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NEW ORLEANS PERSONAL INJURY LAWYERS

INJURED? Get Smiley.

Injured? Get Silver Law On Your Side Did someone injure you in NOLA? A New Orleans injury attorney from Smiley Law Firm can help. We fight for your rights and handle your case with confidence!

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The legal process can be stressful and complex.

When someone hurts you or someone you love through their negligence or intentional wrongdoing, you have every right to pursue compensation and justice.Severe injuries often come with lifelong expenses.

You shouldn’t have to pay for someone else’s negligence, and you need a dedicated New Orleans personal injury lawyer to ensure you get the most money possible out of a settlement or damages award.Our personal injury attorneys at Smiley Law Firm handle the entire legal process for you. After assessing your case, we can assist with filing your claim and negotiating on your behalf to achieve the best settlement. If the other side refuses to offer a fair settlement, we’re prepared to fight for you in court.As a leading New Orleans personal injury law firm, we’ve helped countless people just like you—and you can rely on us for personalized, compassionate representation each step of the way.Contact us today for a free consultation and discover the difference we can make in your case.

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Types of Personal Injuries

Personal injuries result from a variety of circumstances. Common scenarios include:

In worst-case scenarios, people die due to another party’s carelessness or intentional misconduct. Our New Orleans personal injury lawyers can assist with pursuing wrongful death claims against those responsible.

Compensation Available for Personal Injuries

You can obtain various forms of compensation from a personal injury claim, such as:

Economic Damages

These are measurable financial losses directly caused by the injury. Examples include:

  • Medical Expenses: Costs of past, current, and future medical treatment, including hospital stays, surgeries, physical therapy, medications, and assistive devices.
  • Lost Wages: Compensation for income lost during recovery due to the inability to work.
  • Loss of Earning Capacity: Compensation if the injury affects your ability to earn the same income in the future.
  • Property Damage: Reimbursement for repair or replacement of damaged property, such as vehicles in car accident cases.
  • Out-of-Pocket Expenses: Costs related to the injury, such as transportation to medical appointments or modifications to a home.

Non-Economic Damages

These compensate for intangible losses that don’t have a specific monetary value. Examples include:

  • Pain and Suffering: Physical pain and emotional distress caused by the injury.
  • Emotional Distress: Anxiety, depression, PTSD, or other mental health issues stemming from the injury.
  • Loss of Consortium: Compensation for the loss of companionship, affection, or support provided by a loved one, often claimed by spouses or family members.
  • Loss of Enjoyment of Life: Reduced ability to participate in activities or hobbies previously enjoyed.

Punitive Damages

These are awarded in cases where the defendant’s actions were particularly egregious or reckless.
  • Purpose: Unlike economic and non-economic damages, punitive damages are intended to punish the wrongdoer and deter similar conduct in the future.
  • Availability: Typically awarded in cases involving gross negligence, intentional misconduct, or malice.

Wrongful Death Damages

Compensation for the death of a loved one due to another party’s negligence or intentional harm. These may include:

  • Funeral and Burial Expenses: Costs associated with laying the deceased to rest.
  • Loss of Financial Support: The income the deceased would have provided to their dependents.
  • Loss of Companionship: Emotional damages for the grief and loss of relationship with the deceased.
  • Medical Expenses Before Death: Costs incurred for medical care before the deceased passed away.
The types and amounts of compensation you could receive depend on the severity of your injuries, the specifics of your case, and other factors. You must consult a personal injury attorney to understand the damages you can seek and how your attorney can help you maximize your compensation.
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Proving Liability in Personal Injury Claims

Every personal injury claim relies on four key elements. You need an attorney who can prove:
After establishing a claim, your attorney also has to prove your damages. To demonstrate damages in a personal injury case, a lawyer might use medical bills, testimony about your medical condition, and evidence of lost wages and loss of earning capacity. To prove non-economic damages, your attorney may have you or your loved ones testify about the impact of the injury on their life.
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Cases we handle

Personal Injury Practice Areas

At Smiley Law Firm, we handle a variety of personal injury cases. Our attorneys have decades of legal experience assisting clients with:

