Frequently Asked Questions

Yes.  If you have been injured, seek medical attention as soon as possible after your auto accident. Perhaps the worst mistake you can make to wreck your auto accident injury case is to avoid or delay medical treatment. You should, of course, see the health care provider of your own choosing: emergency room; urgent care clinic; after-hours clinic; family doctor; orthopedist; neurologist; chiropractor; etc. Just do not wait until it is too late.

These are the Top 5 Mistakes That Can Wreck Your Auto Accident Claim:

  1. Not Getting Enough Information at the Accident Scene
  2. Giving Recorded Statement to Other Side’s Insurance Company
  3. Waiting Too Long to See a Doctor
  4. Waiting Too Long to Hire a Lawyer
  5. Lying About Accidents, Injuries, Income, or Activity Levels

If you can answer “YES” to the following questions, you probably have a valuable car accident personal injury case:

  1. Was the accident someone else’s fault?
  2. Was there visible damage to your vehicle?
  3. Were your injuries promptly treated by a doctor?
  4. Did your accident occur less than a year ago?
  5. Is liability or UM insurance available to cover your claim?

If your accident was someone else’s fault, your vehicle damage was noticeable, your injuries were promptly and properly treated, your accident happened less than a year ago, and adequate insurance coverage exists, you probably have a good case.  However, because each case is different, you should contact a lawyer soon to discuss your case in more detail.

Here are seven simple steps to recover for your property damage on your own:

  1. Document the Damage.
  2. Obtain Information & Police Report.
  3. Notify Insurance Companies of Claim.
  4. Get a Body Shop Estimate.
  5. Submit Your Claim in Writing.
  6. Calendar the 30-Day Bad Faith Deadline.
  7. Read “7 Simple Steps to Fix Your Car Accident Property Damage.”

There are several simple steps you can take to protect your rights after a motor vehicle accident:

  • get medical treatment;
  • preserve accident and injury evidence;
  • refuse to talk to the other driver’s insurance adjuster; and
  • contact the right personal injury lawyer.

Listen close… this is the most important advice we give our clients.  The single best way to protect your family from dangerous drivers before an accident occurs is to purchase as much uninsured/under-insured motorist bodily injury insurance coverage, also known as UM insurance, as you can afford. UM insurance is a contract between you and your car insurance company that protects your family against damages caused by uninsured motorists, under-insured motorists, and hit-and-run drivers.

Louisiana’s “no pay, no play” law does not allow uninsured motorists to collect the first $15,000 in personal injuries and the first $25,000 in property damages regardless of who was at fault in the accident.  This law makes it more difficult for a person to recover damages related to their auto accident from another person’s insurance company if they do not have an auto insurance policy themselves

Louisiana law sets forth the following amounts as the minimum allowed for auto insurance liability coverage:

  • $15,000 coverage for bodily injury to any one person
  • $30,000 coverage for total bodily injury for all people per accident
  • $25,000 coverage for property damage (i.e. damage to a vehicle)

 

This state-required minimum coverage is often referred to as a “15/30/25 Policy.”
Louisiana’s minimum coverage amount was established with the intention of being affordable for all drivers and providing a baseline recovery for injuries and other damages. Obviously, in car accidents resulting in severe injuries requiring hospitalization or surgeries, or multi-car accidents with extensive property damages, minimum coverage will be insufficient to pay for the damages.

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Parker Layrisson Law Firm

Parker Layrisson Law Firm
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