Dudley DeBosier > FAQ

If you or a family member experiences an injury, you can benefit from speaking to a Louisiana injury lawyer at Dudley DeBosier Injury Lawyers today. Often the insurance company of the person who caused the injury will try to settle with you before you have an opportunity to retain an attorney.

The reason for this is that the insurance company knows it can probably settle the claim for less money if you do not have a lawyer. We will investigate your claim and obtain the necessary witness statements, documents, photographs, and other materials to protect your rights.

At Dudley DeBosier:

• There is no charge for your first visit or telephone call. All your questions will be answered and there is no obligation.
• We never charge a fee unless we obtain a recovery for you. Our fee is a percentage of your recovery.
• We will advance all costs for investigators, experts, filing fees, and other expenses associated with obtaining the maximum recovery possible.
• If a recovery is not made, you pay nothing.

We do not charge any fee for helping you settle your claim for damage to your vehicle.

Yes. At the initial consultation, a personal injury lawyer from Dudley DeBosier will meet with you. Throughout the remainder of our representation of you, a lawyer and a legal assistant will be involved in the handling of your claim.

In the event your injury prevents you from traveling to our office, an accident lawyer from Dudley DeBosier will meet with you at your house, the hospital, or any meeting place you designate.

Yes. Our Louisiana injury law firm is staffed in such a way that an employee can be reached 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If appropriate, this employee can contact a firm attorney seven days a week at any time. We are ready, willing, and able to discuss a claim with you 24/7.

Not necessarily. If the defendant's insurance company is willing to volunteer a fair settlement, you do not have to file a lawsuit in order to obtain a recovery. We are skilled at negotiating settlements without filing a lawsuit. In the event the insurance company is not willing to negotiate fairly, we will then proceed with filing a lawsuit if you so desire.

A competent adult, who is older than the age of 18 and injured, can file a claim in his or her name. Minors or incompetent adults must have a lawsuit brought by either their parents or a court-appointed guardian.

Your case is worth either what we tell the insurance company it’s worth or the amount of an award granted by a judge and jury. We examine all of the conditions surrounding your case in order to arrive at a figure that we believe the insurance company must pay for your injuries.

These conditions include: How the accident happened, what injuries you suffered, future medical problems, the amount of medical expenses, and lost income, as well as future medical costs and future loss of income. We study every detail so that we can get you the money you deserve for your injuries.

You must file your case within the statute of limitations—a fixed period of time dictated by the law. In many injury cases you are required to bring your case within two or three years from the date of the event that caused the injury. For an explanation of these time limits, always consult with a lawyer experienced in these matters.

You have the right to change lawyers. However, your initial injury attorney will usually be entitled to payment for services rendered up to the time of dismissal. The lawyer will be paid from the fee earned at the conclusion of the case. Your new lawyer will usually work out an arrangement whereby the fee is split between the two lawyers.

Yes. Different lawyers may see a potential case differently. Some attorneys may not be familiar with the type of case you have. If a lawyer rejects your case, it is always a good idea to seek a second opinion.

Yes. Under Louisiana’s comparative negligence rules, you may still have a case even though you were partly at fault in causing an accident. These cases are very fact specific, so you should consult with an injury lawyer.

Remember whom the adjustor works for—the insurance company. Adjustors have one goal: to settle your case for the least amount of money possible. What may seem like a fair offer to you could fall far short of any amount of money settled through a lawyer. It is a good idea to consult with an attorney at Dudley DeBosier before accepting any offer from the insurance company.

Yes. We have decades of experience in handling various types of claims in addition to personal injury or death claims. We actively represent individuals and businesses that have suffered economic losses as a result of trade violations, breaches of contract, and other improper and illegal activities.

We also work closely with other attorneys who practice in specific areas of the law where we may not. If your specific case is not the type of case we handle, we can certainly put you in touch with a respected attorney to assist you and evaluate your case.

This is a common concern. The answer is no. Based on the information insurance agents and insurance carriers provide us, simply because an injured person pursues a claim does not mean that his or her insurance premiums will be increased. It is when a person’s negligent or wrongful acts cause injury that his or her own insurance premiums are increased.