Lake Charles Hit and Run Lawyer
40+ Years
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Over $150M
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Date Last Updated: April 25, 2025
Hit and run accidents leave you in pain, confused, and unsure of what to do next. While this is often true of all car accidents, a hit and run can be even more stressful as the accountable party fled the scene without offering help or exchanging information. Therefore, you have little to no basic information about the car and likely nothing at all about the driver.
Leaving the scene of an accident is a crime in Louisiana. If you are the victim of a hit and run crash, you have a case and need an experienced attorney to help you handle it.
A diligent Lake Charles hit and run lawyer is here to help. The trusted team at Shamieh Law has extensive experience arguing car accident cases and can provide skilled legal representation.
How Shamieh Law Can Help in a Lake Charles Hit and Run Accident
Our firm has deep roots in the Lake Charles area. Founding attorney Ramez Shamieh is a local who has played a key role in building the team’s strong reputation in the community. We genuinely care about Louisiana communities and are committed to helping personal injury victims. With over 40 years of combined experience, we have handled numerous hit and run cases, giving us valuable insights into what it takes to secure full and fair compensation for our clients.
Our skilled car accident lawyers are prepared to investigate your accident thoroughly and build a solid case on your behalf. We will navigate Louisiana injury law to advocate for your rights from beginning to end, starting with the timely filing of your claim. We negotiate with insurance companies for you and are ready to take your case to court if necessary to pursue fair compensation.
At Shamieh Law, we also go the extra mile to track down the responsible party in hit and run accidents. Our team collaborates with professional investigators who specialize in gathering evidence from accident scenes. We often contact local businesses for surveillance footage and connect with municipal offices to request footage from street cameras. These crucial steps allow us to piece together key details and identify the driver who fled the scene.
Our Case Results
We have a long track record of obtaining favorable settlements and verdicts for our clients. Our notable case results include the following:
Damages You Can Pursue in a Hit and Run Accident in Lake Charles
You are entitled to full and fair legal compensation following your hit and run accident. Injury cases typically involve a combination of economic damages and non-economic damages.
Economic damages cover direct financial losses, such as medical bills, lost wages, future treatment costs, and other recovery-related expenses. Non-economic damages compensate accident victims for less tangible losses, such as pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life.
In rare cases, Courts may also award punitive damages, which penalize the defendant for “wanton or reckless disregard for the safety of others.” Louisiana allows punitive damages, also called exemplary damages, if a defendant’s intoxication caused the accident.
How Uninsured Motorist Coverage Can Help
In many hit and run accidents, uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage is often the only way to recover financially. This coverage kicks in when the at-fault driver either can’t be found, has no insurance, or only has minimal coverage. To file a UM/UIM claim, there usually needs to be physical contact between your vehicle and the other driver’s vehicle. However, you can still file a claim in some cases if you can prove through an independent and disinterested witness that the other driver caused your injuries, even if there was no contact.
One key benefit of UM/UIM coverage is that filing a claim won’t raise your premiums since you weren’t at fault. That’s why it’s so important to make sure you have this coverage in Louisiana. At Shamieh Law, we’ll help you explore every possible option, including UM/UIM coverage, to get the compensation you deserve.
What Are the Key Things You Need After a Hit and Run Accident?
You need objective evidence of what happened to hold the responsible party accountable. In a car accident case, including a hit and run, that evidence ideally includes:
- Vehicle details: The color, make, model, and license plate of the car that hit you
- Police report: An official document from an officer who arrived at the scene
- Accident details: Descriptions of what happened, including the weather, road conditions, and drivers’ actions
- Witness reports: Statements from people who were present at the accident scene but not involved
It’s essential to take photos and videos immediately after an accident. Capturing images of your vehicle, visible damages, and the accident scene preserves crucial details, such as weather conditions or road hazards, which may fade over time. If possible, document any injuries as well. This evidence could be key to proving the full extent of your damages and significantly strengthen your case as we move forward.
As a hit and run victim, you might not have all the details, and that’s okay. Our investigators are here to help, utilizing our Lake Charles network to gather information and build your case. Contact us to learn more.
How Can You Prove Liability in a Lake Charles Hit and Run Crash?
To succeed in your claim, you must build a strong case with evidence establishing who was at fault for the crash. Accident reports, photos, witness statements, and other documents show what happened and can indicate who caused the accident.
Expert opinions also can help, particularly when little documentation is available. Lawyers turn to professionals such as doctors and accident reconstruction specialists to piece together information and determine who is at fault.
Multiple parties may be responsible, even in a hit and run accident. Under Louisiana’s comparative negligence law, you can still recover compensation if you were partially at fault for the accident. However, your compensation will be reduced in proportion to your share of the blame. For example, if you were 40 percent at fault and sustained $100,000 in damages, you could recover 60 percent, or $60,000.
How Long Do You Have to File a Hit and Run Accident Claim in Louisiana?
Louisiana’s statute of limitations is two years for most car accident lawsuits, including hit and run accidents. Missing your deadline can mean permanently losing your right to sue, so it’s important to consult with an attorney promptly.
Hit and Run Accidents Are More Common Than You May Think
Nationally, there were 2,932 fatalities in hit and run accidents in 2022—a 0.5 percent increase from the prior year. That does not include the 1,910 pedestrian fatalities, which accounted for 25 percent of the more than 7,500 total pedestrian deaths.
The number of pedestrian deaths by hit and run drivers has steadily increased since 2013. These fatalities accounted for 19 to 21 percent of pedestrian deaths until 2020 when the number jumped to 24 percent.
If a hit and run driver struck you while you were on foot, our pedestrian accident attorneys can fight for the compensation you deserve.
Contact a Hit and Run Lawyer at Shamieh Law Today
If you or a loved one has suffered injuries in a hit and run accident anywhere in Lake Charles, Shamieh Law is here to help. Call 337-477-7222 or contact us online for a free, no-obligation case review today.
