Lafayette Parish reported 4,525 crash injuries in 2024. In Broussard, the wrecks happen on US-90, the oilfield corridor running through town, at the US-90 and Ambassador Caffery Parkway interchange, and on LA-182, LA-89, and Albertson Parkway. The people hurt in them are taken to Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center on Ambassador Caffery Parkway in Lafayette, the nearest major emergency room. The Broussard Police Department on Highway 90 East writes the report inside the city limits, and Lafayette Parish suits, including Broussard’s, are filed and tried in the 15th Judicial District Court at 800 South Buchanan Street in Lafayette. Trey Morris Injury Lawyers handles Broussard cases from our Lake Charles office on Ihles Road, and in the first week we pull the report, request the emergency room records, and send preservation letters for the truck and dashcam data before it is overwritten.
The law that governs the claim is Louisiana law and it does not change from parish to parish. For injuries on or after July 1, 2024 you have two years to sue under La. C.C. Art. 3493.1. Trey Morris Injury Lawyers files a Broussard suit in the 15th Judicial District Court inside that period when the insurer will not pay a fair number.
Results for Louisiana Clients
- $409 MillionWrongful Death
A tragic case where an impaired driver of a commercial vehicle ran a red light, then collided with our client, causing serious bodily injury to the mother and the loss of life of her daughter.
- $49 MillionMotor Vehicle Accident
An impaired driver of a stolen vehicle driving the wrong way collided with our client head-on, resulting in brain injury and multiple broken bones.
- $32.2 MillionIndustrial / Workplace
Failure to maintain proper safety protocols led to an explosion at an industrial plant causing a series of catastrophic injuries from broken bones, burns, spinal injury, and mental anguish.
- $31.5 MillionIndustrial / Workplace
Brain and spinal injuries followed an oil-field company failing to maintain equipment and provide a safe work site.
- $17.2 MillionCommercial Vehicle Accident
Client was struck head-on by a disconnected load of an 18-wheeler that crossed the median causing broken bones and amputation.
- $13 MillionCommercial Vehicle Accident
On the interstate, an 18-wheeler failed to yield right of way then made an unsafe lane change causing the accident which resulted in major bone breaks, damaged organs, and ultimately a leg amputation.
Past results do not guarantee future outcomes; each case is decided on its own facts.
There are qualified personal injury attorneys serving Broussard and Lafayette Parish. You are here because something happened. Something serious enough to research legal options. No one reads lawyer websites until they need one.
This page explains how personal injury claims work in Louisiana, what the 2024-2026 tort reform changes mean for your case, and how to evaluate any attorney you are considering. Trey Morris Injury Lawyers has handled over 5,000 personal injury cases across Louisiana over 25 years. Our Lake Charles office serves the Acadiana region. Read this page. Compare us to other firms. Reach out when you’re ready.
High-Risk Roads and Crash Patterns in Lafayette Parish
Lafayette Parish reported 4,525 injuries and 31 fatalities from motor vehicle accidents in 2024. With over 172,000 licensed drivers in the parish, traffic volume on Broussard-area roads continues to increase.
US-90 runs through Broussard as a high-speed corridor carrying heavy commercial and oilfield traffic. This highway is the primary connection between Gulf Coast operations and inland service yards. The US-90 and Ambassador Caffery Parkway interchange is a known collision zone. Merging traffic patterns combined with rapid commercial development create congestion that did not exist five years ago.
LA-182, the old US-90, passes through downtown Broussard. It carries mixed commercial and residential traffic with pedestrian exposure near local businesses. LA-89, also known as South Morgan Avenue, connects Broussard directly to Lafayette. This commuter corridor sees increasing congestion as Broussard’s residential growth outpaces road infrastructure.
Broussard is one of the fastest-growing cities in Louisiana. New subdivisions and commercial developments generate construction traffic, unfamiliar road patterns, and temporary hazards that contribute to accidents. Louisiana State Police Troop I in Lafayette covers crash investigations on these roads and highway corridors.
