Why won’t the insurance company pay me what I’m owed? If the other driver was at fault, why do I have to pay my own medical bills? Who pays for my rental car after my car was totaled? We answer questions like these and many more in our personal injury FAQs. If your question is not covered here, give us a call at 985-590-6182.
Does Hiring a Lawyer Mean You’re Going to Court?
Does Hiring a Lawyer Mean You’re Going to Court?
One of the most common concerns we hear from people after a car wreck is: “If I hire you, does that mean I’m going to court?”
The short answer? No, not necessarily.
Most Cases Settle Without Having to File a Lawsuit
At Flattmann Law, the majority of our cases are resolved without ever stepping foot in a courtroom. We work hard behind the scenes to build your case, present it clearly to the insurance company, and negotiate a fair resolution.
Hiring a lawyer doesn’t mean you’re signing up for a lawsuit—it means you’re protecting your rights and making sure you’re treated fairly.
In fact, by hiring us, you’re simply getting help with your insurance claim. We help with gathering records, communicating with adjusters, and making sure everything is documented properly. Filing a lawsuit is only one of many options—and it’s usually the last resort, not the first step.
Why Cases Settle
Insurance companies are more likely to make a fair offer when they know a knowledgeable attorney is involved. A strong case, backed by evidence and presented clearly, puts pressure on them to resolve things sooner rather than later.
We only recommend filing suit when it’s clear the insurance company isn’t being reasonable. And even then, most lawsuits settle before ever going to trial (what most people think of as “going to Court”).
You’re in Control
Another thing people don’t always realize: you’re always in control. We guide you through the process, explain your options, and help you make informed decisions. We don’t make major moves—like filing a lawsuit or going to trial—without your full understanding and consent.
So, Why Hire a Lawyer?
Hiring a lawyer doesn’t mean you’re being “aggressive” or “looking for a fight.” It means you’re being smart. It means you’re not letting the insurance company take advantage of you during a confusing and stressful time.
Have You Been In A Car Wreck and Unsure What To Do Next?
If you’ve been in a wreck and unsure about what to do next, 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, Madisonville, Goodbee, Hammond, Lacombe, Pearl River, and Slidell.
Partially at Fault in a Louisiana Car Accident? Know Your Rights
What Does It Mean When an Insurance Company Says You Were “Partially at Fault?”
After a wreck, you might think the facts are clear. But then the insurance company tells you they’re placing partial fault or a percentage of fault on you. That can be frustrating—and confusing. So, what does that actually mean in Louisiana?
Louisiana Is a Comparative Fault State
In Louisiana, we follow a system called comparative fault. That means fault can be split between drivers. So, instead of one person being 100% at fault, the insurance company might say you were, for example, 30% at fault—and reduce your payout by that percentage.
Here’s a simple example: If your total damages are $10,000 and the insurance company says you were 30% at fault, they may only offer you $7,000.
This Is NOT the Same as Contributory Negligence
Some states still follow something called contributory negligence, where if you’re even 1% at fault, you may be completely barred from recovering anything. Thankfully, Louisiana is NOT one of those states.
Even if you’re found partially at fault, you can still recover compensation—you just need to be ready to challenge how much fault they’re trying to pin on you.
Why Do Insurance Companies Try to Assign Partial Fault?
Let’s be honest: it saves them money. If they can convince you to accept a portion of the blame, even when it’s not fair, they can reduce what they owe. Sometimes, they do this based on small details that may not even be legally significant—like saying you were “driving too fast for conditions,” even if you had the right of way.
We’ve seen this tactic used in:
- Rear-end collisions
- Intersection crashes with disputed light timing
- Wrecks involving merging or lane changes
Don’t Let Them Put Blame Where It Doesn’t Belong
If you get a call saying you’re “partially at fault,” it’s time to talk to someone who knows the law—and how to push back. We review accident reports, footage, and witness statements to make sure fault is assigned fairly—not just conveniently for the insurance company.
Have You Been In A Car Wreck and Worried About Being Unfairly Blamed?
If you’ve been in a wreck and worried about being unfairly blamed for the 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, Madisonville, Goodbee, Hammond, Lacombe, Pearl River, and Slidell.
Why Does Hiring a Local Law Firm Matters After a Wreck?
