Vehicle Accident Attorney

Car Accidents in Louisiana

Every year, Americans spend a combined total of more than one million days in the hospital from automotive crash injuries, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). These injuries can range from relatively minor instances of whiplash to serious cases of head injury or even death.

In 2012, more than 2.5 million Americans went to the emergency room for crash injuries, and 200,000 of them were hospitalized. All of those injuries cause incredible pain and sorrow to American families. Total lifetime medical costs incurred in accidents added up to $18 billion during 2012, and the injured individuals lost a total of $33 billion in lifetime work.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident due to another driver’s negligence, contact our car accident lawyer in Alexandria, LA at the Chris J. Roy, Jr. APLC for a free consultation. You can also reach us by phone at 318.487.9537. The consultation is free, and you don’t pay any out-of-pocket expenses until we’ve successfully concluded your claim.

Common Injuries in Car Accidents

Every injury has the potential to be serious. When vehicles collide at high speeds, there is the possibility of almost any type of injury occurring. That being said, here are a few of the more common injury types in automotive accidents:

• Neck Injuries – the most common form of injury in car accidents is whiplash. This occurs when the force of an accident causes a person’s head to move forward and back extremely quickly, leading to strain on the ligaments of the neck. Most cases of whiplash resolve themselves over time, but more serious neck injuries can require intensive treatment.
• Leg and Knee Injuries – this type of injury usually occurs when parts of a vehicle are damaged and put serious pressure on a person’s lower body. These injuries vary widely in severity, ranging from minor cuts and scrapes to crushed legs or amputation.
• Broken Bones– a broken bone is always a serious injury calling for emergency care. The most severe broken bones are called compound fractures. This is where the bone actually pierces the skin and protrudes.

While none of these injuries is pleasant, none of them have the same potential for severity as the last two of the five most common injury types: spinal and head injuries.

Spinal Injuries

Like the other injuries mentioned above, spinal injuries vary widely in severity. Serious spinal injuries can result in complete or incomplete paralysis.

Depending on the part of the spine injured in the accident (referred to as the “neurological level”), a person suffering from a spinal injury might be paralyzed in one of two ways. In tetraplegia (also known as quadriplegia), a person’s arms, hands, trunk, legs, and pelvic organs are all affected. In paraplegia, only the trunk, legs, and pelvic organs are affected.

Spinal injuries have the potential to radically and permanently alter a person’s quality of life. Know the signs of a serious spinal injury, and contact emergency services immediately if you suspect someone has experienced this type of injury.

Head Injuries

Head injuries can range from a slight bump to a concussion to a variety of other potentially damaging brain injuries.

The common signs of a minor head injury include headache, lightheadedness, a spinning sensation, mild confusion, nausea, and a temporary ringing in the ears.

Common signs of a severe head injury can include any of the symptoms of a minor injury as well as a loss of consciousness, seizures, vomiting, balance problems, disorientation, inability to focus the eyes, abnormal eye movements, loss of muscle control, persistent headache, memory loss, changes in mood, and leaking of a clear fluid from the ears or nose.

If you suspect that someone has experienced a serious head injury, don’t wait. Contact emergency services as soon as you can.

Contact Our Alexandria, Louisiana Auto Accident Lawyer For Your Free Consultation

If you or a loved one has suffered a personal injury because of the negligence of another driver, contact the personal injury attorney law firm of Chris J. Roy, Jr. APLC. A native of Louisiana and an LSU graduate, Chris J. Roy, Jr. is a third-generation auto accident lawyer and has been practicing for 30 years. Our auto accident attorneys have the knowledge, experience, and resources to help you pursue your claim and get the compensation you deserve. Practicing out of offices in Alexandria, Chris and his team are available to answer your questions or provide a free consultation; contact us online or call us at 318.487.9537. The consultation is free, and you pay no out-of-pocket expenses or fees until we have successfully concluded your claim.

Auto Accident Attorney in Alexandria, LA

Most of us don’t give much thought to the different classes of vehicles out on the road. A car is a car, a truck is a truck, right? While that’s true, the law separates vehicles into categories based on a number of factors, such as their weight, their purpose, and their cargo. There are also various types of driver’s licenses connected to each one that a person must obtain before he or she can legally operate a vehicle within that category. A vehicle’s classification and that of a driver’s license can be extremely important when there is an accident. A successful personal injury suit can hinge on these details.