Ask any attorney you are considering whether they know the specific roads and intersections where your accident happened. An attorney who handles Lafayette Parish cases regularly will know the US-90 corridor, the Ambassador Caffery interchange, and the LA-182 traffic patterns. That local knowledge matters when reconstructing what happened.
Local Office. Statewide Record.
- $1 Billion+
Recovered for Louisiana clients
Verdicts and settlements won across the state by the same trial team that handles Broussard cases.
- 11
Trial attorneys, one team
Your case is handled by the firm's own trial attorneys, and we respond in minutes, 24/7.
- 24/7
We come to you
Hospital, home, or our Lake Charles office at 4865 Ihles Road. Free case review, and no fee unless we win.
- 122
Cases resolved over $1 million
Verdicts and settlements of $1 million or more, won by the same trial team that handles Broussard cases.
Common Causes of Accidents in Broussard and Lafayette Parish
Distracted driving is a leading cause of collisions on US-90 and Ambassador Caffery Parkway. Commercial development along these corridors creates constant turning traffic. Drivers checking GPS or looking for businesses lose focus at the worst possible moments.
Speed-related crashes are common on US-90 where posted limits transition from 55 mph on the open corridor to lower speeds entering Broussard. Drivers who do not adjust create rear-end and intersection collisions. Rear-end crashes at traffic signals on LA-182 through downtown Broussard follow the same pattern.
Impaired driving accounts for a significant percentage of crashes on rural roads south of Broussard toward St. Martin Parish. Commercial truck and oilfield vehicle collisions on US-90 involve heavier vehicles traveling at highway speeds. The weight difference between an oilfield service truck and a passenger car means the occupants of the smaller vehicle absorb most of the impact force.
Pedestrian accidents occur near Broussard schools and the growing commercial district along Ambassador Caffery. The Louisiana Highway Safety Commission reports that Louisiana averages 1,400 pedestrian crashes per year statewide. Broussard’s growth increases foot traffic in areas that were not designed for pedestrians. Bicycle accidents happen on roads that lack dedicated cycling infrastructure. Motorcycle collisions are common at intersections where drivers fail to see smaller vehicles.
Some injuries do not appear immediately after a crash. Soft tissue damage, concussions, and internal injuries may take days or weeks to present symptoms. This is why medical evaluation after any accident matters even when you feel fine at the scene. Delayed symptoms do not weaken your claim, but gaps in medical documentation can.
Ask any attorney you are considering what steps they take to document the cause of an accident. Do they work with accident reconstructionists? Do they obtain traffic camera footage and witness statements within the first week? An attorney who investigates early builds a stronger case.
Local Roads and Recent Crashes in Broussard
Civil injury suits arising in the Lafayette Parish portion of Broussard are filed in the 15th Judicial District Court at the Lafayette Parish Courthouse, 800 South Buchanan Street in Lafayette; the Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court can be reached at (337) 291-6400 with a mailing address of P.O. Box 2009, Lafayette, LA 70502. The 15th JDC serves Lafayette, Acadia, and Vermilion Parishes together. Most of Broussard lies in Lafayette Parish, but a small eastern portion of the city extends into St. Martin Parish, where suits are filed in the 16th Judicial District Court in St. Martinville instead, so the parish line inside the city is also a courthouse line and the exact scene location controls venue.
The corridors that move Broussard traffic also generate its crash volume, and the single most important one is the US-90/Interstate 49 South conversion that runs along the city’s western edge. The I-49 South corridor covers roughly 160 miles between north Louisiana and the New Orleans area, and the stretch through Broussard carries more than 45,000 motorists per day. Inside the city limits, LaDOTD is building the US-90/Ambassador Caffery Parkway interchange, a $136 million, 3.08-mile project that widens US-90 to six lanes and replaces the at-grade signalized intersection with a grade-separated, access-controlled interchange. Construction began in August 2022, and reporting by The Advocate’s Acadiana desk has described the project as being in its third of five phases with completion expected in spring 2026, replacing what that reporting called “a four-way intersection that stopped traffic on the highway” with an elevated bridge. The transitional lane shifts, cone tapers, temporary signal patterns, and shifting merge points that come with a project of this size change the crash profile on the corridor from day to day. Preserving scene photos, lane-configuration documentation, and construction-plan revisions matters more than usual on a Broussard US-90 case because the layout on the ground may not match the layout depicted in a static map by the time the case is worked up.