Why Hiring a Local Law Firm Matters After a Wreck
After a car wreck, it can feel like you’re suddenly surrounded by big names—billboards, TV ads, and out-of-town firms promising big results. But when it comes to choosing a lawyer, local matters.
We Understand How Things Work Around Here
At Flattmann Law, we’ve been handling car wreck cases across the Northshore for nearly 20 years. We’re familiar with the local roads where accidents tend to happen, how local law enforcement documents wrecks, how our courts operate, and most importantly, how people around here want to be treated.
We also know how insurance companies handle claims in our region—and how to push back when they try to minimize what our clients are owed.
When You Call, You Get Us
We’re not a billboard firm with offices scattered across the country where you need an A-Z directory to find your lawyer. We’re a small, focused, client-first firm. When you call Flattmann Law, you speak with real people who live and work here—just like you.
We don’t hand your case off to a stranger. When a client meets with me, they’ll continue to work directly with me throughout their case. You won’t be passed along to some associate you’ve never met or introduced to by email halfway through the process.
You get personal attention, honest advice, and a team who genuinely cares about the outcome of your case—because to us, it’s personal.
We’re Invested in This Community
Our kids go to school here. We shop in the same stores and drive the same roads you do. When we say we care about our clients, it’s not a slogan—it’s our reputation, and it matters deeply to us.
We’re not a volume-based practice. We don’t need hundreds of cases every month to keep our doors open. Instead, we focus our attention on honest, hard-working people with real injuries who want honest, hard-working representation.
We also take communication seriously. Our clients are kept in the loop at every stage of their case—and if they have a question, they know they can get it answered quickly.
Accountability means everything to us. Even after a case is over, we know we’ll be seeing our clients at the grocery store, school events, and church. That’s what drives us to handle every case with care, diligence, and integrity.
And because we’re local, we rely on referrals from satisfied clients—not splashy ads—to earn the trust of our next client.
Big firms may have loud ads, but they don’t have roots in this community. We do.
Local Means Accessible
Want to come in and sit down to talk face-to-face? We’re here. Need help getting your police report or figuring out a treatment plan with a local provider? We’ve got you.
When your case is handled locally, you’re not just a file number. You’re our neighbor.
Have You Been In A Car Wreck and Want To Work With A Local Firm?
If you’ve been in a wreck and want to work with a local firm that knows you and your community, 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, Madisonville, Goodbee, Hammond, Lacombe, Pearl River, and Slidell.
Why a Dashcam Might Be the Best $100 You Ever Spend
Why a Dashcam Might Be the Best $100 You Ever Spend
When it comes to car wrecks, one thing is for sure: the truth can get lost fast—especially when it’s your word against the other driver’s.
That’s why we believe a dashcam might be the smartest money you can spend as a driver.
The Truth, Caught on Camera
We’ve had cases where the at-fault driver denied everything—until dashcam footage told a different story. Green light? Red light? Sudden lane change? Dashcams don’t lie.
And while a police report is helpful, it may not always tell the full story. Footage from a dashcam can provide clear, unbiased evidence when things get messy.
Other common examples include cases where a driver suddenly turns in front of you and later claims you were speeding or ran the light. Dashcam footage can make or break these kinds of he-said-she-said situations. Young drivers are particularly susceptible to being wrongly blamed for accidents they didn’t cause.
Insurance Companies Trust Video
Insurance adjusters look for any excuse to shift blame or reduce payouts. Dashcam footage often makes the difference between:
- Getting your car fixed quickly vs. weeks of delays
- Winning your injury claim vs. getting denied
- Avoiding liability vs. being wrongly blamed
Dashcams Are Affordable and Easy to Use
You can find a reliable dashcam for under $100, and many are easy to install in just a few minutes. Some even record both front and rear views (I’d suggest at least the front view) or start recording when your car is parked.
If you drive regularly—or have a teen driver—this is a no-brainer investment.
Bonus Tip: Protect the Footage
If you’re in a wreck, save your footage right away. Back it up to a computer or cloud storage if you can. If you’re not sure what to do with it, we’ll help you review it during your free case consultation.
Also, if you don’t have a dashcam, ask any witnesses at the scene if they do. Many drivers have them nowadays, and that footage could end up being a game-changer in proving what really happened.
