Paincourtville runs along Bayou Lafourche and Highway LA-1 in the middle of Assumption Parish sugarcane country. It is a two-lane-highway town, and that is exactly what makes the truck traffic here so dangerous. Loaded cane trucks during grinding season, tankers and gravel haulers, and 18-wheelers serving the parish’s energy and industrial sites all share narrow highways — LA-1, LA-70, and LA-1008 — with local families, farm equipment, and school traffic. When a fully loaded tractor-trailer collides with a passenger vehicle, the people in the smaller vehicle almost always pay the price. Kopfler & Hermann has helped South Louisiana families after serious highway crashes since 1977.
A wreck with a commercial truck is not just a bigger car accident. A loaded 18-wheeler can weigh 20 to 30 times what a car weighs, so the injuries are more severe and the cases are more complex. There is usually more than one party who may be responsible — the driver, the trucking company, a broker, a maintenance contractor, or the company that loaded the trailer. Commercial trucks are governed by federal and state safety rules covering driver hours, licensing, inspections, and cargo securement, and the evidence that proves a violation — the electronic logging device, the truck’s data, dispatch records, and maintenance files — is controlled by the trucking company and can be lost if it is not preserved quickly. Getting a lawyer involved early is often what makes the difference.
An injured person or a grieving family may be able to pursue:
For a truck or auto crash in Louisiana, the prescriptive period for most personal-injury claims is two years for accidents occurring on or after July 1, 2024. That is the deadline to file suit — but the practical deadline that matters most is much sooner, because the truck’s electronic data and the company’s records can be overwritten or discarded within weeks. A prompt letter demanding that this evidence be preserved is often one of the first steps in a strong case.
Call 911 and get medical care, even if you feel “okay” — serious injuries can hide behind adrenaline. Make sure a police report is made. Photograph the vehicles, the scene, skid marks, and the truck’s company markings and DOT number. Get the names and numbers of witnesses. Do not give a recorded statement to the trucking company’s insurer before you have talked to a lawyer, and do not accept a fast settlement before you know the full extent of your injuries.
We represent people hurt in 18-wheeler and commercial-truck crashes including head-on and crossover collisions on LA-1, rear-end crashes, cane-truck and gravel-hauler wrecks, jackknife and override collisions, unsafe lane changes and blind-spot crashes, fatigued- and distracted-driver crashes, and catastrophic and fatal wrecks.
From our office at 306 Grinage Street in Houma, we serve Paincourtville and the surrounding Assumption Parish communities along Bayou Lafourche. We have been helping South Louisiana families since 1977, and we handle truck-crash cases on a contingency basis — no fee unless we win.
The trucking company’s insurer already called me. Should I give a statement?
Be careful. Adjusters may seem friendly, but a recorded statement can be used to reduce or deny your claim. It is best to talk to a lawyer first.
How long do I have to file a claim in Louisiana?
For most injury claims from accidents on or after July 1, 2024, the prescriptive period is two years. But evidence should be preserved far sooner, so do not wait.
Who can be held responsible in a truck crash?
Sometimes more than just the driver — the trucking company, a maintenance contractor, a cargo loader, or others may share responsibility depending on the facts.
What does it cost to hire you?
We work on a contingency-fee basis, which means no fee unless we win.
If you or someone you love was hurt in a truck crash, call Kopfler & Hermann at (985) 851-3311 or visit 306 Grinage St, Houma, LA 70360. The consultation is free, and there is no fee unless we win.
We also represent crash victims and families in Napoleonville, Belle Rose, Labadieville, Plattenville, and Pierre Part, and across South Louisiana. Learn more on our Houma injury page.
The information on this page is provided for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Viewing this page or contacting Kopfler & Hermann does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case is different, and prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