Broussard’s other road profile is a legacy story. Louisiana Highway 182 historically ran directly through the city; in 2015 the route was rerouted around Broussard via LA 89-1 and US-90, and the retired in-town alignment survives as two locally- and state-auxiliary segments, LA 182-1 and LA 182-2, running a combined roughly 2.37 miles within Broussard and Lafayette. That legacy corridor, together with Ambassador Caffery Parkway and Albertson Parkway, moves the dense local retail and intersection traffic. Each corridor presents a different injury profile, from high-speed freight and oilfield-service collisions on US-90 to lower-speed rear-end and left-turn crashes near the city’s retail and industrial parks.
Some Broussard injuries involve a government defendant rather than a private one. A claim against the City of Broussard, Lafayette Parish, or LaDOTD for a road defect, a dangerous condition, or a government vehicle runs on the same prescriptive period as any other tort claim: two years for injuries on or after July 1, 2024 under La. C.C. Art. 3493.1, and the shorter deadline of La. C.C. Art. 3492 for injuries before that date. Louisiana requires nothing from you before the suit is filed. The 90-day rule comes after filing: under La. R.S. 13:5107(D), service of citation on the government defendant must be requested within 90 days of the date the action is commenced, or the suit may be dismissed without prejudice as to that defendant. On US-90, LaDOTD’s ongoing interchange work at Ambassador Caffery Parkway can put a state contractor, the state itself, or both in the caption when a construction-zone crash injures a driver.
Broussard Practice Areas
Car AccidentsRear-end, intersection, and highway collisions across Louisiana.
Truck Accidents18-wheeler and commercial-vehicle wrecks governed by federal trucking rules.
Catastrophic InjuryBrain, spinal-cord, amputation, and severe-burn injuries that change a life.
Wrongful DeathClaims brought by families after a fatal accident or act of negligence.
Premises LiabilitySlip-and-fall and unsafe-property injuries on someone else's premises.
Product LiabilityInjuries caused by defective or unreasonably dangerous products.
Oilfield AccidentsDrilling, pipeline, and refinery injuries across the energy sector.
Industrial AccidentsPlant, warehouse, and heavy-equipment injuries in industrial settings.
Offshore AccidentsRig, platform, and vessel injuries beyond the shoreline.
How Do Louisiana Personal Injury Claims Work?
Louisiana uses a four-element liability framework. You must prove the other party owed you a duty of care and breached it. You must then prove that breach caused your injuries and that you suffered actual damages. Every element must be established.
Comparative Fault
A legal rule that reduces your recovery by your percentage of fault. In Louisiana, if you are 51% or more at fault, you recover nothing. If you are 50% or less at fault, your damages are reduced proportionally.
Prescriptive Period
Louisiana’s term for statute of limitations. The legal deadline to file a lawsuit. For personal injury, it is two years from the date of injury under La. C.C. Art. 3493.1 (effective July 1, 2024).
Louisiana is a Comparative Fault state with a civil law tradition rooted in the Napoleonic Code. This makes Louisiana different from every other state except perhaps in its procedural framework. The terminology differs. Louisiana calls its filing deadline a Prescriptive Period instead of a statute of limitations. Estates go through successions, not probate. These distinctions matter in court.
preponderance of the evidence
The standard of proof in civil cases. You must show that your version of events is more likely than not. This is a lower standard than the “beyond a reasonable doubt” standard used in criminal cases.
