The first thing to do when someone hits your parked car is to check to see if the accident driver left their contact information for you. If so, you can seek monetary compensation from their insurance company. If not, you can pursue that compensation from your insurance.
Fighting for Compensation After a Parked Car Accident
During a lawsuit, you have the right to pursue compensation for both economic and non-economic damages. In the case of parked car accidents, you will likely have more of the former than the latter.
Economic Damages
Economic damages will reimburse you for the money you lost or were forced to spend because of the accident. These may include but are not limited to:
- Repair expenses: Your car was damaged or destroyed. You had to pay for expensive repairs or buy a new car.
- Transportation costs: While waiting for your own car to be fixed, you had to rent a vehicle or pay for alternative transportation (e.g., a ridesharing service or a bus).
- Loss of wages: Your accident caused you to miss time at work, depriving you and your family of much-needed income.
- Loss of employment: Your lack of transportation (or injuries caused by the accident) cost you your job.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages will reimburse you for the physical and psychological pain you experienced because of the accident. If you were in the parked car at the time of the accident, for instance, you might qualify for such non-economic damages as:
- Physical pain: You or your passengers suffered whiplash, lacerations, head injuries, or any other type of injury that was painful at the time and/or will continue to cause pain.
- Mental distress: The memory of the accident or the pain of your injuries is emotionally upsetting or even caused your mental illness.
- Disability: Your injuries are permanently or temporarily disabling. This may refer to both intellectual and physical disabilities.
- Loss of consortium: Your accident and/or your injuries have negatively affected your marriage.
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A Car Accident Lawyer Can Help You Seek Fair Compensation
Even if you were not in the car at the time of the accident, you could still end up paying a lot of money to fix your car, hire alternative transportation, or make other arrangements as you recover from your accident. Our lawyer who handles car accident cases can take the lead, fighting for the money you need by:
- Investigating the accident. The more your attorney understands about how your accident happened and how it affected you, the better equipped they will be to protect your rights.
- Calculating your damages. Per RS §13:5106, your ability to collect non-economic damages may be limited. Your attorney can help you figure out how much compensation to ask for.
- Filing forms. There is always a lot of paperwork involved, whether you seek compensation from your own insurance or someone else’s.
- Communicating with others. Your lawyer will notify the liable party about the lawsuit and serve as the middleman in all interactions between you and them.
- Negotiating with the insurance company. Insurers are often reluctant to pay what you deserve. Your attorney will fight to ensure you get the compensation you deserve.
- Offering advice. Whenever you must make an important legal decision, your attorney will make sure you understand the risks and benefits of all your options. The ultimate decision, of course, will be left up to you.
If money is a concern, talk to your prospective lawyer about payment options before agreeing to hire them. Many personal injury law firms work on a contingency basis, so you have to pay only attorney’s fees once you get your money.
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Steps to Take After a Parked Car Accident
If someone hits your parked car, first take care of any medical needs. Promptly make and keep all necessary doctor’s appointments, and follow all of your physician’s instructions to the best of your ability. This will both protect your health and create a record of your medical treatment that you can use as evidence in your case.
Once you and your passengers are safe, you can begin to consider your legal options. CC §3492 gives you just one year from the date of the accident to start your lawsuit. Therefore, you will want to talk to a lawyer about your case as soon as possible. They can help you:
- Figure out how to pursue the money you need
- Create a complete list of damages
- Draw up the settlement agreement
- Explain if any exceptions in your case extend the time you have to file a lawsuit
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Get a Free Case Review with One of Our Attorneys Today
If someone hits your parked car, call Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers at (337) 777-7777 for a consultation. We offer free case reviews to all callers, and we do not charge attorney’s fees until you recover compensation. Members of our team are standing by to take your call all day, every day.
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