It’s easy to underestimate the financial strain of a car accident. You’re contending with more than emergency medical expenses, after all. The cost of repairing or replacing your car, contending with lost property, and making up for lost paychecks can catch up with you faster than you ever expected.
That’s why our Indianapolis car accident lawyers want to give you the chance to secure the financial support you need to recover from your losses. Vaughan & Vaughan helps car accident survivors like you file civil complaints against the parties responsible for their losses. Together we advocate for your right to economic justice in the face of roadway negligence.
When to Call a Car Accident Attorney
The sooner you can get in touch with a car accident attorney after a severe accident, the better. Attorneys can help you navigate difficult conversations with your insurance provider and make the most of your time at the scene of an accident. Gathering initial evidence before a liable party has time to misrepresent your losses can make it easier for you to secure a settlement.
Moreover, our team can help prevent police officers or related parties from misinterpreting the nature of your accident. We communicate with all parties related to your losses on your behalf. You, in turn, can focus on securing the medical attention you need to begin recovering from any injuries sustained in your crash.
Identifying Negligence After an Indianapolis Car Accident
Our team’s primary purpose is to help you secure the financial support you need to recover from a severe car accident. It’s with that in mind that we gather evidence from the scene of your accident to then establish roadway negligence. If the evidence we gather can prove that someone on the road violated the duty of care owed to you, you can go to court.
Specifically, you can file a civil claim naming a particular party financially responsible for your losses. Identifying that party isn’t always a straightforward process, though. The parties that can contribute to collisions on the road include but are not limited to:
- Private individual drivers
- Government officials
- Construction crews
- Commercial truck drivers
- Commercial motor vehicle drivers
- Pedestrians
- Motorcyclists
- Bicyclists
- Private institutions
It’s your Indianapolis car accident attorney’s job to determine which of these parties – or some combination thereof – bears the brunt of the blame for your accident. Once we’ve identified who engaged in the distracted driving, reckless behavior, and/or illegal roadway conduct that caused your accident, we can demand damages from them on your behalf.
Filing a Car Accident Claim With Indiana Civil Courts
Acting quickly after a car accident doesn’t always seem possible. That, however, is what an attorney is here for. Indiana Code §34-11-2-4 limits the amount of time in which you can act if you want to pursue compensation for your losses. You must specifically bring your complaint forward within two years of the day of your accident.
Our team can begin building your complaint on the same day your accident takes place. We give you the time you need to receive immediate medical attention as we gather evidence, collect bystanders’ contact information, and prevent an insurance provider from undermining your losses.
Even if you can’t contact us on the same day that your accident takes place, our team can still work within the deadline given to us by the Hoosier State. Reach out to us as soon as you or a personal executor can, and we can discuss your timeline.
Balancing Your Economic and Non-Economic Losses
The complaint you submit to Indiana courts needs to provide applicable bodies with an estimate of your total losses. Our attorneys are responsible for calculating this estimate, but you can help us establish the exact dollar value of some of your possible damages. For example, your losses break down into two categories: economic and non-economic.
You can bring forward your economic losses in the form of accident-related bills. These can include your medical expenses, property damage, and reduced pay stubs.
We can then supplement the sum of your economic losses with our knowledge of non-economic damages. The non-economic damages you can request after a car accident range from mental anguish to loss of consortium or companionship in the face of a loved one’s wrongful passing.
What to Expect from a Car Accident Civil Trial
It can take time for a court to consider your request for compensation after an accident. Should a court move your complaint forward, though, you can control certain elements of its progression. Specifically, you can work with an attorney to determine how you want to address your losses.
You do not have to go to trial to secure financial support after an Indianapolis car accident. You can instead schedule out-of-court negotiations with the defendant and their attorney. Your Indianapolis car accident lawyer can present an estimate of your losses and negotiate compensation on your behalf.
However, should the defendant not acknowledge their role in your losses, it may be time to pursue other roads to financial support. Going before a judge allows you to place your right to car accident compensation in the hands of a jury. You can discuss whether or not that option appeals to you during an initial case consultation with our team.
Working With Attorneys Makes Your Recovery Easier
There are several Indiana interstates that make it all too easy to get into an accident. That doesn’t mean that you can’t take action in the face of an accident you think stemmed from someone else’s negligence. If you think misconduct contributed to your losses, you can contact Indianapolis car accident attorneys to discuss your right to civil action.
Vaughan & Vaughan can connect you with an experienced representative in your time of need. You can reach out to our law firm online or over the phone to schedule a free case consultation at your convenience. Together we can bring together your civil complaint and fight for your right to financial support as you recover from your accident.