Westwego Personal Injury Lawyer
Westwego sits at the foot of the Huey P. Long Bridge, ringed by the industrial corridor along the river, and the people who live and work here know how often an ordinary shift or an ordinary drive ends in an emergency room. If you were hurt in Westwego, you are probably weighing whether to call a lawyer, whether to talk to the other driver’s insurer, and what to do about a paycheck that just stopped. Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe PLLC is a law firm that represents injured people across Louisiana and Mississippi, and a Westwego personal injury lawyer from our team can help you sort out those decisions before they cost you money.
Many injuries in this part of Jefferson Parish have two claims tangled together. A worker struck by a negligent driver in a company truck, or hurt on a job site run by a contractor who is not his employer, may have workers’ compensation benefits and a separate injury claim against the person who caused the harm. Handled carelessly, one claim can undercut the other. Handled together, they can reinforce each other.
Louisiana also changed the rules on fault recently, and the change matters to anyone who was even partly to blame for a crash. We will get to that below.
Why Choose Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe for a Westwego Injury Claim
Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe PLLC represents injured workers and accident victims throughout Louisiana and Mississippi, including Westwego, the rest of Jefferson Parish, and communities across South Louisiana. That focus matters in an injury case because so many of them begin at work: a delivery driver hit on the road, a plant worker burned on site, a project manager struck while driving a company vehicle.
The results reflect that. The firm has recovered more than $100 million in settlements for clients, including $685,000 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 he was struck in his work vehicle, and $221,000 for a land-based oil rig worker with severe burns. Insurance companies price claims based on who they think will push back, and a record like this tells them we do.
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 personal injury and insurance cases before state appellate courts. Keaton Belk and Erin Heimlicher round out the attorney team.
Clients tell us the same things in their reviews: that the team listened, explained what was happening, and stood up to the insurance company. You pay nothing up front, consultations are free, we advance the costs of your case, and we are paid only if we recover for you. Our phones are answered around the clock, and hablamos español.
Injury Claims We Handle for Westwego and West Bank Residents
- Car and Truck Accidents: The approaches to the Huey P. Long Bridge, the Westbank Expressway, and the truck traffic feeding the river industrial corridor put commuters and commercial vehicles in the same lanes. Crashes involving delivery drivers and haulers often implicate an employer’s insurance as well as the at-fault driver’s.
- Work Vehicle Crashes: If you were driving for your employer when another driver hit you, workers’ compensation pays your medical care and part of your wages, and a claim against the other driver can cover what comp does not.
- Premises Liability: Falls in poorly lit parking lots, wet store floors, and neglected apartment stairwells can support a claim against the owner or operator. Proof usually turns on whether the owner knew, or should have known, about the hazard.
- Third-Party Job Site Injuries: Dock, plant, and construction work along the river often involves multiple companies on one site. A subcontractor or equipment owner who is not your employer may be liable in addition to comp.
- Burns and Catastrophic Injuries: Industrial and oilfield settings produce severe burns, crush injuries, and permanent impairment, where long-term medical needs and lost earning capacity drive the value of the claim.
- Back, Neck, and Spine Injuries: Herniated discs after a collision or a fall are common and often disputed, with insurers pointing to degenerative changes. Strong medical evidence separates a pre-existing condition from an injury that was caused or made worse.
- Wrongful Death: When a fatal crash or workplace incident takes a family member, surviving relatives may bring claims against those responsible, on a deadline that differs from ordinary injury claims.
What to Do After Getting Hurt in Westwego
Get medical care first, and get it the same day if you can. Emergency rooms and urgent care clinics on the West Bank will document your injuries, and that record becomes the backbone of your claim. Gaps in treatment let insurers argue you were not really hurt. Follow your doctor’s instructions, keep every discharge paper and bill, and tell each provider exactly how the injury happened.
For a crash, call the police so a report exists, photograph the vehicles, the road, and any visible injuries, and collect names and numbers from witnesses. Do not apologize, and do not guess about fault. If the other driver’s insurer calls, you are not required to give a recorded statement, and anything you say about how you feel can be quoted back to you.
If you were hurt on the job, report it to your employer promptly and in writing. In Louisiana, notice of a work injury should go to your employer within 30 days, and a formal workers’ compensation claim generally must be filed within one year of the injury. If an insurer denies your treatment, a utilization review dispute must be filed with the Office of Workers’ Compensation within 15 calendar days of the written denial. Workers’ compensation judges decide these disputes, and a final judgment can be appealed to the Louisiana Court of Appeal. Because Westwego is in Jefferson Parish, appeals from that parish go to the Fifth Circuit, which covers Jefferson, St. Charles, St. James, and St. John the Baptist parishes.
