New Orleans Streetcar Accident Lawyer
Convenient and charming, streetcars are a popular way to explore New Orleans, with access to work, school, shopping, and dining destinations throughout the city. While these historic trolleys are relatively safe, accidents still happen yearly, including collisions with vehicles and pedestrians and passengers falling as they board or exit. If this has happened to you, it can significantly impact your ability to earn a living and support your family. If you need a streetcar accident lawyer, schedule a free consultation with a New Orleans personal injury lawyer at Douglas & London.
We pursue maximum compensation for our clients’ pain and suffering, medical expenses, and lost wages. We are not afraid to take on the difficult cases. Our experience, care, and work ethic are second to none. We consult the best experts and specialists and give your case the attention it deserves. We produce extraordinary results. Contact us today for a free consultation.
Who Operates New Orleans Streetcars
The New Orleans Regional Transit Authority (RTA) owns and operates the city’s streetcars. As a large public agency dating back to 1979, the RTA has the human resources and funds to fight personal injury claims. Fortunately, this will not deter our team from seeking the compensation you deserve for injuries caused by another party’s negligence. If we determine the RTA is responsible for your accident, we are fully prepared to negotiate your settlement or take them to court.
Common Types of Streetcar Accidents in New Orleans
New Orleans’s four streetcar lines run around the clock, with 180 stations across the city. These trolleys share the roads with cars, trucks, busses, pedestrians, cyclists, and even mule-drawn carriages. As noted above, streetcar accidents can include collisions with pedestrians, bicyclists, cars, or passenger falls when riding, boarding, or exiting.
For many individuals, a slip on the trolley may cause nothing more than some bumps or bruises. However, more serious accidents can lead to debilitating and painful injuries, including broken bones, sprains and strains, neck and spine trauma, and traumatic brain injury (TBI.)
Common Causes of Streetcar Accidents in New Orleans
Part of our job as your New Orleans personal injury lawyer is to determine what caused the accident, which may include the following:
- Poorly-maintained tracks
- Streetcar equipment failures
- Hazardous weather, which can create poor visibility
- Negligent streetcar operators who engage in speeding, distracted, drunk, or fatigued driving
- Motorists who engage in aggressive or distracted driving or turn into the path of an oncoming streetcar.
- Pedestrian errors can include not crossing at designated areas or darting out between parked cars.
These types of cases often involve the city, and litigating against a municipal or governmental entity is often very complex.
Liability for Personal Injury Claims in Louisiana
Louisiana is a comparative negligence jurisdiction for personal injury claims. This means each party is assigned a percentage of fault based on their actions. If it is determined that you (the plaintiff) are partly at fault, your award is reduced based on that percentage.
For example, you board a trolley wearing inappropriate shoes for traveling on a streetcar. Due to an error of the operator, who was speeding, you lost your balance and fell. The accident resulted in a broken leg and some cuts and scrapes. However, you need surgery, physical therapy, and time off work to recover. In that scenario, both parties may share responsibility. If the court deems that you are 10 percent at fault and you are awarded $100,000, your damages award would be reduced by that percentage, and you would receive $90,000.
This is why you need an experienced team who will thoroughly investigate your case to accurately assess liability and help ensure you receive the maximum compensation for your injuries and losses.
New Orleans Statute of Limitations for a Streetcar Claim
In New Orleans, the statute of limitations for streetcar accidents and other personal injury claims is generally one year from the date of the accident. You may lose your right to sue if you wait too long to act. In addition to meeting the statute of limitations, evidence can be lost or erased, e.g., CCTV or dashcam footage, and witnesses may be difficult to locate or could forget what they saw.
It is best to consult an attorney in a timely manner so you can make informed choices about your case before the deadline to file a claim in Louisiana.
Contact Douglas & London for a Free Consultation
As one of Louisiana’s top personal injury firms, our streetcar accident lawyers will leverage our substantive resources to fight for your right to fair and reasonable compensation. Based in New Orleans and New York City, we represent clients nationwide. Schedule a free case evaluation with no obligation to hire us. Since we work on a contingency basis, there are no upfront legal fees.
