Our Injury and Accident Frequently Asked Questions

“I don’t want to waste anyone’s time, but I just don’t know if I need to hire you or not.” We hear this from potential clients on a consistent basis. 

How do you know if your case is “worth hiring an attorney?”

If you are wondering if you need an attorney for your car wreck case, they answer is “most likely, yes.”  We have an inherent sense of knowing if we are getting in over our heads, and a car wreck claim is no different.  It may start out simple enough – calling the insurance company to report claims, getting the police report, going to the doctor.  But it can soon become overwhelming and confusing.  Medical bills start coming in, your health insurance company is asking about the accident, insurance adjusters want to take your “recorded statement,” and your car repair and rental are not going as smoothly as you thought. 

All the while, you are trying to go about your normal life, but you have this nagging car wreck claim to deal with, sooner or later.  If this sounds familiar, you probably need to hire a skilled personal injury lawyer to help.      

Were you injured or “still don’t feel right” due to an accident?

If you were injured or received medical treatment because of a car accident, things like medical bills and insurance coverage can get complicated quickly.  Understanding the types of insurance claims you have and your rights to recovery are also important. 

Sometimes an insurance company will offer a quick settlement, typically along the lines of “medical bills” and a certain amount of additional money.  Here’s the problem:  Are they talking about your full medical bills, your out-of-pocket deductibles/copays, or how much your health insurance paid?  Also, what about future medical bills that might pop up?  How do you know how much they may cost?  If you have any of these concerns, it may be a good idea to contact a personal injury lawyer. 

A quick call can help answer your questions.

Believe it or not, in the first 30-seconds of a conversation with a potential client, we can usually tell if we would be of service to them.  A quick phone consultation can typically help answer important questions about your case, even if you don’t end up hiring us.  “Is this right?”  “Is the adjuster being reasonable?”  “How long does that normally take?”  “Why are they being so difficult?”  These are all common questions we can likely answer during a short initial phone call. 

We are 100% not pushy.

It is okay if we are not the right law firm for you or if you end up not needing our services.  If we can provide assistance with a quick call or consultation to help you navigate your car wreck claim yourself, that would be great!  While we may follow up with you to check on your progress, we will NEVER be pushy.  Quite simply, we want clients who hire us to be completely comfortable in our representation of them.   

Have You Been In An Accident And Don't Know If You Need A Personal Injury Attorney?

At Flattmann Law, we are not pushy.  If we are not right for you, or if you don’t need us, we will tell you! If you have been in an accident and have questions about your car wreck claim contact us online or call our Covington office directly at 985.590.6182 to schedule your free consultation today. Flattmann Law serves clients on the Northshore, including Covington, Mandeville, Abita Springs, Bogalusa, Franklinton, Folsom, Hammond, Lacombe, Pearl River, and Slidell.

How long will this process take?  This is probably the most asked question we get from our clients.  The answer…it depends.  Insurance claims can take anywhere from a few weeks to several years to resolve, depending on a number of factors. 

How significant are your injuries?

Typically, we do not want to settle an insurance claim before our client is either fully healed from their injuries or comfortable with their future medical outlook.  Why?  Because insurance claims are valued in part based on the types of injuries incurred and the amount of time it takes to recover from those injuries.  Settling a case prematurely can sometimes limit the true value of an insurance claim. 

Are there limits on the amount of insurance coverage available?

In Louisiana, the state requires drivers to have minimum car liability limits of 15/30/25.  This means liability limits of $15,000 per person up to $30,000 per accident and $25,000 for property damage.  A majority of Louisiana drivers have minimum limits.  Unfortunately, this means that if you are seriously injured in a car accident, the person who caused the accident may very well have only $15,000 in insurance coverage available to cover your medical bills and general damages, like pain and suffering, lost wages, etc.  That’s not much considering that an ambulance ride from Hwy 190 to St. Tammany Parish Hospital alone can cost $3,000 and a hospital bill can cost another $2,000 to $8,000. 

Why does this impact how long an insurance claim takes?  If there is limited insurance available, the value of a major personal injury claim will quickly reach those limits.  At Flattmann Law, we keep insurance companies informed about our clients’ injuries and treatment.  As a result, when our clients’ claims reach policy limits, insurance adjusters often call us in an attempt to resolve those claims as quickly as possible. 

In major injury cases, while it is good news if the at-fault party has high limits of liability coverage, it also means that the claim may take longer to resolve.  In those cases, it is important for our clients to get to a point of maximum medical improvement before settling their case, and doing so can take time. 

Are there questions as to who is responsible for the wreck?

Insurance companies are experts at trying to pass the blame to the injured victim of an accident.  If the insurance company is refusing to accept responsibility (liability) for a wreck, we may have to take extra measures to prove our case.  This can be anything from conducting interviews of witnesses to hiring crash reconstruction experts.  Often, if an insurance company is refusing to accept liability, it requires the filing of a lawsuit and lawsuits can take a long time to finalize.

