Can You Sue Someone for a Car Accident Without Injury in New Orleans, LA? 2025

When you are in a vehicle accident, it can be overwhelming and traumatic, even if you didn’t suffer any obvious injuries. There are numerous costs associated with these incidents, from significant property damage to emotional trauma. However, can you sue someone for a car accident without injury in New Orleans, LA? Yes, you can file a claim against a careless driver to recover the damages you suffered, even without injury.

Filing a Car Accident Claim for Property Damage

Property damage to a vehicle and other personal property can be significant. In New Orleans, there were 12,350 vehicle accidents, which only resulted in property damage and no injury in 2024. This was nearly 72% of all accidents in the city. Throughout Louisiana that same year, property damage-only accidents led to damage costs of $8,810 per vehicle.

In a claim for property damage, you could recover costs such as:

• Repairing or replacing your vehicle
• Fixing or replacing any other personal property that was harmed in the crash
• Towing your vehicle
• Rental car costs
• Compensation for loss of use of the vehicle

In addition to your vehicle, other property damaged in a crash could include your phone, your laptop, your glasses, or other costly personal property.

Another driver could be liable for your injuries if they were negligent and caused the accident. They may have ignored a stop sign, been driving distracted, failed to check their blind spots, driven aggressively, or even been impaired. You can file an insurance claim with an at-fault driver’s insurance to recover your damages, even if those damages do not include injuries.

Proving Property Damage Costs in a Claim

In order to prove the damages you sustained from the accident, you may need evidence such as:

• Receipts of purchase
• Repair estimates
• Professional evaluations
• A photo or video of the damage to the property

When you work with an attorney, they can help gather this documentation to prove the extent of the damage to your property. An attorney helps you further by negotiating with the insurer for a fair settlement and advising you on your next steps if you can’t secure a reasonable settlement.

Other Damages for a Car Accident Without Injury

There are other potential damages available to you after a car accident, even when you weren’t injured. This includes:

• Lost wages. When your vehicle is damaged, it can prevent you from getting to work. In addition to the costs of a rental or other loss-of-use damages, you could recover the wages you lost when you missed work.
• Emotional distress and trauma. Even if you weren’t hurt, vehicle accidents can be incredibly traumatic. Collisions can lead to depression, anxiety, panic attacks, and post-traumatic stress disorder. These types of trauma can be diagnosed by medical professionals, which helps to prove the damage more clearly from the accident.
• Medical bills. Emotional trauma that is diagnosed also results in doctor’s visits and potential treatment. These costs would also be covered by a claim against the at-fault driver, even if they are not for physical injuries.

The Potential for Hidden Injuries

There are numerous reasons it is important to file a claim against a negligent driver, even when you aren’t injured, including recovering the cost of your property damage. However, it is also useful because you may be injured and not realize it.

Certain injuries may not be immediately obvious, like internal damage to organs, internal bleeding, traumatic brain injuries, neck and back injuries, or other injuries with delayed symptoms. These injuries can develop over time, causing you to have new medical needs and impacting your life.

In New Orleans, LA, getting medical care and filing a claim as soon as possible after an accident helps protect your own well-being and your claim.

FAQs

Can You Sue for a Non-Injury Car Accident?

Yes, you can file a car accident claim even if you weren’t injured. This claim can recover other damages like property damage. You must still prove that another driver or other party was at fault for the accident to file, and these cases also start as insurance claims. If a fair settlement can’t be reached for your property damages, you may take the case to court. Like personal injury claims, you have a limited time period to file property damage claims.

How Long Do You Have to Sue Someone for a Car Accident in Louisiana?

You have a limited time period to file a civil claim against someone for a car accident in Louisiana, and even less time to file an insurance claim. Often, car accident claims are settled before they go to court through negotiations. However, if you can’t reach a fair settlement, you can file a civil claim. It must be before the deadline, or else you will be barred from recovering compensation.

How Much Can You Get for Pain and Suffering for a Car Accident in Louisiana?

The amount you can get for pain and suffering for a car accident in Louisiana will depend on the severity of the accident. When you are not injured, pain and suffering damages will likely be less significant. However, there are many cases where car accidents cause trauma and emotional distress regardless of injury. When you hire a skilled car accident lawyer, they can determine if you have a case to recover pain and suffering damages in your unique accident.

Can You Sue an Uninsured Driver in Louisiana?

Technically, yes, you can file a civil claim against an uninsured driver in Louisiana if they were to blame for the car accident. However, in practice, getting damages this way is often difficult.

Individuals who don’t have the required car insurance often don’t have it because they have few assets. Securing a court judgment against them will likely be ineffective in recovering damages. There are other options, such as filing an uninsured motorist claim with your own policy.

Find Skilled Car Accident Attorneys in New Orleans

Regardless of whether you suffered physical injuries, the aftermath of a car accident can impact you significantly. When a driver’s carelessness is the cause, they should be held liable for those damages. At Murphy Law Firm, we have spent more than three decades helping individuals recover financially after vehicle accidents. We can assess your damages from value loss to repair costs. Contact our firm today to schedule a consultation and learn how we can help you.

About The Author

Peyton Murphy

Peyton Murphy, is the founder of Murphy Law Firm, LLC, based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, specializing in personal injury law. Peyton obtained his law degree from the prestigious Tulane School of Law in 1991 and has been licensed to practice law in Louisiana since 1993. With over 28 years of experience, Peyton is dedicated to representing injured victims and actively contributing to his community. Education: Obtained his law degree from Tulane School of Law in 1991. Professional Associations: Member of the Louisiana State Bar and active in the Baton Rouge Bar Association and the Louisiana Association for Justice. Experience: Founder of Murphy Law Firm, LLC, with extensive experience in personal injury law and licensed in multiple federal courts and the U.S. Supreme Court.

View all posts by Peyton Murphy →