What Is A Third-Party Claim

Key Takeaways

• A third-party claim is filed against another party’s liability policy for negligence.
• It applies to accidents involving parties outside your employer or coworkers.
• Insurers investigate claims and assign fault under Louisiana comparative fault rules.
• Recovery is reduced by your fault and is barred at 51 percent fault.
• Louisiana allows one year from the accident date to file a claim.

Accident victims frequently overlook the possibility of seeking damages from parties other than their own insurance providers. At Monsour Law Firm, we help Shreveport residents understand their legal options, and one question we hear often deserves a clear, direct answer. What is a third-party claim? A third-party claim refers to an insurance claim filed against another person’s or entity’s liability policy, rather than your own, typically for injuries or losses caused by someone else’s negligence.

This type of personal injury claim applies to situations such as car accidents, slip-and-fall accidents, or property damage caused by a party unrelated to your employer or coworker. As a Shreveport personal injury lawyer serving the greater Northwest Louisiana area, we want every injured victim to understand this process before making any decisions.

Contact a Longview Personal Injury Attorney

Free case consultation Call us: (903) 999-9999

Examples of Third-Party Claims in Injury Cases

Third-party claims arise in many everyday personal injury situations across Shreveport and the surrounding parishes. A few common scenarios include:

• Car accidents: A driver runs a red light and injures another motorist. The injured party files a liability claim with the at-fault driver’s insurer.
• Slip and fall accidents: A property owner fails to fix a known hazard, and a visitor suffers injuries on the premises. The visitor pursues a personal injury claim against the owner’s liability policy.
• Defective products: A manufacturer sells a faulty item, causing harm to a consumer. The consumer files a claim against the company’s product liability coverage.
• Workplace accidents involving third parties: When a contractor on a job site causes injury to a worker from another company. The injured worker may file a third-party claim outside of the standard workers’ compensation process.

Each personal injury scenario carries its own set of facts, deadlines, and legal requirements. Recognizing the right path early on makes a real difference in the outcome of any claim.

How Insurance Companies Handle Third-Party Claims

Understanding how insurers respond to a third-party claim helps injured people avoid costly mistakes. When someone files a personal injury claim against another party’s coverage, the at-fault party’s insurance company steps in to investigate, evaluate, and attempt to settle the matter on behalf of its policyholder.

Louisiana Civil Code Article 2323 establishes the state’s comparative fault framework, meaning the insurer will look closely at the degree of fault assigned to every party involved. Under Louisiana law, your recovery reduces in proportion to any fault attributed to you, and recovery becomes unavailable once your share of fault reaches 51 percent or higher. Insurance adjusters use this framework strategically, often assigning higher fault percentages to claimants to reduce what they owe. Without legal guidance, most people never realize how much ground they are giving up.

Potential Compensation in a Third-Party Claim

A successful personal injury claim in Louisiana can cover a wide range of losses. Louisiana Civil Code Article 2315 establishes a foundational principle: every act that causes damage to another person obligates the responsible party to provide repair for those damages. In practical terms, recoverable compensation in a third-party claim may include:

• Medical expenses, both current and future
• Lost income and reduced earning capacity
• Physical pain and emotional suffering
• Property repair or replacement costs
• Loss of consortium for affected family members

The full value of a personal injury claim depends heavily on how thoroughly the case is documented and presented. Gaps in evidence or missed deadlines shrink recovery, sometimes dramatically.

Benefits of Working With a Lawyer for Third-Party Claims

Pursuing a third-party claim without legal representation often means accepting less than the full value of your losses. An experienced personal injury attorney handles the investigation, gathers supporting evidence, communicates directly with insurance adjusters, and builds a claim designed to maximize recovery.

Louisiana gives injured people only one year from the date of an accident to file a personal injury claim. Missing that window eliminates the right to compensation. Legal counsel keeps deadlines on track, ensures documentation holds up, and protects your rights throughout every stage of the process.

Why Monsour Law Firm?

The Monsour Law Firm has spent decades helping injured clients throughout Shreveport and Northwest Louisiana recover what they deserve, with a 98% success rate in personal injury cases.

Still asking yourself, What is a third-party claim, and whether you have one? Call us today at (318) 888-3333 for a free consultation with a personal injury attorney.