Who is liable if I was hit by a car while walking in Louisiana?

Liability in Louisiana pedestrian accidents follows comparative fault principles under [La. C.C. Art. 2323](https://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=109387). The driver who struck you may be primarily liable if they failed to yield, were distracted, impaired, or speeding. Additional liable parties can include the vehicle manufacturer (defective brakes or tires), a city or parish (missing crosswalk markings, broken signals, inadequate lighting), or a property owner (blocked sight lines from landscaping or signage). Identifying all potentially liable parties requires investigation that goes beyond the police report.

Can I recover if I was crossing outside a crosswalk when I was hit?

Yes, in most cases. Louisiana's comparative fault rule under [La. C.C. Art. 2323](https://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=109387) allows recovery as long as your fault is 50% or less. Crossing outside a crosswalk may assign you some percentage of fault, but the driver retains responsibility for failing to watch for pedestrians in the roadway. The final allocation depends on factors including the speed of the vehicle, visibility conditions, whether the driver had adequate time to stop, and the specific location of the crossing. An attorney's job is to ensure the fault percentage attributed to you is accurate, not inflated.

How long do I have to file a pedestrian accident claim in Louisiana?

Two years from the date of the accident under [La. C.C. Art. 3493.11](https://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=1092220), effective July 1, 2024. If your claim involves a governmental entity (city, parish, or LaDOTD), notice requirements may be as short as 60 to 90 days from the accident. Missing the governmental notice deadline can eliminate that portion of your claim even if the two-year lawsuit deadline has not passed. Do not assume you have time to spare. Evidence disappears quickly after pedestrian accidents.

What if the driver who hit me had no insurance?

Your own auto insurance policy may cover you through uninsured motorist (UM) coverage under [La. R.S. 22:1295](https://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=508161), even when you were on foot at the time of the accident. Louisiana law requires insurers to offer UM/UIM coverage. If you accepted it, it applies to pedestrian accidents involving uninsured drivers. UM/UIM coverage can also stack across multiple vehicles on your policy. If the driver fled the scene, hit-and-run claims are handled through your own UM coverage. An attorney can review your policy and confirm what coverage applies to your specific situation.

What is my pedestrian accident case worth in Louisiana?

There is no standard formula. Case value depends on the severity and permanence of your injuries, your pre-accident income and earning capacity, the documented medical costs (past and projected future), the relative fault percentages of each party, the applicable insurance coverage limits, and whether the case settles or goes to trial. Louisiana tort reform (2024-2025) changed how certain damage categories are calculated. Cases involving permanent disability, TBI, spinal cord injury, or wrongful death typically involve significantly higher values than soft tissue cases. Morris & Dewett has achieved significant recoveries in pedestrian accident cases. Review our [case results](/case-results/) for context.

Can family members sue if a loved one was killed in a pedestrian accident?

Yes. Louisiana law provides two separate claims for surviving family members. A {TERM: Wrongful Death Action | A claim under La. C.C. Art. 2315.2 brought by surviving family members (spouse, children, parents, siblings) to recover their own damages from the death, including loss of financial support, loss of companionship, and funeral costs.} under [La. C.C. Art. 2315.2](https://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=109386) allows eligible survivors (spouse, children, parents, siblings in priority order) to recover for loss of financial support, loss of companionship, and grief. A survival action under [La. C.C. Art. 2315.1](https://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=109385) recovers the deceased's own damages for pain and suffering between injury and death. Both claims carry a two-year prescriptive period from the date of death.

Do I need a lawyer for a pedestrian accident claim, or can I handle it myself?

You can represent yourself, but pedestrian accident claims involve comparative fault disputes, governmental entity notice requirements, insurance policy coverage analysis, evidence preservation deadlines, and medical documentation standards that are routinely used by insurance companies to reduce payouts. Adjusters negotiate these claims professionally every day. The complexity is not accidental. Morris & Dewett handles pedestrian cases on contingency: no upfront cost, no fee unless there is a recovery. A consultation costs nothing and gives you the information to make the decision yourself.

How much does it cost to hire a pedestrian accident lawyer in Louisiana?

