Reviewed and Verified by Attorney Allan Berger — Licensed in Louisiana since 1974.
A serious accident can turn a Gretna family’s life upside down overnight. Hospital bills arrive, work and income stop, and an insurance adjuster soon calls with an offer that rarely matches what you have lost. When someone else’s carelessness caused your injury, you deserve a lawyer who will stand up to the insurance company for you.
As a Gretna personal injury lawyer, Allan Berger & Associates, P.L.C. has represented injured people and families across the West Bank and greater New Orleans for nearly 50 years. We handle the investigation and the negotiation so you can focus on recovery.
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 Gretna 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 Gretna
Our firm represents clients across the full range of injury claims. That includes car, truck, and motorcycle accidents, pedestrian and bicycle crashes, and rideshare collisions involving Uber and Lyft. We also handle slip, trip, and fall injuries and other premises cases where a property owner failed to keep visitors safe.
Beyond traffic and premises claims, 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 give you an honest assessment of your case.
How a Gretna 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. 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 well and will try to shift blame onto you to cut what they pay, so documenting exactly what happened is one of the most valuable things we do.
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How a Gretna personal injury lawyer can help
After an accident the insurance company moves fast to protect itself, and an unrepresented claimant is at a real disadvantage. A personal injury attorney in Gretna changes that. We investigate early to secure the evidence that proves fault, including the police or incident report, witness statements, scene photographs, and any video that captured the crash. When the cause is contested or the injuries are serious, we bring in reconstruction, medical, and economic experts who can show both how the accident happened and what it will cost you.
We then take over every conversation with the insurer, so an adjuster cannot use your own words to undercut your claim. We document the full extent of your injuries with your doctors, calculate the true value of your losses, and negotiate firmly for a fair result. If the insurance company refuses to pay what your case is worth, your Gretna injury lawyer is ready to file suit and try it before a jury. You focus on healing while we handle the deadlines, the paperwork, and the pressure.
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, and hospital stays, as well as the future medical treatment and rehabilitation a serious injury often requires. They also include lost wages, any reduction in your ability to earn going forward, and the property damage from a wrecked 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 proves fatal, the claim can include those lasting harms and a family’s loss of support and companionship. We work to make sure nothing that applies to your case is overlooked.
What to do after an accident in Gretna
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 Gretna 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 the evidence is still fresh.
Frequently asked questions
Do you have an office in Gretna?
We serve Gretna and West Bank clients from our New Orleans office on Canal Street, a short trip across the river. We keep the process convenient for injured people throughout Jefferson Parish, and when an injury makes travel hard, we arrange to meet by phone or come to you instead.
What if the insurance company already made an offer?
Speak with a lawyer before you accept. Early offers are usually far below the real value of a claim, and signing typically ends your right to seek more, even if your condition worsens later. We review offers for free and tell you honestly whether one reflects what your case is actually worth.
Can I afford to hire a personal injury lawyer?
Yes. We handle these cases on a contingency fee, so there is nothing to pay up front and our fee comes only from a recovery, and only if we win. Your first consultation is free, which means you can understand your options without taking on any financial risk while you heal.
What if I was partly at fault for what happened?
You can still recover, as long as you are found less than 51% responsible under Louisiana’s comparative-fault rule. Your award is reduced by your share of the blame. Because insurers exaggerate a victim’s fault to lower payouts, having a lawyer document the facts 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 who was at fault. Some claims settle within months, while serious or contested cases that move toward trial take longer. We keep your case moving forward and update you at each stage so you always know where things stand.
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 Gretna 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.