Car accident survivors have the right to hold those parties responsible for their accidents accountable in civil court. Indiana civil courts specifically allow survivors like you to demand that a liable party compensate you for the losses you endured due to those parties’ negligence. Before you can secure that compensation, though, you have to file a complaint.
Carmel car accident attorneys with Vaughan & Vaughan can help you investigate the nature of your recent car accident. Together we can compile the information necessary to establish liability and the value of your total losses. We can then submit your claim to a civil judge and advocate for your right to post-accident financial support in either a trial or negotiations.
You Have a Limited Amount of Time to Act After a Car Accident
If you want to take legal action against a party allegedly liable for your recent car accident, you need to do so in the time allotted to you by the Hoosier state. Indiana Code section 34-11-2-4 caps a car accident survivor’s actionable time at two years. This means that you have no more than two years to investigate your losses, compile a complaint, and act on your knowledge.
The sooner you can get in touch with a personal injury attorney, the more you can do with that two-year timeline. That said, our attorneys know how to work on a tight deadline. When you reach out to our team, we can ask you about the nature of your accident and when it occurred. Once we know what timeline we’re working on, we can delegate accordingly.
The Benefits of Filing a Car Accident Claim
Many accident survivors find the prospect of filing a car accident claim stressful, particularly when they factor in their other post-accident responsibilities. You have to contact their insurance providers, take time away from work, treat accident-related injuries, and replace or repair their damaged property.
With those responsibilities in mind, many car accident survivors seek an attorney’s help. A Carmel car accident attorney can help an accident survivor pursue their right to legal action while the injured party focuses on their day-to-day responsibilities.
Even so, is it worth it for you to file a car accident claim? Doing so can help you:
Take Control of the Car Accident Narrative
Indiana operates on a modified understanding of comparative negligence. This means that the party responsible for your accident can argue that you’re to blame for a percentage of your collision. If you don’t challenge that assertion of fault, you risk losing a percentage of your compensation if your case goes to court.
Fortunately, an attorney can help you get out ahead of the conversation surrounding your car accident. Our team can manage your communications with police officers, an insurance provider, and the liable party. In turn, you can more effectively fight for the comprehensive compensation that you deserve.
Request Help Financially Recovering from Your Accident
Contending with the aftermath of a car accident is often expensive. Fortunately, if you move to take a civil claim to court, you can demand that the party responsible for your accident help you fund your recovery. So long as you can prove that another party’s negligence led to your losses, you can demand the following damages from them:
- Emotional distress
- Property restoration and replacement
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Lost wages
- Medical expenses
That said, you must bring forward evidence to prove that you’ve endured these losses as a result of someone else’s negligence. You can work with an attorney to gather relevant invoices, bills, and expense reports.
Filing a Car Accident Claim
If you want to secure your right to demand damages for your losses, you need to bring a car accident claim forward within the aforementioned statute of limitations. This claim helps explain to a judge and applicable staff members why you believe negligence contributed to your losses. It also outlines the damages you believe you deserve.
You can specifically use a car accident claim to identify the party you believe to be responsible for your accident. To do so, you need to emphasize that a named party owed you a duty of care at the time of your accident. You can then elaborate on the behavior that saw that duty of care violated.
Evidence Supports Your Request for Car Accident Damages
It’s your and your attorney’s job to make sure you have the means to defend accusations of fault and requests for damages when you submit your car accident claim. Our team can investigate the nature of your losses to better bring forward what evidence you need to establish a strong complaint. That evidence can include:
- Statements from bystanders describing your accident
- Input from expert witnesses, including accident recreationists
- Footage from nearby security cameras, stoplights, and cellphones
- Photos taken after the accident
- Statements made by police officers and first responders
You cannot make a claim asserting liability or the value of your damages without evidence to defend your position. With that in mind, it’s often in your best interest to wait to assign liability until both you and an attorney better understand the nature of your car accident.
Carmel Car Accident Attorneys Can Advocate for You
It’s never easy to rebuild your life after a car accident. Fortunately, car accident survivors like you can work with Carmel car accident lawyers to make the process simpler. Our team can initiate an investigation into your losses while you focus on rebuilding your life. Together we can advocate for your right to damages before a civil judge.
If you’re ready to learn more about the opportunities you have to secure post-accident compensation, contact Vaughan & Vaughan today. Our team can schedule your free, no-obligation case consultation over the phone or courtesy of our online contact form. Let’s lay the foundation for your car accident civil case ASAP.