Nothing upfront. Pedestrian accident attorneys in Louisiana work on a contingency fee basis. You pay no retainer, no hourly rate, and no fees unless your case results in a recovery. The attorney's fee is a percentage of the settlement or verdict, agreed on in writing at the time of engagement. If there is no recovery, you owe no attorney fees. Out-of-pocket case expenses (filing fees, expert costs) are typically advanced by the firm and reimbursed from the settlement. Ask your attorney to explain the fee agreement in detail before signing anything.

Do pedestrian accident cases go to trial, or are they usually settled?

Most pedestrian accident cases in Louisiana settle before trial. Settlement becomes more likely when liability is clear, injuries are documented, and both sides have exchanged evidence through the discovery process. Cases that go to trial typically involve disputed fault percentages, significant damages, or insurance companies that refuse to make reasonable offers. Morris & Dewett prepares every case for trial from the beginning. Insurers know when an attorney is willing to try a case, and that preparation affects settlement offers. There is no way to predict at the outset whether a specific case will settle or go to trial.

What if the driver who hit me fled the scene (hit and run)?

Hit-and-run pedestrian accidents are handled through your own uninsured motorist (UM) coverage. Louisiana's UM statute ([La. R.S. 22:1295](https://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=508161)) treats hit-and-run drivers as uninsured motorists. If you have UM coverage on any vehicle registered in your household, it applies. The investigation process is different from a known-driver case. It focuses on collecting whatever evidence is available about the fleeing vehicle (surveillance footage, witnesses, paint transfer, debris) and working with your own insurer. An attorney manages the UM claim and any disputes your insurer raises about fault or injury severity.

Louisiana Pedestrian Accident Lawyer

No one reads lawyer websites until they need one. If you're here, you or someone you care about was struck by a vehicle. That means injuries, medical decisions, and questions about who is responsible and what happens next.

This page explains how pedestrian accident claims work in Louisiana, what evidence matters, how fault is determined, and what legal deadlines apply. Morris & Dewett has handled pedestrian accident cases across Louisiana for 25 years. Take your time. Do your research. Reach out when you're ready.

Why Pedestrian Accident Claims Are Legally Complex

Pedestrians have no crumple zone, airbag, or steel frame between them and an oncoming vehicle. When a car strikes a pedestrian, the injuries are almost always severe. Traumatic brain injury. Spinal fractures. Internal organ damage. Amputations. Compound fractures requiring multiple surgeries. The medical bills are real. The legal situation is usually more complicated than it appears.

Louisiana law holds multiple parties liable in a pedestrian accident, not just the driver. The vehicle manufacturer may share responsibility if a brake failure or defective tire contributed to the crash. A city or parish may be liable if a missing crosswalk, broken traffic signal, or poorly lit intersection created the dangerous condition. A property owner may be responsible if their overgrown landscaping blocked the driver's sight line. Identifying all potentially liable parties requires investigation, not just the police report.

That police report is another complication. Officers assign fault based on what they observe and what witnesses say in the immediate aftermath. They get it wrong more often than people expect. Fault determinations made at the scene can be challenged. An experienced attorney requests supplemental evidence: traffic camera footage, dashcam recordings, accident reconstruction analysis. The initial report is not the final word.

Louisiana averaged approximately 1,400 pedestrian-involved crashes per year statewide in recent years, according to NHTSA data. These are not rare events. They happen at crosswalks, in parking lots, on residential streets, and at high-speed intersections. For more information on related automobile injury claims, including how Louisiana courts approach vehicle accident liability, see our practice area overview. Cases involving permanent or disabling injuries may also qualify as catastrophic injury claims with expanded damage categories.

Pedestrian Accident Statistics in Louisiana

Louisiana's pedestrian fatality numbers are among the worst in the country. In 2021, Louisiana recorded 185 pedestrian deaths, a nearly 20% increase over 2020 and the highest count in the past decade, per NHTSA. The state averages roughly 1,400 pedestrian crashes annually. That number represents people struck at intersections, in parking lots, crossing mid-block, and walking along roadways without sidewalks.

In early 2026, East Baton Rouge Parish recorded more than a dozen pedestrian crashes, including a fatal incident on March 3. The Louisiana Highway Safety Commission (LHSC) coordinates statewide pedestrian safety programs, including the Stroll into Safety initiative, specifically because pedestrian risk in Louisiana is statistically elevated. State acknowledgment of the problem is useful context in cases where dangerous road conditions contributed to the accident.

