Louisiana follows pure comparative fault. This directory covers Louisiana-specific filing deadlines, damage caps, 15/30/25 liability insurance minimums, small claims rules, and links to the Louisiana State Bar Association referral resources.
This Louisiana personal injury lawyer directory provides state-specific legal research resources, not paid attorney listings. Louisiana uses pure comparative fault, and understanding this system is essential before consulting an attorney. The 2 years filing deadline, Louisiana's damage cap rules, and 15/30/25 insurance minimums all shape how claims are valued and settled.
Louisiana requires drivers to carry minimum liability insurance of 15/30/25 ($15,000 bodily injury per person, $30,000 per accident, $25,000 property damage). Louisiana is a tort (at-fault) state with no PIP or no-fault system. Claims involving car crashes, truck accidents, premises liability, dog bites, product injuries, medical malpractice, or wrongful death each carry distinct deadlines and procedural requirements in Louisiana. The Louisiana State Bar Association operates a referral service to help connect injured persons with licensed attorneys.
| Resource | Use it for | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Louisiana bar association | Start with bar-sponsored public information, member lookup, referral options, discipline/licensing resources, or consumer guidance. | https://www.lsba.org/ |
| ABA FindLegalHelp.org | Use ABA public resources for lawyer referral, free legal help, licensing information, and legal information. The ABA states that it does not provide individual legal representation. | ABA Find Legal Help |
| ABA bar directories and lawyer finders | Cross-check whether the ABA lists a bar-sponsored lawyer-finding resource for Louisiana. | ABA bar directories and lawyer finders |
| LSC legal-aid locator | Find LSC-funded civil legal aid near a Louisiana address, city, or ZIP code. LSC legal aid is income-eligible and usually focused on civil legal problems. | LSC I Need Legal Help |
The general Louisiana personal injury limitation period in this site data is 2 years for delictual actions arising on or after Jul. 1, 2024, with citation to La. Civ. Code art. 3493.1. Medical malpractice is listed as 1 year discovery / 3-year repose, cited to La. Rev. Stat. § 9:5628. Wrongful death is listed as 1 year for many death actions; verify current prescription, cited to La. Civ. Code arts. 2315.2, 3493.1. The state source link is the state code or official state source.
Do not treat the general deadline as a complete filing calendar. Government defendants, public hospitals, public schools, transit agencies, counties, cities, state agencies, and federal defendants can require administrative notices or claims before a lawsuit. A minor claimant, delayed discovery, medical malpractice repose period, wrongful death appointment issue, bankruptcy stay, military service, or tolling agreement can also change the analysis. If a deadline is close, a referral-service call is not enough; the complaint, notice, service, and filing rules must be handled by someone licensed in the jurisdiction.
Damage caps are claim-specific. This directory tracks medical malpractice and health-care injury cap issues because they are common in personal injury research and can materially change settlement leverage. The current cap type in the site data is Total cap plus future care. Summary: Total damages cap of $500,000 plus future medical care under the Medical Malpractice Act. Primary citation: La. Rev. Stat. § 40:1231.2(B).
For ordinary negligence cases, the most important cap may be the available insurance limit rather than a statute. A low bodily injury limit, rejected underinsured motorist coverage, medical liens, workers compensation reimbursement rights, Medicare or Medicaid liens, and comparative fault can reduce net recovery even when there is no broad compensatory damages cap. Punitive damages, dram-shop claims, government defendants, and medical malpractice claims can add separate statutory issues. Use the internal cap table for a first pass, then verify the newest statute and case law with a licensed attorney.
