In 2021 there were over 900 car accidents on Louisiana highways. This doesn’t take into account accidents that happened on state, rural, or municipal roads. With so many Louisiana car accidents, it is in your best interest to understand car accident law in the state.
Personal injury laws in Louisiana differ from several other states in that it is a “comparative fault” state. This refers to how damages are awarded, and we’ll go over the details in a bit, but hiring a personal injury lawyer is advisable if you’ve been the victim of a car accident.
Below, let’s review the immediate steps to take in the event of a car accident, what “comparative fault” means, and how to go about finding the right personal injury lawyer for your situation.
What To Do After a Car Accident
While the immediate aftermath of a car accident can be chaotic, there are a few steps that you need to take to secure your safety. It’s also vital to ensure that you are setting yourself up for physical, mental, and financial recovery.
Get To Safety
The most important thing after any type of car accident is to assess your well-being and seek safety as soon as possible. Make certain not to further injure yourself by attempting to do something which you are not physically capable of doing.
Call 911
You need to get first responders on the way as soon as possible, especially if you are injured. Follow the dispatcher’s directions and if you’re up to it, begin collecting information from the other driver and the scene itself.
Collect Information
Obtain insurance information from any other drivers that were involved in the accident. Also, take pictures of the scene of the accident and note any extenuating circumstances that may be involved (weather events, road conditions, etc.)
Get a Copy of the Police Report
Since Louisiana is a comparative fault state, obtaining a copy of the police report is very important. This document will help determine the number of damages that you may receive.
What Does “Comparative Fault” Mean in Car Accident Law?
There are certain mitigating or aggravating factors on behalf of drivers in Louisiana car accidents per the comparative fault law. This means that the amount you can be awarded after any litigation after the accident can be reduced according to the percentage of fault for each driver.
For example, let’s say that the responding officer placed 10% of the fault in the car accident on your behalf. If you would receive $100,000 otherwise, that 10% will reduce the amount that you can receive by 10%.
Hiring a Personal Injury Lawyer in Louisiana
Because the percentage of fault can be a fluid number, it’s important to hire an aggressive personal injury lawyer who understands car accident law to represent you in your case against the other driver’s insurance company.
Personal injury lawyers should fight to get their clients the compensation that they deserve for them to recover properly in all aspects of life. If you’ve been the victim of a car accident, call us for a free consultation, and we can help get you on the road to that recovery.