Since highway speed limits allow vehicles to travel at high speeds, highway car accidents can cause serious injuries. Such injuries can significantly impact your life, but filing an insurance claim can help you get back on your feet. A successful claim can recover compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and other challenges.
At Vaughan & Vaughan, our Indiana car accident lawyers have been fighting for the wrongfully injured since 1913. We’re aware of the laws that apply to your case and the tactics insurance companies may use to get out of paying the compensation you deserve. Contact an Indiana highway accident lawyer from our firm to get the results you need.
Damages You Could Receive from a Highway Accident Claim in Indiana
If you’ve sustained injuries in a highway accident in Indiana, you’re probably in pain, worried about how you’ll cover your medical bills and uncertain about your health. Recovering from a serious accident can be stressful, but our attorneys are here to help you.
We’ll build a strong case for you and pursue compensation for the losses you’ve taken on. Our goal is to return your finances, health, and quality of life to the level it was at before your collision. We’ll strive to obtain the following damages on your behalf:
- Current medical bills: Highway accidents can leave those involved with serious and life-threatening injuries. You’ll likely require expensive medical treatment to recover from your injuries and treat any lasting conditions you’ve developed. These damages can cover all of your current medical expenses.
- Ongoing and future treatment expenses: Serious highway collisions can leave victims with lasting injuries and disabilities. These damages can cover the medical care you need to stay healthy and manage your long-term condition in the future.
- Cost of prescription medication, assistive devices, and physical therapy: After a car accident, out-of-pocket medical costs can add up and put a dent in your wallet. Fortunately, the compensation you receive from a claim can be put toward these costs.
- Cost of ambulance transportation: Some highway accident victims require transportation to the hospital to receive treatment for life-threatening injuries. If that’s the case for you, the money you receive from a claim can cover ambulance transportation and services.
- Lost wages: Taking time off work to focus on recovery and healing can leave you without a stable income for days or weeks. Luckily, a highway accident attorney from our law firm in Indiana can recover lost wages. They’ll use your previous paychecks to secure the correct amount of compensation.
- Decreased earning ability: If you’ve suffered a permanent injury or impairment that is expected to affect your ability to work, you’re probably worried about supporting yourself and keeping a roof over your head. These damages can make up for your decreased earning ability.
- Cost of property damage repair: Getting into an accident on the highway can leave your vehicle badly damaged or totaled. These damages can cover some of the costs if your car needs to be repaired or replaced.
- Pain and suffering: The physical pain of car accident victims is often overlooked, but the attorneys at our firm treat it the same as any other collision-related loss. We’ll fight for the damages you need to manage your pain and suffering.
- Mental distress: Mental distress is one of the silent effects of auto accidents that people don’t tend to talk about. If you’re not feeling like yourself after an accident, we want you to get the help you need. Tell your attorney about your mental distress, and they’ll request these damages.
- Loss of enjoyment of life: Sadly, many car accident victims are left with injuries and psychological scars that affect their ability to enjoy life. A lawyer can add these damages to your claim if you’ve been experiencing issues with your quality of life after an accident.
Your Case Will Get
The Attention It Deserves
We Can Help You File a Claim No Matter Where Your Collision Occurred
If you were injured in a highway accident caused by the careless actions or negligence of another driver, we can file a claim on your behalf. Our firm represents people who have been hurt on all highways in Indiana, including:
- I-65
- I-69
- I-74
- I-275
- I-469
- US 52
- US 231
- Highway-25
- Highway-26
- Highway-38
If you’ve been hurt in a collision on one of the highways listed above, recovering financial compensation may be difficult. The driver who caused your accident may not accept responsibility for their reckless behavior. Fortunately, a highway accident attorney in Indiana can find the evidence necessary to prove fault and secure a fair settlement.
There is no fee
unless you win
How an Indiana Highway Accident Attorney Can Help You
A highway accident attorney from our Indiana team can perform several essential legal services for you. Here’s what they’ll do to secure the insurance settlement you need to cover your medical bills and other accident-related losses:
Investigate the Collision
We can investigate your accident to find out what really happened. We can gather evidence and review documents such as police reports and medical records. If anyone saw the accident occur, we can identify witnesses and interview them about what they saw.
We can also consult with accident reconstruction experts and other expert witnesses to gain even more insight into the crash.
Build Your Claim
Our goal is to build a strong case that proves the other driver caused the accident that left you injured. If we successfully prove fault, the insurance company will have to take your claim seriously. During this process, we’ll also determine which damages you’re owed and how much compensation you should receive.
Negotiate a Settlement
Auto insurance companies are always looking out for their best interests. They’ll do whatever they can to pay as little as possible or nothing at all. They may suggest that you were partially to blame for what happened. They may also dispute the extent of your injuries and insist that you be examined by one of their doctors.
That’s why you need an experienced car accident attorney who will fight for you. At Vaughan & Vaughan, we have a track record of delivering positive results for clients through negotiated settlements and jury verdicts. A highway accident lawyer from our office in Indiana can negotiate with the other driver’s insurer and pressure them to offer a fair payment.
