Plainfield, IN, is cut clean in two by I-40. What’s more, this city’s residents boast an up-close and personal look at the airplanes coming into Indianapolis International Airport. This means that Plainfield’s roads tend to be busier than most, even given the city’s proximity to Indianapolis. That promise of heavy traffic can put everyone passing through at risk of a crash.
If you do get into an accident with a negligent truck driver in or around Plainfield, don’t panic. The state of Indiana affords you rights in the face of another party’s inappropriate or unreasonable behavior. You can work with a Plainfield, IN personal injury attorney to file a civil claim against the offending party.
Indiana’s personal injury lawyers can consistently advocate for your right to accident compensation in civil court. If you want to learn more about the services that we offer parties in your position, you can schedule a free case consultation with our team.
You Have a Limited Amount of Time to Act on Truck Accident Losses
The aftermath of a truck accident doesn’t make it easy to meet your daily needs at the same speed as you used to. Even if the losses you’ve faced are temporary, you may still take time to get your life back on track. Unfortunately, you need to move quickly if you want to take legal action against the party responsible for your crash.
Indiana dictates the timeline for filing a truck accident claim by instituting its personal injury statute of limitations. This statute, Indiana Code section 34-11-2-4, gives you no more than two years to file a claim for damages. It also notes that you cannot file a claim after your statute of limitations expires.
How are you supposed to file on a two-year timeline when you’re contending with a litany of life-changing losses? You can turn to an attorney for support. Our team can step in and complete a personal injury case on your behalf.
In this video, Vaughan & Vaughan advise documenting every detail of your semi truck accident, from the scene to medical treatments. They emphasize hiring a dedicated personal injury lawyer, as trucking companies will have their own legal teams. Vaughan & Vaughan offer free case reviews and only get paid if they win your case.
When Should You Contact a Plainfield Truck Accident Lawyer?
You are not obligated to call an attorney for help with your case, but you can do so up until your statute of limitations expires. If you do decide that you want to pursue a personal injury case against the party that caused your truck accident, you should consider contacting an attorney sooner rather than later.
The sooner you reach out to a lawyer, the sooner that lawyer can start investigating your losses. We can return to a fresh accident scene to gather the evidence you need to prove that someone else’s negligence caused your accident. While we can also return to the accident scene further into your case, fast action tends to lead to more actionable results.
Of course, Vaughan & Vaughan knows that you may be reluctant to take legal action against an offending party if you’re concerned about representation fees. That’s why our office operates on contingency. You will not have to pay any bills for our services while your case is in progress. Even then, we only get paid for the work we do if we win your case.
Your Case Will Get
The Attention It Deserves
How to File a Truck Accident Claim
If you want to file a truck accident claim, you need to do the following:
- Investigate the truck accident
- Identify the party you believe to be liable for your accident
- Calculate the value of your accident-related losses
- Use evidence to defend your claim
The evidence you bring forward can as much defend your right to hold a particular party liable for your losses as it can defend your right to a certain amount of compensation. Your truck accident lawyer in Plainfield can help you use applicable evidence to most effectively tell the story of your accident.
How to Use a Claim to Fight for a Truck Accident Settlement
You can approach your fight for truck accident damages in one of two ways. You can use your claim to initiate a traditional truck crash trial. This claim process requires Indiana’s civil courts to call in a jury of your peers to consider the nature of your accident.
The truck accident trial process tends to take a considerable amount of time to resolve, but it can provide parties like you with greater and more formal modes of operation. Comparatively, you have a fairly direct hand in how truck accident settlement negotiations may progress.
Negotiations put you up close and personal with the party that allegedly caused your accident. You can, fortunately, request that an attorney meditate on your behalf. The good news, however, is that if you choose to negotiate for a settlement, your negotiations may resolve more quickly than a traditional trial.
Neither of these roads toward truck accident compensation exceeds the other. Both have their value and their place. That said, it’s good to know what options you have available to you before you commit to a personal injury lawsuit.
There is no fee
unless you win
Evidence Versus Contracts: What Defines Liability in a Truck Accident Case?
What defines liability in a truck accident case: evidence of negligence or an active contract? Both play their own roles, but contracts can sometimes override evidence.
For example, say that a truck driver allegedly texted behind the wheel and caused an accident in her distraction. Even though the truck driver’s negligence caused the accident, the driver’s company may have to assume responsibility for his damages. That redistribution of fault hinges not on evidence but on the kind of contract the liable party has in play.
Independent contractors tend to have to assume responsibility for any accidents or losses they allegedly cause. Employees, comparatively, tend to benefit from an employer’s attention. You can work with our team to determine how the contract between a truck driver and their employer might impact your recovery.
Consult with a Plainfield Truck Accident Lawyer For Free
Don’t wait to demand the compensation you deserve from a negligent party. You can contact a Plainfield, IN, truck accident lawyer within days of your collision. Our team can then take on an investigation into your losses while you prioritize your health and well-being. You can count on Vaughan & Vaughan to submit your claim before your statute of limitations expires.
Want to learn more about the services we offer Indiana’s accident survivors? You can schedule a free, no-obligation case consultation with our team. Contact us by phone or through our website today.