Distracted driving and impaired driving are the top two driver-caused factors in pedestrian fatalities, both nationally and in Louisiana. A driver looking at a phone for five seconds at 30 mph travels the length of a football field without watching the road. At 45 mph, the stopping distance required to avoid a pedestrian at a crosswalk roughly doubles compared to 25 mph. Speed and inattention are the variables most directly tied to pedestrian deaths.

Ask any attorney you're considering: how do they access traffic and red-light camera footage when pursuing pedestrian cases in Louisiana? That footage disappears quickly. Attorneys who know how to request it immediately, before it's overwritten, get evidence that can establish exactly what the driver was doing in the seconds before impact.

What Louisiana's Comparative Fault Law Means for Pedestrian Victims

Comparative Fault became more restrictive in Louisiana as of January 1, 2026. Under La. C.C. Art. 2323, if a pedestrian is determined to be 51% or more at fault for the accident, they recover nothing. That is a hard cutoff.

Before 2026, Louisiana's comparative fault rule was more favorable to injured people. Recovery was possible even when the plaintiff carried more than half the fault. The 2026 change, part of the broader 2024-2025 tort reform package, makes the threshold strict. It also makes early attorney involvement more critical, because the insurance company's entire litigation strategy in pedestrian cases often centers on pushing the pedestrian's fault percentage above 50%.

Insurance adjusters cite specific pedestrian behaviors as fault. Common examples: crossing outside a crosswalk, crossing against a signal, walking in the roadway when a sidewalk was available, and distracted walking. Some of these are relevant. Many are overstated. An attorney's job in pedestrian cases includes challenging fault assignments directly. The standard tools are traffic camera footage, witness statements, accident reconstruction analysis, and phone records showing whether the driver was distracted at the time of impact.

Understanding how fault percentages are actually assigned matters for your decision-making. A jury evaluates comparative fault by weighing the negligence of each party. Insurance adjusters know this standard and construct their defense around it. Attorneys who have tried pedestrian cases in Louisiana courts know the counterarguments. Ask any attorney you're considering: how many pedestrian accident cases have they taken through deposition, and what is their approach to disputed comparative fault? If they can't answer specifically, that tells you something. See our case results for examples of cases where disputed liability was resolved.

Types of Negligence That Cause Pedestrian Accidents

Motorist Negligence

Distracted driving is the leading cause of pedestrian strikes in Louisiana. A driver looking at a phone or adjusting navigation may not see a pedestrian until it is too late. Louisiana law (La. R.S. 32:212) requires drivers to yield to pedestrians in marked and unmarked crosswalks. Failure to yield is a traffic violation and direct evidence of negligence.

Impaired driving is the second major factor. Alcohol, illegal drugs, and prescription medications that impair reaction time all create liability. Drivers who failed to stop because they were impaired face not only civil liability but potential criminal charges. Toxicology results from the at-fault driver's post-accident blood draw, if one was ordered, become significant evidence.

Speeding in school zones and residential areas shortens a driver's reaction time and increases the severity of any impact. Turning violations are another consistent cause: drivers turning right on red who do not check for pedestrians crossing legally, or drivers making left turns across oncoming pedestrian traffic. Backing accidents in parking lots are a separate category. Drivers backing out of parking spaces have obstructed sight lines. Pedestrians in parking lots have no legal protection zone. These cases involve the same negligence analysis as roadway accidents.

Ask any attorney you're considering: have they used footage from red-light cameras, business security systems, or residential doorbell cameras in pedestrian cases? This footage is often the difference between a disputed claim and a clear case. Attorneys who don't know how to obtain it quickly may let the evidence disappear.

Defective Vehicle or Road Conditions

Not every pedestrian accident is caused only by driver error. Brake failures that prevent a driver from stopping in time may shift liability to the vehicle manufacturer or a maintenance provider. Tire blowouts that cause a driver to lose control have the same result. Defective headlights that reduce a driver's ability to see a pedestrian at night create a product liability angle alongside the driver's negligence.

