Jody’s Law began with a tragedy that no Louisiana family should have to face.
Jody Mann was a 20-year-old woman from Greenwell Springs whose life was cut short after a reported hit-and-run crash in Livingston Parish. Local reporting states that Jody was struck by a vehicle on March 29, 2025, while walking along Reinninger Road in Denham Springs. The driver fled the scene, leaving Jody critically injured. She fought for her life for weeks before passing away.
After Jody’s death, her mother, Holly Crow, pushed for a law that would help future families facing the same kind of pain. Local reporting describes her advocacy as focused on two issues that matter after a serious hit-and-run crash: how bond is handled after an arrest and how quickly law enforcement can share information about the suspect vehicle.
That advocacy helped lead to House Bill 806, known as Jody’s Law. The official Louisiana Legislature bill page shows that HB806 was signed by the governor as Act 86 and has an effective date of August 1, 2026.
Quick Summary
Jody’s Law is Louisiana Act 86 of 2026. It takes effect on August 1, 2026, and focuses on hit-and-run driving offenses. For car accident victims, it may help by speeding up law-enforcement alerts after a hit-and-run, which can help identify the fleeing driver and preserve evidence. It does not automatically increase compensation or force insurance companies to pay faster.
For people injured in a hit-and-run crash in Baton Rouge, Gonzales, Prairieville, Denham Springs, Livingston Parish, Ascension Parish, Zachary, Baker, Central, or anywhere in Louisiana, this can matter because faster driver identification can help preserve evidence, locate insurance coverage, and move the injury claim forward.
Injured in a hit-and-run crash? Fill out our short form or call +1 225-535-4831 to speak with Chris Corzo Injury Attorneys.
Table of Content
- What Is Jody’s Law in Louisiana?
- Why Jody’s Law Matters After a Louisiana Hit-and-Run Crash
- How Can Jody’s Law Speed Up a Hit-and-Run Car Accident Claim?
- How Common Are Hit-and-Run Crashes in Louisiana?
- How Long Does a Hit-and-Run Claim Take to Resolve?
- Does Jody’s Law Change Civil Compensation for Hit-and-Run Victims?
- Does Jody’s Law Make the Insurance Company Pay Faster?
- What Should a Louisiana Hit-and-Run Victim Do After the Crash?
- Why This Matters in Baton Rouge, Gonzales, and Ascension Parish
- How a Car Accident Lawyer Can Help After a Hit-and-Run
- FAQs
What Is Jody’s Law in Louisiana?
Jody’s Law is a Louisiana law focused on hit-and-run driving offenses. Louisiana’s hit-and-run statute defines hit-and-run driving as the intentional failure of a driver involved in or causing an accident to stop at the scene, give identifying information, and render reasonable aid.
In plain English, a driver cannot cause or be involved in a crash and simply leave. The driver must stop, identify themselves, and help when reasonable aid is needed.
Jody’s Law does not replace Louisiana’s basic hit-and-run statute. Instead, it adds rules aimed at improving what happens after a hit-and-run crash is reported.
What Does Jody’s Law Do?
Jody’s Law does two main things.
First, it changes how bail is handled in hit-and-run cases. Courts may not simply rely on a fixed bail schedule for alleged hit-and-run offenses. Bail must be considered based on the individual facts of the case.
Second, Jody’s Law requires law enforcement agencies responsible for investigating hit-and-run offenses to adopt rapid notification protocols. The goal is to notify law enforcement quickly that a hit-and-run occurred, whether injuries were reported, and, if known, key vehicle details such as the vehicle’s make, model, license plate number, and direction of travel. The enrolled Act 86 text contains the enacted language.
The exact effect may depend on the final agency protocols and how local law enforcement agencies implement them after the August 1, 2026 effective date.
What Jody’s Law Does and Does Not Do
| Jody’s Law may help with | Jody’s Law does not do |
| Faster law-enforcement alerts | Guarantee compensation |
| Earlier driver identification | Automatically prove fault |
| Evidence preservation | Force insurers to pay faster |
| Finding insurance coverage | Increase civil damages by itself |
| Supporting UM claim documentation | Replace the need for legal proof |
| Coordinating police response | Resolve every hit-and-run case |
Why Jody’s Law Matters After a Louisiana Hit-and-Run Crash
A normal car accident claim usually starts with a basic fact: the injured person knows who hit them.
