The penalties for a hit and run accident are severe in the state of Louisiana. According to Louisiana Revised Statute §14:100, in the event of a collision, all drivers are required to stay at the accident scene and exchange contact information. Failure to do so may subject the negligent driver to hefty fines, imprisonment, and other penalties. An Alexandria hit and run accident lawyer will help you navigate the legal aftermath.
Although a hit and run accident is a criminal offense, you may also be entitled to file a claim against the driver and their insurance company. A car accident lawyer in Alexandria can identify the other motorist, collect evidence to build your case and file a lawsuit on your behalf, if necessary.
To learn about your legal options, call Laborde Earles today.
What to Do Following a Hit and Run Accident
Your Alexandria personal injury lawyer will handle many different responsibilities when it comes to promoting your claim success. However, there are actions you can employ that could benefit your case.
Here are the steps you should consider after being in a hit and run accident:
Seek Medical Attention
The first thing you should do after the accident is to seek medical attention from an emergency room or your doctor. Do not make the mistake of assuming that you are okay just because you walked away from the collision. Your legal team can use your imaging scans, lab test results, and medications to show the severity of your injuries. Not only can prompt medical care safeguard your future, but it can also be used to tie your health condition to the collision itself.
Document the Accident and Keep Records
Try to document the accident as much as possible. Collect contact information from eyewitnesses, keep a copy of the police report, and take photos of the accident and your injuries. In addition, make sure you gather and save all medical documents. While your Alexandria hit and run accident lawyer can gather much of this information for you, gathering these documents can help support your claim.
Limit All Communications with the Involved Parties
Anything you say, no matter how innocuous, could later be used against you. For example, shortly following the collision, you may be asked to give a recorded statement. While the insurer might say that this gives you a chance to tell your side of the story, you will want to avoid making remarks that could be used against you. The same goes for posting to social media. You would not want to post a picture of yourself smiling at a sporting event while at the same time claiming that you were severely injured.
Your Alexandria hit and run accident lawyer can manage all communications with the involved parties and their insurers while you recover from your injuries.
Laborde Earles injury was great for me they took care of me very fast and professional. If for any reason I need legal help they will be who I use.
ClientProving Negligence in Your Case
In a hit and run accident, your legal team will need to establish four elements in your claim.
They include:
- Duty of care. Every motorist who gets behind the wheel undertakes an obligation not to cause harm to others.
- Breach of duty of care. When a motorist partakes in actions or behaviors that could injure another person, they have breached their duty of care.
- Causation. Your legal team will need to collect evidence that shows that because the liable party breached their duty of care, they caused the accident in which you were injured.
- Damages. Using your medical bills, pay stubs, and other pieces of evidence, your legal team will need to show that because the other party caused an accident, you have incurred financial losses.
Evidence That Could Prove Negligence
As we mentioned above, your legal team will gather evidence of fault and liability.
The evidence we may use in a hit and run case includes:
- Photos or video footage of the collision
- Eyewitness testimony
- The police report
- Your medical records
In addition, we may contact expert witnesses, including accident reconstruction specialists and medical professionals, to testify on your behalf. At Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers, our goal is to help you receive financial recovery following an accident. We encourage you to reach out to our team today. Call us now at (337) 777-7777.
I thank God for Digger & David. I don’t know what we would have done if it hadn’t have been for them.
Rick Smith | ClientPursuing Compensation After a Hit and Run Accident
Recovering your losses after a hit and run accident can be challenging, because there may be a specific reason why the at-fault driver fled the accident scene. Their vehicle may not have been insured. The driver may have been driving under the influence and did not want to face criminal charges.
Regardless, our law firm can help you determine all of your legal options for recovering your damages.
You may be entitled to claim the following:
Medical Costs
A hit and run accident can leave you with devastating injuries. Right now, you could be facing the cost of hospitalization, surgical procedures, and doctors’ visits. This can be even more frightening if you do not have health insurance. However, through a successful personal injury claim, you may be able to have these expenses covered.
Lost Income
If you were not able to return to work due to a prolonged recovery period, you can be compensated not only for your lost wages, but also for missed tips, bonuses, and benefits. We can examine your pay stubs to calculate the cost of your missed income.
Pain and Suffering
Pain and suffering is meant to compensate you for physical pain and emotional anguish. Sometimes, pain and suffering is used as an umbrella term for different types of noneconomic damages. This could include impaired quality of life, disability, or disfigurement. Your lawyer can assign a monetary value to these types of losses.
The reassurance from Digger and his staff gave me that renewed hope that it’s going to be okay down the road.
ClientFiling a Wrongful Death Claim
Your family may have been devastated by the loss of a loved one after a hit and run accident. In Louisiana, as with many other states, only qualifying representatives are able to file a wrongful death claim. Louisiana Civil Code Art. 2315.2 outlines who can file this action.
Should your case be successful, beneficiaries may be able to recover the cost of:
- Funeral and burial costs
- The decedent’s outstanding medical bills
- Loss of income
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of household benefits and parental guidance
You may be able to seek the cost of losses that we have not listed here.
They treated us like no other people would. Whenever we needed something they were there for us. I put my trust in them and I don’t regret it.
ClientCall Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers Today
If you are ready to move forward with your personal injury case, then contact Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers. We can review your case, investigate your claim, and help you pursue compensation for your damages.
To get started, call (337) 777-7777.
