Frequent Causes of Louisiana Car Accidents
Understanding the cause of your accident is an important part of seeking and securing fair compensation for your injuries. By working with accident reconstruction specialists, investigators, and experts in various fields, our Louisiana car accident firm helps survivors and victim's families get the answers they need. We can determine cause and work to create strong, compelling strategies that help us prove liability and secure a just settlement or award.
Though every situation is different, car accidents may be caused by:
- Driving Under the Influence: A top cause of car accidents, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs (DUI) puts others at risk. Drunk drivers may have impaired judgment and slow reaction times, leading to accidents.
- Dangerous Roads: Some collisions can be caused by dangerous or neglected roads, especially in rural areas. Some are characterized by potholes that can pop tires or poor visibility leading to head-on collisions.
- Negligent or Distracted Driving: Operating a motor vehicle safely requires full attentiveness, but many drivers try to multitask by talking or texting while they're behind the wheel. This can lead to serious car accidents.
- Fatigued Driving: Studies have shown that fatigue can have similar effects on a driver to the influence of alcohol—including slowed reaction time and impaired judgment. Fatigued drivers can cause serious collisions.
- Vehicle Malfunction: In some situations, car accidents are caused by vehicle defects. SUVs prone to rollovers, tires that blow out unexpectedly, and stuck accelerator pedals are examples of serious defects.
- Speeding: Driving in excess of the posted speed limit or faster than is safe for current road, weather, or traffic conditions are all examples of speeding, which is one of the leading causes of traffic accidents in Louisiana.
- Following Too Closely: When a driver does not leave enough space in front of their vehicle, they put themselves and the driver in front of them at risk. Following too closely is the primary cause of rear-end collisions.
- Unsafe Lane Changes: Failing to use a turn signal, not checking blind spots, and recklessly merging into traffic are all ways that a lane change can cause a car accident. Drivers must use caution when changing lanes.
Types of Motor Vehicle Accidents in Louisiana
The vast majority of commuters in Louisiana and across the country rely on motor vehicles for transportation. They help us get where we need to go, and we interact with them even as pedestrians or bicycle riders. Unfortunately, when cars, trucks, and other vehicles are operated negligently, the results can be catastrophic or even deadly.
We help after all types of motor vehicle accidents in Louisiana and nationwide:
Whether you were driving, were a passenger, or were struck as a pedestrian or cyclist, our team of trial-tested lawyers has the skill and resources to help. Even in situations where you may feel that you were partially to blame, you may be surprised to find that an external factor, completely outside your control, was the accident's true cause. After a serious crash, the best thing you can do to protect your interests is to talk to a local car accident lawyer about your options.
Louisiana Pedestrian Accident Lawyers Fighting for the Injured
Because of the health and environmental benefits, many people elect to walk whenever possible. Although it seems like a safer alternative to driving or riding a bicycle, statistics show otherwise. The NHTSA found that 17% of all transportation fatalities in 2021 were pedestrians. The number of pedestrian fatalities increased by 12.5% from 2020 to 2021. Whether this increase is related to more pedestrians or more distracted drivers, is hard to say. In either case, our personal injury team believes it is the responsibility of commercial and passenger drivers to prioritize pedestrian safety, as they are more vulnerable to dramatic injury than those in motor vehicles.
Causes of Pedestrian Accidents
Because pedestrians move at a much slower rate and in a much more controllable manner, it is difficult to imagine many different scenarios wherein a pedestrian would be at fault in a collision with a motor vehicle.
The most prevalent causes of pedestrian injuries and fatalities are related to driver negligence:
- Driving through crosswalks or failing to come to a complete stop
- Driver distraction, such as texting or otherwise operating a phone
- Drivers turning right without considering pedestrians in the crosswalk
- Driving under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol
One cause unlisted here has to do with how most drivers view the road. Most drivers are only looking for other vehicles. which may make them less likely to spot pedestrians.
Recovering a Fair Car Accident Settlement or Award in Louisiana
The only way you can rebuild and move on after a serious car accident is by recovering a fair settlement or award, meaning one that covers all of your medical treatment and other losses associated with your injuries. When our Baton Rouge car accident firm takes on a case of this kind, we spare no effort in seeking the best outcome for our client.
This may include seeking compensation for:
- Medical treatment
- Medication and medical supplies
- Travel costs to and from medical appointments
- Ongoing care and therapy
- Lost earnings
- Loss of future/potential earnings
- Emotional trauma
- Property damage
- Punitive damages
- Pain and suffering
Every case is unique, and every injury will have a different impact on a survivor and their future. At Arnold & Itkin, we believe in treating our clients as people, not case numbers, to help them get the recoveries they need.
About Baton Rouge
Located on the Mississippi River, Baton Rouge is considered a transportation hub for Louisiana. Its location near Lafayette and New Orleans, as well as within a few hundred miles of Houston, Texas, and Jackson, Mississippi, has further solidified its importance as an epicenter of industry, technology, and commerce. As of 2020, the population of Baton Rouge was 227,470 and the population in the Baton Rouge metropolitan area was 456,781.
Two US highways run through the Baton Rouge area: US 190 and US 161. US 190 enters Baton Rouge from the Huey P. Long Bridge, which crosses the Mississippi River between East Baton Rouge Parish and West Baton Rouge Parish. Part of US 190 is called Airline Highway. US 61 is known as Scenic Highway where it enters Baton Rouge until it meets with US 190. The highways and roads in Baton Rouge are prone to severe congestion, but a number of upgrades have helped manage traffic in more recent years. At 26.5 minutes, the average one-way commute in Baton Rouge is just less than the national average of 27.1 minutes.
Baton Rouge Links & Resources
Talk to Our Team of Louisiana Car Accident Attorneys: (888) 493-1629
Arnold & Itkin has seen firsthand the damage and suffering car accident victims face. We want to be the firm to fight and correct the injustice you are experiencing. Our Baton Rouge car accident lawyers have been there to help people fight for the compensation they deserve. From cases of catastrophic injuries to family members dealing with a wrongful death after a fatal car accident, we are the firm you can trust.
This commitment to those affected by serious car crashes can be seen by checking out our firm's victories. For example, we represented a young woman who was seven months pregnant when she was injured in a catastrophic ambulance accident. Our client was on her way to the hospital when the ambulance driver, who had a history of poor driving, dropped his RSI device onto the floor. He reached down to grab it, looking away from the road without reducing speed. The ambulance crashed into the back of a sugar cane truck, and our client sustained brain and spinal cord injuries.
Our firm took on the case and fought for this young woman and her two daughters. In the end, we helped her win a $117 million verdict. This set the record for the largest single-event personal injury verdict in Louisiana history.
If you or someone you love has been in a serious car accident in Louisiana, contact us immediately. We're here to help.
