A crash with a commercial vehicle instantly creates serious medical and financial problems. These accident claims often involve trucking companies, federal safety rules, and multiple insurance policies. An experienced Indiana commercial vehicle accident lawyer can build the case needed to pursue full compensation for your losses.
Companies and their insurers move quickly after a crash to protect their interests. They may send investigators to the scene and begin building a defense right away, often before you have had time to understand the full extent of your injuries.
Vaughan & Vaughan moves quickly to preserve evidence, identify liable parties, and protect you from insurance company tactics that could weaken your claim from the start. Call our team today at (765) 742-0056 or contact us online for a free case review and learn how we can help.
Why Choose Vaughan & Vaughan for Your Commercial Vehicle Accident Case
Since 1913, four generations of our family have represented injured Hoosiers. We’re not a general practice firm. We dedicate our practice to serious motor vehicle, motorcycle, and trucking accidents, giving our team a deep understanding of the unique challenges these cases present.
Real-World Trucking Industry Knowledge
We’re the only law firm in Indiana with an attorney who holds a Class A Commercial Driver's License (CDL) and can operate an 80,000-pound tractor-trailer. This firsthand knowledge of a truck's mechanics, blind spots, and handling limitations provides a critical advantage when questioning a negligent driver or challenging a trucking company’s defense.
In-House Team Ready for Investigation
Time is critical after a commercial vehicle accident. Our in-house staff includes a former police lieutenant who begins the accident investigation immediately, securing witness statements and physical evidence.
We also have a full-time Licensed Practical Nurse who analyzes medical records to build a clear picture of your long-term needs. Our integrated team allows us to act quickly and build a stronger case for you from the very beginning.
Dedicated, Personal Attention
High-volume law firms often pass clients from one person to the next. At Vaughan & Vaughan, you’re assigned a dedicated attorney and legal team who stay with you throughout the case. Since we handle far fewer cases per lawyer, we invest more time and resources into each client.
Contact our experienced legal team at (765) 742-0056 to start the conversation for free.
What Counts as a Commercial Vehicle in Indiana?
Many people assume a commercial vehicle accident always involves a semi-truck or tractor-trailer. In reality, Indiana law applies to a much broader range of vehicles used for business purposes.
A commercial vehicle includes many vehicles used in business, not just large trucks. These cases often involve different liability issues than a typical car accident because a company, not just the driver, may be responsible for what happened.
In Indiana, commercial vehicle accidents can involve a wide range of vehicles, including:
- Delivery Vans: These vehicles are often used by companies like Amazon, FedEx, or local businesses to transport goods and can cause serious collisions in residential and urban areas.
- Box Trucks: These larger delivery vehicles are commonly used for moving services and commercial deliveries and often operate in tight spaces where accidents can occur.
- Dump Trucks and Construction Vehicles: These vehicles are frequently used on job sites and road projects and can pose significant risks due to their size, weight, and limited visibility.
- Utility Vehicles: Electric, cable, and municipal service vehicles are often operated in active traffic areas and may create hazards during roadside work.
- Company Fleet Vehicles: Cars, SUVs, or pickup trucks owned by a business and used for work purposes can still qualify as commercial vehicles when involved in a crash.
Who Can Be Held Liable in an Indiana Commercial Vehicle Accident?
Determining who is responsible for a commercial vehicle accident is far more complex than a typical car crash. While the driver’s actions are important, these cases frequently involve additional parties connected to the vehicle, the company, or the work being performed at the time of the collision.
Many commercial vehicle accidents involve business operations, which means liability may extend beyond the person behind the wheel. A thorough investigation focuses on identifying every party whose actions contributed to the crash and the injuries that followed.
Depending on the facts of the case, liable parties may include:
- The Driver: A driver may be responsible for negligent actions such as speeding, distracted driving, impaired driving, or failing to follow traffic laws.
- The Employer or Company: If the driver was working at the time of the crash, the company may be held responsible. This can include situations involving company vehicles, delivery drivers, or fleet operations.
- The Vehicle Owner: In some cases, the company that owns or leases the vehicle may be responsible for failing to properly maintain it or allowing an unsafe vehicle on the road.
- The Cargo or Delivery Company: If the accident involved improperly loaded cargo or unsafe delivery practices, the business responsible for loading or managing the goods may share liability.
- Maintenance Providers: If a third party was responsible for inspecting or maintaining the vehicle and failed to do so properly, that failure may contribute to liability.
Since these cases often involve multiple parties and overlapping responsibilities, identifying all sources of liability is a critical step in pursuing full compensation after a commercial vehicle accident.
What Compensation Can You Recover After a Commercial Vehicle Accident in Indiana?
An Indiana commercial vehicle accident can cause serious injuries with long-term medical and financial consequences. The losses often extend far beyond the bills that arrive in the first few weeks after the crash.
A strong claim must account for how the accident affects your health, your ability to work, and your daily life now and in the future. Building that full picture requires a careful review of your medical records, work history, and the long-term impact of your injuries.
That’s one reason early settlement offers are often too low. Before your condition stabilizes, it is difficult to know the full cost of your treatment, the income you may lose, and the lasting effect the crash may have on your life.
Our team works to identify every category of damage that may be available in your case, including:
- Medical Bills: These damages may include emergency care, hospital treatment, surgery, rehabilitation, follow-up appointments, prescription medication, and other treatment related to the crash.
- Future Medical Care: If your injuries require ongoing treatment, additional procedures, long-term therapy, or pain management, those expected costs should be included in the claim.