A hit-and-run claim often starts with the opposite problem. The driver is gone.
That delay can affect almost every part of the claim. The injured person may not know:
- The driver’s name
- The vehicle owner
- The insurance company
- Whether the driver was working
- Whether a business, rideshare company, delivery company, or employer may be involved
- Whether there is a commercial insurance policy
- Whether the victim must use uninsured motorist coverage
This is why the first hours and days after a hit-and-run crash are critical. Jody’s Law may help by improving the speed and coordination of the early law enforcement response.
How Can Jody’s Law Speed Up a Hit-and-Run Car Accident Claim?
Jody’s Law may help speed up a hit-and-run claim by shortening the time between the crash and the identification of the fleeing driver.
That is the key point.
The law does not force an insurer to pay faster. It does not automatically prove fault. It does not guarantee compensation. But it may help investigators locate the driver before key evidence disappears.
1. It May Help Police Identify the Driver Sooner
In a hit-and-run case, the claim often stalls because the at-fault driver is unknown.
When law enforcement can quickly share the vehicle description, plate number, direction of travel, and injury status, other agencies may have a better chance of spotting the vehicle. This can be especially important in Louisiana because a driver can move from one city or parish to another within minutes.
A Baton Rouge hit-and-run driver may quickly head toward Denham Springs on I-12, Gonzales on I-10, Prairieville on Airline Highway, Central, Baker, Zachary, or Port Allen. Faster information sharing may make the investigation less local and more coordinated.
2. It May Help Find the Vehicle Owner
Even if police do not immediately know who was driving, identifying the vehicle can lead to the registered owner.
That gives the injured person’s attorney a starting point. The attorney can investigate who owned the vehicle, who had permission to drive it, whether the driver was working, and what insurance coverage may apply.
3. It May Help Locate Insurance Coverage Earlier
Once the driver or vehicle owner is identified, the claim can move into the insurance phase sooner.
Possible insurance sources may include:
- Personal auto insurance
- The vehicle owner’s policy
- An employer’s commercial policy
- A rideshare policy
- A delivery-driver policy
- A business policy if the driver was working
This can move the case from an unknown-driver problem to an actual insurance claim.
4. It May Help Preserve Evidence Before It Disappears
Hit-and-run claims often depend on fast evidence collection.
Important evidence may include:
- Business surveillance video
- Traffic camera footage
- Dashcam footage
- Home security camera footage
- 911 calls
- Police dispatch records
- Witness statements
- Paint transfer
- Vehicle debris
- Tow records
- Repair records
- Photos of the crash scene
- Photos of vehicle damage
This evidence can disappear quickly. Some businesses overwrite video within days. Witnesses may forget details. A damaged vehicle may be repaired, hidden, sold, or moved.
A faster law-enforcement alert may help create a stronger early trail of evidence.
Experience-based insight: In many Louisiana hit-and-run cases, the most urgent task is not negotiating with the insurance company. It is finding and preserving proof before it disappears. Nearby camera footage, dispatch records, witness names, and vehicle debris can become more important than the police report alone.
Need help preserving evidence? Fill out our short form or call +1 225-535-4831. Chris Corzo Injury Attorneys can help look for video, witnesses, insurance coverage, and other proof before it is lost.
5. It May Support a UM Claim If the Driver Is Not Found
Sometimes the fleeing driver is never identified.
When that happens, the injured person may need to look at their own uninsured motorist coverage, often called UM coverage. Louisiana’s uninsured motorist statute generally requires UM coverage in auto liability policies unless the insured rejects it, selects lower limits, or selects economic-only coverage in the required way.
In a hit-and-run case, UM coverage can be critical. But the injured person still needs proof that the crash happened and that another driver caused it. Louisiana’s UM statute also includes specific rules for property damage and unknown-driver claims, including a physical-contact issue and independent-witness language in certain circumstances.
A police report, vehicle description, witness statement, and early law-enforcement alert may help show that the crash involved a real fleeing driver.
How Common Are Hit-and-Run Crashes in Louisiana?