The following table summarizes the key Louisiana-specific rules that shape personal injury claims in this state.
| Legal Rule | Louisiana Standard | Citation |
|---|---|---|
| Fault system | pure comparative fault | La. Civ. Code art. 2323 |
| PI statute of limitations | 2 years | La. Civ. Code art. 3492 (extended from 1 year by Act 423, effective July 1, 2024) |
| Med-mal deadline | 1 year / 3-year repose | La. Rev. Stat. § 9:5628 |
| Wrongful death deadline | 2 years | La. Civ. Code art. 3492 |
| Min. BI insurance | 15/30/25 | State insurance code |
| PIP required | No | |
| No-fault system | No (tort/at-fault) | |
| Small claims limit | $5,000 | City Court or Justice of the Peace Court |
| Dog bite rule | Strict liability | |
| Dram shop liability | No | |
| Bar referral | Louisiana Bar Lawyer Referral Service |
Louisiana follows pure comparative fault (La. Civ. Code art. 2323), one of the most plaintiff-friendly negligence systems in the country. A plaintiff can recover damages even if they were 99 percent at fault; the award is simply reduced by the plaintiff's percentage of responsibility. There is no threshold that bars recovery. This means settlement negotiations in Louisiana focus on the degree of fault reduction rather than a binary cutoff.
Example: A jury awards $350,000 and finds you 55 percent at fault. In Louisiana, you still recover $157,500 (35 percent of the award). In a modified comparative state with a 51 percent bar, the same plaintiff would recover nothing.
In multi-party cases, Louisiana may apply joint and several liability rules that affect how damages are allocated among multiple defendants. This can matter when one defendant is judgment-proof (cannot pay). Understanding how Louisiana allocates liability across multiple parties is critical in complex accidents involving multiple vehicles, property owners, or product manufacturers.
Louisiana requires minimum liability insurance of 15/30/25: $15,000 bodily injury per person, $30,000 bodily injury per accident, and $25,000 property damage per accident.
| Coverage Type | Louisiana Minimum |
|---|---|
| Bodily injury per person | $15,000 |
| Bodily injury per accident | $30,000 |
| Property damage | $25,000 |
| PIP (Personal Injury Protection) | Not required |
| No-fault system | No (tort/at-fault state) |
When the at-fault driver carries only minimum coverage and medical bills exceed the $15,000 per-person limit, the gap becomes an underinsured motorist (UIM) issue. Check your own auto policy for UM/UIM coverage, as it may provide additional recovery that does not depend on the at-fault driver's insurance.
Louisiana small claims courts (City Court or Justice of the Peace Court) handle disputes up to $5,000. For minor injury claims within this range, small claims court can be faster and less expensive than filing in a higher court, though complex cases with significant medical evidence may require the formal procedures of a superior or circuit court.
Louisiana imposes strict liability on dog owners for bite injuries. The owner is liable regardless of whether the dog had any prior history of biting or aggression, and regardless of whether the owner knew the dog was dangerous. The injured person does not need to prove owner negligence; they only need to prove the dog bit them and they were lawfully present.
Louisiana does not have a general dram shop act. Bars and restaurants that serve alcohol to adults who later cause injuries are generally not liable for those injuries. This limits recovery options in drunk-driving cases to the intoxicated driver alone. Exceptions may exist for serving alcohol to minors.
Claims against Louisiana government entities (cities, counties, state agencies, school districts) require a formal notice within a specific time frame: varies by entity. Missing this administrative deadline can permanently bar the claim even if the general statute of limitations has not expired. Government defendants may also have separate damage caps and immunity protections.
Louisiana-specific accident scenarios include offshore oil rig and maritime injuries under the Jones Act and LHWCA, chemical plant explosions along Cancer Alley, crashes on I-10 and I-20, hurricane and flooding damage claims, Mardi Gras and festival crowd injuries in New Orleans, and petrochemical plant worker exposure claims in Baton Rouge and Lake Charles. Orleans Parish Civil District Court (New Orleans), East Baton Rouge Parish, and Caddo Parish (Shreveport) are major personal injury venues. Louisiana's civil-law tradition (derived from Napoleonic Code) creates procedural differences from other states.