Insurance companies are familiar with our firm’s reputation for getting results. That’s why so many are willing to sit down with us to negotiate a settlement. But we aren’t interested in quick settlements that help the insurance company save money. If their settlement offer does not meet your needs, we are ready to fight for you in court.
Take Your Case to Trial
If we don’t get the result you need from the insurance provider, we’ll have no problem filing a lawsuit. Our trial attorneys are highly experienced and have obtained favorable verdicts for countless clients just like you. Our attorney Charles V. Vaughan is a certified civil trial lawyer. His certification, which he received from the National Board of Trial Advocacy, is a testament to his skill in the courtroom.
We Can File a Claim or Lawsuit for Nearly Any Injury
Survivors of highway accidents can suffer traumatic brain injuries (TBI), spinal cord injuries, paralysis, internal injuries, or amputation. Recovery can take months and, in serious cases, years. Some may be left with a permanent disability. Medical expenses can quickly become overwhelming, and injuries often leave victims unable to work.
Our attorneys can help you get the money you need to recover from or manage your condition, no matter what type of injury you’ve sustained. If the accident has left you with a permanent disability, an Indiana highway accident attorney from our firm can seek compensation to help you support yourself and afford long-term care.
Pursuing Compensation for a Fatal Injury
Highway accidents, especially those involving trucks and high speeds, can cause fatal injuries. If someone close to you has passed away in a highway collision, we understand what you must be going through. Losing a loved one in an unexpected accident can be heartbreaking.
While filing a claim can’t bring your loved one back, it can offer you the support you need to cope with what has happened. To pursue the compensation you need to cover expenses related to your loved one’s death and deal with the distress and anguish you might be experiencing, reach out to our wrongful death attorneys.
Our team can help you file a wrongful death lawsuit. If successful, your lawsuit could help you recover the following damages:
- Reimbursement for accident-related medical bills you inherit from your loved one
- Funeral and burial expenses
- Loss of financial support and services from the decedent
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of companionship
- Loss of guidance
Statute of Limitations for Highways Accident Claims in Indiana
All auto accident plaintiffs must follow their state’s statute of limitations. A statute of limitations is a deadline that you must file your car accident lawsuit before. If you don’t, you could lose your right to compensation. In Indiana, three different deadlines may apply to your case.
If your accident was caused by a city or county’s failure to maintain the road or remove dangerous obstructions, Indiana Code § 34-13-3-8 gives you 180 days to file a lawsuit against the relevant government body. If the state’s negligence caused your collision, Indiana Code § 34-13-3-6 allows you 270 days to file a suit.
If you were injured in a highway collision caused by another driver, you must follow the deadline in Indiana Code § 34-11-2-4. Under this statute, you have two years to submit a civil suit against the at-fault driver. Speak with a highway accident attorney from our location in Indiana today to get your suit filed on time.
Filing Deadline for Wrongful Death Lawsuits
Indiana’s filing deadline for wrongful death actions is similar to the time limit for highway accidents, but there is one key difference. If you’re pursuing compensation for wrongful death, you’ll have to submit a suit two years from the decedent’s passing. That means, if your loved one passed away a week after the accident, the clock will start ticking exactly one week after the collision.
What to Do After a Highway Accident in Indiana
If you’ve been involved in a highway accident in Indiana, you should first make sure you’re not in danger of getting hit by other cars in your lane. If necessary, exit your vehicle or pull over to the shoulder of the road. That way, you’ll be safe from oncoming traffic and won’t suffer further injury.
Once you’ve gotten to a safe area, you’ll want to call local law enforcement. They’ll assess the accident and file a report that can be used later to support your claim. Call an ambulance and stay put until EMTs have arrived if you’ve been badly injured. If your injuries are mild, take the following steps before you seek medical attention:
- Give the police a brief statement, including only objective facts
- Exchange insurance information with the other driver(s) involved
- Take photos of visible injuries and vehicle damage
- Speak with witnesses and ask for their contact information
- Keep a written record of the injuries and mental effects you’ve suffered due to the crash
- Seek medical attention ASAP
Once you’ve completed these steps, we highly encourage you to see a doctor. Some injuries can be masked by the initial adrenaline rush of a collision, but that doesn’t stop them from showing up the next day. Once you’ve seen a medical professional, contact a highway accident lawyer from our location in Indiana.
Don’t Wait to Contact an Attorney from Our Law Firm
Waiting too long to contact a lawyer is one of the worst things you can do after a highway accident. The longer you put off your claim, the more likely evidence will go missing. As time passes, witness’s memories will also fade, leaving you without the testimony you need to support your claim.
As you know, there are also filing deadlines that must be met. Hiring an attorney today can improve your chances of meeting Indiana’s deadline and help your lawyer ensure that evidence is preserved. Contact our firm to schedule a free consultation and get a head start on your claim.
Schedule a Free Consultation Today
If you’ve been injured in a highway car crash, you shouldn’t be responsible for your medical bills, lost wages, and other hardships. An Indiana highway accident lawyer from Vaughan & Vaughan can demand compensation to cover your losses and other struggles.
Our firm has decades of experience. We can use our legal knowledge and resources to get the results you need to rebuild your life. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation with a car accident attorney. If we agree to take on your case, we’ll take every step necessary to protect your right to compensation.
