
- Building a case to pursue damages to the full extent of your injuries.
- Negotiating with the insurance company.
- Fighting for your rights in court if a fair settlement cannot be agreed upon.
We understand how overwhelming it can be to even think about taking legal action while you or your teen child are still healing from your injuries after a car accident. Our team of New Orleans injury attorneys is here to help.
Call the Morris Bart law firm today at (504)613-4771 for a free, no-risk consultation to learn your options for recovering your losses.
Questions?Call 800-537-8185
to find a Morris Bart office near you.
