A car wreck turns a normal day upside down in seconds. What you do in the hours and days afterward can make a big difference to your health and to any claim you make. Here is a simple checklist for drivers and passengers in Louisiana.
1. Get to safety and call 911
If you can, move out of traffic and turn on your hazard lights. Call 911 to report the crash and request medical help. A police report creates an official record of who was involved and what happened.
2. Get medical care, even if you feel okay
Adrenaline hides pain. Concussions, whiplash and back injuries often show up hours or days later. Get checked out, follow your doctor’s instructions and keep every appointment. Insurance companies look for delays and gaps in treatment and use them to argue you weren’t really hurt.
3. Document the scene
- Photos of every vehicle, license plates and the damage
- The road, traffic lights, signs and skid marks
- Your injuries
- Names, phone numbers and insurance information for every driver
- Names and phone numbers of witnesses
4. Be careful what you say
Be polite, but don’t apologize or guess about what happened. Statements like “I’m sorry” or “I didn’t see you” can be twisted into an admission of fault.
5. Call the wrecker, then call Hecker
Once your car is towed, the insurance calls start. The other driver’s adjuster may ask for a recorded statement or offer a quick check. You are not required to give the other side’s insurer a recorded statement, and you should talk to a lawyer before you do or before you sign anything.
Louisiana rules that affect your claim
- Deadline: In Louisiana, most injury claims from accidents on or after July 1, 2024 must be filed within two years. Injuries before that date generally had only one year. Evidence also disappears fast, so don’t wait.
- Fault: Louisiana changed its fault rule on January 1, 2026. For accidents on or after that date, if you are found 51% or more at fault, you recover nothing. If you are less than 51% at fault, your recovery is reduced by your share. Insurance companies know this, so expect them to try to push more of the blame onto you.
- Uninsured drivers: If you were driving without liability insurance, Louisiana’s “no pay, no play” law, which took effect August 1, 2025, bars recovery of the first $100,000 of bodily injury and the first $100,000 of property damage, with some exceptions.
- Seatbelts: Whether you wore a seatbelt can now be raised by the defense. Buckle up.
Hurt in an accident in Louisiana? Call Stephen J. Hecker at (504) 446-1000 for a free consultation. Our phones are answered 24/7. Contact us online.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Every case depends on its own facts. Laws change; this post reflects Louisiana law as of November 2026.