Have You Been In A Car Wreck and Want Help Reviewing Dashcam Footage?
Need help reviewing dashcam footage after a 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, Madisonville, Goodbee, Hammond, Lacombe, Pearl River, and Slidell.
What Are The Top Reasons People Delay Calling Us After Their Car Wreck?
It is not uncommon for us to get a call from a new client whose car crash happened a few months earlier. When asked why they waited so long to call, we get a few common responses:
I Expected The Claims Process To Be Straightforward:
From all the insurance company commercials on TV, you would think that the insurance claims process after a wreck should be straightforward. You almost expect an insurance adjuster to appear out of nowhere, write you a check for your car, get you a rental ASAP, and take care of everything. But in reality, that’s now what happens.
Instead, you find yourself with a wrecked car and the insurance company is not in any rush to get you a rental. You don’t know who is going to pay your medical bills and the insurance adjuster who originally told you not to worry, won’t answer your calls.
With thousands of claims to handle, the truth is that you are just one more claim number to the insurance company. If you don’t have your own advocate who is willing to fight for you, this can be a very frustrating experience.
I Didn’t Think My Case Was Big Enough To Need A Lawyer:
At Flattmann Law, we handle all types of wreck cases, big and small. Unlike those TV lawyers, we are here for you even if your wreck didn’t involve “a company vehicle,” “big truck,” or “catastrophic injuries.”
With our free consultations, we even tell people if we think they can handle their own case and give them a few pointers to help them along the way.
I Thought My Pain Would Get Better:
We represent honest, hard-working people who don’t make a habit of complaining. It is not uncommon for our client to tell us that they waited to go to the doctor because they were hoping the pain would go away on its own. When it didn’t, they knew something was wrong.
The insurance company is not going to give you advice about your injuries. In fact, they are going to throw the question back on you and tell you that “you need to get whatever medical attention you need.” But what does that mean? How does health insurance work in a car wreck situation, and who pays the bills? These are all questions we can help answer at Flattmann Law.
Are You Frustrated With The Insurance Claims Process After Your Car Wreck ?
Are you frustrated with the insurance claims process after you were involved in a 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, Madisonville, Goodbee, Hammond, Lacombe, Pearl River, and Slidell.
Should I Hire An Attorney For A Car Wreck Claim?
A lot of people don’t think that their car wreck is worth hiring an attorney over. Maybe their injuries “aren’t that bad,” they don’t think the insurance claims process will be difficult, or they just don’t like the idea of hiring a lawyer for a simple wreck.
I’m asked that question (“is it worth hiring you for my car wreck claim”) all the time, even by close friends and family. Honestly, it is a little awkward, because, while I don’t want to sound self-serving, but at the same time, I know the complications and traps that arise during an insurance claim and want to protect my friends and family. So, my answer is always the same: “Let’s have a free consultation and you can decide from there…no pressure.” And guess what? After going over the ins and outs of their car wreck claim, they usually decide that hiring us is the right way to go.
I can’t speak for all law firms, but at Flattmann Law, we promise:
No Hassle, Fast Consultations:
There is no reason that a free consultation should cause anxiety! Our consultations can be as simple as a 10-minute phone call, zoom call, or meeting at our office. It’s up to you.
When you call us, we will get general information from you about the accident, what happened, if there were injuries, the extent of car damage, etc. During a quick phone call, we can usually tell you if hiring an attorney is a good idea for your case.
No Pressure To Hire Us, Ever:
We will never hassle you or pressure you into hiring our firm. After our consultation, if you think you can handle the insurance claim on your own, no problem! We will even tell you our honest opinion of whether your claim rises to the point of “needing an attorney.”
We Are Still There For You, Even If You Don’t Hire Us:
We believe in providing outstanding service to our community. Even if you decide not to hire us, if we can answer some of your questions and help you succeed on your insurance claim, we are happy to do so.
Interested in a FREE, CONFIDENTAL, NO-PRESSURE Call About Your Car Wreck?
Have you been in a car wreck and are interested in a FREE, CONFIDENTAL, NO-PRESSUE Consultation 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, Madisonville, Goodbee, Hammond, Lacombe, Pearl River, and Slidell.