Being involved in an automobile accident is always a traumatic experience. When you happen to be away from your home city or state, it can be even more stressful. If you are away from your home state and in the state of Louisiana when an accident occurs, there are measures you can take to minimize the stress of your accident. Just as with any accident you will notify the local police, get medical treatment and call your insurance company.
Insurance Covers You No Matter Where You Are
Remember that no matter where you are, across the United States, your auto insurance still covers you. If you happen to be taking a cross-country trip—including Canada and Mexico—you will need to check your insurance coverage to determine what limitations may exist. Reporting an out-of-state auto accident to your insurance company is no different from reporting the accident if you were within miles of your own home. You will call the same 800 number and an agent will take the information regarding your accident.
Claims Adjuster Contact
A claims adjuster will be assigned; based on how long you intend to be in Louisiana, your insurance company may have a local claims adjuster visit with you or you may wait until you return home to have a claims adjuster take a look at the damage to your vehicle. In either case, the goal of your insurance company is to take care of the damage to your vehicle in the most efficient manner possible. You will work with your insurance company to determine whether your vehicle will be repaired locally or will be towed to your home in order to be repaired.
Getting the Medical Attention You Need
If you need medical attention you will see a doctor in Louisiana rather than waiting until you return home. Many times people think they are “fine” following an auto accident, but then a few days later realize they are not fine at all.
Further Steps to Take Following Your Louisiana Accident
Make sure you have all necessary information in order to obtain the completed police report if you have left Louisiana before it is complete. If you are able to, take photographs of the accident scene and make careful notes of every detail—no matter how small or unimportant they may seem at the time. If there are witnesses, see if you can get the names and numbers of those witnesses in case you need witness statements down the line.
If you have properly followed all the necessary steps of reporting your accident in Louisiana, you may now want to contact a local Louisiana attorney who can give you solid legal advice regarding your accident and how you will go about obtaining a settlement from the driver who negligently caused your accident. A local Louisiana attorney will be familiar with the roadway where you r accident occurred. He will also be able to preserve evidence if necessary, and retain any experts who may be needed, such as an accident reconstruction expert.
Call the Lawyers Who Care at the Koederitz Law Firm
Whether you live in Louisiana or in another state, if you have been injured in Louisiana while traveling on business or pleasure, the Koederitz Law Firm may be able to help. We have over 30 years of experience representing individuals injured in automobile, trucking, and other accidents. In most cases you are able to continue your medical treatment where you live. Additionally, we can usually communicate with you and manage your claim with requiring you to come to our Louisiana office. Call us at (225) 295-9494 to discuss your case today.