Auto accident attorney Chris J. Roy, Jr. knows how to create an effective case to secure maximum compensation. By choosing Chris J. Roy, Jr. Law Firm, you will benefit from nearly three decades of experience and skilled representation. If you have suffered a serious injury or lost someone you love in a commercial vehicle accident in Alexandria, Pineville, Rapides Parish, Grant Parish, or anywhere in Central Louisiana, contact our auto accident attorney in Alexandria, Chris J. Roy, Jr. by calling 1-318-487-9537.

Here in Louisiana, there are five general kinds of licenses: three for commercial drivers, one for chauffeurs, and one for those who want to drive a personal vehicle (those who want to operate motorcycles must get an endorsement for their existing license).

• Class A drivers are considered combination vehicle permit holders who can drive all commercial vehicles or a combination of commercial vehicles with a gross weight of 26,001 lbs. or more.
• Class B drivers are considered heavy straight vehicle permit holders who can drive any vehicle within Classes C, D, and E, plus any single vehicle with a gross vehicle weight of more than 26,001 lbs.
• Class C drivers are considered light vehicle permit holders who can drive any vehicle within Classes D and E, plus any single vehicle less than 26,001 lbs.
• Class D drivers are considered chauffeur’s license holders who can drive any vehicle within Class E plus any single motor vehicle used in commerce to transport passengers or property if the motor vehicle has a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) between 10,001 lbs. and 26,000 lbs.
• Class E drivers are considered personal vehicle holders who can drive any single motor vehicle under 10,001 lbs. GVWR or any such vehicle towing a vehicle not in excess of 10,000 lbs. GVWR.

Federal law defines an Alexandria Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) as one with a GVWR of 10,001 lbs. or more used in commerce to transport property or a certain number of passengers. Louisiana law further defines a commercial vehicle to mean every vehicle used or operated upon the public highway in connection with any business function except that of a common, contract, or charter carrier, and except vehicles owned and used by churches, church schools, and religious orders for their purposes.

So what is a common carrier? Generally, it is an individual or company that transports goods or people, and that is responsible for any possible loss of the goods during transport. These services are offered to the public under the authority given by a regulatory agency. It can be hard to tell sometimes in what capacity a vehicle is being used. For example, UPS, FedEx, and DHL offer so many services and have so many corporate divisions that it can be difficult to sort through the layers to get to the root of any shipment.

Courier vans, limousines, and box trucks are just some of the vehicles out there sharing the road, and they carry with them some particular risks. Delivery services that are under time constraints. Cargo that shifts en route. Insufficiently trained drivers on unfamiliar roads. Tired, impaired, or distracted drivers take shortcuts like speeding, failing to use directional signals, and not completely stopping at stop signs, or before turning right on red. Some are independent contractors, some are employees. Some may not be properly licensed or insured. Any of these scenarios can result in traffic wrecks, leaving innocent people with serious injuries – or worse.

For A Free Consultation, Contact Alexandria Auto Accident Lawyer Today

Central Louisiana delivery auto accident lawyer Chris J. Roy Jr., founder of the Chris J. Roy, Jr. Law Firm in Alexandria, understands that life after an accident can be overwhelming. He seeks to ease the financial, mental, and physical burden that the litigation process can add by consistently communicating with you, as well as handling the complicated details so you can focus on your recovery. While the firm is large enough to supply the necessary resources to handle any type of personal injury, it is also small enough to provide the individual attention that your case deserves. Chris J. Roy, Jr. will carefully examine all possible avenues for compensation to make sure you get the best recovery possible. A trusted advocate, Chris has handled hundreds of crash claims and takes pride in helping accident victims in Alexandria and throughout Louisiana.

As a former state legislator and a practicing auto accident lawyer for almost 30 years, I have fought for the rights of victims of negligence, nursing home neglect and abuse, and small businesses against those powerful special interests such as insurance companies. I will continue to do so for you if you honor me by allowing me to represent you. Call me today at 318-487-9537 or contact us online.