Metairie & New Orleans Car Accident Lawyer

What to do after a car accident

The first hours and days matter more than most people realize:

1. See a doctor, even if you feel "okay." Neck, back, and head injuries often don't show up until days later — and a gap in treatment is the first thing an insurer uses to question your claim.
2. Photograph everything: the vehicles, the scene, the damage, your injuries, and any hazards.
3. Get the other driver's insurance information and the names of any witnesses.
4. Report the accident. Louisiana requires reporting crashes involving injury, death, or significant property damage.
5. Don't give a recorded statement to the other driver's insurance company before talking to a lawyer — those calls are designed to get you to say something that reduces your claim.
6. Call us for a free consultation.

How Louisiana car accident law works — and why it's changed

Louisiana is a fault-based state, meaning the driver who caused the crash (and their insurer) is responsible for the damages. But the law has changed in important ways recently, and getting it right matters:

• The deadline to file is longer than it used to be — but still strict. For accidents on or after July 1, 2024, Louisiana generally allows two years to file an injury claim (La. Civ. Code art. 3493.1), up from the old one-year rule. Older accidents may still fall under the shorter deadline. The safest course is simple: don't wait — evidence and witnesses fade quickly.
• Fault-sharing changed on January 1, 2026. Louisiana used to follow "pure" comparative fault, where you could recover even if you were mostly to blame, reduced by your share. Under the amended Civil Code article 2323, for accidents on or after January 1, 2026, a person found 51% or more at fault recovers nothing — below that, your recovery is still reduced by your percentage. (Accidents before 2026 stay under the old pure-fault rule.) Insurers know this and work hard to push blame onto you, which is exactly where a lawyer who pushes back matters.
• "No Pay, No Play." If you were driving without insurance, Louisiana's "No Pay, No Play" law (R.S. 32:866) can bar a large piece of your recovery — as of August 1, 2025, the first $100,000 in bodily-injury damages — even if the other driver caused the crash. If this applies to you, it's worth a conversation about your options.
• Proving the crash caused your injury got harder. Louisiana recently changed its evidence rules, so the simple absence of a prior problem no longer presumes the accident caused it. That makes prompt, well-documented medical treatment more important than ever — a gap in care is one of the first things an insurer will use against you.
• Minimum coverage is often not enough. Louisiana's required insurance minimums are low and, in a serious crash, get exhausted fast — which is why uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM) coverage matters so much here, and why we handle so many UM claims.

What your claim may include

Depending on your case, you may be able to recover for medical expenses, lost wages and lost earning capacity, future medical care, property damage, and pain and suffering. Every case is different, and the value depends on the specific facts.

Why Bono Law Firm

We're a family-owned firm based in Metairie, serving New Orleans, the Westbank, the Northshore, and the surrounding parishes since 1980. We keep our caseload manageable on purpose, so every client gets prompt answers and personal attention — and your questions are answered by John C. Bono or Michael P. Bono, not a call center. We personally visit the scene of every accident, because the details that win cases are often the ones you only catch in person. When an insurance company won't be fair, we're ready to go to trial. There's no fee unless we recover money for you, and we'll come to you at home or in the hospital.

We were voted Best Personal Injury Attorney in the New Orleans CityBusiness Reader Rankings, and you can see our case results here. Injured elsewhere in the area? See our Metairie Personal Injury Lawyer and New Orleans Personal Injury Lawyer pages.

Common questions

Car accident FAQ

Hurt in a car accident in Metairie, New Orleans, or anywhere in the area? Get a straight answer from a lawyer who'll handle the insurance company so you can focus on getting well.

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