Houma Car Accident Lawyer

For people driving through Houma and Terrebonne Parish, crashes may occur on busy local streets, state highways such as LA 24, or routes connecting the area with U.S. 90. Terrebonne Parish describes LA 24 as running through Houma and U.S. 90 as crossing the northern portion of the parish.

When another driver’s conduct may have caused a collision, our attorneys can investigate what happened, preserve available evidence, review insurance coverage, and determine how Louisiana law applies. A Houma car accident lawyer from Jacqueline A. Scott & Associates can also handle communications and legal issues while the injured person focuses on recovery.

What Can Cause a Car Accident in Houma?

Two crashes occurring on the same road can have completely different causes.

Depending on the evidence, a car accident investigation may examine allegations involving:

• Distracted driving
• Following too closely
• Unsafe lane changes
• Failure to yield
• Speed that was unsafe under the circumstances
• Failure to obey traffic signals or signs
• Impaired driving
• Driver inattention
• Vehicle-related problems
• Conduct by multiple motorists

We do not assume another driver was negligent simply because a collision occurred.

Police reports, photographs, witness statements, vehicle damage, video, electronic information, and other evidence may all help determine what happened.

Houma’s Road Network Matters

Houma’s transportation environment is different from Hammond’s interstate crossroads or Covington’s Northshore network.

Terrebonne Parish identifies LA 24 as curving through the northeastern portion of Terrebonne Parish and through Houma, while LA 56 and LA 57 travel south from Houma into lower portions of the parish. U.S. 90 crosses the northern sector of Terrebonne Parish and provides a major regional connection.

That means a Houma car accident case might involve a collision on a city street, a state highway, or a route connecting Houma with surrounding communities.

The road itself does not establish who caused a collision. Our investigation focuses on the circumstances of the individual accident rather than labeling a particular Houma road as dangerous without supporting evidence.

Evidence After a Houma Car Accident

Evidence can become especially important when drivers give conflicting accounts of a crash.

Depending on the circumstances, we may examine:

• Police crash reports
• Photographs of the vehicles and scene
• Witness statements
• Dash-camera footage
• Nearby surveillance video
• Vehicle damage
• Electronic vehicle information when available
• Cellphone or other records when legally relevant and obtainable
• Medical documentation
• Insurance policies
• Repair estimates
• Employment and wage records

Some evidence can disappear relatively quickly.

A nearby business may overwrite surveillance footage. Vehicles may be repaired or disposed of. Road conditions can change, and witnesses may become harder to locate.

Preserving evidence early can therefore matter even when the legal filing deadline is much farther away.

Louisiana’s Comparative Fault Rule Changed in 2026

Fault can directly affect whether an injured person can recover damages in Louisiana.

Effective January 1, 2026, Louisiana Civil Code Article 2323 uses a modified comparative-fault system.

If the person suffering the injury, death, or loss is found 51% or more at fault, that person generally cannot recover damages. If the person’s fault is less than 51%, recoverable damages are reduced according to that person’s percentage of fault.

For example, if evidence supports assigning some fault to both drivers, the percentage assigned to the injured person can affect the recovery.

That makes evidence about how the collision occurred particularly important. Insurance companies and opposing parties may dispute speed, right-of-way, lane position, braking, distraction, or other facts that could affect the allocation of fault.

Our attorneys investigate those allegations rather than accepting a fault percentage simply because another party or insurer asserts it.

Louisiana’s Minimum Auto Liability Insurance

Insurance is another major part of a Houma car accident claim.

The Louisiana Department of Insurance states that vehicles are required to carry minimum liability limits of 15/30/25:

• $15,000 for bodily injury to one person
• $30,000 for bodily injury to more than one person in one accident
• $25,000 for damage to another person’s vehicle or other property

Those are minimum liability limits, not a statement about what a particular claim is worth.

A serious collision can create losses that exceed the available liability coverage. We therefore investigate the insurance policies that may apply rather than assuming the at-fault driver’s apparent policy is the only potential source of coverage.

What About Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist Coverage?

Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage—often called UM/UIM coverage—can become important when the responsible driver has no liability insurance or insufficient insurance for the losses involved.

Louisiana law does not simply require every policy to contain UM/UIM coverage in every circumstance. The Louisiana Department of Insurance explains that Louisiana law requires insurers to offer UM/UIM coverage while allowing an applicant to accept or reject it.