Consult A New Orleans Personal Injury Lawyer

  • Insurance companies often try to minimize or deny injury claims to protect their profits.
  • After a serious injury, you need an attorney who will protect your rights and fight for fair compensation.
  • A personal injury lawyer can help you secure proper medical treatment and recover damages for your losses.
  • Our team can evaluate your claim, negotiate with insurers, and take your case to court if necessary.
  • We are committed to helping injury victims pursue the maximum compensation available.
  • Contact us today to schedule a consultation and discuss your legal options.
Our Team

Meet The Team At Smiley Injury Law

Seth Smiley

Founder & Managing Attorney | Smiley Injury Law

When someone suffers a serious injury, everything can change in an instant.Medical bills begin to pile up. Insurance companies start asking for statements. Work may be missed. Families suddenly find themselves dealing with a legal and financial system they’ve never faced before.Seth J. Smiley founded Smiley Injury Law for one reason: to make sure injured people are not pushed around by insurance companies during one of the most difficult moments of their lives.Since becoming licensed in 2009, Seth has devoted his career to representing accident victims across Louisiana in serious personal injury cases involving car crashes, trucking accidents, unsafe property conditions, construction incidents, and other negligence claims.Over the course of his career, Seth and his team have helped clients recover tens of millions of dollars in compensation, providing injured individuals and families with the financial resources they need to move forward after life-changing accidents.Today, he leads a firm built entirely around protecting injured clients and maximizing the value of their cases through strategic preparation, aggressive negotiation, and clear client communication.

Smiley's Guide to Maximizing Your Personal Injury Claim

In this book you will learn more about how to handle a personal injury case. There are real life examples of how cases are handled. This is first hand information from a New Orleans personal injury attorney on the front lines who is familiar with fighting insurance companies.
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Path to Personal Injury Compensation

These steps can help you win the settlement you deserve if you’ve been injured in New Orleans:

1. Investigate Your Accident

Work with experienced personal injury lawyers and investigators to gather information that supports your claim.

2.Identify Who’s at Fault

Use evidence and information from your accident to pinpoint all at-fault parties and sue them for any damages you’ve suffered.

3.Calculate the Value of Your Claim

Determine how much your claim is worth by assessing the severity of your accident, the level of negligence contributed by all parties, and the various economic and non-economic damages you experienced because of the accident.

4.Prove Negligence Using Evidence

Use the evidence you gathered, such as witness testimony, photographs, and video footage, to prove who’s responsible for your accident and walk away with money in your pocket.

Here's What Our Happy Clients Say

What Our Clients Say About Us

Trusted By Injury Victims Across Louisiana
New Orleans Personal Injury FAQ

Your Questions Answered

The statute of limitations for personal injury claims in Louisiana is two years. You must contact a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible to ensure you file on time and protect your rights. If you miss the deadline, you may have no recourse to obtain the damages you deserve.

Louisiana’s comparative negligence law determines how fault affects your compensation after an accident.

Current Rule (through December 31, 2025): Louisiana follows pure comparative fault. You can recover damages even if you’re mostly at fault—your compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault. For example, if you’re 70% at fault, you can still recover 30% of your damages.

New Rule (effective January 1, 2026): Louisiana shifts to modified comparative fault under Act 15 of 2025:

  • If you’re 51% or more at fault, you cannot recover any damages
  • If you’re 50% or less at fault, you can recover damages reduced by your percentage of fault

Louisiana doesn’t regulate the amount you can receive in an injury claim unless the claim is for medical malpractice. Your attorney must account for all your economic and non-economic damages so you can recover the full amount you’re owed.

It depends. Although we try to settle most cases before trial, we may have to take your case to court if the defendant refuses to offer you the settlement you deserve.

A contingency fee is a method of payment that doesn’t require you to pay upfront for legal services. Our attorney fees are contingent upon us recovering compensation for you. We’ll discuss the contingency fee before moving forward with your case. This fee is usually a percentage of the settlement or court award we obtain on your behalf. Once we successfully resolve your case, you’ll pay us the agreed-upon percentage.

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No pressure. Speak to an attorney. No hidden fees.

Get in touch with our experienced legal team today. Whether you’re facing a legal issue or simply need professional advice, we’re here to listen, guide, and fight for your rights.
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