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Hit and Run Accident Lawyer in New Orleans
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Best New Orleans Hit-and-Run Accident Lawyers Near Me
Free Consultation for Hit and Run Accident Cases Near Kenner
Picture driving home through New Orleans after a long day, or leaving the French Quarter late on a Friday night. Another car slams into you. Then, instead of stopping, that driver speeds off into traffic.
A hit and run is not just a crash. It can leave you injured, dealing with vehicle damage, medical bills, and unanswered questions about who may be responsible.
At Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys, we know how heavy those first few days feel. You have injuries to treat, a damaged vehicle, and no clear answer about who is responsible. Our New Orleans hit-and-run accident lawyers help injured people across Orleans and Jefferson Parishes pursue claims against responsible parties and available insurance coverage. Our firm has recovered approximately $3 Billion for clients statewide.
You do not have to sort this out alone. Call 888.501.7888 for a free consultation.
Types of Hit-and-Run Accident Injuries Our New Orleans Lawyers Handle
Some injuries announce themselves immediately. Others surface days later, after the adrenaline fades. Both kinds deserve to be documented, treated, and compensated for.
Here are some of the injuries we see most often:
- Fourth-Degree Burn
- Second Degree Burn
- Third Degree Burn
- Muscle Strain
- Electrical Burn Injury
- Contusion Injury
- Chemical Burn
- Sprain
- Skull Fracture
- Shoulder Injury
- Collapsed Lung
- Organ Damage
- Lacerations and Abrasions
- Concussion
- Knee Injury
- Internal Bleeding
- Hip Fracture
- Herniated Disc
- Catastrophic Injury
- Wrongful Death
- Chronic Pain
- Internal Injuries
- Eye Injury
- CTE Brain Injury
- Brain Injury
- Neck injury
- Soft Tissue Injury
- Spinal Cord Accident
- Paralysis Injury
- Whiplash
- Pain & Suffering
- Scarring & Disfigurement
- Back Injury
- Broken Bones
- Burn Injury
- And More ...
New Orleans Hit and Run Accident Statistics
Hit and run crashes are a national problem, and pedestrians pay the steepest price. In a walkable city like ours, that matters.
2,758
people killed in U.S. crashes involving hit-and-run drivers in 2024
1,749
pedestrians killed in hit and run crashes in 2024, one in four of all pedestrian deaths
752
people killed in Louisiana traffic crashes in 2024
Source: NHTSA, Overview of Motor Vehicle Traffic Crashes in 2024 (published April 2026)
Why Hit and Run Crashes Happen in New Orleans
New Orleans never really slows down. Between festival crowds, tourist traffic on Canal Street, and the daily crawl through the CBD, our streets stay busy from morning until well past midnight. That constant movement is part of why drivers flee.
Some of the reasons we see most often include:
- Impaired driving. A driver who has been drinking may panic about a DUI arrest and run.
- No insurance or no valid license. Fleeing feels easier than admitting they were never legally on the road.
- Fear of what comes next. Drivers with prior offenses or open warrants often make a split-second choice to leave.
- Heavy congestion. In dense traffic, a driver may assume nobody caught a plate number.
Commercial vehicles leave the scene too, and those claims bring extra layers of insurance and company records. Our New Orleans truck accident lawyers handle those cases when a delivery van or 18-wheeler is the vehicle that took off.
What Louisiana Law Says About Hit and Run Driving
Louisiana treats leaving the scene as a crime, not a mistake. Under Louisiana Revised Statutes 14:100, hit-and-run driving is the intentional failure of a driver involved in or causing a crash to stop, give their identity, and render reasonable aid.
Giving identity means handing over a name, address, and license plate number, or reporting the crash to police.
The penalties climb with the harm caused:
- No death or serious bodily injury: a fine up to $500, up to six months in jail, or both.
- Death or serious bodily injury, when the driver knew or should have known: a fine up to $5,000, or two to ten years in prison, with two of those years served without parole, probation, or suspension.
- Five to twenty years applies in the most serious cases, where the driver also has certain prior convictions, including repeat DWI or vehicular homicide.
Here is what surprises many of our clients. The criminal case belongs to the state, and it does not put money in your pocket. Your compensation comes from a separate civil claim, and that is the claim we build for you.
How Louisiana Law Protects Hit and Run Victims in New Orleans
Several rules shape what your claim is worth and how long you have to act. A few of them changed recently, so old advice you find online may be wrong.
Deadline to File:
- Two years from the day the injury or damage happened, under Louisiana Civil Code article 3493.1
Shared Fault:
- If you are 51% or more at fault, you cannot recover damages
- At 50% or less, you can still recover, reduced by your share of fault
- This version of Civil Code article 2323 took effect January 1, 2026, so your crash date can decide which rule applies
Louisiana law establishes minimum automobile liability insurance requirements. Available coverage depends on the policies involved and the circumstances of the crash.
When the driver who hit you is never found, your own uninsured motorist coverage often becomes the main source of payment. Louisiana law requires insurers to include that coverage unless you rejected it or chose lower limits on a form approved by the insurance commissioner. One detail catches people off guard: if the fleeing car never actually touched your vehicle, the law requires proof from an independent and disinterested witness that another driver caused your injuries.
Compensation You May Be Entitled To
A hit-and-run can drain your savings while you are still in physical therapy. Our New Orleans personal injury lawyers pursue the full picture of what this crash cost you, now and years from now.