Have You Been In An Accident And Have Questions About How Long It Will Take Your Claim To Resolve?

If you have been in an accident and have questions about how long it will take to resolve your car wreck claim contact us online or call our Covington office directly at 985.590.6182 to schedule your free consultation today. Flattmann Law serves clients on the Northshore, including Covington, Mandeville, Abita Springs, Bogalusa, Franklinton, Folsom, Hammond, Lacombe, Pearl River, and Slidell.

Emergency medical responders, including paramedics are true heroes.  They respond to countless car accidents and other emergencies every day and provide lifesaving help to those in need.

When a car accident happens, 911 operators typically dispatch not only the police, but also EMS and sometimes the fire department, depending on the situation.  Oftentimes, EMS will ask the parties involved in the wreck if they would like to be transported to the hospital for further evaluation.  Should you accept the offer and be taken via ambulance to the hospital? 

Ambulance services may be run by for-profit private companies, such as Acadian Ambulance Service, or by the government, such as the City of New Orleans EMS.  An ambulance ride to a hospital, even a short distance away, can be expensive.  On average, ambulance bills can be anywhere from $1,500 to $3,500 for one trip, depending on services rendered and mileage.  In cases of EMS air-lift services (helicopters), the bill can be in the tens of thousands of dollars. 

Injured But You Don't Know If An Ambulance Ride Is Necessarily

Of course, life-threatening injuries require EMS assistance and an ambulance ride.  But what if you are injured, but don’t necessarily have non-life-threatening injuries (for instance, you have neck, back, or head pain but not to the point of being disabled)? 

Keep in mind that EMS personnel are trained to mitigate injuries and prevent further injury (think neck immobilization and spine boards).  At the accident scene, it is likely that you will not be able to fully assess or appreciate the extent of your injuries.  Later, when the adrenaline begins to wear off, you may realize that you have more pain than you initially thought. 

When the ambulance bill comes, make sure they have your correct health insurance information and have billed the encounter appropriately.

In summary, err on the side of caution when deciding whether to take the ambulance to the hospital following a car wreck.  EMS workers are trained to help! 

Did You Have To Take An Ambulance To The Hospital Following A Car Wreck?

If you had to take an ambulance to the hospital following your car wreck contact us online or call our Covington office directly at 985.590.6182 to schedule your free consultation today. Flattmann Law serves clients on the Northshore, including Covington, Mandeville, Abita Springs, Bogalusa, Franklinton, Folsom, Hammond, Lacombe, Pearl River, and Slidell.

Beware of an insurance company offering you a “quick settlement” following a car wreck.  This is the WORST TIME to settle your case.  Why?

First, adrenalin in your body is released during an accident and can often mask serious injuries for several days.  Never settle a car accident claim before you have fully recovered from your injuries or at least understand the extent of your injuries.  What may seem like a good offer a day after your wreck can look like pennies compared to how you feel a few days later.  

Second, in the days after an accident, you may not be thinking clearly, especially if you suffered a concussion or severe whiplash during the wreck.  Now is not the time to analyze a settlement offer.  

What happens if you accept an insurance company’s settlement offer?  In order to finalize the offer, the insurance company will send you a “release.”  This is a statement they want you to sign in order to give up any claims you may have in exchange for the settlement money.  By signing a release, you literally sign away your rights to ever bring a lawsuit against the at-fault party or their insurance company, even if a hidden injury pops up later.  

If you have received a settlement offer from an insurance company following a wreck and would like to review it with an attorney for free before you accept it!

Have You Been Injured In A Covington Area Car Accident?

If you've been hurt in a car accident you need to speak with an experienced car accident attorney as soon as possible. Please contact me online or call my Covington office directly at 985.590.6182 to schedule your free consultation today. I help clients throughout Louisiana including Mandeville, Slidell, Bogalusa, Franklinton, Hammond, New Orleans and Metairie.

Car accidents can be complicated and sometimes, more than one person may be at fault for causing the wreck. In Louisiana, we have what’s known as “comparative fault.” This means that a person can recover for their personal injuries, even if they were partially responsible for causing the wreck.

For instance, if it is determined that someone is 50% responsible for causing a wreck, they can still collect 50% of their damages. Also, if the other person had the reasonable opportunity to avoid the wreck, but didn’t, you may still prevail in a personal injury claim, regardless of fault. In Louisiana, this is called the “last clear chance doctrine.” Many factors go into the success or failure of a personal injury case.

At Grady J. Flattmann, Attorneys at Law, we examine each of our clients’ cases from every angle.

Have You Been Hurt In A Covington Area Accident?

If you've been injured in a motorcycle accident you need to speak with an experienced personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. Please contact me online or call my Covington office directly at 985.590.6182 to schedule your free consultation today. I help clients throughout Louisiana including Mandeville, Slidell, Bogalusa, Franklinton, Hammond, New Orleans and Metairie.