Accidents caused by negligence can happen anytime and change your life in many ways. You may be seriously hurt, facing rising medical bills to treat your injuries. But if your injuries prevent you from working, there’s less money coming in. The Indiana personal injury attorneys at Vaughan & Vaughan can help you recover financial compensation.
We are Indiana’s original personal injury law firm. We have been helping the injured since our founding in 1913. Our practice has expanded throughout Indiana to include offices in Lafayette, Indianapolis, Carmel, Muncie, Kokomo, and Anderson.
Our focus, however, remains the same. We strive to hold negligent parties accountable and help people who have been hurt get the compensation they deserve.
Frequently Asked Questions
A personal injury can occur in many ways, but all cases have certain elements in common. Someone was negligent, and that negligence caused an accident that injured you. The negligent party may deny having done anything wrong, but you can fight back. Here are some of the questions that accident survivors frequently ask about personal injury cases:
When Should You Pursue a Personal Injury Lawsuit?
You may have the right to pursue a personal injury claim after a variety of accidents, including:
- Auto accidents
- Truck accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Accidents involving defective products
- Catastrophic injuries
- Slip and fall accidents
- Nursing home abuse
If you’re not sure if your accident qualifies you for a claim, you can discuss your right to action with an attending legal team. Together you can determine whether or not liable parties violated your duty of care and are thus responsible for the financial losses you endured due to their negligence.
You can begin pursuing a claim within hours of your accident. Together with our super lawyers, you can assess the types of injuries you’ve endured, the extent of your property damage, and the nature of liable parties’ negligence. Our team’s combined experience can protect you from a responsible party’s attempt to throw off blame for your losses and, later, an insurance adjuster’s attempt to undervalue your case.
How do You File a Personal Injury Claim?
If you want to bring a claim to the attention of an Indiana county clerk, you need to ensure that you include evidence in your documentation of your accident. To move forward, your claim should specify:
- What type of accident you were in
- What negligent party you want to hold accountable for your losses
- What evidence you have of a party’s breach of duty of care
- What losses resulted from a liable party’s negligence
- What evidence you have establishing the value of those losses
You must bring this information forward within Indiana’s personal injury statute of limitations or Indiana Code §34-11-2-4. This statute allows you to take up to two years to work with an attorney to establish the aforementioned facts. However, if you try to file a claim outside of this deadline, Indiana courts can deny you your right to a fair settlement.
Who Can Accident Victims Hold Responsible for Personal Injury Accidents?
Assigning blame to a real person for your recent accident can feel like a challenge if you’re unsure where to start looking for evidence. Fortunately, our experienced team knows how to classify duty of care and use available evidence to identify the party responsible for your recent losses.
This party may consist of a single person in the wake of smaller accidents. There is also a chance that a corporation or similar entity may, through chains of responsibility, alternatively be liable for your losses. Fortunately, personal injury lawyers on the scene can use available evidence to tease out fault and ensure that your applicable complaint addresses the right at-fault party.
Viable evidence to bring forward in the face of a personal injury case can include:
- Photos and videos of your accident
- Witness statements detailing the negligence involved in your accident
- Expert witness testimony regarding your losses
- Evidence of your physical injuries
- Statements from an insurance carrier and/or law enforcement
- Physical debris from the scene of your accident
What Is the Average Payout for Personal Injury Claims?
People usually want to know what the average settlement for a personal injury case is, but that isn’t an easy question to answer. In many cases, attorneys may settle an injury case for thousands of dollars. Every case is unique, however, so some cases can be settled for more, often in excess of $1 million.
The amount of compensation you can get in your case depends on many factors, so it is important to talk to an experienced attorney as soon as possible if you are injured in an accident. In most cases, you have the right to request that a responsible party help you address your:
- Medical expenses
- Property damage and repair/replacement
- Lost wages and/or opportunities to work
- Emotional distress
- Pain and suffering
Under certain circumstances, you may even have the right to demand that a liable party help you address a loved one’s wrongful death and related funeral expenses. You can count on our team to consider your losses seriously and advocate for your right to maximum compensation in and out of court.
What Percentage of Your Settlement does Our Legal Team Get?
Attorney contingency fees aren’t set in stone. Still, an Indiana personal injury attorney may take a third of any compensation they obtain for you once the funds are disbursed through a successful claim after deducting any upfront expenses.
What Makes a Qualified Attorney?
If you’ve been injured in an accident and are looking for a lawyer to represent you, look for an experienced attorney who has the following:
- Years of practicing personal injury law
- Knowledge of the insurance industry
- Demonstrated skill and expertise in the courtroom
- Experience in civil lawsuits and wrongful conduct negotiations
- Honesty, integrity, and commitment
- Peer reviews and board certification
Do I Really Need to Work With an Experienced Lawyer?
When you’ve been injured in an accident, the insurance company should help you. Often, they’re more concerned with their profit margins and usually try to pay victims as little as possible, maybe even trying to pin the blame on you for your own injuries.
An Indiana personal injury lawyer can fight to get you the compensation you deserve after your accident. Look for a lawyer who knows how to build a strong case that proves another person’s negligent behavior was responsible for your accident. Look for one with a solid record or case results that show favorable verdicts and settlements for those who have been injured.
Our Team Addresses Your Concerns from Top to Bottom
We begin by investigating your accident to get the facts. This involves reviewing all relevant documentation, which may include police reports, safety records, and medical records. It involves identifying and interviewing witnesses to your accident. It may also involve consulting with experts who can help us better understand how your accident happened.
This helps us build a strong case that the insurance company takes seriously. It often convinces them it is in their best interests to sit down and negotiate with us. But we are not interested in a quick settlement that helps the insurance company save money. We are only interested in a resolution of your case that meets your needs.
Focused, Determined, and Driven to Succeed
We start by determining the total amount of damages you suffered. This includes current medical expenses for treating your injury, as well as medical expenses for future treatment. It includes lost wages if you are unable to work for some time. And it includes other damages, such as pain and suffering, any disability you suffered, and emotional distress.
Many times, we are able to negotiate a favorable settlement for you with the insurance company. But if they won’t agree to a settlement that meets your needs, we will be ready to fight for you in court. We are skilled litigators and have won many significant awards for clients with juries in Indiana.
Schedule a Personal Injury Case Consultation with Vaughan & Vaughan Today
If you have been injured in an accident, it’s important to talk to an experienced personal injury attorney as soon as possible. There is a statute of limitations placed on your right to legal action, and over time evidence can be lost, and memories can fade.
Call us to schedule a free consultation. Contact Vaughan & Vaughan today. Our firm’s offices are in Lafayette, Indianapolis, Carmel, Muncie, Kokomo, and Anderson, and we serve clients throughout Indiana.