The burden of proof in personal injury is preponderance of the evidence. You must show your version of events is more likely than not. This is a lower standard than criminal cases, but it still requires evidence.
Louisiana’s direct action statute (La. R.S. 22:1269) allows you to sue the at-fault driver’s insurance company directly. You do not have to name the individual driver as a defendant. This is unusual. Most states require you to sue the driver and bring the insurer in later. In Louisiana, you go straight to the entity that actually pays.
Most claims resolve through insurance negotiation before a lawsuit is filed. Filing a claim and filing a lawsuit are different steps. Your attorney sends a demand to the insurance company first. If the insurer does not offer a fair settlement, then a lawsuit is filed with the court.
Insurance adjusters monitor social media. Posts showing physical activity, travel, or social events can be used to argue your injuries are less severe than claimed. Any attorney you consult should advise you on what to post and what to avoid during an active claim.
Expert testimony strengthens complex cases. Accident reconstructionists establish how a collision happened. Medical experts connect your injuries to the accident. Vocational economists calculate lost earning capacity. Ask any attorney you are considering whether they work with these types of experts. An attorney who only handles simple fender-benders may not have the expert network for a serious injury case.
Louisiana Tort Reform and the 2024-2026 Law Changes
Louisiana reduced its filing deadline to two years, raised the fault bar to 51%, and changed collateral source rules between 2024 and 2026. These changes affect every case filed in Lafayette Parish.
For injuries on or after July 1, 2024, you have two years from the date of injury to file suit under La. C.C. Art. 3493.1. Injuries that happened before July 1, 2024 are governed by the shorter deadline of La. C.C. Art. 3492. Miss the deadline that applies to you and the claim is usually gone. There are narrow exceptions for minors and certain discovery rules, but for a Broussard wreck today the general rule is two years.
The comparative fault threshold changed to a 51% bar effective January 1, 2026 under La. C.C. Art. 2323 as amended by Act 15 of the 2025 Regular Session (HB 431). If you are found 51% or more at fault for the accident, you recover nothing. If you are 50% or less at fault, your damages are reduced by your share. Accidents before January 1, 2026 remain under the prior rule, where a plaintiff’s recovery was reduced by fault share with no cutoff.
Ask any attorney you are considering how they handle comparative fault disputes. Insurance adjusters build their strategy around pushing your fault percentage above 50%. Your attorney needs a documented approach for countering this. Trey Morris Injury Lawyers works with accident reconstructionists to establish fault percentages before the insurance company builds its narrative.
The collateral source rule changed as well. Insurers can now introduce evidence of payments from other sources, like health insurance, at trial. This can reduce what a jury awards. The jury trial threshold dropped from $50,000 to $5,000. More cases now qualify for jury trials, which changes litigation strategy for both sides.
These reforms tightened deadlines and raised the stakes on fault disputes. If an attorney you are considering cannot explain each of these changes and how they affect your specific case, that tells you something about their preparation.
What Compensation Does Louisiana Law Allow After an Injury?
Louisiana divides compensation into two categories. Economic damages cover measurable financial losses. Non-economic damages cover losses that do not have a receipt.
Economic damages include medical expenses, both past and future. Hospital bills, surgery, physical therapy, prescription medications, and any ongoing treatment you will need. For causes of action arising on or after January 1, 2026, past medical expenses are limited to what your health insurer or Medicare actually paid, plus your own deductibles and co-pays (La. R.S. 9:2800.27). Lost wages from missed work are recoverable. If your injuries reduce your future earning capacity, that loss is calculated by a vocational economist and recoverable as well. Property damage to your vehicle or other belongings is a separate economic damage category.
Loss of Consortium
A legal claim available to a spouse for the loss of companionship, affection, and support caused by the injured person’s condition. It is a separate damage category from the injured person’s own claims.
Non-economic damages include pain and suffering, mental anguish, and loss of enjoyment of life. These damages are real but harder to quantify. Louisiana does not cap non-economic damages in most personal injury cases. Loss of Consortium claims allow your spouse to recover separately for the impact your injuries have on your relationship.
