HOW LONG DO I HAVE TO FILE A CLAIM AFTER A WRECK?

IF YOU’VE BEEN IN A CAR WRECK IN LOUISIANA,

You have one year from the date of the accident to file a claim against the other driver’s insurance company if you believe the wreck is their fault.

HOWEVER, IT IS BEST NOT TO WAIT THAT LONG FOR A FEW REASONS:

  1. Delaying medical treatment can make it harder for you to physically recover from the impact of the crash. Not to mention, if you do file a claim, the insurance company will not take your injuries as seriously if you do not seek medical treatment immediately. Their assumption will be that you were not badly hurt if you did not see a doctor right after the wreck. So even if you do wait to file a claim, you should not wait to be treated by a doctor.
  2. The closer you get to the one year deadline, the less chance you have of settling the claim. If the claim is not settled, your only option is to file a lawsuit before the deadline. Though you may still have a positive result from a lawsuit, it could take many months or even years for a lawsuit to be resolved.

The best thing to do after a car wreck is to speak to an injury attorney. You might be worried about accumulating costs after a car wreck that was not your fault. However, most injury attorneys will go over your options with you at no cost, and injury attorneys typically work on a contingency basis, meaning they do not get paid until the case is resolved. So speaking to an attorney should cost you nothing, but it could save you a lot of stress and worry.