Hurt in New Orleans? Start here.
A 2024 change in Louisiana law now gives you two years to file most injury claims that happened on or after July 1, 2024 — double the old one-year window. Add the city's heavy I-10 traffic, the Port of New Orleans, offshore and maritime work, and the quirks of Orleans Parish Civil District Court, and choosing the right firm matters.
We shortlisted 10 New Orleans personal injury firms with verifiable results and deep Louisiana trial experience. All work on contingency — no fee unless you recover.
How we picked these 10: We reviewed published verdicts and settlements, peer rankings (Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers, Avvo, Martindale), client review patterns, and bar association recognition. Firms that appeared consistently across independent sources made the list. We do not accept payment for placement, and we do not write sponsored reviews. More on our methodology →
Practice focus: Car and truck accidents, personal injury, wrongful death
Morris Bart became the first attorney in Louisiana to advertise legal services on TV in 1980 and built one of the largest injury firms in the Gulf South, now with more than 100 attorneys. High-volume practice with the staff and resources to push back on big insurers.
Practice focus: Catastrophic injury, product liability, maritime/offshore, mass torts, wrongful death
Founded by brothers David and Harry Herman in 1942, the firm (formerly Herman, Herman & Katz) has held leadership roles in national multidistrict litigation, including the Deepwater Horizon / BP oil spill cases. A go-to for serious and complex claims.
Practice focus: Complex injury, maritime, medical, class actions, wrongful death
Representing injured clients since 1949. Robert J. David has been listed in Best Lawyers in America for more than two decades, and Irving Warshauer is a longtime trial lawyer. Known for taking complicated liability cases all the way through trial and appeal.
Practice focus: Serious personal injury, toxic exposure, wrongful death
A New Orleans injury practice since 1975, with attorneys repeatedly named to the Louisiana Super Lawyers list. Focused on serious-injury and toxic-tort work rather than volume advertising.
Practice focus: Personal injury, car accidents, class actions, wrongful death
Founded by Anthony Irpino in 1996, this Garden District trial boutique handles injury and class-action work across Louisiana and has earned strong client review patterns.
Practice focus: Car and truck accidents, personal injury, wrongful death
A longstanding New Orleans auto-accident and injury practice (Edward J. Womac, Jr. & Associates) with consistent five-star reviews across Google, Avvo, and Lawyers.com.
Practice focus: Car accidents, personal injury, wrongful death
Seth Bloom founded Bloom Legal in 2004. The firm handles injury and accident matters across Louisiana and is known for hands-on attorney contact rather than a call-center model.
Practice focus: Personal injury, car accidents, premises liability
A CBD injury boutique with strong client review patterns on Google and Avvo. Smaller caseload, direct attorney access.
Practice focus: Maritime and offshore injury, catastrophic injury, wrongful death
A nationally recognized maritime and catastrophic-injury trial firm serving the greater New Orleans area, with a record of substantial verdicts and settlements in offshore and serious-injury cases.
Practice focus: Personal injury, car accidents, wrongful death
Stephen Rue was selected as a Louisiana Super Lawyer and named a top attorney by New Orleans Magazine. Offices in Kenner, Metairie, Gretna, and New Orleans give the firm broad metro reach.
Tell us about your injury and we'll match you with vetted personal injury attorneys in New Orleans. Free, confidential, no obligation.
Request Free Consultation →Most New Orleans injury cases resolve in 10 to 20 months. Cases are filed in Orleans Parish Civil District Court at 421 Loyola Avenue or, for federal matters, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. The front end — intake, investigation, and the demand to the insurer — moves quickly; once a suit is filed, discovery and motion practice slow things down.
Cases that settle pre-suit finish fastest. Cases that head toward trial run longer because both sides invest in depositions, experts, and exhibits. Louisiana changed its filing deadline in 2024. For injuries on or after July 1, 2024, you have two years to file (a prescriptive period); for injuries before that date, the old one-year deadline still applies. Miss it and you generally lose the right to sue.
Louisiana also moved to a modified comparative fault rule as of January 1, 2026. If you are 51% or more at fault you recover nothing; at 50% or less your award is reduced by your share of the blame. That single rule shapes how aggressively your lawyer investigates fault on both sides.
Almost every New Orleans injury firm works on contingency: no upfront fee, and the lawyer is paid a percentage of what you recover. The standard range is 33% if the case settles before suit and up to 40% once a lawsuit is filed. If there is no recovery, you owe no attorney fee.
Case expenses — medical records, accident reconstruction, expert witnesses, deposition transcripts — are usually advanced by the firm and repaid out of any settlement. On a straightforward auto case that might be a few hundred dollars; on a serious or offshore case it can reach five or six figures.
A reputable firm puts the fee in writing before you sign, gives a realistic estimate of case expenses, and explains what happens to your file if you switch lawyers.
Guaranteed outcomes. No ethical attorney can promise a specific result. If a firm guarantees a personal injury outcome before reviewing your file, walk away.
The disappearing senior partner. You meet a name partner at intake, then never speak to them again while a junior runs the file unsupervised. Ask in writing who your day-to-day lawyer will be.
No verifiable track record. “We've helped thousands” is marketing. Real evidence is named verdicts, reported settlements, Best Lawyers or Super Lawyers recognition, and bar association standing — ask for specifics.
Pressure to sign immediately. A reputable firm gives you the engagement letter in writing and time to read it. High-pressure intake is a sign of a volume mill, not a careful practice.
Vague fee terms. “Don't worry about the cost” is a red flag. Every legitimate firm puts the fee, what it covers, and what triggers extra charges in writing.
Most firms on this list offer a free consultation. Use it, take notes, and compare at least two firms before signing.
Louisiana is its own legal world. The state runs on a civil-law system rather than the common law used in the other 49 states, which affects how cases are pleaded and argued. A lawyer who practices here every day knows the difference.
Maritime and offshore work matters. With the Port of New Orleans and the Gulf nearby, many local injuries fall under the Jones Act or other maritime law, which carries its own rules and deadlines. Several firms above built their reputations on exactly these cases.
Local courts and juries vary. Orleans Parish juries differ from Jefferson or St. Tammany Parish juries in makeup and verdict patterns. A firm that tries cases across the metro area uses venue strategically.
Tell us what happened. We'll match you with vetted New Orleans firms from the list above. Most respond within one business day.
For injuries on or after July 1, 2024, you have two years. For injuries before that date, the older one-year deadline applies. When in doubt, talk to a lawyer quickly — missing the deadline usually ends the claim.
As of January 1, 2026, Louisiana uses modified comparative fault. You can still recover if you're 50% or less at fault, but your award is reduced by your percentage. At 51% or more, you recover nothing.
No. Free consultations are standard, and these firms work on contingency — they only get paid if you recover.
It depends on your medical bills, lost wages, future care, and the at-fault party's insurance. Economic losses like bills and wages are uncapped; an honest lawyer gives you a range, not a guarantee.
Most settle. But the firms that get the best settlements are the ones insurers know will actually try a case if pushed.
If you were hurt offshore, on a vessel, or as a dock or port worker, your claim may fall under the Jones Act or other maritime law, which has different rules. Ask any firm whether they handle maritime claims.
One last thing. Choosing a lawyer is personal. Read the reviews. Call two or three firms before you sign. Ask each one: How many cases like mine have you taken to verdict in the last three years? The answer tells you most of what you need to know. — The LawFirmSquare team