Comparative fault reduces your compensation proportionally. If you are 20% at fault on a case worth $100,000, you receive $80,000. If you are 51% at fault, you receive nothing under the new law.
UM/UIM
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage. A provision in your own auto insurance policy that pays you when the at-fault driver has no insurance (UM) or not enough insurance (UIM) to cover your damages. Louisiana law requires insurers to offer it, and it can stack across multiple vehicles on your policy.
UM/UIM coverage protects you when the at-fault driver has no insurance or not enough insurance to cover your damages. Louisiana law requires insurers to offer this coverage. It can stack across multiple vehicles on your policy. Many people do not know they have it until their attorney reviews their policy. This is one of the first things to check after an accident. Trey Morris Injury Lawyers reviews every client’s insurance policies within the first 48 hours of engagement to identify all available coverage, including UM/UIM stacking opportunities. Injuries requiring extensive treatment often exceed the at-fault driver’s policy limits. Catastrophic injury cases almost always involve UM/UIM claims.
Filing a Claim in the 15th Judicial District Court
The 15th Judicial District Court in Lafayette serves all of Lafayette Parish, including Broussard. If your case goes to litigation, this is where it will be filed. The courthouse is located at 800 South Buchanan Street in Lafayette.
Cases filed in the 15th JDC follow the Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure. Venue rules require that personal injury cases be filed where the accident occurred or where the defendant is domiciled. For accidents in Broussard, the 15th JDC is the proper venue.
The Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court handles case filings and document retrieval. Your attorney manages all filings, but you should know where your case lives in the system. Ask for your case number once a suit is filed.
Case progression from filing to trial in Lafayette Parish typically takes 12 to 24 months, depending on complexity. Discovery, depositions, and expert evaluations take time. Many cases settle before trial. The court requires mediation in most civil cases, which is a structured settlement conference with a neutral mediator.
Ask any attorney you are considering how many cases they have taken through the 15th JDC. An attorney who practices in Lafayette Parish regularly knows the local judges, the court’s scheduling tendencies, and the mediation requirements. Trey Morris Injury Lawyers handles cases across Louisiana and is familiar with the 15th JDC’s procedures and local rules.
Types of Injury Cases in Broussard
Auto Accidents
Motor vehicle collisions are the most common source of personal injury cases in Broussard. US-90, Ambassador Caffery Parkway, and LA-182 are the primary collision corridors. Louisiana requires all drivers to carry minimum liability insurance of $15,000 per person, $30,000 per accident for bodily injury, and $25,000 for property damage. These minimums are low. A single emergency room visit can exceed $15,000.
No Pay No Play
A Louisiana law (La. R.S. 32:866) that limits what an uninsured driver can recover after a crash. Since August 1, 2025, an uninsured driver cannot recover the first $100,000 in bodily injury damages and the first $100,000 in property damage, even if the other driver was entirely at fault.
Louisiana’s No Pay, No Play rule under La. R.S. 32:866 limits recovery by drivers who do not carry insurance. Since August 1, 2025, if you are uninsured and injured in an accident, you cannot recover the first $100,000 in bodily injury damages or the first $100,000 in property damage. This applies even if the other driver was entirely at fault. Car accident claims in Louisiana require understanding these coverage rules from the start.
Commercial Vehicle and Oilfield Accidents
Broussard sits on the US-90 corridor that connects Gulf Coast oilfield operations with inland service yards. Oilfield service trucks, equipment haulers, and crew transport vehicles use this route daily. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulates commercial vehicles over 10,001 pounds. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations set standards for driver qualifications, hours of service, vehicle maintenance, and cargo loading.
These cases involve multiple liable parties. The driver, the trucking company, the equipment owner, and the oilfield operator may all share responsibility. Determining who is liable requires investigating the contractual relationships between these parties. Big truck accident cases and oilfield accident cases are more complex than standard car accident claims.
