Reviewed and Verified by Attorney Allan Berger — Licensed in Louisiana since 1974.
An injury caused by someone else’s carelessness can upend your life in Metairie just as quickly as anywhere else. Medical bills pile up, work stops, and an insurance adjuster calls with an offer that rarely covers what you have actually lost. You deserve a lawyer who knows Louisiana law and will hold the at-fault party accountable.
As a Metairie personal injury lawyer, Allan Berger & Associates, P.L.C. has represented injured people and families across Jefferson Parish and greater New Orleans for nearly 50 years. We handle the investigation and the insurers so you can focus on getting better.
If you need immediate help with a claim, contact Allan Berger & Associates, P.L.C. at 504-526-2222 for a free case review.
Your Metairie personal injury claim at a glance
|
Your question |
What Louisiana law says |
| How long do I have to file? | Two years from the injury for events on or after July 1, 2024, under Louisiana’s two-year filing deadline. Earlier injuries have one year. |
| Can I recover if I was partly at fault? | Yes, if you are less than 51% at fault. Louisiana uses a modified comparative-fault rule with a 51% bar, effective January 1, 2026. |
| What does a lawyer cost up front? | Nothing. We work on a contingency fee, so you pay only if we recover money for you. |
| What can I recover? | Medical bills, lost wages, future care, pain, suffering, and wrongful-death damages for a family. |
| Do I have to go to court? | Most cases settle, but we prepare every file for trial, which pushes insurers toward full value. |
Personal injury cases we handle in Metairie
Our firm represents clients across the full range of injury claims. That includes car, truck, and motorcycle accidents, as well as pedestrian and bicycle crashes and the growing number of cases involving Uber and Lyft. We also handle slip, trip, and fall injuries and other premises claims where a property owner failed to keep visitors safe.
Beyond traffic and premises cases, we represent people harmed by medical malpractice, nursing home abuse and neglect, dog bites, and defective products, along with families pursuing wrongful-death claims after a fatal accident. If your injury came from someone else’s negligence, we can review your options at no cost and tell you honestly whether you have a case.
How a Metairie personal injury claim works
Most claims come down to proving four things: that the other party owed you a duty of care, that they breached it, that the breach caused your injury, and that you suffered real losses. Strong evidence is what turns those elements into a recovery, so we gather the police or incident report, medical records, witness accounts, photographs, and expert opinions when a case calls for them.
Louisiana follows a modified comparative-fault rule. If you are found less than 51% responsible, you still recover, with your award reduced by your share of fault. Insurers know this rule and will try to assign as much blame to you as possible, so documenting exactly what happened protects the value of your claim.
How a Metairie personal injury lawyer can help
Insurance companies handle claims every day, and you do not. A personal injury attorney in Metairie closes that gap. From the start, we investigate what happened and lock down the evidence, including the police or incident report, witness statements, photographs, medical records, and any video that captured the event. When fault is contested or the injuries are serious, we bring in reconstruction, medical, and economic experts who can prove both how the accident happened and what it will cost you.
We then take over all communication with the insurer, so an adjuster never turns your own words against you. We calculate the full value of your claim, including future medical care and lost earning ability, and we negotiate firmly for a fair settlement. If the insurance company will not pay what your case is worth, your Metairie injury lawyer is ready to file suit and try it before a jury. Throughout, we keep you informed and handle the deadlines and paperwork so nothing is missed.
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Compensation you can recover in a personal injury claim
Louisiana law allows both economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages cover the measurable costs of the accident, including emergency care, surgery, hospital stays, and rehabilitation, along with the future medical treatment a serious injury demands. They also include lost wages, any reduction in your ability to earn going forward, and property damage such as a totaled vehicle.
Non-economic damages compensate for the personal toll, including physical pain, emotional distress, scarring, disfigurement, and the loss of activities and quality of life you once enjoyed. When an injury causes permanent disability, or when an accident is fatal, the claim can include those lasting harms and a family’s loss of support and companionship. We make sure nothing that applies to your case is left off the ledger.
What to do after an accident in Metairie
The steps you take early protect your health and your claim:
- Call 911 and get a police or incident report.
- Accept medical care, even if you feel alright.
- Photograph the scene, any vehicles, and your injuries.
- Collect contact and insurance details and witness information.
- Avoid giving a recorded statement to the other side’s insurer.
- Talk to a Metairie personal injury lawyer before accepting any offer.
How long you have to file a personal injury claim in Louisiana
Louisiana gives you two years from the date of an injury that occurred on or after July 1, 2024. Earlier injuries fall under the old one-year deadline. Once the deadline passes, the court can dismiss your case no matter how strong it is, so it pays to act early while evidence is fresh.
Frequently asked questions
Do you have an office in Metairie?
We serve Metairie clients from our New Orleans office on Canal Street, a short drive from anywhere in town. We keep the process convenient for injured clients across Jefferson Parish, and when travel is difficult because of an injury, we make arrangements to come to you or meet by phone.
What if the insurance company already made me an offer?
Speak with a lawyer before you accept anything. Early offers are often far below the full value of a claim, and signing usually ends your right to seek more, even if your condition later worsens. We can review the offer for free and tell you whether it reflects what your case is actually worth.
How are car and truck accident claims different?
Truck cases tend to be larger and more complex, involving commercial insurers, federal safety rules, and sometimes multiple responsible companies. They also require fast action to preserve logs and electronic data. We adjust our investigation to the type of crash so the right evidence is secured before it can disappear.
What if I was partly to blame for the accident?
You can still recover, as long as you are found less than 51% at fault under Louisiana’s comparative-fault rule. Your award is reduced by your share of responsibility. Because insurers exaggerate a victim’s fault to cut payouts, having a lawyer document what happened directly affects how much you receive.
How long will my case take to resolve?
It depends on the severity of your injuries and whether the insurer disputes fault. Straightforward claims can settle in a matter of months, while serious cases that head toward trial take longer. We move your case forward steadily and keep you informed so there are no surprises along the way.
How much is my case worth?
It depends on your injuries, your lost income, the cost of future care, and the lasting effect on your life. No lawyer can promise a figure up front, but we can give you a realistic range after reviewing the details of your accident during a free consultation.
Why trust Allan Berger & Associates, P.L.C.?
Founded by Allan Berger in 1975, our firm has spent nearly five decades representing injured people and families across Louisiana. Attorney Berger and attorney Andrew J. Geiger have both been named Super Lawyers, and the firm holds the AV Preeminent® rating from Martindale-Hubbell, the highest peer rating for legal skill and ethics. Gambit Weekly and Louisiana Legal Leaders have recognized our work as well.
Insurance carriers know we prepare every case for trial, and that reputation gives our clients an advantage when it comes time to settle. From our office on Canal Street, we treat every Metairie client’s case with the preparation and personal attention it deserves.
You pay nothing unless we win, and your first consultation is always free.
Talk to a New Orleans personal injury lawyer today at 504-526-2222 or send us a message online to schedule your free consultation.