Indianapolis Car Accident Lawyer

Sadly, car accidents are too common in Indiana, and while they often vary in severity, fatality is a strong possibility. Car accidents can leave you with serious life-altering impairments, destroyed property, and emotional trauma. After being in a car accident, consult an Indianapolis car accident lawyer to learn whether you are entitled to recover damages.

Our qualified car accident lawyer will carefully review your case and help you establish if you have a strong case. Working with a professional Indianapolis attorney also ensures that you take time to recover while they handle the insurers on your behalf. At Rowe & Hamilton Attorneys at Law, we have a proven record of successfully representing our clients in similar cases.

Let our skilled attorneys help you recover full damages. We offer our clients a no-obligation free initial consultation. Call 317-482-7888 today to book an appointment.

Table of Contents

Car Accident Statistics

On average, car accidents occur at least every hour across Indiana. Here are a few Indiana car accident statistics:

  • In 2018, a published report by the Indiana University Public Policy showed between 2009-2018, about 10 to 13 people out of every 100,000 living in Indiana died in a traffic accident
  • The report also showed that in 2018, 17.5% of collisions were a result of the driver tailgating
  • According to the Indiana traffic safety facts, in 2014, 30.8% of traffic deaths were a result of dangerous driving

How Much Does an Indianapolis Car Accident Lawyer Cost?

There is no standard cost for a car accident lawyer in Indiana. Car accidents often differ in severity, so the specific circumstances surrounding your case will influence how much you pay for a car accident lawyer.

At Rowe & Hamilton Attorneys at Law, we offer car accident victims a contingency fee payment plan. We understand that you may be undergoing a rough financial patch after the accident, and the last thing you need is to pay an extravagant car accident lawyer fee. With our contingency fee plan, you do not have to worry about lawyer fees; you pay us after we win your case.

Do you need an experienced car accident lawyer to review your case? We can help. Once you contact us and schedule an appointment, our professional attorneys will determine if you have a strong case and explain how our contingency fee works.

What Should You Do After a Car Accident?

The steps you take after getting into a car accident will impact your lawsuit. Here is what you should do:

Contact Police

It helps to call the police so they can assess the scene and write a clear report, which will be useful when you file your claim.

Check on the Other Involved Parties (Do Not Leave)

Ensure you check on the other involved parties after confirming you are not hurt. Should any of them be hurt severely, call 911. Never leave the accident scene before the police get there or without checking to see if the other parties are okay.

Exchange Info With the Other Driver

You must exchange info with the other driver since it makes it easier to track them down when you file your lawsuit. Note their address, name, phone number, license number, insurance company, and policy information.

Record the Scene

Ensure you document the accident scene by taking clear pictures and videos of the damages and injuries. If you cannot take pictures, consider requesting someone to take the pictures on your behalf. You can use these later when you are compiling evidence for your lawsuit.

Never Admit Fault

It is easy to panic after an accident and admit fault or apologize to the other party. Do not confess or apologize for being in the wrong, even if you are certain that you are to blame for the accident. The other party may use this against you when you file your claim.

Seek Medical Attention

While it helps to protect your legal rights, taking care of your health is crucial. Seek immediate medical attention after the accident.

Call an Indianapolis Car Accident Lawyer

After getting into a car accident, consider calling a car accident lawyer. A professional car accident lawyer will offer you, legal counsel, tell you your legal options, and help you determine the best approach. They will also help you establish whether you have a strong case.

What should you do after an Indianapolis car accident?

What Is the Standard Settlement for a Car Accident?

There is no standard car accident settlement in Indianapolis. All car accidents are different and unique, so the settlement you receive will be influenced by multiple factors. For instance, if you break your arm and slightly scratch your car in the accident and someone else’s car gets mangled up, and they are disabled from their accident, the compensation you receive will vary.

Consider consulting our experienced car accident attorneys at Rowe & Hamilton Attorneys at Law. We will analyze the different aspects of your case and help you estimate how much you may receive in damages.

When Should I Hire an Attorney for My Auto Accident?

It would be best to get a lawyer immediately after a car accident. Getting a lawyer ensures you have legal counsel, allowing you to fight the insurers to ensure they offer fair compensation. With your lawyer handling the legal matters on your behalf, you can focus your attention on getting better.

Why Do I Need a Lawyer?

It would help if you worked with a skilled car accident lawyer when going against insurance companies in a car accident claim. Rowe & Hamilton Attorneys at Law car accident attorneys have extensive knowledge and several years of experience working on similar cases and successfully winning maximum compensation for their clients.

Here is why you need a lawyer.

Case Preparation

An experienced car accident lawyer will help you prepare your case, from gathering and compiling evidence to filing your lawsuit. The skilled attorneys at Rowe & Hamilton Attorneys at Law will help you better grasp the legal process.

Settlement Negotiation

Without the proper knowledge and no experience dealing with insurers, they will likely sell you short. Professional car accident lawyers have years of experience negotiating with insurance companies and will negotiate for a fair settlement with the insurers on your behalf.

Trial Preparation & Representation

A car accident attorney will help you prepare for trial if they cannot reach a fair settlement with the insurers. The Rowe & Hamilton Attorneys at Law lawyers have trial experience and will represent you in court.

