Crashes can happen when a driver follows too closely, looks away, misjudges a turn, enters another lane, or travels too fast to respond to traffic and road conditions. Knowing the general category is only a starting point. A Louisiana insurance claim turns on what happened in this particular crash, who contributed to it, and…
A sideswipe happens when the sides of two vehicles make contact while traveling beside one another or while one vehicle moves past the other. The damage may look like a long scrape, but fault can be difficult to determine because both drivers may say they stayed in their own lane. The cause usually becomes…
There is no single 30-day rule for reporting every Louisiana car accident to an insurer. Look at the policy that may cover the loss and give notice promptly under its terms. The duty to notify police is a separate question with its own statutory threshold. If you are still at the scene, get emergency…
Electric vehicles are not inherently unsafe, and most crashes involving them are investigated like other serious collisions. What changes is the need to account for a high-voltage system, a large battery pack, specialized towing and storage instructions, and the possibility of a delayed battery event after the vehicle appears stable. The legal case still…
An insurance call after a Louisiana accident may sound routine, but the conversation can become part of the claim record. A person who is sore, shaken, or still learning what happened should not feel pressured to give precise answers that are really guesses. The right response depends on who is calling. Your own insurer…
There is no reliable “typical” Louisiana car accident settlement. Two crashes that look similar in photographs can produce very different results because the injuries, proof, fault, available insurance, and future needs are different. A useful evaluation starts with those facts, not an online average. This article explains the parts of a settlement that can…
A delivery order has its own timeline. The driver may have been waiting for an assignment, on the way to a restaurant, or carrying an accepted order when the crash happened. That timing can determine which insurance policies need to be examined. Start with the driving facts, then preserve the order receipt, app messages…
Louisiana requires drivers to notify law enforcement after a crash involving injury, death, or property damage over $500. The report is also a useful starting record of the people, vehicles, location, and accounts of what happened. It does not replace medical care or the other evidence needed to understand an accident. Which agency should…
No. A Louisiana car accident does not create an automatic right to payment. A person seeking damages generally must prove that someone was legally at fault, that the crash caused an injury or loss, and that the amount claimed is supported by evidence. Insurance coverage and the defendant’s ability to pay can also affect…
Note from Stephen: I was the attorney who handled this case. A car falling through a road surface raises questions that a photograph alone cannot answer. What caused the void? Who maintained the roadway and the infrastructure beneath it? Was there a warning before the collapse? In its October 10, 2019 report on the…
Archive note: This article was first published on September 5, 2019. The crash summary below preserves the account originally attributed to Louisiana State Police. It is an initial account, not a report of the investigation’s final findings. The original police release was not independently retrieved during the September 2026 editorial update. According to the…
A DUI arrest can become the headline after a serious crash, but the civil case cannot stop at the arrest report. A blood-alcohol result may help establish impairment. It does not, by itself, show which driver crossed the centerline, entered against a light, or failed to brake. The strongest injury claim usually connects three…
Police may treat a suspected DUI crash as a criminal investigation, but the injured person’s civil claim does not move on the same timetable. An arrest does not pay medical bills, establish every element of fault, or resolve insurance coverage. You still need to document the injuries, preserve crash evidence, and identify the policies…
An insurance company can deny an accident claim. Whether the denial is justified depends on the policy, the facts, and the reason the insurer gives. Start by asking for that reason in writing. A disagreement over who caused the crash needs a different response from a claim that the policy had expired. Keep the…
A rear-end collision claim is ready to settle only when the important facts are clear enough to value it. That usually means understanding who caused the crash, what injuries the collision caused, how those injuries affected daily life and work, what treatment may still be needed, and which insurance policies apply. A fast offer…