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What is the No Pay, No Play Law in Louisiana

What is the No Pay, No Play Law in Louisiana

As a state that follows a fault-based system, Louisiana allows you to seek compensation for personal injuries or property damage resulting from a negligent party’s vehicle accident.

However, if you were uninsured or underinsured when the accident happened, Louisiana has a No Pay, No Play law prohibiting you from collecting part of the compensation from the at-fault insured driver.

According to the Louisiana No Pay No Play statute, which has been in effect since 2011, the injured party cannot collect the first $15,000 awarded for bodily injury. Also, they cannot recover the first $25,000 awarded for property damage.

Please note the law requires carrying minimum liability insurance coverage. Purchasing full or comprehensive coverage is optional.

Limitations of the Louisiana No Pay No Play Law

There are specific grounds where the recovery provisions we mentioned above are not applicable. They include:

  • The at-fault driver deliberately caused the accident.
  • The at-fault driver was driving while intoxicated and pleads guilty to the offense.
  • The at-fault driver is in the commission of a felony.
  • The at-fault driver fled the scene of the collision.
  • The injured person is a passenger in an uninsured car (can’t be a co-owner or has an interest in owning it).
  • An accident involved a motor vehicle that was not being operated.
  • An Accident involved a driver from another state with varying insurance requirements.

If none of these exceptions apply to your case, you will be paying much of your injury-related bills out of your pocket. As you can see, having valid auto insurance can protect you from losing out on your rightful compensation.

Protection is double-sided when you’re insured. If you cause damages to other drivers or property owners, hopefully not, you could be on the hook as well. Without insurance, settling personal injury and property damage claims can land you in a financial crisis. Getting back on track might be an uphill task.

Are there penalties for driving without the required motor vehicle liability security?

Besides the No Pay, No Play Louisiana law is shifting a substantial financial burden to you. Operating a car without proof of valid insurance coverage might subject you to administrative fines and other penalties.

If you are caught without minimum coverage the first time, the authorities will fine you at least $100. The police officer might also suspend your vehicle registration number or have the vehicle impounded.

If it’s a second offense, you’ll pay about $250. The same additional penalties imposed on the first offense might apply.

Further offenses may attract a fine of up to $700. Such offenses can also lead to confiscation of the license plates and the revocation of your registration.

Connect With a Personal Injury Lawyer

Were you injured in a car accident? Was your vehicle damaged? Or, are you uninsured, but the Louisiana No Pay No Play statute exceptions apply to you? Get in touch with a New Orleans car accident lawyer, The Mahone Firm, today for a free case evaluation. Mike will carefully review your case and decide the best legal steps.

Mike Mahone

Mike Mahone

Mike Mahone is a personal injury and business litigation lawyer located in New Orleans, LA, and the sole practitioner of The Mahone Firm.

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