Shreveport Car Accident Lawyer
For fifty years, car accident rates fell every year. Then, about ten years ago, they started rising again and have gone up ever since. The increase in distracted driving car accidents over recent years is a likely explanation for this rise. Meanwhile, accidents, injuries and deaths due to factors such as speeding or drunk driving have remained fairly consistent. Several thousand people are injured in car accidents in Caddo Parish alone, and dozens die annually in Shreveport-Bossier City crashes. At Rice & Kendig, our experienced car accident lawyers take the time to investigate the accident and find out how it happened. More importantly, we take the time to talk to you and learn what happened to you as a result. Our injury lawyers are here to hold the responsible party accountable and recover compensation on your behalf, but we are also here to support you throughout this trying time and make sure you are taken care of.
As a client of Rice & Kendig, you’ll appreciate the way you are treated and cared for by our firm just as much as you’ll appreciate the results we get for you. If you’ve been injured in a Shreveport-Bossier City car accident or lost a loved one to a fatal crash in North Louisiana, let the Shreveport car accident lawyers at Rice & Kendig help you get the care and compensation you need to deal with your injuries, loss and disruption to your life.
Louisiana Auto Insurance Laws
Louisiana requires all drivers to carry liability insurance in case they get into an accident and cause injury to another through their negligence. The minimum amounts required by law are $15,000 for personal injury if one person is injured, $30,000 if more than one person is injured, and $25,000 to cover damage to property. Drivers can opt for higher coverage if they choose, but around 40% of Louisiana car owners only carry the minimum amount. The 15/30/25 minimum in Louisiana is among the lowest in the country, but more than 13% of drivers in the state skip out on insurance anyway. We urge all drivers to carry at least the minimum amounts of liability insurance required by law as well as uninsured motorist/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage. UM/UIM can help if you get hit by an uninsured driver, or if your injuries and damages exceed the negligent driver’s coverage limits.
No Pay, No Play in Shreveport-Bossier City Car Accidents
Be aware that your own lack of insurance can limit your recovery in the event of an accident. If a negligent driver hits you while you are driving without at least the mandatory minimum amount of insurance, then you won’t be able to recover for the first $15,000 of bodily injury damages or the first $25,000 of property damages. However, if the wreck severely injured you and left you with a brain injury, spinal injury, amputated limb or other catastrophic or permanent injury, you could still hold the negligent driver accountable and recover compensation for the rest of your damages over the excluded amount. Also, this limitation doesn’t apply if the other driver intentionally caused the accident, fled the scene (hit-and-run) or was committing a felony offense at the time of the crash. Finally, injured passengers who do not own the automobile are not limited in their recovery by this “no pay, no play” law.
If another driver severely injured you or a loved one in a car wreck, you shouldn’t let your own lack of insurance keep you from at least speaking with an attorney about your potential claim. Rice & Kendig offers a free consultation to learn about your case and let you know your options.
Car Accident Injury Victims Have to Work to Get Their Insurance Claim Paid
It’s great when drivers carry liability insurance to cover the damages they cause in an accident by their negligence or distracted driving, but for victims, getting that claim paid is not always so easy. Insurance companies want to pay as little as they can, so they dispute their driver’s liability or fault, blame the accident on your own negligence, or dispute the nature and extent of your injuries. Also, if you try to settle your claim on your own, the insurance company will offer you less than full value for your claim, and you might not know you are getting less than you should.
Rice & Kendig injury lawyers can deal with all of these issues on your behalf. We have been litigating Shreveport-Bossier City car accident injury claims for decades. We know what your claim is worth, including a pre-trial settlement value as well as a likely jury verdict. We know how to build and present a strong case that proves the other driver’s negligence, proves your injuries, and keeps you from being blamed for contributing to the accident when you didn’t do so. Our goal is to get you the most compensation so that you don’t have to worry about how you’ll pay for your medical bills and other costs associated with your injury. Give us a call, and let us help you get the compensation you need and deserve after getting hurt in a Shreveport-Bossier City car accident.
Your Shreveport-Bossier City Car Accident Lawyers, Looking out for You
If a car wreck has hurt you or your loved one in Shreveport-Bossier City or North Louisiana, call Rice & Kendig injury lawyers for a free consultation at 318-222-2772.
