Our Personal Injury FAQ

Getting into an accident is no fun, especially while on vacation.  New Orleans is an amazing place to visit and each year, tourists come to check out our diverse culture, landmarks, and most of all, food.  But what happens if you are involved in an accident while visiting New Orleans? 

At Flattmann Law, we represent tourists from out of state who have been in serious accidents while visiting New Orleans and other destinations in Louisiana.  We have represented folks who have been involved in all kinds of personal injury accidents including car wrecks (taxis, rental cars, Ubers, etc.) and even premises liability, like slip and falls in hotels. 

We Make It Easy To Handle Your Claim Even If Your Out Of State

In this day and age of technology, we make it easy for our out of state clients to stay up to date on what’s happening in their case and communication always comes first.  Meetings can be scheduled virtually and any necessary paperwork can be exchanged electronically. 

We handle everything for our out of town clients, from getting the police report to filing and pursuing insurance claims.  If necessary, we take care of the litigation process, including filing and pursuing lawsuits in all Louisiana State and Federal courts.  

Have You Been Injured While Visiting New Orleans Or Surrounding Areas?

If you've been injured in an accident and live out of state 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.

Dash cams are becoming more and more popular these days.  Whether it is due to the desire to deter thefts or capture car accidents, a majority of new car buyers are now requesting dash cams on their vehicles.  During the last few years, I’ve been seeing more of my clients’ accidents caught on tape than ever before.  So, should you get a dash cam for your car?  I say “yes,” but be careful if you do have a dash cam as explained below.

Dash cam footage can be great at proving fault during a car or truck wreck.  This is especially the case when the at-fault driver denies liability or tries to lie about what happened.  I’ve seen this several times in cases where, but not for the dash cam footage of a good Samaritan, my client would have been wronged by a driver who lied about what happened. 

But, Be Careful.....

If you are at fault for causing an accident, be careful what you do with dash cam footage and certainly do not destroy it.  If you do, the other party may claim that you purposefully destroyed important evidence.

Do You Have Dash Cam Video Of Your Own Accident?

If you've been injured and have your own accident on tape and need help using it to prove your 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.

We have lots of two-lane road highways in south Louisiana, especially on the rural areas of the Northshore.  Take for instance the Folsom Highway (Hwy 25), Highway 21 (Military Rd.) from Bogalusa through Bush, to Covington, and even Highway 36, from Covington, through Abita Springs, and to Pearl River.

Two-lane roads refer to roads with one lane of traffic in either direction.  That means when you pass someone on a two-lane highway, you have to go into the oncoming lane of traffic during the pass.  Even on rural roads, this can be dangerous for a variety of reasons.

First, you should always obey the passing indicator lines.  Never pass over a solid stripe, as that indicates that it is not safe to pass, typically due to lack of visibility ahead (such as a turn in the road) or an upcoming intersection.  Simply put, a solid stripe indicates that you don’t have time to pass the vehicle ahead of you.

But even when you have a dashed line, allowing you to pass the vehicle in front of you, be aware.

You Can Take The Following Precautions To Avoid Two-Lane Road Crashes

(1) Look in front of you to make sure there is not an oncoming vehicle in the other lane anywhere close.  Err on the side of caution, as you don’t know the oncoming vehicle’s speed and how fast it is approaching.

(2) Look for cars in driveways in front of you and anticipate that they are going to enter the highway right when you try to make your pass.  The car in a driveway may be turning onto the highway in the opposite direction to you and think that it is safe to enter, not knowing that you are about to use their lane for passing.  (While we are on the subject, if you are about to enter onto a highway, let ALL cars in BOTH directions pass before entering the highway.  You never know when a vehicle is going to try to pass another). 

(3) Look behind you before passing the vehicle in front of you.  Another driver may be in even more of a hurry behind you and about to pass you. 

Have You Been Injured In A Two-Lane Road Accident?

If you've been injured in a two-lane road car accident 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.

Negligence refers to the failure of someone in taking the proper care in doing something.  It can include the wrongful action or inaction of a person which contributes to a car accident.  For example, a person’s use of a cell phone while driving may be negligent, especially if it leads to distracted driving and causes a wreck.  

Car accident lawyers seek to prove negligence by gathering evidence about the car accident including witness statements, dash cam footage, “black box” data, and other things.  Sometimes, an expert in accident reconstruction and human factors may be consulted in order to better understand the specific circumstances leading up to a wreck.  

In order to be successful in a personal injury claim in Louisiana, you must prove that the other party was negligent.  Understanding how to do this may mean the difference between winning and losing your case.  

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.