Road condition liability is a separate and distinct claim. When a city or parish fails to maintain crosswalk markings, repair broken traffic signals, or provide adequate lighting at intersections, the governmental entity may share liability. LaDOTD is responsible for state highway maintenance. City and parish governments are responsible for local roads. Governmental immunity in Louisiana has specific exceptions for dangerous conditions of public roads. These claims are viable but require early investigation because governmental defendants have shorter prescriptive periods and specific pre-suit notice requirements.

Claims against governmental entities may require formal notice within 60 to 90 days of the accident, depending on the entity. Missing that deadline can forfeit the claim entirely. If a road condition, missing sidewalk, or broken signal contributed to the accident, contact an attorney immediately.

Ask any attorney you're considering: have they filed claims against a Louisiana governmental entity in a pedestrian or roadway defect case? Governmental liability under Louisiana law requires specific pleading and notice procedures that differ significantly from claims against private parties. This is a specialized area. Experience with it matters.

Steps to Take After a Pedestrian Accident in Louisiana

Call 911. A police report is mandatory for any injury accident and serves as foundational evidence for your claim. If you are injured, do not attempt to move. Wait for EMS. Adrenaline after an accident can mask significant pain. What feels like minor soreness at the scene may be a spinal injury, internal bleeding, or a traumatic brain injury that manifests symptoms hours or days later.

If you are physically able to do so safely, document the scene before anything changes. Photograph the vehicle and its position relative to the crosswalk. Document your injuries, pavement markings, signal states, lighting conditions, and any visible skid marks or debris. Get the driver's name, license plate number, and insurance carrier information. Identify anyone who witnessed the accident and collect their contact information.

Do not give a recorded statement to the at-fault driver's insurance company before speaking with an attorney. Insurance adjusters are trained to ask questions that produce answers they can use to shift fault. You have no obligation to submit to a recorded statement, and doing so before you understand the full legal situation creates risk. Seek emergency medical care on the day of the accident regardless of your symptom level. Gaps in medical documentation harm claims.

Police reports sometimes assign pedestrian fault at the scene based on limited information. Officers who arrive after the fact, with no camera footage and conflicting witness accounts, sometimes get it wrong. An attorney can supplement the official record with additional investigation: surveillance footage, independent witness interviews, traffic engineering analysis of the intersection, and accident reconstruction. The police report starts the record. It doesn't close it. When you're ready, reach out for a free consultation.

The Prescriptive Period: How Long You Have to File

Louisiana gives injured people two years to file a personal injury lawsuit under Prescriptive Period. The specific statute is La. C.C. Art. 3493.11, effective July 1, 2024. Before that date, the period was one year. The extension is favorable, but two years passes faster than it seems when you're focused on medical care and recovery.

The two-year clock applies to claims against private parties (the driver, the vehicle manufacturer, a property owner). Claims against governmental entities (city, parish, or LaDOTD) require compliance with notice provisions. These may be as short as 60 to 90 days from the accident. These notice requirements exist separately from the lawsuit filing deadline. Missing the notice period can eliminate a governmental liability claim entirely, even if the lawsuit is filed within two years.

The discovery rule provides a limited exception. If an injury was not immediately apparent, the prescriptive period begins when you knew or reasonably should have known about the injury. This most commonly applies to delayed-onset neurological symptoms following head trauma, or soft tissue injuries that worsen over time. It does not apply to obvious injuries. The clock starts at the accident date for those.

Wrongful death claims brought by surviving family members under La. C.C. Art. 2315.2 also carry a two-year prescriptive period, measured from the date of death. For the full prescriptive period analysis including how the discovery rule has been applied in Louisiana, see our Louisiana statute of limitations overview.

What Damages Are Available in a Louisiana Pedestrian Accident Claim

Louisiana pedestrian accident claims can pursue two categories of damages: economic and non-economic. Economic damages are the calculable losses. They include emergency care, hospitalization, surgery, rehabilitation, physical therapy, and assistive devices. Future medical care projected by a life care planner is also recoverable. So are lost wages and Loss of Earning Capacity for injuries that affect your ability to work permanently.

Non-economic damages include pain and suffering, emotional distress, permanent physical impairment, and disfigurement. These are harder to quantify but often represent the largest portion of a settlement or verdict in serious pedestrian injury cases. Louisiana tort reform (2024-2025) introduced caps and modifications to certain damage categories. An experienced attorney evaluates which limitations apply and how to document non-economic damages effectively given the current statutory framework.

