You need to know that in Louisiana, when you make a personal injury claim, you're entitled to 3 basic items of damages:  Lost wages, medical bills and pain and suffering.

Lost wages and medical bills are fairly easy to figure out.  They're dollar for dollar what you can prove with competent evidence.

But pain and suffering is different.  The value of pain and suffering depends on a number of factors such as how long you are under medical treatment, and whether your injuries affected your day to day activities. But it can be complicated.

Because of the complexities of personal injury litigation, and the strength and experience of the insurance industry, you'll need an experienced lawyer to "level the playing field" and "talk their language."

So always consult an attorney before trying to deal with another person's insurance company.

This is Attorney Greg DiLeo, and this has been "Your Legal Minute."