Louisiana has the lowest BI insurance minimums in the nation (15/30/25). Unlike every other state except South Dakota, Louisiana's legal system is based on civil law rather than common law. The PI statute of limitations was just extended from 1 year to 2 years in 2024, making it less restrictive than before but still shorter than neighboring Mississippi (3 years) and Arkansas (3 years).
Start by confirming the lawyer's active license through the Louisiana State Bar Association. Check for any public disciplinary history. Ask whether the lawyer personally handles Louisiana personal injury cases, whether litigation is filed in-house or referred to other firms, and whether they have experience with the specific claim type in Louisiana courts.
Fee structure should be documented in writing before representation begins. Most personal injury matters use a contingency fee, commonly around one-third of the recovery. Ask whether the percentage changes after a lawsuit is filed, after arbitration, or at trial. Ask whether the firm advances case expenses and whether you owe costs if there is no recovery. Red flags include pressure to sign immediately, promises of a guaranteed settlement value, and vague statements about who is actually licensed to practice in Louisiana.
Bring the police crash report or incident report, photos from the scene, all medical records and billing statements, your auto insurance declarations page showing liability and UM/UIM limits, the at-fault party's insurance information, health insurance EOB statements, wage documentation from your employer, and any settlement offer already received. For premises liability cases, gather photos of the hazard and any maintenance or incident reports.
The Louisiana Bar Lawyer Referral Service can connect you with a licensed attorney for an initial consultation. Many bar referral services offer a reduced-fee first meeting to help evaluate your claim.
For low-income Louisiana residents, LSC-funded civil legal aid organizations focus on housing, family safety, consumer, and public benefits issues. While these organizations do not typically handle contingency-fee personal injury cases, they may assist with related problems such as medical debt, insurance disputes, or housing instability caused by injury. Use the LSC locator with a Louisiana ZIP code for the nearest program. The ABA's Find Legal Help page provides additional public resources.
Yes. Louisiana follows pure comparative fault (La. Civ. Code art. 2323), meaning you can recover damages even if you were 99 percent at fault. Your award is reduced by your percentage of responsibility. For example, if you were 70 percent at fault and total damages were $100,000, you could recover $30,000.
The general statute of limitations for personal injury in Louisiana is 2 years (La. Civ. Code art. 3492 (extended from 1 year by Act 423, effective July 1, 2024)). Medical malpractice claims have a 1 year / 3-year repose deadline (La. Rev. Stat. § 9:5628). Wrongful death claims must be filed within 2 years (La. Civ. Code art. 3492). Claims against government entities may require earlier notice.
Louisiana requires 15/30/25 minimum liability coverage: $15,000 bodily injury per person, $30,000 bodily injury per accident, and $25,000 property damage. Louisiana is a tort (at-fault) state with no PIP or no-fault system.
Yes. Louisiana imposes strict liability on dog owners for bite injuries. The owner is liable regardless of whether the dog had any prior history of aggression or biting. The injured person only needs to prove the bite occurred and they were lawfully present.
Louisiana small claims courts (City Court or Justice of the Peace Court) handle disputes up to $5,000. For minor personal injury claims within this range, small claims court can be faster and less expensive than filing in a higher court.
Yes. The Louisiana Bar Lawyer Referral Service connects the public with licensed attorneys. You can access this service through the Louisiana State Bar Association website. The ABA and LSC also provide public referral resources.
Louisiana does NOT have a dram shop act; alcohol providers are generally not liable for injuries caused by intoxicated adults
Last reviewed: May 05, 2026 (state Bar referrals + recent verdict data verified via official sources).
Author: Mustafa Bilgic — operator of SettlementCalculator. About · Contact · Disclaimer
Sources: American Bar Association (ABA), state Bar Associations directories, court verdict databases (Westlaw, Lexis), state-specific tort statutes, NOLO legal references.
NOT LEGAL ADVICE: Calculator results are estimates only. Every case is unique. Consult a licensed attorney in your state. We do not provide legal services and are not affiliated with any law firm. Lawyer referral information is provided for informational purposes only.