If the driver who hit you was uninsured or underinsured, your own auto insurance policy's UM/UIM coverage may apply. Louisiana requires insurers to offer UM/UIM coverage. If you rejected it in writing, you may not have it. If you accepted it, it can provide significant recovery even when the at-fault driver is judgment-proof.

In cases involving wrongful death, surviving family members may pursue separate claims under La. C.C. Art. 2315.2 for loss of financial support, loss of companionship, grief, and funeral expenses. A Survival Action may also be available for the deceased's own pain and suffering between injury and death.

Morris & Dewett works on Contingency Fee only. There is no upfront cost. You owe no attorney fees if there is no recovery. The percentage is discussed at the initial consultation. Ask any attorney you consider to explain their fee structure clearly before you sign anything.

Evidence That Wins Pedestrian Accident Cases

The most powerful evidence in pedestrian accident cases is footage captured in the seconds before impact. Traffic cameras, red-light cameras, business security cameras, dashcams, and residential doorbell cameras all record relevant data. Most systems overwrite footage within days. An attorney who moves immediately to send a Preservation Letter (or in pedestrian cases, a demand to the city, business, or camera owner) gets evidence that evaporates without it.

To prove negligence in a pedestrian accident case, an attorney must establish four elements: duty, breach, causation, and damages. The driver owed a duty to exercise reasonable care. The specific conduct (speeding, failure to yield, distracted driving) was a breach of that duty. The breach caused the pedestrian's injuries. Those injuries produced quantifiable damages. Each element requires supporting evidence. Accident reconstruction analysis establishes duty, breach, and causation by determining vehicle speed, sight distances, braking capacity, and the driver's ability to have avoided the collision.

The at-fault vehicle's electronic data recorder (ECM) stores pre-impact speed, braking input, and throttle data. Modern passenger vehicles have similar systems. This data requires prompt preservation demands and, in contested cases, expert interpretation. Medical records from first responders and the emergency department establish causation between the collision and the injuries documented. Witness statements taken close in time to the accident are more reliable than those taken weeks later.

