Louisiana Car Accident Attorneys

Baton Rouge Accident Lawyers Helping the Victims of Serious Car Wrecks

In a recent report by the Highway Safety Research Group out of Louisiana State University, 2,681 injuries from car accidents occurred per 100,000 people in Louisiana in 2015. Their research shows a steady increase in this number since 2011; most notably, it means a little more than 1 out of 50 people in Louisiana will experience an injury or death due to a car accident. Many accident victims are not at fault. Negligence and reckless driving can permanently affect one's life. Our Louisiana car crash lawyers believe that victims are entitled to financial compensation to support themselves in the future in the wake of their serious injuries.

Call our Louisiana car accident law firm for a free, private consultation at (888) 493-1629!

Frequent Causes of Louisiana Car Accidents

Several common factors often lead to accidents. Some of these frequent causes include the following:

• Insufficient Vehicle Maintenance: Although your car may like a dependable machine, it still requires regular maintenance. A suddenly blown tire or engine failure can lead to a catastrophic accident.
• Attitude of the Driver: Some traffic schools label this the most critical aspect of driving. It is crucial to remember the harm a vehicle can cause and control emotions behind the wheel.
• Driving Under the Influence: A leading cause of car accidents, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs puts others at risk. Drunk drivers may have impaired judgment or slow reaction time.
• Dangerous Roads: Often, the condition of roads can be neglected, 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. This can lead to serious car accidents.
• Malfunctioning Vehicles: Sometimes, accidents occur because of a faulty system. For example, some recalls have been ordered due to reports of accelerator locks that force the car forward perpetually.
• Fatigued Driving: Certain studies have shown that fatigue can have similar effects on a driver to the influence of alcohol—including slowed reaction time and impaired judgment.

Common Motor Vehicle Accidents

There are many more ways than one to get around these days, but no matter the location or purpose of a motor vehicle, you are still susceptible to injuries while driving them. Our Baton Rogue motor vehicle accident lawyers can investigate the cause of the crash and begin building an argument for your financial compensation.

Common types of motor vehicle accidents include:

• Motorcycle Accidents
  Though motorcycles have their traffic and size advantages, they are incredibly unsafe. Two wheels cut stability in half; if a motorcycle driver does fall, injuries can include brain damage and death.
• Bus Accidents
  Public transportation has its unique dangers. Buses carry large quantities of people and are heavy themselves. When an accident does occur, more people may be injured than in normal accidents.
• ATV Accidents
  ATVs afford the ability to travel quickly, but similar to motorcycles, they leave victims exposed. Accidents can occur as a result of faulty equipment or by another party's carelessness.
• Boat Accidents
  Boat drivers do not have the same turning and braking abilities as automobiles and are subject to the possibility of drowning once emitted from the boat into a lake or the Gulf.
• Truck Accidents
  The long hours commercial truck drivers work and the long distances they travel subject them to fatigue. Regulations are put in place to promote alertness and responsibility in truck drivers. Still, drivers fail to meet those regulations, resulting in the injury or death of neighboring drivers.
• Uber/Lyft Accidents
  Drivers for ridesharing services are not professional drivers, nor are they necessarily tied to their company if involved in an accident. These drivers are independent contractors, which makes determining liability more intricate than usual. Our team can easily navigate the insurance policies of these companies and find who is responsible for your injuries.

Louisiana Pedestrian Accident Lawyers Fighting for the Injured

Because of the health and environmental benefits, more and more 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 14% of all transportation fatalities in 2013 were pedestrians. Whether this increase in pedestrian fatalities is related to the growing decision to walk or drivers' widespread disregard of them 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 or alcohol

One cause unlisted here has to do with how most drivers view the road. Most passenger vehicle drivers are only looking for other vehicles. This can cause a slight disability to see pedestrians.

Louisiana Car Accident FAQ

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. The top industries in the Baton Rouge area include petrochemical manufacturing and refining, motion pictures and television, technology, medical research, and education. The city is known for having a stable and diverse economy. 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. Some of the most important surface streets in Baton Rouge have designated state highway numbers. This includes Greenwell Springs Road (LA 37), Nicholson Drive (LA 30), Essen Lane (LA 3064), and Siegen Lane (LA 3246), among others. 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.

Three major railway lines provide freight service in Baton Rouge: Canadian National, Union Pacific, and Kansas City Southern, and the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport offers four major airlines that serve the southern United States. Commuters can also utilize the Capital Area Transit System (CATS), which services the city.

Baton Rouge Links & Resources

• City of Baton Rouge
• Office of Motor Vehicles: Baton Rouge
• Traffic in Baton Rouge, LA
• East Baton Rouge Parish, LA
• Emergency Medical Services Baton Rouge
• Baton Rouge Police Department

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 the family of 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 family, including her two daughters. In the end, we were able to help 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, contact us immediately. You can tell us what happened to you during a free consultation so that we can help talk through your legal options. All you need to do is give us a call at (888) 493-1629 or fill out our online form. We're here to help.