A serious car accident can completely upend your life. Even a minor accident is likely to result in financial complications that can take significant time to work out. Recovering compensation from the liable party can be an essential step toward moving on with your life after a crash. Fortunately, an experienced Crawfordsville car accident lawyer can help.
At Vaughan & Vaughan, we know the challenges you are up against after a car crash. Our firm has been helping car accident victims recover the money they need for over 100 years. Contact us today by phone or through our website and schedule a free case consultation with a member of our team. We can help get you the results you deserve.
Establishing Fault Is the First Step Toward Recovering Compensation
If you are planning to pursue compensation after a car accident, the first thing you need to determine is who is to blame. Liability must be established before you can recover the money you need from the at-fault party. Unfortunately, proving fault is often easier said than done.
This is one of the many areas in which hiring an experienced car accident attorney can help with your case. When you hire a lawyer, they will know exactly what to look for as they investigate your case. Your attorney can help uncover who is to blame and collect supporting evidence of the responsibility they bear for your accident.
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Recoverable Damages in a Car Accident Case
After suffering an injury in a car accident, you must determine which damages you are able to pursue. The damages you are eligible to recover will depend on the details of your case. Without the help of an experienced lawyer, you will likely miss some of the damages you are entitled to, which will prevent you from recovering the full value of your claim.
All of the damages you can potentially pursue after a car accident are split among three primary categories.
Economic Damages
Any loss you suffered that was financial in nature falls into this category. Because economic damages have a monetary value, calculating their worth tends to be pretty straightforward. Some of the economic damages that are most often recovered in car accident cases include:
- Medical bills
- Future medical bills
- Lost income
- Decreased earning ability
- Money used to pay someone to complete daily tasks that your injuries prevent you from doing yourself
- Property damage
Non-Economic Damages
All other losses resulting from your accident belong to the broad category of non-economic damages. Because there is no specific dollar amount attached to these losses, determining how much they are worth can be complicated. Some of the non-economic damages that are most often recovered in car accident cases include:
- Lowered quality of life
- Pain and suffering
- Permanent disability
- Loss of companionship
- Loss of consortium
- Mental anguish
- Emotional distress
Punitive Damages
While the economic and non-economic damages are compensatory, punitive damages are not concerned with replacing losses suffered by the accident victim. Instead, punitive damages are used to punish the at-fault party for the role they played in the accident in the hope of discouraging similar behavior in the future.
The court only awards punitive damages in extreme cases. To recover these damages in your case, the liable party’s actions must have been criminally negligent or carried out with the intention of causing harm.
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Steps a Crawfordsville Car Accident Lawyer Will Take on Your Behalf
After retaining the services of a car accident attorney, they will immediately begin working on your case. One of the first steps you can expect from your lawyer is for them to investigate your accident, focusing on proving fault and gathering evidence to support your claim against the liable party.
After your lawyer has completed their investigation, they will review all the losses you suffered and determine the full value of your claim. The next step your lawyer will take will depend on how you are attempting to recover compensation. Your attorney will either file a personal injury lawsuit with the court or submit an insurance claim with the liable party’s insurer.
If attempting to recover compensation through a lawsuit, the next step will be to go through the entire pretrial process. After completing the stages of the pretrial process, your attorney will argue your case in court if necessary. From the beginning of your case, your lawyer will also be in communication with the opposing party attempting to negotiate a settlement deal.
Be Mindful of the Statute of Limitations When Filing a Car Accident Lawsuit
When pursuing compensation through a lawsuit, you need to be aware of the statute of limitations for the state in which you are filing. In Indiana, accident victims are generally permitted two years to submit the paperwork to sue the liable party. If this deadline passes before you take action, you could lose your right to claim damages.
While the statute of limitations can be quite strict, there are situations in which an exception can alter the amount of time you have to file. If special circumstances apply to your case, you could be eligible to file your suit even if the general two-year deadline has passed.
At the same time, the details of your case could further restrict the amount of time you have to submit the required paperwork. Rather than two years, you could be limited to having to file within a matter of months.
An experienced Crawfordsville car accident lawyer can help you determine the deadline that applies to you and ensure your paperwork is filed on time.
Contact a Crawfordsville Car Accident Attorney to Schedule a Free Consultation
The best way to ensure you get the money you need and deserve after a crash is by hiring an experienced lawyer. At Vaughan & Vaughan, our team of Crawfordsville car accident attorneys has a proven history of winning big for our clients. We know what it takes to get you the money you need and will fight hard on your behalf.
Contact us today by phone or through our website to schedule your free case review.