Hit-and-run crashes are not rare in Louisiana.
The 2023 Louisiana Traffic Records Summary Report from LSU CARTS lists the following statewide hit-and-run crash totals in Table A19: Hit-and-Run Crashes:
| 2023 Louisiana hit-and-run crash type | Number of crashes |
| Property-damage-only hit-and-run crashes | 20,358 |
| Injury hit-and-run crashes | 4,346 |
| Fatal hit-and-run crashes | 62 |
| Total hit-and-run crashes | 24,766 |
The same report lists Louisiana’s 2023 overall crash totals as 755 fatal crashes, 38,144 injury crashes, and 104,311 property-damage-only crashes, for a total of 143,210 reported crashes.
Using those figures, hit-and-run crashes made up about 17.29% of reported crashes in Louisiana in 2023. In plain English, that is about 1 in 6 reported crashes.
That number matters for families in Baton Rouge, Gonzales, Prairieville, Denham Springs, Hammond, Lafayette, New Orleans, Shreveport, Lake Charles, Monroe, Alexandria, and across Louisiana. A hit-and-run is not just a rare crime story. It is a real roadway risk.
How Long Does a Hit-and-Run Claim Take to Resolve?
Resolution can mean two different things.
First, it can mean police identification of the fleeing driver. Jody’s Law may help with this part by improving early notification and coordination.
Second, it can mean resolution of the civil injury claim, such as an insurance settlement or lawsuit result. Jody’s Law may help indirectly, but it does not control how quickly an insurer pays.
There is no single official Louisiana timeline for every hit-and-run claim. The timeline depends on the facts, injuries, insurance coverage, and available evidence.
| Type of hit-and-run case | Practical resolution estimate |
| Driver identified quickly, minor property damage only | 2 to 8 weeks |
| Driver identified, short medical treatment | 3 to 6 months |
| Driver not found, UM claim available, moderate injuries | 3 to 12 months |
| Serious injury, disputed fault, disputed UM coverage, or litigation | 12 to 24+ months |
| Fatal or catastrophic hit-and-run case | 18 to 36+ months |
The police side may move within days if there is a license plate number, clear video, or strong witness information. But if there is no plate, no camera footage, no witness, and no physical evidence, the driver may remain unknown.
That is why the early response window matters.
Does Jody’s Law Change Civil Compensation for Hit-and-Run Victims?
No. Jody’s Law does not appear to create new civil damages claim or automatically increase the value of a hit-and-run injury case.
An injured person still must prove:
- The crash happened.
- The other driver was at fault.
- The crash caused injuries.
- The injuries caused damage.
- There is insurance coverage or another source of recovery.
Jody’s Law helps most with the investigation. It does not change the basic proof required in a Louisiana car accident claim.
Does Jody’s Law Make the Insurance Company Pay Faster?
Not directly.
Insurance companies still review liability, coverage, medical records, property damage, lost wages, and other damages. An insurer may still dispute fault, causation, injury severity, or coverage.
But Jody’s Law may indirectly speed up the claim because it may help identify the driver and insurance company sooner. A faster investigation can lead to faster claim setup, faster adjuster assignment, faster evidence review, and earlier settlement discussions.
What Should a Louisiana Hit-and-Run Victim Do After the Crash?
After a hit-and-run crash in Louisiana, the injured person should act quickly.
- Call 911
- Get medical care
- Report the crash to law enforcement
- Write down everything remembered about the fleeing vehicle
- Look for witnesses
- Take photos of the scene, vehicle damage, debris, injuries, and road conditions
- Ask nearby businesses or homes about surveillance footage
- Notify your insurance company
- Ask whether UM coverage is available
- Do not assume the claim is hopeless just because the other driver fled
- Speak with a Louisiana car accident lawyer before giving detailed recorded statements
The first few days can shape the entire claim.
Not sure what to do next? Fill out our short form or call +1 225-535-4831. Chris Corzo Injury Attorneys can review the crash details and help you understand the next step.
Why This Matters in Baton Rouge, Gonzales, and Ascension Parish
Hit-and-run cases are especially concerning in busy driving areas around Baton Rouge and Ascension Parish.
