Bossier City Auto Accident Lawyer
Many auto accidents seem minor at first. Perhaps there is little visible damage to your car and you are able to get up and walk away from the scene. But later, after you have seen a doctor, you realize you sustained serious injuries that will require extended medical care and force you to miss time from work.
Sometimes an accident is nobody’s fault. But if your accident was the result of another driver’s negligence, you have the legal right to seek compensation–either by negotiating a settlement with the driver’s insurance company or filing a personal injury lawsuit.
Your chances of receiving compensation are significantly greater if you work with an experienced personal injury lawyer. At Rice & Kendig, LLC, our Bossier City auto accident lawyers represent victims like you every day. We understand how to negotiate with insurance companies, and when necessary how to pursue litigation to protect our clients’ best interests.
How Louisiana Law Deals with Auto Accidents
Louisiana requires all drivers to carry a minimum amount of auto insurance coverage: $15,000 per bodily injury or death to one person, $30,000 for two or more people, and $25,000 for property damage. The law also prevents accident victims from filing a lawsuit to recover the first $15,000 in personal injury or $25,000 in property damage if they lack insurance themselves.
More importantly, Louisiana follows a fault-based rule for accident liability. What this means is that the victim must prove in court that the other driver caused the accident through some sort of negligent act. This can be anything from failing to obey a traffic sign–i.e., running a red light–to drunk driving. Basically, any action that deviates from the normally accepted duty of care to safely operate a motor vehicle may form the basis for a personal injury claim.
But what if the other driver tries to blame you for the accident? In that scenario, Louisiana follows a “pure comparative fault” rule. This means a judge or jury will need to assess the relative liability of all of the parties involved in the accident. If you are found partially at-fault, your ability to recover monetary damages from the negligent driver is reduced accordingly. In other words, if the court decides you were 10 percent responsible for the accident, your damages award is reduced by 10 percent.
Rice & Kendig Is Here for You
In a successful auto accident claim, the negligent driver or their insurance company will have to pay for your medical bills–including the costs of any expected future care–as well as any loss of income and your intangible pain and suffering. However, you need to act quickly to preserve your right to seek compensation. Louisiana requires victims to file a personal injury lawsuit within 1 year of the date of their accident. This deadline comes up quicker than you might realize, especially if you need time to investigate the circumstances of the accident and negotiate a potential settlement with an insurance company.
The auto accident lawyers at Rice & Kendig are here to help. Contact us today if you have been injured in an accident anywhere in the Bossier City area and would like to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with a member of our team.
