A car accident can change your life in an instant. You can be left with serious injuries and unable to work, resulting in lost income. Many people hurt in a car accident aren’t sure what to do next. The experienced Indiana car accident lawyers at Vaughan & Vaughan can help you every step of the way. We can fight for your rights and help you get the compensation you deserve.
Since 1913, our law firm has been helping the injured throughout Indiana. We have locations in Lafayette, Indianapolis, Carmel, Anderson, Kokomo, Muncie, and Evansville, IN. Our practice has grown, but our focus remains the same: fighting for clients and helping them recover the financial compensation they deserve and are entitled to under the law.
At Vaughan & Vaughan, we want to have a real relationship with you after a traumatic Indiana car accident. We want to understand how the accident has changed your life. We want to answer all your questions about dealing with medical bills, time off work, insurance coverage, and more. We want to advocate for you and be in your corner. We want to ensure no insurance company or wrongdoer takes advantage of you, and we want to make sure you can put this accident behind you and move forward with your life to the greatest extent possible.
You can learn more about your right to legal action and begin drafting your complaint with an Indiana personal injury lawyer.
The Relationship Between Car Accidents and Negligence
Every year, people get hurt in crashes on streets, highways, and rural roads in Indiana. Many of these crashes are caused by the negligence of another driver. A driver is speeding or driving recklessly. Some drivers are distracted or under the influence of alcohol or other drugs. It is rare, however, for these drivers to accept responsibility for what happened.
Most of the time, these drivers’ insurance companies will stick with them, usually because the insurance company wants to protect its bottom line. If you do receive a settlement offer, it may be the lowest possible offer the company can make – or nothing at all. This is usually in hopes that you will walk away after the car accident and not believe that you and your case have worth for which they need to be held accountable. Some insurance providers and/or liable parties may even try to blame you for the accident.
Instead of resigning yourself to the heartlessness of an insurance company, know that you have the right to take action against a negligent party, and we want to tell your story. You can work with a personal injury attorney to claim that someone at your accident scene violated the duty of care owed to you and that, in the face of that negligence, you deserve their financial support throughout your recovery. We know how to get you the financial support that not only holds you accountable for what happened on the date of the accident, but we also know how to prove what damages may need to be paid for long into the future.
Your Case Will Get
The Attention It Deserves
Types of Accident Cases We Handle
Our car accident attorneys in Indiana include:
- Indiana Head-On Collision Lawyers
- Indiana Rear-End Collision Lawyers
- Indiana T-Bone/Intersection Accident Lawyers
- Indiana Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers
- Indiana Distracted Driving Accident Lawyer
- Indiana Highway Accident Lawyers
- Indiana Uber Accident Lawyers
- Indiana Interstate Accident Lawyers
You can also discuss the need to address fatal crashes or crashes resulting in severe injuries with our team.
We tackle each of our clients’ cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning you don’t have to pay a dime to get in the door and meet with a member of our team. Schedule an initial case consultation with a Vaughan & Vaughan representative to learn more about your right to take legal action. Our attorneys or our investigator would be grateful to guide you through the process.
There is no fee
unless you win
When to Call an Indiana Personal Injury Lawyer
You may be told that you don’t need a lawyer to file a claim for financial compensation after a car accident. However, by having an experienced Indiana car accident attorney on your side, you can be sure your rights are being protected. Statistics show that victims who get the help of a personal injury lawyer get more compensation than those who don’t. We have seen time and time again the sooner a client reaches out to our firm, the sooner we can help them tackle all the stress a car accident put on their life, and the sooner we can help guide them to maximize their potential for a full recovery and just compensation.
Remember, insurance companies will likely try to pay you as little as possible. They may offer you a lowball settlement that does not come close to covering the damages you have suffered. We can determine the amount of compensation you deserve, and we have the resources to investigate your accident to prove that another’s negligence led to your injuries. We also have the resources to retain experts if you have a complicated injury so that your damages can be fully explained to the insurance companies involved.
We encourage you to consult with an Indiana car accident attorney before making any decisions about your claim. Our law firm offers a free consultation. We can review the details of your case, answer all your questions, and explain your options so you can make an informed decision about what to do.
Our Law Office Can Also Help You Address Healthcare Concerns After Motor Vehicle Accidents
There are steps you need to take after a car accident to make your recovery as straightforward as possible. For example, it is in your best interest to schedule a medical exam as soon as you can, even if you feel fine. Some injuries won’t reveal themselves until days or weeks after your accident, at which point they may require more intensive attention than they did initially.
Pursuing a medical examination shortly after your accident also allows you to secure the medical records you need to elaborate on the overall value of your car accident case later. These examinations can provide you with the data you need to request compensation for:
- Whiplash
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Severe spinal cord injuries
- Broken bones
- Neck injuries
- Internal injuries
While healthcare professionals can submit medical records in paper form, they can also serve as expert witnesses in a civil trial if your case for car accident compensation goes to trial. Together, we can argue for your right to receive care that can restore your previous quality of life.
Your Auto Accident Injuries Have Value
No two car accident settlements look the same. So long as you bring forward evidence that negligence contributed to your decreased quality of life, however, you can work with a car accident lawyer in Indiana to calculate the value of your economic and non-economic damages before presenting your request for support to a civil judge.
Your economic damages represent the actual monetary losses stemming from your accident. Examples of economic damages include your medical expenses, both past and future. They also include lost income and loss of future earning capacity if you can’t work again.
Other examples of economic damages can include any needed modification to your home or vehicle, as well as property damage.
