Single-vehicle Accidents in Louisiana
Not all motor vehicle accidents involve multiple vehicles. Single-vehicle accidents are frequent on Louisiana roads for reasons ranging from distracted drivers to inattentive pedestrians. Reports suggest fifty-five percent of all motor vehicle fatalities in the United States occurred in single-vehicle crashes.
What Is A Single-vehicle Accident?
Single-vehicle accident refers to a collision between a vehicle and another object when no other moving vehicle is involved. Such accidents often include hitting animals, roadside infrastructure, trees and vegetation, stationary objects, and curbs. Rollovers are very common in single-vehicle accidents.
A single-vehicle crash usually results in damage to only one vehicle. As with other types of motor vehicle accidents, the measures you take in the immediate aftermath of the accident will be crucial in any insurance claim or legal action you decide to pursue.
Common Causes Of Single-vehicle Accidents
The most common causes of motor vehicle crashes involving only one vehicle include:
· Speeding
· Alcohol and drug use
· Driver inexperience
· Mechanical failure or vehicle defect
· Running off the road
· Bad weather conditions
· Distracted drivers
· Drowsy drivers
· Poor road conditions
· Animal crossings, and
· Inattentive pedestrians.
Driver’s Obligations After A Single-vehicle Crash in Louisiana
Car accident laws in Louisiana require reporting of accidents to the police if they result in death, injury, or damage to the value of $500 or more. Additionally, most insurance companies will only process a claim if you file a police report. Police reports are also crucial as evidence.
Louisiana law stipulates that you must also report the crash to the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections (DPSC) within twenty-four hours.
In Louisiana, if you are in a single-vehicle accident that causes damage to someone else’s property, you must leave a note in a conspicuous place containing your name and contact details. If you have reasons to believe that someone else was accountable for your single-vehicle accident and you sustained bodily injuries or significant property damage to your vehicle, you should call the police to request an investigation and to make a report to document who or what you believe contributed to your accident.
Under Louisiana law, there is no cap on plaintiff recovery for car accidents unless you go to the small claims court. In this case, claims must be less than $3,000.
Louisiana Is a “Pure Comparative Negligence” State
If you believe that you were partially responsible for a single-car collision, you may still be able to recover compensation due to Louisiana’s pure comparative negligence laws. However, the compensation you receive will depend on your percentage of fault.
For example, if a jury awards you $100,000 in compensation for your injuries, but you are thirty percent at fault, your total recovery would be $70,000.
Determining Fault In Single-vehicle Accidents
Determining liability for a single-vehicle accident is a tricky proposition. Drivers in single-vehicle collisions caused by their negligence cannot sue for damages as there are no at-fault parties to sue. At-fault parties cannot sue their insurer for compensation; however, this is not always the case.
A driver can suffer injuries when a tree lands on their vehicle in a storm, causing them to crash.
In Louisiana, each driver must have:
· $15,000 in bodily injury liability for injury or death of one person in an accident
· $30,000 total in bodily injury liability for injuries or death to multiple people in a single accident
· $25,000 for property damage in a single accident.
Determining fault is necessary to recover damages in a personal injury case.
In certain circumstances, the driver may be able to file a claim against someone else to recover losses. To file a lawsuit against another party, the driver (plaintiff) must establish that the defendant owed the plaintiff a duty of care, that the defendant proceeded to breach the duty of care, that the defendant’s breach directly caused the plaintiff harm, and that the plaintiff suffered damages as a result.
If you’re involved in a single-vehicle accident in the Pelican State and are confident that the crash was not your fault, you must gather evidence immediately. Report the accident to your car insurance carrier and the police. If there were any witnesses to the accident, get their contact information.
If objects fall off the back of a vehicle and hit your vehicle, it might be possible to pursue damages against the vehicle’s owner for compensation for their negligence in poorly securing their cargo.
If you crashed due to bad road conditions, take pictures of the scene. Promptly report the incident to the governmental entity in charge of the road and file a claim against that entity. If you think you crashed due to a vehicle defect or mechanical failure, get the car checked out immediately. The most common defective car parts include steering systems, airbags, seat belts, fuel systems, brakes, and accelerators.
Wait to repair the car until the police have made a full inspection.
Reckless drivers are plentiful on Louisiana roads and can often cause accidents for other road users without making contact. A Reckless driver can cause another driver to crash, usually by swerving to avoid the reckless driver. There is no contact between the vehicles, but the irresponsible driver is at fault for the crash.
Contact A Louisiana Personal Injury Lawyer With Unparalleled Expertise In Motor Vehicle Accident Cases
At Bart Bernard Injury Lawyers, our Louisiana car accident lawyers understand the importance of conducting an independent accident investigation. Clients may need to remember what happened on the day they got injured. The experienced attorneys at our Louisiana personal injury law firm don’t simply use the police report to try to build a case. They will use a network of experts to assist them in their investigations, including accident reconstruction experts, medical professionals, life care planners, and economists, among others, to ensure that they identify, collect, and preserve critical evidence to prove the other party caused your injury.
Negotiations are among the most challenging components of any legal case. Most personal injury claims get settled through negotiation.
Luckily, you won’t need to manage them yourself. Louisiana personal injury attorney Bart Bernard relies on his extensive training and over twenty-five years of experience to aggressively negotiate a settlement agreement to recover maximum compensation in single-vehicle accident claims.
If you or a loved one have suffered injuries in a single-vehicle accident anywhere in Louisiana, don’t assume you’re out of options. Depending on the facts and circumstances of your case, you could receive maximum compensation that can help you pay your medical bills, lost income, and more.
Contact a Louisiana auto accident attorney at Bart Bernard Injury Lawyers to schedule a free consultation to understand your legal options.
