After the wrecker, call Hecker.
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CAR ACCIDENTS —
One second you’re driving down Claiborne, the I-10 or the Westbank Expressway. The next, you’re dealing with a wrecked car, a trip to the ER and a phone that won’t stop ringing. When you get into an accident, the first call should always be to emergency services. Then you call the wrecker. After that, call Hecker.
Stephen J. Hecker is a New Orleans car accident lawyer who grew up driving these same streets. He knows the courts and the traffic in the Greater New Orleans area, and he has offices in Alexandria and Ferriday for clients across Louisiana. He handles the adjusters, the paperwork and the deadlines so you can focus on getting better.
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.
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.
If you were driving without liability insurance, Louisiana law now bars you from recovering the first $100,000 of your bodily injury damages and the first $100,000 of your property damage, under a law that took effect August 1, 2025. There are exceptions, including when the other driver is convicted of DWI, caused the crash on purpose or fled the scene. If you were uninsured, call us anyway. We can tell you where you stand.
Nearly 12% of Louisiana drivers have no insurance at all, according to the Insurance Research Council. Many more carry only the state minimum. Your own uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM) coverage may pay when the at-fault driver can’t. We review every policy that might apply, including yours.
Insurance companies can now point to whether you were wearing a seatbelt, and recent changes limit some medical bill recovery to the amounts actually paid by insurance. These rules make it more important than ever to have someone document your injuries and your medical care correctly from the start.
The adjuster calling you works for the insurance company. Their job is to close your claim fast and cheap. Stephen’s job is to make sure you’re treated fairly. He gathers the police report, witness statements, photos and medical records, figures out every policy that might pay, and deals with the insurance companies so you don’t have to. If a fair settlement isn’t offered, the next step may be filing suit.
Talk to Stephen J. Hecker today. The consultation is free.
FAQ —
It depends on your injuries, your medical treatment, your lost income, who was at fault and how much insurance is available. Anyone who quotes you a number before reviewing those facts is guessing. We’ll give you an honest assessment after we look at your case.
You can give them basic information, like your name and the date of the accident. Don’t give a recorded statement, guess about your injuries or sign anything before you talk to a lawyer. What you say can be used to reduce your claim.
For most accidents on or after July 1, 2024, you have two years from the date of the accident to file suit. Accidents before that date generally had one year. Call us as soon as you can so we can protect your deadline.
You may still be able to recover. For accidents on or after January 1, 2026, you can recover as long as you are less than 51% at fault, but your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault. Earlier accidents follow the old rule, which allowed a reduced recovery at any percentage.
PRACTICE AREAS
We take on trucking companies and their insurers after 18-wheeler crashes.
We sort out which policy pays when a rideshare trip ends in a crash.
