Contact Us337-232-1934
National Association of Distinguished Counsel
The American College of Trial Lawyers
Martindale-Hubbell® (AV Preeminent® Rating)
The American College of Trial Lawyers
The National Trial Lawyers Association
A driver hit your car and sped off without leaving a name or plate number. Now you’re facing medical bills and repair costs while trying to figure out how to get paid.
A Lafayette hit and run accident lawyer at our firm builds the proof your insurer needs to pay your claim, even if the other driver is never found. That foundation provides a clear path toward covering your repairs, medical expenses, and lost wages. Reach out today for a free conversation about your claim.
Not every hit and run looks the same, and the path to compensation depends on the details. A Lafayette hit and run accident lawyer at the firm works with people who were hurt or had property damaged in situations including:
Each case calls for different evidence, from traffic camera footage to witness statements to vehicle paint transfer analysis. Gathering that evidence quickly matters more than most people realize.
Louisiana law requires any driver involved in a crash to stop, give their name, address, and license plate number, and help anyone who is hurt. A driver who fails to do this has committed hit-and-run driving under Louisiana Revised Statutes Section 14:100. When no one is seriously hurt, the penalty is a fine of up to $500 and up to 6 months in jail.
When the crash causes serious injury or death, the driver can face a fine of up to $5,000 and years of hard prison time. Those criminal penalties punish the driver, but they don’t pay your medical bills. Your own civil claim runs on a separate clock.
Under La. Civil Code art. 3493.1, you generally have 2 years from the date of the crash to file a lawsuit for your injuries. Miss that window and you can lose your right to recover, no matter how strong your case was.
“I would like to highlight the excellent service provided by attorney Kennedy. I have required his services on two occasions, and both times I received outstanding attention, professionalism, and willingness to help.”
“Attorney Richard Kennedy III was incredibly knowledgeable and dedicated to my case… He fought tirelessly to achieve the best possible outcome. I highly recommend him to anyone needing legal assistance.”
“I highly recommend Richard Kennedy. He was honest, thorough, realistic and prompt while handling my case. His expertise helped me receive a great settlement.”
When the driver who hit you can’t be found, your own uninsured motorist (UM) coverage often becomes the main way to get paid. Louisiana treats an unidentified hit-and-run driver as uninsured for this purpose, so your policy can step in to cover medical costs, lost income, and other losses tied to the crash.
If a lawsuit becomes necessary, whether against an insurer or a driver who is later identified, it would typically be filed with the 15th Judicial District Court. That court handles civil and criminal matters for Lafayette, Acadia, and Vermilion Parishes from the Lafayette Parish Courthouse on South Buchanan Street.
Richard R. Kennedy is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers—an honor held by roughly 1% of attorneys nationwide. Practicing at the firm since 2000, Richard R. Kennedy III handles a broad range of personal injury matters, from complex collisions involving unidentified drivers to high-stakes disputes over accident liability.
Between them, the firm brings decades of experience to the kind of insurance fight a hit and run case often becomes.
You can still pursue compensation through your own uninsured motorist coverage, since Louisiana treats an unidentified hit-and-run driver as uninsured for insurance purposes. Many policies require some physical contact between your vehicle and the other car to qualify, so photos, dashcam footage, and witness accounts from the scene matter a great deal.
Possibly. Under Louisiana’s modified comparative fault rule, in effect for crashes on or after January 1, 2026, your compensation is reduced by whatever percentage of fault is assigned to you, and you can recover only if you are 50% or less at fault. A driver who fled the scene still carries real responsibility for the crash even if you contributed in some way.
It depends on where the crash happened. A crash on a city street usually goes to Lafayette Police, a crash on a parish road may involve the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office, and a crash on I-10, I-49, or another state highway can involve Louisiana State Police. When in doubt, call 911 and let the dispatcher route it correctly.
The process looks similar to an unidentified driver case. Your uninsured motorist coverage can still apply, and you may also have a direct claim against the driver personally, though collecting from an individual without insurance is often harder than collecting from a carrier.
No. A consultation with a Lafayette hit and run accident lawyer at the firm is free, and that first conversation is a chance to go over what happened, what evidence exists, and what your options look like before you decide anything.
A partial plate is still useful. Combined with a vehicle description, the location, and the time of the crash, police can sometimes narrow down a registered owner, and a partial plate can also support a UM claim even if the driver is never formally identified.
It depends on your medical bills, lost income, the severity of your injuries, and how the crash has affected your daily life. There is no flat number that applies to every case, which is part of why reviewing your specific situation with someone who handles these claims matters.
A partner at the firm since 2000, Richard Kennedy III utilizes over 20 years of elite legal experience to fight for pedestrian accident victims. A graduate of Loyola Law School, Richard has achieved significant victories in both state and federal courts. He provides the specialized knowledge necessary to handle complex pedestrian accident claims, crosswalk injury cases, and severe vehicle-pedestrian collisions across Louisiana.
You didn’t choose to be left waiting on the side of the road while someone else drove away from the damage they caused. A Lafayette hit and run accident lawyer at Law Offices of Richard R Kennedy can start digging into what happened, work through your insurance options, and keep track of the deadlines that apply to your case.
Schedule a free consultation to find out where your claim stands and what comes next.
If you or a loved one has suffered a serious injury from a defective consumer good, a product liability attorney with the Law Offices of Richard R. Kennedy can help. Our team will review the details of your case and hold the responsible parties accountable for your injuries and losses.
Our law firm serves the greater Lafayette and New Iberia area, and offers complimentary initial consultations. You can discuss your case for free with a product liability lawyer familiar with federal statutes as well as Louisiana consumer protection laws. This insight can give you a better idea of your various legal options.
To learn more about product liability claims and your legal options, contact our law office online. You can also request a free case evaluation by phone.
© 2026 Law Offices of Richard R Kennedy • All Rights Reserved. Disclaimer | Site Map | Privacy Policy. Digital Marketing By: 
*Images are obtained under license from Canva and other third-party stock image providers, with attribution included where required.
