What is a car accident claim worth in Louisiana?

Every rule below is quoted from Louisiana law or a state agency, with a link. Checked September 17, 2026.

Louisiana · At fault2 yearsto sue for injuries

The short answer

Nobody can price your claim from a web page, and any site that gives you one number is guessing. What we can show you is real: the amount insurers actually paid per claim in Louisiana, and the Louisiana rules that raise or lower what you collect. $17,177 was the average injury claim paid in Louisiana in 2022.

Six questions, no sign up

Nothing you pick is sent anywhere or saved. The answer appears on this page.

Was anyone hurt?
Who caused the crash?
Does the other driver have insurance?
How bad is the car?
Did anyone miss work?
Did police write a report?

What claims paid in Louisiana

Injury claims in Louisiana averaged $17,177 each in 2022.

Car and property damage claims averaged $6,508.

Average amount paid per claim in Louisiana, 2022. Source: NAIC 2022/2023 Auto Insurance Database Report.
Injury claim paid by the at fault driver's insurance$17,177
Car and property damage$6,508
Medical payments coverage, paid by your own policy$4,035
Collision coverage, paid by your own policy$7,126

These are averages of every claim insurers closed, from the largest to the smallest. A claim with a hospital stay sits far above the average, and a fender bender sits far below it.

What changes the number in Louisiana

If you were partly at fault

As of January 1, 2026, Louisiana uses modified comparative fault with a 51 percent bar. You can recover damages only if you were less than 51 percent at fault. If you were 51 percent or more at fault, you get nothing.

“is equal to or greater than fifty-one percent, then the person suffering injury, death, or loss shall not be entitled to recover damages”

La. Civ. Code art. 2323(A)(2)(a)

The other driver's policy limit is the ceiling

Louisiana drivers must carry at least $15,000 in liability coverage per person, $30,000 per crash, and $25,000 for property damage.

“Fifteen thousand dollars because of bodily injury to or death of one person in any one accident”

La. R.S. 32:900(B)(2)(a)

If the other driver has no insurance

Louisiana insurers must include uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage in every auto policy, but a named insured can reject it, choose lower limits, or choose an economic only version, in writing.

“the coverage required under this Section is not applicable when any insured named in the policy either rejects coverage, selects lower limits, or selects economic-only coverage”

La. R.S. 22:1295(1)(a)(i)

The deadline that ends the claim

You have 2 years to sue for injuries from a car crash in Louisiana.

“Delictual actions are subject to a liberative prescription of two years. This prescription commences to run from the day that injury or damage is sustained”

La. Civ. Code art. 3493.1

What a lawyer takes if you hire one

Louisiana has no dollar or percentage cap on personal injury contingency fees. The fee has to be reasonable, and the contingency fee agreement must be in a writing signed by the client, with a copy given to the client.

“A contingent fee agreement shall be in a writing signed by the client. A copy or duplicate original of the executed agreement shall be given to the client at the time of execution of the agreement.”

La. Rules of Prof'l Conduct, Rule 1.5(c)

Sources on this page

Each one was opened and checked on September 17, 2026.

  1. La. Civ. Code art. 2323(A)(2)(a)
  2. La. R.S. 32:900(B)(2)(a)
  3. La. R.S. 22:1295(1)(a)(i)
  4. La. Civ. Code art. 3493.1
  5. La. Rules of Prof'l Conduct, Rule 1.5(c)

Know My Claim is not a law firm or a government agency, and this page is not legal advice. Laws change, so check the linked source before you rely on a deadline.