Local drivers regularly travel through:
- I-10
- I-12
- Airline Highway
- LA-30
- Florida Boulevard
- Nicholson Drive
- Highland Road
- Siegen Lane
- Sherwood Forest Boulevard
- Range Avenue
- Burnside Avenue
In these areas, a fleeing driver can leave the crash scene and cross into another city or parish quickly. That makes fast information sharing important.
For example, a driver who flees a crash in Baton Rouge may head toward Denham Springs, Central, Baker, Gonzales, Prairieville, or Port Allen within minutes. A driver who flees a crash in Gonzales may move toward Baton Rouge, Sorrento, Donaldsonville, Geismar, Prairieville, or St. Amant.
The faster law enforcement can share vehicle information, the better the chance that someone may see the vehicle before the trail goes cold.
How a Car Accident Lawyer Can Help After a Hit-and-Run
A hit-and-run claim often needs quick investigation.
A car accident lawyer can help by:
- Requesting the police report.
- Looking for 911 and dispatch records.
- Sending preservation letters for video footage.
- Checking nearby businesses for cameras.
- Finding witnesses.
- Reviewing UM coverage.
- Looking for the fleeing driver’s insurance.
- Investigating whether the driver was working.
- Dealing with the insurance company.
- Protecting the claim before key proof disappears.
If you were injured in a hit-and-run crash, Chris Corzo Injury Attorneys can help investigate the crash, look for available insurance coverage, and protect your claim before important evidence disappears.
Fill out our short form or call +1 225-535-4831 today.
For families across Baton Rouge, Denham Springs, Gonzales, Ascension Parish, Livingston Parish, and the rest of Louisiana, Jody’s story is a painful reminder of why the first minutes after a hit-and-run matter. When a driver leaves the scene, the victim may lose immediate help. The family may also lose access to the driver’s name, insurance information, witnesses, camera footage, and other proof that can help move a claim forward.
Jody’s Law cannot undo what happened. But it may help future victims by improving the early response after a hit-and-run crash, when time, evidence, and accountability matter most.
Frequently Asked Questions About Jody’s Law and Louisiana Hit-and-Run Claims
What is Jody’s Law in Louisiana?
Jody’s Law is Louisiana Act 86 of 2026, formerly House Bill 806. It applies to hit-and-run driving offenses and takes effect on August 1, 2026. The law focuses on bail handling and faster law-enforcement notification protocols after hit-and-run crashes. View the Louisiana Legislature bill page.
What is hit-and-run driving in Louisiana?
Louisiana law defines hit-and-run driving as the intentional failure of a driver involved in or causing an accident to stop at the scene, give their identity, and render reasonable aid. View La. R.S. 14:100.
Does Jody’s Law help hit-and-run victims get paid faster?
Not directly. Jody’s Law does not force an insurance company to pay faster. It may help indirectly by helping police identify the fleeing driver sooner, which may help the victim find insurance coverage and preserve evidence.
Can I still file a claim if the hit-and-run driver is never found?
Yes, depending on the facts and available coverage. If the driver is not found, the injured person may need to use uninsured motorist coverage, commonly called UM coverage, if it is available and was not validly rejected. View Louisiana UM law.
How common are hit-and-run crashes in Louisiana?
According to LSU CARTS 2023 Louisiana crash data, hit-and-run crashes made up about 17.29% of reported crashes in Louisiana. That is about 1 in 6 reported crashes. View the 2023 Louisiana Traffic Records Summary Report.
How long does a Louisiana hit-and-run claim take?
A simple property-damage claim may resolve in a few weeks. Injury claims often take several months. Serious injury claims, disputed UM claims, or lawsuits can take one year or longer.
Does Jody’s Law change the value of a car accident claim?
No. Jody’s Law does not create automatic compensation or increase civil damages. The injured person still must prove fault, causation, damages, and available coverage.
Why does faster driver identification matter?
Faster driver identification can help the injured person find insurance coverage, preserve video footage, locate witnesses, and build a stronger injury claim before evidence disappears.
Who can I call after a Louisiana hit-and-run crash?
You can call Chris Corzo Injury Attorneys at +1 225-535-4831 or fill out a short form to ask for help with a Louisiana hit-and-run crash claim.