Broussard Personal Injury Lawyer
A crash on the West Bank, a fall on a job site off the Westbank Expressway, or a wreck in a company truck can leave a Broussard resident with medical bills, missed paychecks, and an insurance adjuster asking for a recorded statement before the first follow-up visit. Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe PLLC is a workers’ compensation and injury law firm that represents injured people in Louisiana and Mississippi, including Broussard, Lafayette, and communities across south Louisiana.
If you are searching for a Broussard personal injury lawyer, it helps to know first that “personal injury” can mean two very different claims, and that a single accident sometimes produces both. A worker hurt on the job usually has a workers’ compensation claim against the employer’s insurer, which pays medical care and wage benefits regardless of fault. If someone else caused the injury, such as a negligent driver or a contractor who left a site unsafe, there may also be a separate tort claim against that outside party. Those two tracks run on different rules, different deadlines, and different forums, and they affect each other when it comes time to settle.
Broussard sits in Lafayette Parish, in the heart of Acadiana, where oilfield service work, construction, trucking, and agriculture put many people in physically dangerous jobs. That mix matters, because the person who gets hurt in a work truck on a Lafayette Parish road is frequently dealing with an employer’s insurer and a negligent driver’s insurer at the same time. Getting the sequence right early is often what protects the full value of the case.
Why Choose Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe for a Broussard Injury Claim
Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe PLLC represents injured workers and accident victims across Mississippi and Louisiana, serving Lafayette Parish and Broussard along with Baton Rouge, Lake Charles, Shreveport, New Orleans, and the rest of south Louisiana. The firm’s attorneys bring over 75 years of combined experience, and the firm has recovered more than $100 million in settlements for its clients. Consultations are free, the firm advances the costs of the case, and there is no fee unless benefits or a settlement are recovered. Phones are answered 24 hours a day, and Spanish-speaking clients can work with the team in Spanish from the first call.
The results reflect the kinds of injuries that come out of working life in this region: a $685,000 settlement for a surgical tech with a lower back injury, $600,000 for a construction worker with a complex back injury, $385,000 for a project manager injured when his work vehicle was struck, and $221,000 for a land-based oil rig worker with severe burns. Those last two matter for Broussard readers in particular, because they show the firm handling the exact overlap between a work injury and an outside party’s negligence, and the oilfield injuries common to this part of Louisiana.
Rob Lunsford, Founding Partner, has spent his entire legal career representing injured workers. Brad Baskin and Jennifer Priebe, both Partners, have been recognized by Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers, and The National Trial Lawyers, and the firm was ranked by Best Law Firms for Workers’ Compensation Law, Claimants, in Jackson. Andrew Rueff has successfully tried dozens of jury and bench trials to verdict and has argued injury and insurance cases before state appellate courts. Keaton Belk and Erin Heimlicher round out the attorney team. Client reviews consistently mention attorneys who listened carefully, stayed professional, and stood up to the insurance company at every stage.
Injury Situations That Bring Broussard Residents to a Lawyer
- Work truck and commercial vehicle collisions: A driver hit while on the clock often has a workers’ compensation claim and a liability claim against the at-fault driver. Coordinating the two matters because the comp insurer may be entitled to be repaid from a third-party recovery.
- Oilfield and industrial injuries: Rig work, pipe handling, and plant maintenance around south Louisiana produce burns, crush injuries, and shoulder and back damage. Comp benefits cover the worker, and a negligent contractor or equipment maker may add a separate claim.
- Back, neck, and spine injuries: Disc herniations are among the most common serious injuries and the most disputed, because insurers routinely blame degenerative disc disease rather than the accident or the physical demands of the job.
- Shoulder and knee tears: Rotator cuff tears, SLAP tears, ACL injuries, and meniscus tears often need surgery. Employers sometimes call them old sports injuries, so medical evidence tying the tear to the incident is central.
- Fractures and surgical repairs: Broken feet, ankles, and hips can mean specialists, hardware, and long recovery periods away from work, which makes wage benefits and ongoing treatment approvals critical.
- Burns and catastrophic injuries: Severe burns and life-altering trauma at industrial sites involve permanent disability questions, lifelong medical needs, and benefits well beyond temporary wage replacement.
- Premises liability: Falls on unsafe property, including a contractor’s poorly maintained job site, can support a claim against the property owner or contractor separate from any comp claim.
- Wrongful death: When a workplace or road accident takes a life, families may pursue death benefits and, where another party was at fault, a separate wrongful death action.
What to Do in the Days After an Injury in Lafayette Parish
Get medical care first, and tell every provider how the injury happened, because early records become the backbone of the claim. If the injury happened at work, report it to your employer promptly. Louisiana law bars a compensation proceeding unless the employer receives notice within thirty days of the injury, and the formal claim generally must be filed within one year of the accident, with a possible extension to three years from the last compensation payment if benefits have been paid. Do not let the thirty-day notice slip while you wait to see whether the pain improves.
If another driver or a third party caused the harm, the deadline for the separate injury claim is different. For injuries on or after July 1, 2024, Louisiana gives two years from the day the injury was sustained to bring a delictual action; earlier injuries remain under the former one-year period. Because two clocks may be running at once, it is worth speaking with a lawyer well before either one approaches. Gather photographs, the crash report, witness names, your pay records, and every medical bill and prescription receipt, and keep a simple log of symptoms and missed work.
Be careful with insurance adjusters. A recorded statement given in the first week, before you know the full extent of your injuries, can be used to argue the accident was minor or that something else caused your condition. You can decline to give one until you have spoken with counsel. Also avoid returning to work before your doctor clears you, and do not accept a quick settlement offer that does not account for future surgery or permanent restrictions.