That means we need to examine the actual policy documents.

We do not assume UM/UIM coverage exists, assume that it does not exist, or tell a client what coverage is available before reviewing the relevant policy and circumstances.

Dealing With Insurance After a Crash

After an accident, an insurance company may request information about what happened, the injuries involved, medical treatment, vehicle damage, or other aspects of the claim.

It is important to remember that an insurance investigation and a legal determination of fault are not necessarily the same thing.

A quick insurance decision does not prevent additional evidence from becoming relevant later.

Likewise, an early settlement offer should be evaluated in light of the particular claim, documented losses, available coverage, and applicable law. We do not tell every accident victim automatically to accept or reject an offer.

Our attorneys can review the circumstances and explain what the available information means for the individual case.

What Damages May Be Available After a Houma Car Accident?

When the evidence supports liability, recoverable damages can depend on the losses actually caused by the collision.

A claim may potentially involve:

Medical expenses. Records and bills may document accident-related treatment.

Lost wages. Payroll and employment records can help establish income lost while someone was unable to work.

Future medical expenses. Serious injuries may create future treatment needs when supported by appropriate medical evidence.

Loss of earning capacity. An injury may affect someone’s future ability to earn income even after returning to work, but that loss requires supporting evidence.

Property damage. Vehicle repair or replacement issues may also arise.

Legally recoverable non-economic damages. Other consequences of an injury may be considered when supported by the circumstances and Louisiana law.

There is no standard value for a Houma car accident claim.

How Long Do You Have After a Louisiana Car Accident?

Louisiana changed the general prescription period for delictual actions in 2024.

The legislation enacted a general two-year period beginning on the day the injury or damage is sustained, effective July 1, 2024.

The applicable deadline still depends on the accident date and circumstances. Different defendants or specialized claims may also involve different procedural requirements or deadlines.

Waiting can create another problem even before prescription becomes an issue: evidence may disappear.

That is why we look at both the legal filing deadline and the practical timeline for investigating a collision.

Houma Car Accident Cases and the 32nd Judicial District Court

Houma is located in Terrebonne Parish, which is served by Louisiana’s 32nd Judicial District Court.

The 32nd JDC has original jurisdiction over civil and criminal matters in Terrebonne Parish and is located at 7856 Main Street in Houma.

Unlike some of the other cities in this project where the parish courthouse is located in another community, Houma itself is the location of Terrebonne Parish’s district court.

That does not mean every Houma car accident lawsuit must necessarily be filed there. Proper venue depends on the parties, accident location, and applicable Louisiana law.

Why Trust Our Firm With Your Houma Car Accident Case?

At ⁠Jacqueline A. Scott & Associates, we represent people injured in car accidents and other serious incidents throughout Louisiana.

Attorney Jacqueline Scott has more than 35 years of legal experience, and our official website identifies car accidents among the matters we handle.

Our published case results include a $500,000 car wreck result. That is a past result only and does not guarantee a similar outcome for another client. Every car accident claim depends on its own evidence, injuries, fault allocation, insurance coverage, damages, and applicable law.

We also offer free initial consultations for personal injury matters and handle those cases on a contingency basis without upfront attorney fees. Our published information notes that clients may remain responsible for costs and expenses.

When someone comes to us after a Houma car accident, our role is to investigate the collision, evaluate the evidence, identify available insurance coverage, document supported damages, and pursue the claims Louisiana law and the facts support.

Make ’Em Pay.

Make ’Em Pay represents our approach to accountability when the evidence supports holding another person or company legally responsible.

For a Houma car accident, that means investigating how the crash happened rather than assuming fault, challenging unsupported allegations against our client when appropriate, identifying available insurance, and building the claim around evidence.

It does not mean guaranteeing compensation or promising a particular settlement.

If you were injured in a car accident in Houma or elsewhere in Terrebonne Parish, contact our firm to discuss what happened and what legal options may be available.

Make ’Em Pay.

Frequently Asked Questions About Houma Car Accidents

Related: Houma personal injury, Houma truck accidents, Houma 18-wheeler wrecks, Houma catastrophic injury, Houma wrongful death.

This article is general information about Louisiana law and is not legal advice. Laws and deadlines can change, and every case depends on its own facts. Past results do not guarantee or predict future outcomes. Reading this page or contacting the firm does not by itself create an attorney-client relationship.