Carmel and greater Indianapolis play host to some of Indiana’s most dangerous traffic patterns, barring travel through Gary. Private motorists must take considerable care to navigate the rapidly-changing traffic patterns. When you add a motorcycle to the mix, the already-present dangers in the area end up compounded.
Motorcyclists like you who find themselves contending with the aftermath of an accident may not know how to recover from the damage done to them and their property. Fortunately, you can take steps to recover your losses and hold a liable party accountable. Carmel motorcycle accident lawyers with Vaughan & Vaughan can help.
Indiana Puts a Time Limit on Your Right to Legal Action
You need to work within Indiana’s personal injury statute of limitations if you want to take action after a motorcycle accident. Indiana Code §34-11-2-4 states that motorcyclists have no more than two years to investigate their losses and present evidence of those losses to a civil court. You cannot file a motorcycle accident claim if this statute of limitations expires.
Indiana relies on its personal injury statute of limitations to keep the information that comes before its civil courts up-to-date. The longer you wait to bring a claim forward, the more likely it is that witnesses may present inaccurate information about your losses. Stories may get confused, and evidence can expire or end up corrupted.
With those risks in mind, you can reach out to a motorcycle accident attorney in Carmel, IN. Our attorneys understand that you have demands on your plate that extend beyond your right to civil action. We can take point on your case while you invest your time in your recovery.
Your Case Will Get
The Attention It Deserves
Gathering Information for Your Motorcycle Accident Claim
Vaughan & Vaughan makes a point to keep you in the loop as we investigate your motorcycle accident losses. Even if you opt to take a hands-off approach to your case, you can count on our attorneys to let you know what evidence of negligence we find and how we intend to present your case to an Indiana civil court.
When we build your complaint, we keep the specific goals of that claim in mind. By the time we finish your investigation, our attorneys should be able to:
- Identify the party responsible for your motorcycle accident
- Identify the negligence that caused your accident
- Present evidence defending the above assertions
- Calculate the proposed value of your motorcycle accident losses
- Defend your request for damages
Let’s Estimate the Value of Your Motorcycle Accident Claim
You are entitled to economic and non-economic damages after a motorcycle accident. Your economic losses include your post-accident expenses that specifically generate bills. These can range from the cost of replacing your motorcycle to the bills you receive from first responders.
Your motorcycle accident’s non-economic losses do not generate bills. Instead, these include your mental anguish, pain and suffering, and emotional distress. Our team can discuss your circumstances to determine your eligibility for these losses. We can then quantify those losses and include them in the sum of your accident’s value.
Assigning Fault for Your Motorcycle Accident Losses
Several parties can bear the responsibility for your motorcycle accident losses. They can include:
- Motorists
- Other motorcyclists
- Pedestrians
- Construction crews
- Government officials
- Truck drivers
- Motorcycle manufacturers
- Motorcycle mechanics
How do we determine who to hold liable for your losses? We investigate the scene of your accident and have conversations with the bystanders who witnessed your collision. You can count on our attorneys to compile the data we find in our investigation into a cohesive story of negligence and loss. You can then present that story to an Indiana civil court.
There is no fee
unless you win
Choosing How to Pursue a Motorcycle Accident Settlement
Motorcycle accidents can often leave you feeling as though you’ve lost control of your life. When our Carmel, IN, motorcycle accident attorneys take your case, we do so with the intent to help you take back control over your accident’s narrative. With that in mind, you can count on our team to consult you when it comes time for you to fight for a settlement.
Provided that your claim moves forward, you have the right to request that a judge oversee conversations about your right to damages. You can also meet with a liable party out-of-court and negotiate with their representatives for a fair settlement.
Court cases tend to take considerable time to resolve, but they can help you manage communications with a belligerent liable party. Negotiations, comparatively, require more hands-on work from you, but they can resolve more quickly than a trial. Our team can help you determine which methods best suit your case.
What to Expect If You Go to Civil Court
If you decide to take a motorcycle accident case to court, you can expect to find yourself rapidly pulled into a complex system of legal proceedings. Our team can initiate discovery, in which we exchange information about your case with the defendant and their representatives. Once we complete the discovery process, legal representatives can set a date for you to appear in court.
A motorcycle accident trial sees both you and a defendant undergo:
- Opening statements
- Examination
- Cross-examination
- Closing statements
- Deliberation and verdict
If you don’t pursue a motorcycle accident settlement during a sidebar, you can expect to contribute your testimony during your examination. Our team can then prepare you for any questions the defense may ask during your cross-examination.
Not every motorcycle accident case needs to go to trial for injured parties like you to get the compensation they deserve. If your case does go to trial, though, you may qualify for punitive damages. You cannot request punitive damages in a motorcycle accident claim. Instead, a judge can award them in the face of gross roadway negligence or recklessness.
Let a Carmel Motorcycle Accident Attorney Walk You Through Your Case
The aftermath of a motorcycle accident can leave you in an awkward position. If you don’t have the emergency funds to contend with your incoming bills, it’s easy to feel hopeless. In reality, though, you have the opportunity to pursue compensation for your losses. You can work with Vaughan & Vaughan to file a personal injury claim and fight for the damages you deserve.
Carmel motorcycle accident attorneys have the experience to help you navigate the complexities of a personal injury claim. You can schedule a consultation with our law firm to discuss the data you need to file your claim and how to use that data to defend your right to compensation. Call or contact our office online today.