Injuries to the abdomen and stomach are common in serious car accidents, especially after head-on collisions.  Seat belts, while lifesaving, can cause intra-abdominal injuries as a result of the force of the collision, including perforations of internal organs.  

Seeking medical attention as soon as possible following an accident and accurately reporting all of your symptoms are extremely important.  Medical providers may use CT-scans and ultrasounds to diagnose internal injuries so that they can be treated correctly.  

Injuries to the chest and ribs are also common following car accidents, once again caused by the force of the body being restrained by a seat belt.  It is not uncommon for our clients to report chest pain and even broken ribs following a serious accident.  

While abdominal and chest injuries are common during car wrecks, it is undisputed that seat belts save lives!  Buckle up and stay safe!  

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.

Single vehicle accidents can be deadly and typically involve driver distraction or loss of control at high speeds.  But, if there is not another car involved, do you (the passenger) still have an insurance claim?

The answer is yes.  If you are a passenger in a single-car accident where the driver’s negligence caused the accident, you have a claim against the negligent driver and their insurance company.  This can be true, even if you are related to the at-fault driver.  Yes, this may get awkward, but it is true. 

If the at-fault driver didn’t have insurance, or if they don’t have enough insurance coverage to cover you for your injuries, then your own insurance may be available through the form of your “UM” (uninsured/underinsured motorist) coverage and any existing medical payment coverage.  

Understanding the ins and outs of insurance coverage is key, even in a single-car accident.  

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.

Sleep deprivation is a common cause of truck-related accidents.  18-wheeler drivers sometimes push themselves beyond their limits in an effort to make sure their haul is delivered on time.  To unsuspecting motorists in their vicinity, this can mean disaster.  

Sometimes, what the police may tell you following a big truck wreck may be speculation based on their investigation of the accident and they may not put those statements in the report.  Typically, we end up taking the officer’s deposition in order to better understand why he or she made such comments.  

One of the things we do during the course of a big truck lawsuit is investigate the state of the truck driver in an attempt to uncover evidence of driver’s fatigue.  This can be done by analyzing driving records, including logbooks showing whether the driver took required breaks.  Accident reconstructionist experts may even be brought in to analyze the specifics of an accident in order to uncover evidence of driver fatigue or sleep deprivation.  

Have You Been Injured In A Covington Area Truck Accident?

If you've been hurt in a semi-truck or large vehicle accident you need to speak with an experienced truck accident 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.

Oftentimes, it may be difficult to get in touch with the right person with a big company to report and get information after a car wreck.  Big companies typically have their own car wreck claim units or hire third-party companies to handle such claims.  

Getting to the right person can be challenging and frustrating.  Front-line employees who answer the 1-800 number may not have the right information to get you in touch with the claim’s unit.  In most cases, it takes some digging to get to the right department.

If a big company is not responding to your calls, chances are that you do not have the right person’s attention.  For instance, if you have been leaving messages for the operator or another front-line employee, they are probably disregarding your calls as “not their problem.”  

Though years of experience, we have found that persistence and resourcefulness are the keys to making sure our clients’ claims are handled properly and taken seriously.  When our client is in an accident involving a big company, we gather all of the information possible to make sure we get the right person’s attention.  Ultimately, our goal is to get the claim in front of the insurance representative or third-party administrator in charge of handling car accident claims.  

Have You Been Injured In A Covington Area Truck Accident?

If you've been hurt in a semi-truck or large vehicle accident you need to speak with an experienced truck accident 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.

The term “burden of proof” refers to the amount and type of the evidence you must show to legally prove that another party was at fault for causing a car accident.  If you do not meet the burden of proof, you will not be successful in pursuing your claim.  

Following a car or truck wreck, the at-fault insurance company will make its decision as to liability; that is, which party was at fault.  It is important at that point to make sure they have been provided with sufficient facts to support your position.  

If a car wreck claim becomes a lawsuit, Louisiana law requires the injured party to meet the burden of proving, through evidence, that the other party was at fault.  This can include, among other things, of testimony from the parties, witnesses, and any investigators or accident reconstruction experts.    

It is important to understand the difference between the burden of proof in a criminal case and in a civil case, which a car wreck case would be considered.  In a criminal case, the burden of proof that must be met by the prosecution in order to convict a person is “beyond a reasonable doubt.”  In contrast, in a civil case, the burden of proof that must be met is “more probable than not.”  

An experienced car accident attorney is able to investigate, gather, and analyze evidence in a car wreck and make sure the insurance company receives information to properly evaluate an insurance claim.  At trial, an attorney can help to make sure that everything is done to meet the burden of proving their case.     

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.

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.