When someone else’s recklessness or negligence directly or indirectly causes you to endure severe injuries, that individual or entity should be brought to justice.
However, when a government agency is to blame for your accident, your case will immediately become more complex due to a law known as government immunity. Below, we describe what government immunity is and what you can do to ensure the liable party repays you for the damage they’ve caused.
What Is Government Immunity?
Governmental immunity, also known as sovereign immunity, is a law that essentially states that government agencies cannot be held accountable in civil court for liability. However, most states in the U.S. have waived said immunity under specific circumstances.
In Louisiana, for example, claims can be brought against the state or its agencies in personal injury cases, but the damages sought must not be more than $500,000. Now, for many injured individuals, it is fairly easy to reach that sum, but fortunately, this limit does not include recovery of compensation for things such as your loss of income, damage to your earning capacity, healthcare costs, and other economic damages.
It is also important to note that if a government employee was acting within the scope of their responsibilities, the agency will attempt to get out of being held liable through the government immunity law. For this reason, you may need to reach out to a knowledgeable personal injury attorney who can help you figure out how to proceed with your claim.
Ways You Can Hold a Government Agency Accountable
There are a couple of different ways you can fight to bring the liable government agency in your case to justice. Typically, we will start off by filing a claim with the insurance company, if applicable. We may need to negotiate with the insurer in order to obtain maximum repayment of your losses, and even then, they may not be required to cover the full extent of your damages.
From there, we will need to determine whether it’s in your best interests to bring your case to court to obtain the remaining compensation for losses that are not covered by the insurance company. You can expect your attorney to fully examine the details of your accident before advising you either way.
Although you may have concerns about bringing a claim against a government agency, when someone else is to blame, even if it’s the government, they should cover your costs.
Contact a Qualified Louisiana Personal Injury Lawyer
Bringing a claim against a state agency can be intimidating, but when you have an experienced Louisiana personal injury lawyer from the Law Office of Braud & Gallagher representing your case, you can rest easier knowing we won’t back down when it comes to fighting for the compensation you deserve.
To learn more about how our firm could help with your claim against a government agency, come in for a free consultation. You can schedule yours by completing the online contact form at the bottom of this page or by giving our firm a call at 1-800-256-5674.