Prior complaints to city or parish engineering departments about a dangerous intersection are public records. If the governmental entity received notice of a missing crosswalk, broken signal, or sight-line obstruction and failed to correct it, those records establish knowledge and negligence. Attorneys with experience in pedestrian cases know how to subpoena intersection maintenance histories. See our case results for examples of cases built on multiple evidence types.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is liable if I was hit by a car while walking in Louisiana?: Liability in Louisiana pedestrian accidents follows comparative fault principles under [La. C.C. Art. 2323](https://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=109387). The driver who struck you may be primarily liable if they failed to yield, were distracted, impaired, or speeding. Additional liable parties can include the vehicle manufacturer (defective brakes or tires), a city or parish (missing crosswalk markings, broken signals, inadequate lighting), or a property owner (blocked sight lines from landscaping or signage). Identifying all potentially liable parties requires investigation that goes beyond the police report.
Can I recover if I was crossing outside a crosswalk when I was hit?: Yes, in most cases. Louisiana's comparative fault rule under [La. C.C. Art. 2323](https://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=109387) allows recovery as long as your fault is 50% or less. Crossing outside a crosswalk may assign you some percentage of fault, but the driver retains responsibility for failing to watch for pedestrians in the roadway. The final allocation depends on factors including the speed of the vehicle, visibility conditions, whether the driver had adequate time to stop, and the specific location of the crossing. An attorney's job is to ensure the fault percentage attributed to you is accurate, not inflated.
How long do I have to file a pedestrian accident claim in Louisiana?: Two years from the date of the accident under [La. C.C. Art. 3493.11](https://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=1092220), effective July 1, 2024. If your claim involves a governmental entity (city, parish, or LaDOTD), notice requirements may be as short as 60 to 90 days from the accident. Missing the governmental notice deadline can eliminate that portion of your claim even if the two-year lawsuit deadline has not passed. Do not assume you have time to spare. Evidence disappears quickly after pedestrian accidents.
What if the driver who hit me had no insurance?: Your own auto insurance policy may cover you through uninsured motorist (UM) coverage under [La. R.S. 22:1295](https://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=508161), even when you were on foot at the time of the accident. Louisiana law requires insurers to offer UM/UIM coverage. If you accepted it, it applies to pedestrian accidents involving uninsured drivers. UM/UIM coverage can also stack across multiple vehicles on your policy. If the driver fled the scene, hit-and-run claims are handled through your own UM coverage. An attorney can review your policy and confirm what coverage applies to your specific situation.
What is my pedestrian accident case worth in Louisiana?: There is no standard formula. Case value depends on the severity and permanence of your injuries, your pre-accident income and earning capacity, the documented medical costs (past and projected future), the relative fault percentages of each party, the applicable insurance coverage limits, and whether the case settles or goes to trial. Louisiana tort reform (2024-2025) changed how certain damage categories are calculated. Cases involving permanent disability, TBI, spinal cord injury, or wrongful death typically involve significantly higher values than soft tissue cases. Morris & Dewett has achieved significant recoveries in pedestrian accident cases. Review our [case results](/case-results/) for context.
Can family members sue if a loved one was killed in a pedestrian accident?: Yes. Louisiana law provides two separate claims for surviving family members. A {TERM: Wrongful Death Action | A claim under La. C.C. Art. 2315.2 brought by surviving family members (spouse, children, parents, siblings) to recover their own damages from the death, including loss of financial support, loss of companionship, and funeral costs.} under [La. C.C. Art. 2315.2](https://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=109386) allows eligible survivors (spouse, children, parents, siblings in priority order) to recover for loss of financial support, loss of companionship, and grief. A survival action under [La. C.C. Art. 2315.1](https://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=109385) recovers the deceased's own damages for pain and suffering between injury and death. Both claims carry a two-year prescriptive period from the date of death.
Do I need a lawyer for a pedestrian accident claim, or can I handle it myself?: You can represent yourself, but pedestrian accident claims involve comparative fault disputes, governmental entity notice requirements, insurance policy coverage analysis, evidence preservation deadlines, and medical documentation standards that are routinely used by insurance companies to reduce payouts. Adjusters negotiate these claims professionally every day. The complexity is not accidental. Morris & Dewett handles pedestrian cases on contingency: no upfront cost, no fee unless there is a recovery. A consultation costs nothing and gives you the information to make the decision yourself.
How much does it cost to hire a pedestrian accident lawyer in Louisiana?: Nothing upfront. Pedestrian accident attorneys in Louisiana work on a contingency fee basis. You pay no retainer, no hourly rate, and no fees unless your case results in a recovery. The attorney's fee is a percentage of the settlement or verdict, agreed on in writing at the time of engagement. If there is no recovery, you owe no attorney fees. Out-of-pocket case expenses (filing fees, expert costs) are typically advanced by the firm and reimbursed from the settlement. Ask your attorney to explain the fee agreement in detail before signing anything.
Do pedestrian accident cases go to trial, or are they usually settled?: Most pedestrian accident cases in Louisiana settle before trial. Settlement becomes more likely when liability is clear, injuries are documented, and both sides have exchanged evidence through the discovery process. Cases that go to trial typically involve disputed fault percentages, significant damages, or insurance companies that refuse to make reasonable offers. Morris & Dewett prepares every case for trial from the beginning. Insurers know when an attorney is willing to try a case, and that preparation affects settlement offers. There is no way to predict at the outset whether a specific case will settle or go to trial.
What if the driver who hit me fled the scene (hit and run)?: Hit-and-run pedestrian accidents are handled through your own uninsured motorist (UM) coverage. Louisiana's UM statute ([La. R.S. 22:1295](https://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=508161)) treats hit-and-run drivers as uninsured motorists. If you have UM coverage on any vehicle registered in your household, it applies. The investigation process is different from a known-driver case. It focuses on collecting whatever evidence is available about the fleeing vehicle (surveillance footage, witnesses, paint transfer, debris) and working with your own insurer. An attorney manages the UM claim and any disputes your insurer raises about fault or injury severity.

These answers reflect Louisiana law as of January 2026. For case specific advice, consult with a Louisiana personal injury attorney who can evaluate your particular circumstances.