If your comp claim is disputed in Louisiana, it is heard by a workers’ compensation judge through the Office of Workers’ Compensation Administration, and the worker chooses where to file among the parish where the injury happened, the parish where the worker lived when hurt, or the parish of the employer’s principal place of business. A final judgment can be appealed, and Lafayette Parish cases go to the Louisiana Third Circuit Court of Appeal. An appeal that suspends the judgment must be filed within thirty days; one that does not suspend it has sixty days.
When Fault and Comparative Blame Reduce a Claim
Workers’ compensation does not depend on fault, so a worker who made a mistake can still receive medical and wage benefits. The outside injury claim is different. Louisiana now bars recovery entirely for a claimant found 51 percent or more at fault on causes of action arising on or after January 1, 2026, and a lower share of fault reduces the award proportionally. Earlier claims remain under pure comparative fault. This makes the early evidence, such as photographs, dashcam footage, and witness statements, more valuable than ever, since insurers will look for any way to push a claimant’s share of blame upward.
There is also the question of how the two recoveries fit together. A comp insurer that has paid medical bills and wage benefits generally has a claim to be reimbursed from what you recover from the at-fault party, so settling one claim without regard to the other can leave money on the table or create disputes later. Structuring the claims together is a large part of what a firm that handles both sides of this overlap does.
Frequently Asked Questions About Broussard Injury Claims
Do I need a lawyer after an injury in Broussard?
Not every minor claim requires one, but if benefits have been denied, delayed, reduced, or cut off, or if your injury will keep you out of work for a long time, a lawyer can make a major difference. The insurance company has adjusters and attorneys looking out for its interests, and you should have someone doing the same for yours.
How much does it cost to hire the firm?
Nothing up front. Consultations are free, the firm advances the costs of the case, and fees are collected only if benefits or a settlement are recovered. In workers’ compensation cases, attorney fees are also limited and approved under state law.
How long do I have to report a work injury in Louisiana?
You should report it right away, and the law requires notice to your employer within thirty days of the injury. Missing that window can jeopardize the entire claim, so do not wait until you are sure the injury is serious.
How long do I have to file a workers’ compensation claim?
A formal claim generally must be filed within one year of the accident. If compensation payments have been made, the period may extend to three years from the last payment. Because exceptions depend on the facts, speak with an attorney as soon as possible.
What is the deadline for suing the driver who hit me?
For injuries on or after July 1, 2024, Louisiana provides two years from the day the injury was sustained. Injuries before that date remain under the older one-year period. These are separate from your workers’ compensation deadlines.
Can I receive workers’ compensation and also sue someone else?
Often, yes. If someone other than your employer caused the injury, you may have a comp claim and an injury claim at the same time. The two have to be coordinated because the comp insurer may be entitled to reimbursement from your third-party recovery.
What if I was partly at fault for the accident?
Fault does not affect workers’ compensation benefits. In the outside injury claim, Louisiana bars recovery if you are found 51 percent or more at fault on claims arising on or after January 1, 2026, and a smaller share reduces your award proportionally.
What if the insurer says my injury is just a pre-existing condition?
A pre-existing condition does not automatically end a claim. If your work or the accident caused, worsened, or sped up the condition, you may still be entitled to benefits. Answering this argument with strong medical evidence is a core part of the firm’s work.
What can I do if the insurer denies a treatment my doctor ordered?
In Louisiana, a medical treatment denial can be disputed through the utilization review process. The aggrieved party has 15 calendar days from receiving written notice of the denial to file Form 1009 with the Office of Workers’ Compensation Administration, and the medical director then has 30 calendar days to decide. A further challenge to that decision must be filed within 45 days of its issuance.
Can I be fired for filing a claim?
Louisiana and Mississippi both protect workers from retaliation for filing a compensation claim. If you were let go or punished after reporting an injury, tell the firm during your consultation so your options can be reviewed.
Will I get my full wages while I am out of work?
No. Wage benefits are a percentage of your average wages, generally two-thirds, and the weekly amount is subject to a maximum that is set annually and fixed by the date of your accident. If you return to work at reduced pay, supplemental earnings benefits can make up part of the difference, for up to 520 weeks, with temporary total disability weeks counting toward that limit.
Does the firm handle cases outside Louisiana?
Yes. The firm also represents injured workers and accident victims across Mississippi, and Spanish-speaking clients can work with the team in Spanish throughout the case.
Serving Injured Clients From Broussard Across Lafayette Parish and South Louisiana
Starting in Broussard, the firm represents injured workers and accident victims throughout Lafayette Parish, including Lafayette itself, Youngsville, Scott, Carencro, and Duson, and into the neighboring parishes of Acadia, Vermilion, Iberia, St. Martin, and St. Landry, where many Acadiana workers commute or are assigned to job sites. Coverage extends east toward Baton Rouge and west toward Lake Charles, along the corridors where oilfield, construction, and trucking work generates serious injuries.
The firm also serves clients across the rest of south Louisiana, including New Orleans, and through north Louisiana to Shreveport, and it represents injured people throughout Mississippi, from Jackson, Madison, and Hattiesburg to the Gulf Coast, Southaven, and the Delta. Whatever the parish or county, the work is the same: getting medical care approved, benefits paid, and any outside party held responsible.
Talk With a Broussard Injury Attorney Today
If you are looking for a Broussard injury attorney who understands how work injuries and outside-party claims fit together, Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe PLLC can review your situation at no cost. Phones are answered around the clock, consultations are free, and you pay no fee unless the firm recovers benefits or a settlement for you. Call today to talk through what happened and what deadlines may already be running.
