You generally have two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit in Louisiana (for crashes occurring on or after July 1, 2024). Waiting still costs you: evidence disappears and claims weaken over time, so contact an attorney as soon as possible to protect your rights.

You may be entitled to compensation for medical expenses (past and future), lost wages and lost earning capacity, property damage, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life. In cases involving egregious conduct such as drunk driving, punitive damages may also be available.

No. Smiley Injury Law handles motor vehicle accident cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay no attorney fees unless we successfully recover compensation for you. There are no upfront costs or out-of-pocket expenses to get started.

Seek medical attention right away, even if you feel fine, as some injuries have delayed symptoms. Call the police to file an accident report, document the scene with photos, exchange information with the other driver, and avoid giving recorded statements to insurance companies before speaking with an attorney.

An Uber Lyft accident lawyer in Louisiana helps injured passengers, drivers, and third parties recover compensation after a rideshare crash. Liability often depends on the driver’s app status at the time of the accident, which determines which insurance policy applies and the amount of coverage available.

Most car accident claims focus on one issue - who caused the crash - but rideshare cases add multiple layers because several insurance policies may be involved. Coverage changes depending on whether the driver was off duty, waiting for a request, or actively transporting a passenger, and insurers use those distinctions to minimize payouts. In busy areas like New Orleans and the airport, these details often get overlooked, making rideshare claims more complicated due to the layered insurance structure, not the injuries themselves.

You can still recover as long as you are 50% or less at fault — your compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault. Under Louisiana's rule effective January 1, 2026, a driver found 51% or more at fault recovers nothing, which is why insurance companies work hard to shift blame. Don't accept a fault determination from an adjuster; let an attorney examine the evidence first.