If you have been injured or lost a loved one in a Louisiana car accident, you need to know your obligations and rights under Louisiana car accident laws.
You need to consult an experienced Louisiana car accident attorney with a proven track record of success.
At Chris Corzo Injury Attorneys, we have been successfully representing car accident injury victims for decades and have recovered numerous multi-million dollar settlements and awards for them.
We are committed to helping injury victims get the justice and compensation they need to aid their recovery and move forward with their lives.
Call (225) 999-1111 or complete the short form on our contact page to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case.
What Do Louisiana Laws Require Me to Do After a Car Accident?
Check yourself and other parties involved in the accident, and call 911 for medical help if needed. Do not leave the scene of the accident until released by law enforcement authorities.
Additionally, Louisiana Revised Statute 32:398(A) states:
The driver of a vehicle involved in a crash resulting in injury to or death of any person or property damage in excess of five hundred dollars shall:
- Immediately give notice of the crash to the local police department if the crash occurs within an incorporated city or town or, if the crash occurs outside of an incorporated city or town, to the nearest sheriff’s office or state police station.
- Give his name, address, and the registration number of the vehicle he was driving and, upon request and if available, exhibit his license or permit to drive to any person injured in the crash or to the driver or occupant of or person attending any vehicle or other property damaged in the crash.
- Give such information and, upon request, exhibit such license or permit to any police officer at the scene of the crash or who is investigating the crash.
- If the crash occurs in a geographical area under order of evacuation by a competent authority or is under a declared state of emergency, the driver shall comply with the provisions of Paragraphs (1) and (2) of this Subsection within seventy-two hours after the occurrence of the crash.
To summarize, you must:
First, stay at the scene of the accident and check yourself and others for injuries. If necessary, call 911.
Second, you must immediately report the accident to the local police, sheriff’s office, or state police.
Third, you must provide your name, address, and vehicle registration number to any other party involved in the accident, and if requested, you must also exhibit your driver’s license to them.
Fourth, you must provide the same information to the police investigating the accident.
Of course, since you are legally required to carry liability insurance, the police will also ask for proof of insurance. You must provide that information and comply with all orders given by the authorities investigating the accident.Â
What Is the Louisiana Statute of Limitations for Car Accident Injury Claims?
A statute of limitations sets the deadline for filing a claim. Louisiana’s statute of limitations for most personal injury claims is:
- Two years if the accident or incident that caused your damages occurred on or after July 1, 2024.
- One year if the accident or incident that caused your damages occurred before July 1, 2024.
The two-year deadline does not apply to wrongful death and survival actions. The deadline for filing a wrongful death or survival action is one year from the date of death of the decedent. Contact our Louisiana wrongful death lawyer for a free consultation.
There are exceptions to the two-year deadline. In some circumstances, you may have a much shorter deadline, and in others, you may have additional time to file. You must consult an experienced Baton Rouge car accident attorney to know your filing deadline.
What is Louisiana’s Comparative Fault Law?
Louisiana follows a pure comparative fault model, as set forth in Louisiana Civil Code Article 2323.
Under this law, fault may be assigned to multiple parties involved in an accident. If you are partially at fault in an accident, you may still be able to recover compensation for your damages from the other at-fault parties.
However, your compensation will be reduced by the percentage of fault assigned to you. For example, if your damages are $100,000 and you are found to be 25% at fault, you could still recover $75,000 after your percentage of fault is deducted.
Our attorneys work hard to avoid any assignment of fault to our clients and to maximize their compensation.
How Will a Louisiana Car Accident Attorney Help Me?
- An experienced Louisiana car accident attorney can investigate your accident to determine the cause and at-fault parties and help avoid or reduce any fault assigned to you.
- Insurance companies often try to deny or devalue your claim. However, an experienced Louisiana car accident lawyer knows how to combat their tactics and hold them responsible for paying the full value of your claim.
- You will almost always recover more compensation when represented by an experienced car accident injury attorney.
Contact a Louisiana Car Accident Injury Attorney Today
If you were injured or lost a loved one in a Louisiana car accident caused by another party, you deserve to recover compensation for your damages.
You need to understand Louisiana’s car accident laws and how they apply to the facts of your case. An experienced Louisiana car accident attorney can advise you of your rights and obligations and help you recover maximum compensation for your damages.
The car accident attorneys at Chris Corzo Injury Attorneys have been handling complex car accident cases for decades and have recovered over $10 billion for our clients. We want to help you get the justice and recovery you deserve.
Call (225) 999-1111 or visit our contact page to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case.