Understanding Non-Economic Damages After a Car Accident
There is also compensation for non-economic damages. These are losses that have had an impact on your life but don’t represent an actual monetary loss. Examples of non-economic damages can include pain and suffering, emotional distress, disability, loss of enjoyment of life, and loss of consortium.
We Can Negotiate with Insurance Providers on Your Behalf
Soon after your car accident, the insurance company may contact you with a settlement offer. They may even tell you that it’s the best that they can do. It might seem tempting to accept this offer and get some money sooner rather than later.
However, insurance adjusters working for larger providers typically make lowball settlement offers following a car accident. That means their offer falls far short of covering your actual damages. They hope you will accept the offer and go away, saving them money. If you accept their offer, you often can’t ask for more later.
Many times, insurance companies see that we are ready to fight for you and are willing to negotiate. However, we are only interested in a fair settlement that meets your needs. If they don’t agree to a settlement that works for you, we will be ready to fight for you in court. Our case results include many significant settlements and verdicts.
When to Tell Your Insurer that You’ve Been in an Auto Accident
You must notify your insurance company as soon as possible after your accident. Failure to do so may result in a denial of benefits.
It is important to keep your notification brief and to the point. Stick to the facts about what happened, and don’t volunteer any additional information. If the insurance company asks you any questions, tell them you will be getting legal advice first. Then, contact an experienced car accident attorney.
What to Do if an Insurance Provider Denies Your Accident Claim
If an insurance adjuster refuses to acknowledge the value of your recent accident, you still have legal options available to you. You can work with experienced auto accident attorneys to bring an at-fault driver forward in civil court. Together, you can argue that you deserve the maximum compensation for your case.
To make these arguments, you need to bring forward evidence of both your denied insurance claims and the role negligence played in your initial losses. You can do this by submitting witness statements, police reports, and even physical debris as proof of your accident’s impact on your quality of life.
Our Indiana car accident attorneys can then present an analysis of this proof to further your argument for a settlement.
Indiana’s Personal Injury Statute of Limitations
You’ll need to act quickly if you want to bring your auto accident claim forward within Indiana’s state deadline.
The statute of limitations in Indiana doesn’t allow car accident victims to bring forward claims addressing their losses more than two years after the day their accident occurs. You can learn more about the statute and what it means for your case in Indiana Code §34-11-2-4.
Who to Hold Responsible for Your Car Accident Losses
Holding another party responsible for your losses on the road isn’t always as straightforward as it seems. As previously mentioned, you need to bring forward viable evidence if you want to name a specific party – be that an individual or larger institution – responsible for your traffic accident. Some of the parties that often appear in car accident cases can include:
- Other negligent drivers
- Bicyclists
- Pedestrians
- Construction crews
- Government parties
- Corporate employees
As you’re compiling your car accident claim, you need to determine what percent at fault a party may be. Indiana operates on an understanding of modified comparative negligence. Modified comparative negligence states that so long as you are less than 51% liable for your accident, you can request damages from another party.
The party you name liable for your losses must then, should your case resolve in your favor, provide you with a settlement that matches the percentage of fault they contributed to your accident. You may even have the opportunity to divide fault between multiple groups and thus receive support from several different parties.
What to Expect After Filing a Car Accident Personal Injury Claim
Once you bring your car accident claim to the attention of a civil judge, it’s up to that party and their affiliates to determine if your case moves forward. Only once you receive the right to summon an at-fault party can you choose how your quest for a settlement proceeds.
Your right to act can see you put your right to car accident compensation in the hands of a judge, or you can negotiate for support.
Both of these approaches allow you to request economic and non-economic damages for your losses. The legal experience of a courtroom, however, can provide more structure to your case, particularly if you’re contending with an uncooperative defendant.
We Put You In Control of Your Recovery
That said, negotiating for a car accident settlement can put you in the driver’s seat of your case. You can work with an Indiana automobile accident attorney to present your argument for support. Our combined experience makes it easier to determine what give and take suits you as you attend out-of-court meetings with the defendant and their representation.
A History of Getting Fair Compensation for Car Accident Victims
Our auto accident lawyers know where to look for evidence to build a strong case that proves the negligence of another driver caused your crash. Then we seek compensation for the damages you have suffered – including past and future medical expenses related to your injury, lost wages, and other damages like pain and suffering.
Attorney Charles V. Vaughan is certified in civil trial law by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. This recognition is given only to experienced attorneys who have demonstrated skill in the courtroom and undergone rigorous testing. Earning this certification is challenging, but we believe our clients deserve the best representation we can give them.
Turn to the law firm that the people of Indiana have been relying on for generations – Vaughan & Vaughan. People trust us because they know we have the experience that produces results. When we represent you, your needs always come first. We focus on getting you the legal representation you need to secure the best outcome possible in your case.
Our Experienced Car Accident Lawyers in Indiana Advocate for Your Rights
If you’ve been hurt in a car accident, get in touch with our car accident attorneys in Indiana today for a free consultation. Our legal team can review your case and go over all your options to help you decide what to do next.
Our car accident lawyers in Indiana are available to discuss your right to legal action after an auto accident over the phone or through our website. You can reach us by calling our office or sending us a message through our contact form. We have offices in Lafayette, Indianapolis, Carmel, Muncie, Kokomo, and Anderson and represent injured people statewide.
We want to make the weeks and months following your auto collision less challenging. Let us walk you through the legal process today. We’ll make sure insurance company representatives, negligent drivers, and all other involved parties treat your concerns with the care and attention they deserve.