That can include:
- Emergency care, surgery, and follow-up treatment
- Future medical needs and rehabilitation
- Lost wages and reduced earning capacity
- Pain, suffering, and emotional distress
- Vehicle repair or replacement
How Our New Orleans Hit and Run Lawyers Build Your Case
A driver who ran is not automatically a driver who got away. We move fast, because the evidence that identifies them disappears fast.
Our team works to:
- Pull surveillance and doorbell footage near the scene before it is overwritten
- Track down witnesses and canvass nearby businesses
- Preserve paint transfer, debris, and vehicle damage for forensic comparison
- Request the crash report and follow up with NOPD investigators
- Identify every insurance policy that could apply, including uninsured motorist coverage
- Handle adjusters, recorded statements, and settlement demands
- File suit and take your case to trial when an insurer will not deal fairly
If the driver stays unidentified, we do not stop. We pivot to your own coverage and build the proof that policy requires. Our New Orleans car accident lawyers have handled both paths many times.
What to Do After a Hit and Run in New Orleans
The steps you take in the first hour can decide whether the driver is ever identified.
- Call the police. Louisiana law requires notifying the local police department when a crash causes injury or more than $500 in property damage, per Revised Statutes 32:398. In the city, that means NOPD.
- Get checked out. Go to the emergency room or an urgent care clinic the same day, even if you feel steady.
- Photograph everything. Your vehicle, the road, skid marks, debris, and any paint left behind.
- Ask people what they saw. Collect names and phone numbers on the spot, especially from anyone who was not with you.
- Request your crash report. Once the investigation is complete, the law gives parties and their attorneys access to the report within seven working days.
- Call us before you call the adjuster.
Contact a Hit and Run Accident Lawyer in Metairie Today
Injured in an Accident? Find Legal Help Near You
A driver made the choice to leave you there. What happens next is your choice, and the clock is already running.
At Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys, we handle hit and run claims across Louisiana, and we know how New Orleans cases get investigated, negotiated, and won. We will chase down the driver, press every available policy, and fight for the full value of your losses supported by the facts and evidence of your claim.
Call 888.501.7888 today for your free consultation.
You pay nothing unless we recover money for you. That is the G Guarantee.
When you need results, Get Gordon, Get It Done.
Mistakes to Avoid After a New Orleans Hit and Run
Insurers look closely at these claims because the other driver is not there to question. Small missteps get used against you.
- Waiting days to report the crash to police
- Skipping or delaying medical treatment
- Giving a recorded statement without a lawyer
- Repairing your vehicle before the damage is documented
- Posting about the crash on social media
- Accepting the first offer your own insurer makes
If one of these already happened, call us anyway. An attorney can review your situation and explain what options may still be available.
Common Legal Challenges in Hit and Run Claims
These cases get complicated in ways ordinary crash claims do not.
- The at-fault driver is never identified
- Your own insurer disputes what happened
- No independent witness saw the fleeing vehicle
- The crash report is thin or missing key details
- The insurer argues your injuries came from something else
- Medical bills arrive long before any settlement
With 679+ years of combined legal experience and a team of over 180 employees, including 130+ staff and 47 attorneys, we have the resources to push through these roadblocks instead of settling around them.
Why Choose Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys in New Orleans?
We are not a call center passing your file down a line. Our New Orleans office sits at 3900 Veterans Memorial Blvd, Suite 300 in Metairie, just off I-10, which puts our attorneys close to clients in Kenner, Metairie, and every New Orleans neighborhood.
- Local attorneys who practice in Orleans Parish Civil District Court and the 24th JDC
- 230+ Million dollar verdicts and settlements for injured people across Louisiana
- Home and hospital visits when your injuries make travel hard
- Direct access to your legal team, not a rotating queue
- No fee unless we win your case
Don’t Wait — Talk to a New Orleans Hit and Run Accident Lawyer Today
At Gordon Mckernan Injury Attorneys, we understand that emotional and physical recovery come hand and hand after an injury or accident. We also know that you may not have the energy or time to fight with an insurance company and the complexities of your personal injury claim.
How It Works
Filing a claim with Gordon Mckernan Injury Attorneys is easy!
Simply follow the steps below.
Get Your Free Consultation
Fill out our quick and easy form to find out if your case qualifies. Our consultations are free and confidential, and we are here to help whether you hire us or not!
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Our team will evaluate your case and decide on the best course of action. One of our lawyers will get back to you promptly and begin the process of winning your case!
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Once your case has been evaluated and deemed a good fit for our firm, our team will go to work immediately on gathering evidence, building your case, and getting you the compensation that you deserve.
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Hit and Run Accident Lawyer in New Orleans Blog Posts
Injured? Get a FREE Consult Now!
Let Our Team Fight For You!
If you or a loved one has been injured, don't wait— contact Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys today for a free consultation. Our team is ready to fight for you and secure the compensation you deserve.
With over 30 years of experience, a proven track record of success, and a commitment to client care, we are the best personal injury attorneys in Louisiana to handle your case.
Call us now or fill out our online form. No Fee Unless We Win!
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Office Locations
Denham Springs Office
163 Del Orleans Ave., Denham Springs, LA 70726
Gonzales Office
220 S. Burnside Ave. Gonzales, LA 70737
New Orleans Office
3900 Veterans Memorial Blvd. STE 300 Metairie, LA 70002
Zachary Office
4361 Main St. Zachary, LA 70791
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