For injury claims outside the comp system, Louisiana now gives you two years from the day you were injured to sue in most cases arising from injuries on or after July 1, 2024. Older injuries stay under the former one-year period. Do not treat two years as a comfortable cushion. Evidence disappears, witnesses move, and surveillance video gets overwritten long before a deadline arrives.
The most common mistakes are signing a release or taking a quick settlement before you know the full extent of your injury, posting about your activities on social media, and returning to work before your doctor clears you. Call us before you do any of those things.
How Louisiana’s Fault Rules Affect Your Recovery
Louisiana law reduces your recovery by your share of the blame, and for causes of action arising on or after January 1, 2026, it goes further: a claimant found 51 percent or more at fault recovers nothing. Below that line, the award is reduced in proportion to your fault. Jurors are told about the bar, which means every percentage point the defense can shift onto you carries real weight.
That makes the fight over fault central, not secondary. Insurers will look for any argument that you were speeding, distracted, not watching, or ignoring a warning. Early evidence, such as photographs, witness statements, vehicle data, and the police report, is how we answer that.
Where Comp and Injury Claims Overlap
A worker hurt by a third party typically receives workers’ compensation for medical treatment and wage replacement, then pursues the negligent party for losses comp does not cover, such as pain and suffering. The comp insurer may have a right to be repaid from the third-party recovery, so the order of settlements and the way they are structured can change what you actually keep. This is where handling both claims under one roof pays off.
Westwego Personal Injury Questions, Answered
How much does it cost to hire a personal injury lawyer in Westwego?
Nothing up front. Consultations are free, we advance the costs of the case, and we are paid only if we recover for you.
How long do I have to file an injury lawsuit in Louisiana?
For injuries on or after July 1, 2024, a delictual action generally must be filed within two years of the day the injury or damage was sustained. Earlier injuries fall under the former one-year period. Workers’ compensation and wrongful death have their own deadlines.
What is the deadline for a wrongful death claim?
Louisiana allows one year from the date of death or two years from the day the injury was sustained, whichever is longer. A wrongful death claim based on medical malpractice stays limited to one year from the death.
What if I was partly at fault for the accident?
Your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault. For causes of action arising on or after January 1, 2026, being found 51 percent or more at fault bars recovery entirely, so how fault gets assigned can decide the case.
Can I have a workers’ comp claim and a personal injury claim at once?
Yes, when someone other than your employer caused the injury, such as a negligent driver or an outside contractor. The two claims should be coordinated so a settlement in one does not damage the other.
Do I have to give the other driver’s insurance company a recorded statement?
No. You can decline and have your attorney communicate with the adjuster. Casual remarks about your pain or the crash are often used to minimize a claim.
Will my health insurance cover treatment while my claim is pending?
Often it will, and many people treat through health insurance and recover those costs later through the claim. Keep every bill and explanation of benefits, because your insurer may seek reimbursement from any settlement.
Is it worth hiring a lawyer for a smaller injury?
If you recovered quickly and your bills are small, you may not need one. If you have ongoing pain, missed work, or an insurer that is pushing a fast offer, a consultation is free and will tell you where you stand.
How long does a personal injury case take?
It depends on the severity of the injury, how hotly fault is disputed, and whether you have reached maximum medical improvement. Settling before you know your long-term medical needs is a common and costly mistake, so a case rarely resolves faster than your treatment does.
What if my employer fired me after I got hurt at work?
Louisiana and Mississippi both protect workers from retaliation for filing a comp claim. Tell us during your consultation so we can review what happened and your options.
Do you speak Spanish?
Yes. Hablamos español, and Spanish-speaking clients can work with our team in their own language from the first call to the end of the case.
Serving Injured People in Westwego and Across Jefferson Parish
We represent clients in Westwego and the neighboring West Bank communities of Marrero, Harvey, Gretna, Avondale, Bridge City, Waggaman, and Estelle. Across the river, we also serve people in Metairie, Kenner, River Ridge, Harahan, and New Orleans. Moving outward, our team helps injured workers and accident victims throughout South Louisiana, including Baton Rouge, Lafayette, and Lake Charles, and in north Louisiana, including Shreveport. We also represent clients across Mississippi, from Jackson and Madison to the Gulf Coast, Hattiesburg, Southaven, and the Delta.
Talk With a Westwego Personal Injury Attorney Today
If you were hurt in a crash, on a job site, or on someone else’s property, a Westwego personal injury attorney from Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe can review what happened, explain how any workers’ compensation claim fits with an injury claim, and tell you what your case is realistically worth. Our phones are answered 24 hours a day, consultations are free, and you pay no fee unless we recover for you. Call us today and tell us what happened.