Oilfield workers injured on the job face a choice between workers’ compensation and third-party personal injury claims. Workers’ compensation provides wage replacement and medical coverage but does not cover pain and suffering. If a third party caused the injury, a separate personal injury claim allows the worker to pursue full damages. Ask any attorney about their experience distinguishing these two paths. Getting this wrong costs injured workers significant compensation.
Industrial and Construction Accidents
Broussard and Lafayette Parish have significant industrial activity tied to oil and gas support services. The rapid residential and commercial growth in Broussard also generates construction site hazards. Falls, equipment failures, and struck-by accidents are common on active construction sites.
Workers’ compensation provides wage replacement and direct medical bill coverage. It does not cover pain and suffering. Third-party claims allow injured workers to pursue full damages against parties other than their direct employer. Equipment manufacturers, property owners, and subcontractors can all be liable third parties. Industrial injury cases in Louisiana require understanding which entities are employers and which are third parties under the workers’ compensation framework.
Pedestrian and Bicycle Accidents
Broussard’s population growth has increased foot traffic near schools and the expanding commercial districts. Louisiana law requires drivers to yield to pedestrians in marked and unmarked crosswalks. Pedestrian injuries tend to be severe because there is no vehicle structure to absorb impact.
Bicycle accidents happen on Broussard roads that lack dedicated cycling infrastructure. Cyclists have the same rights and responsibilities as motor vehicle operators under Louisiana law. Drivers who fail to maintain a safe passing distance are liable for resulting injuries.
What Our Clients Say
- Jontiana Williams
Brooke and Ms.Shavers did great and helped me so much and I am so grateful. Go see Trey Morris Injury Attorneys!!
- D Reed
Great experience working with this Injury law firm.Very professional and helpful team overall , especially Trey Morris. Communication was great throughout my case, and they made the process much less stressful. My case is now over, and I really appreciated how responsive and organized everyone was, from the case manager to their receptionist.
- Meredith Gore
It was a pleasure working with the Shreveport office of Morris & Dewett.Austin Townsend and Lizzie were both very professional and very helpful every step of the way. I would recommend them to everyone and I would definitely work with the again. -Steve Gore
- Tiffany Smith
Morris & Dewett handled our case with professionalism and honesty.Meghan Nolen and her team kept us updated throughout the entire process. We couldn’t have picked a better team to handle our case.
Your Broussard Trial Team
The lawyers who work your file. Every Broussard case is handled by the firm's own trial attorneys.
How to Evaluate a Personal Injury Attorney
Ask how many cases the attorney has handled in Lafayette Parish and the 15th Judicial District Court. Local experience matters. An attorney who knows the courthouse, the judges, and the local procedures will manage your case more efficiently than one learning the system as they go.
Contingency Fee
A fee arrangement where the attorney is paid a percentage of the recovery and only if there is a recovery. The client pays nothing upfront and owes no attorney fees if the case is unsuccessful.
Ask about their experience with your specific type of accident. A Contingency Fee arrangement means you pay nothing upfront. The attorney is paid a percentage of the recovery. If there is no recovery, you owe no attorney fees. This is standard for personal injury cases in Louisiana.
Ask how they handle comparative fault disputes. The 51% bar means the insurance company’s primary strategy is pushing your fault above 50%. Your attorney needs a specific plan for this. Ask for examples of how they have handled fault disputes in past cases.
Ask whether they have the resources to take your case to trial if needed. Insurance companies know which attorneys settle every case and which attorneys will go to court. If the insurer knows your attorney does not try cases, their settlement offers reflect that.
Check verifiable credentials. An AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell is a peer-reviewed evaluation. Super Lawyers is a third-party recognition. Board Certification in personal injury trial law indicates specialized competence. Trey Morris Injury Lawyers holds an AV Preeminent rating and has over 2,753 five-star Google reviews from former clients. We have handled over 5,000 cases across Louisiana over 25 years. View our attorneys and case results and compare.