Caddo Parish Auto Accident Lawyer
Accidents are an everyday occurrence. Unfortunately, when we are talking about auto accidents, the effects are often permanent. Even a “minor” car accident can leave a victim with injuries that require lifelong medical care. And in the worst case scenarios, an accident can leave one or more of its victims dead.
While money cannot restore everything that is lost in an auto accident, the victims are still legally entitled to seek compensation from the parties whose negligence caused the wreck in the first place. At Rice & Kendig, LLC, our Caddo Parish auto accident lawyers represent these victims and their families in seeking appropriate justice. We can review the circumstances surrounding your accident and help you determine who can be held legally responsible for your damages, including medical bills, lost wages, and compensation for your ongoing pain and suffering.
Compulsory Coverage & Comparative Fault in Louisiana
Louisiana requires all drivers to carry a minimum amount of auto insurance. Failure to comply can actually prove costly for accident victims. This is because Louisiana also has a “no pay, no play” rule when it comes to auto accidents. Basically, if you are injured but fail to carry insurance for yourself, then the other driver is not responsible for the first $15,000 in bodily injury and the first $25,000 of property damage that you sustained.
In addition, Louisiana follows a “pure comparative fault” rule when it comes to determining liability for an auto accident. Under this rule, a court can reduce the amount of damages you receive from a negligent defendant to account for your own percentage of fault for the accident. However, under the pure comparative fault rule, you can still recover something even if the defendant’s share of the liability was as little as 1 percent.
How Long Do You Have to Bring an Auto Accident Claim in Louisiana?
Speaking with a lawyer is often not an auto accident victim’s first priority. Of course, seeking medical care is always paramount. But if you have sustained damages in an auto accident, it is best that you not delay in seeking qualified legal advice. The reason is that Louisiana imposes a strict one-year statute of limitations in personal injury cases.
In plain terms, this means that you have one year from the date of your car accident to file a lawsuit against any of the parties you believe were responsible. This is not a lot of time. Keep in mind, it may take several weeks or months to conduct a proper investigation into an accident, even just to identify all of the proper parties involved. So the sooner you begin this process, the less likely you are to have the statute of limitations expire before you can get to the courthouse.
Contact the offices of Rice & Kendig, LLC, today if you have been injured in an accident in Shreveport or anywhere else in Caddo Parish and need to speak with an attorney right away.