- Lost Wages: If your injuries force you to miss work during recovery, you may be able to recover the income you lost during that time.
- Lost Earning Capacity: If the accident affects your ability to return to the same job or earn the same income in the future, your claim may include compensation for that reduced earning ability.
- Pain and Suffering: These damages address the physical pain and discomfort caused by the accident and the injuries that followed.
- Property Damage: You may also seek compensation for the cost to repair or replace your vehicle and other personal property damaged in the collision.
- Wrongful Death Losses: If the accident caused a fatal injury, surviving family members may be able to pursue damages for funeral expenses, lost financial support, and loss of companionship.
How an Indiana Commercial Vehicle Accident Lawyer Protects Your Claim
After a serious commercial vehicle accident, the insurance company often begins building its case right away. Their goal is to limit what they have to pay, not to fully account for your injuries or long-term losses. Adjusters are trained to gather information early and use it to reduce the value of your claim.
An Indiana commercial vehicle accident lawyer protects you by handling all communication with the insurance company from the start. That prevents missteps, limits pressure from adjusters, and allows you to focus on your medical treatment and recovery.
Recorded Statements
Insurance adjusters often request a recorded statement within days of the crash. They may present it as a routine step, but the questions are designed to lock you into statements that can later be used to challenge your claim.
Even simple answers can be taken out of context to suggest fault or minimize your injuries. Vaughan & Vaughan handles these communications to protect your claim from the beginning.
Early Settlement Offers
Insurance companies may offer a quick settlement before the full extent of your injuries is known. These early offers are often based on limited information and rarely account for future medical care, lost earning capacity, or the long-term impact of the accident.
Your Indiana commercial vehicle accident attorney will evaluate every offer against the full value of your case before advising you on how to respond.
Blame-Shifting and Fault Arguments
In many cases, the insurance company will try to shift part of the blame onto you. Under Indiana’s comparative fault rule, your recovery can be reduced if you’re found partially responsible.
We gather evidence, analyze the facts of the crash, and build a case designed to push back against these arguments and protect the value of your claim.
How Vaughan & Vaughan Builds Strong Commercial Vehicle Accident Cases
A strong commercial vehicle accident case requires quick action, thorough investigation, and a clear plan for proving the full value of your losses. At Vaughan & Vaughan, we begin working on your case as soon as you hire us.
Our team builds cases by taking steps such as:
- Preserving Critical Evidence: We move quickly to preserve records tied to the crash, including driver logs, electronic data when available, maintenance records, and other company-controlled evidence before it can be lost or overwritten.
- Investigating the Crash Scene: Our former police lieutenant helps document vehicle damage and gather witness information while the evidence is still fresh.
- Identifying All Liable Parties: We look beyond the driver to determine whether a company, vehicle owner, maintenance provider, or another party may also share responsibility for the crash.
- Reviewing Long-Term Medical Needs: Our full-time Licensed Practical Nurse reviews medical records to help us understand the severity of the injury, the treatment provided, and the care that may be needed in the future.
- Building a Claim Around Future Losses: That medical review helps us pursue compensation that reflects surgeries, rehabilitation, in-home care, and other long-term needs, not just the first round of bills.
- Handling the Legal and Insurance Process: We take over communication with insurance companies, medical providers, and the legal system so you’re not left dealing with paperwork, deadlines, and claim-related pressure on your own.
FAQ for Indiana Commercial Vehicle Accident Lawyer
Should I Talk to the Insurance Adjuster From the Trucking Company?
You should avoid talking to the adjuster or giving a recorded statement after an accident with a commercial truck. Adjusters look for any reason to pay you less money or deny your claim entirely, including using your words against you later in the legal process.
Instead, you can tell them to call your Indiana commercial vehicle accident lawyer, who will handle all the talking and protect your interests.
Do I Need an Indiana Commercial Vehicle Accident Lawyer if the Insurance Company Made an Offer?
It’s highly recommended that you speak with an Indiana commercial vehicle accident attorney before accepting any offer. The first offer made by an insurance company is almost always far less than the full value of your claim.
An experienced lawyer can calculate your total losses, including future medical needs and lost income, and negotiate for a settlement that fairly covers them.
What if I Can't Afford To Hire a Lawyer Right Now?
You don’t need to worry about initial fees or deposits to hire Vaughan & Vaughan. We handle all commercial vehicle accident cases on a contingency fee agreement. This means our fee is a percentage of the total amount we recover for you. If we don’t win your case, you owe us zero fees.
What Kinds of Evidence Are Important in an Indiana Commercial Truck Accident Case?
Key evidence includes the official police report, photos of the accident scene and vehicle damage, witness statements, and the truck's electronic data recorder. We also gather the driver's logbooks, their employment file, and the truck's maintenance records.
Your medical records are also critical to proving the extent of your injuries and their impact on your life.
Who Can Be Held Responsible for My Injuries After an Accident With a Commercial Vehicle?
More than one party may be responsible after a commercial vehicle accident. Depending on the facts of the crash, liability may rest with the driver, the company that employed the driver, the business that owned or leased the vehicle, a maintenance provider, or another party involved in the vehicle’s operation or use.
Speak With Our Team Today
Don’t face a large corporation and its insurance company alone. The team at Vaughan & Vaughan is here to manage the legal process so you can focus on healing. For more than 100 years, our family has stood up for injured people across Indiana, and we’re ready to fight for your rights, too.
Call us today at (765) 742-0056 or fill out our online contact form to schedule a free, no-pressure consultation with a knowledgeable Indiana commercial vehicle accident lawyer.