Anyone who has been involved in a serious car accident knows just how damaging such an event can be. Along with any physical injuries, there are emotional and financial consequences one may not have expected. The cost of recovery and moving forward can be high. Unfortunately, if certain proposed laws are enacted, victims of motor vehicle accidents may not be able to get the compensation they need to truly cover their losses.
Certain lawmakers are pushing for damage caps, among other things, in the hope that limiting how much victims of car accidents achieve by filing lawsuits will lower insurance premiums. Currently, Louisiana has the second-highest auto insurance premiums in the country. Wanting to help out the general public by reducing their insurance costs is a noble cause, but will this accomplish that goal? Insurance companies seem to be saying no.
According to recent reports, insurance providers are saying that insurance premiums are where they are, not because of accident lawsuits, but because of distracted and drunk driving rates as well as the number of uninsured drivers in the state. These providers are refusing to guarantee that they will lower rates if tort reform places caps on lawsuit damages. Are these law changes worth pursuing then? Some say yes, and others say no.
What will happen? Only time will tell. No matter what happens, victims of motor vehicle accidents in Louisiana can count on having help fighting for maximum relief for their losses, both economic and non-economic, whether through negotiation or litigation.