Frequently Asked Questions

At Kiefer & Kiefer, our personal injury lawyers charge what is called a “contingency” fee, or a percentage of the total fee won for your case. This means that we don’t get paid until you get paid for your injuries.

Personal injury lawyers like the ones here at Kiefer & Kiefer are legal professionals devoted to helping people who have been injured as the result of the negligence of another party. Our job is to guide you through the process of making a claim and filing a personal injury lawsuit — from the initial investigation to a potential settlement or taking your case to court if necessary.

Unfortunately, each personal injury lawsuit is different, and each one has its own timeline. Contacting an attorney right away is the best way to get an idea of how long your case could take and to ensure that it gets resolved as quickly as possible.

After your accident, check to see if you and other passengers are OK. If there are injuries, the first call you should make is to 911. Then, gather as much information and evidence as you can, including collecting the other driver’s contact information, taking photos of the vehicles and scene and collecting the contact information of any witnesses. Then, contact an experienced Louisiana car accident attorney.

In Louisiana, you may have as little as one year to file a car accident lawsuit before you’re barred from recovery. Because your time is so limited, it’s important to contact a personal injury attorney as soon as possible.

Most truck accident lawsuits in Louisiana revolve around the liability of the truck driver and their employer. But in some cases, there could be other parties at fault for the conditions that led to your accident, from the cargo shipper or truck manufacturer to other vendors involved. Your car accident attorney can help you determine who is at fault in your accident.

To establish who is liable for your accident, you should start by documenting evidence at the scene, filing a police report, and notifying your insurance company to create an official record of the accident. In truck accidents specifically, however, other pieces of element can also be helpful. These include:

• Dashboard cameras
• Driver hour logs
• Prior violations by the driver
• Event data recorders

In a “slip and fall” case, someone is injured because of a negligently maintained surface, such as a walkway or staircase. Many of these injuries happen while people are shopping or doing business in their community–for example, in a hotel or grocery store. Injuries from a slip and fall accident can range from fractures and sprains to traumatic brain injuries (TBIs).

Poorly-maintained properties can lead to serious injuries, which is why property owners are required by law to keep their property in a reasonably safe condition. Property owners who fail to meet this obligation are responsible for whatever preventable injuries their negligence causes.

Unfortunately, there’s no easy answer for this. If your home or personal property is damaged by hurricane winds, homeowners insurance may help cover the cost of repairs. However, most policies require separate flood insurance to cover any water damage caused by flooding or storm surge from a hurricane. And in many cases, insurance companies will try to keep from paying for any of it. That’s why you’ll want a personal injury attorney on your side–to ensure you get the compensation you deserve.

Waiting to see if your insurance company will help you after you’ve suffered losses from a hurricane is an unnecessary risk — especially when hurricane victims may have no way to determine the scope of their damages and its costs and the insurance company has the upper hand. At Kiefer & Kiefer, we’ve been helping New Orleans citizens with insurance claims for generations, and we’re ready to go head to head with your insurance company to get you the compensation you deserve.

In Louisiana, wrongful death occurs when “a person dies due to the fault of another” through negligence, medical malpractice, or an intentional act. Louisiana recognizes to different claims following a wrongful death:  a wrongful death claim made on behalf of certain individuals for the loss of their loved one as well as a survival claim, which is made on behalf of the decedent for any damages he or she had prior to their death.

Not everyone is allowed to file a wrongful death claim. Under Louisiana law, only certain family members are eligible, including:

• The surviving spouse or children of the deceased person
• The surviving parent or parents (if there are no spouse or children)
• The surviving siblings (if there are no spouse, children, or parents)
  the surviving grandparents of the deceased person can file the claim (if there is no spouse, children, parents, or siblings)
• If there are no surviving family members, the estate of the deceased person can bring the claim to court