How Much Can I Receive for My Damages?

There is no standard amount of damages that car accident victims in Indiana can expect to receive. Your case’s specific circumstances will significantly determine how much you receive for your damages. Some factors that may influence how much compensation you receive after being in a car accident include the following:

  • Age
  • Liability
  • The severity of the damages suffered
  • The extent of your injuries

What Types of Damages Can I Recover?

You may be entitled to receive damages after being in a car accident. The extent of your injuries and damages will influence the type of compensation you recover. Here are the damages you can recover from a car accident.

Economic

Economic damages refer to all the easily quantifiable and calculable financial losses you may have incurred due to the injuries you sustained in the accident. These include past and future medical bills, repair and replacement costs of property damage, and loss of income.

Non-Economic

Non-economic damages cannot be equated to a specific financial figure and are meant to compensate victims for all the suffering they may have gone through due to the accident. Non-economic damages include disfigurement, pain and suffering, loss of consortium, and loss of enjoyment of life.

Punitive

Punitive damages are typically not awarded to car accident victims. When awarded, they are not compensation to the victim but a warning to the liable party and public as a deterrent from partaking in similar actions. The court awards punitive damages only if the liable party acted negligently or maliciously.

An Indianapolis car accident lawyer meeting an injured man

How Is Fault Determined?

Four elements are used to determine fault in a car accident case in Indiana. These include:

  • Duty of care: A driver owes other drivers and road users a duty of care to drive reasonably. To determine fault, you must prove that the other person owed you a duty of care.
  • Breach of duty: You will then have to prove that the driver’s actions or omissions breached their duty of care.
  • Causation: You must prove that when the other driver, motorcyclist, or other defendant breached their duty of care, their omissions or acts directly caused the crash resulting in the injuries you sustained in the accident.
  • Damages: After proving that the driver’s actions directly caused the accident and your injuries, you must prove that you suffered actual harm or losses.

How Long Do I Have to File a Claim?

You should file your car accident claim as soon as possible because Indiana has a time limit for filing claims. In Indiana, the time limit to file your car accident claim is two years from the date of your accident. After the two-year deadline, Indian courts could bar you from recovering any compensation.

How Can An Indianapolis Car Accident Lawyer Help Me File My Insurance Claim?

Filing a car accident claim is often time-consuming since multiple steps are involved. It will help if you hire our skilled car accident lawyers to help you file your insurance claim. Here is how a lawyer can help you file your insurance claim.

  • Call your insurance company: The qualified car accident lawyers from Rowe & Hamilton Attorneys at Law will call your insurance company on your behalf and inform them about the accident within a reasonable time.
  • Send reports: Rowe & Hamilton Attorneys at Law lawyers will send your insurance company all the relevant reports about the accident.
  • Communicate with the adjusters: We will talk to the insurance adjusters on your behalf.
  • Car assessment: Rowe & Hamilton Attorneys at Law will get you a skilled mechanic to assess the damage to your car thoroughly.
  • Gather evidence: We will gather and compile all the evidence on the car accident and send it to your insurance company
  • Send demand letter: Our skilled car accidents attorneys will help you analyze and establish the value of the damages, then send the other driver’s insurance company a demand letter
  • File a claim: We will help you file your car accident claim and ensure you follow the appropriate legal steps to avoid having your case dismissed.

What Can I Do If Insurance Denied My Claim?

Insurance companies can deny your claim for various reasons, including fault, intentional misconduct, and your lawsuit surpassing your coverage. If insurance denies your claim, the skilled car accident attorneys at Rowe & Hamilton Attorneys at Law will review it to determine why it was denied and help you establish a better strategy to ensure you receive fair compensation.

Do I Have a Case?

It helps to work with a professional car accident attorney if you want to determine whether you have a case. Factors that may determine if you have a case include:

  • The other party admitting they are liable
  • If you prove that they breached their duty of care
  • The other party’s negligence directly caused your injuries and losses

What If the Other Driver Has No Insurance?

If the other driver is not insured, it may help if you contact a car accident lawyer immediately to know the next best options.

If you carry uninsured motorist coverage, you can file a claim with your insurance company. They will cover your damages and then seek compensation from the other driver.

If you do not carry uninsured motorist coverage, a professional car accident attorney can help you sue the other driver directly.

What if you are hit by an uninsured motorist?

How Can I Obtain an Accident Report?

The Indiana State Police maintains crash reports. You can get a car accident report at a nominal fee on the BuyCrash.com website. Government agencies requiring car accident reports for official business can request them from the ‘Public Records Request’ section of the Indiana State Police’s ‘contact ISP’ page.

Common Car Accident Injuries

Car accidents are often traumatic incidents that can alter your whole life. You may suffer minor or severe injuries; in extreme cases, one may die in a car accident. Here are some common injuries that victims sustain in car accidents:

Types Of Car Accidents We Handle

The skilled attorneys at Rowe & Hamilton Attorneys at Law have decades of combined experience representing injury victims in different types of car accidents, including (but not limited to):

  • Driving under the influence accidents (drinking & drugs): Driving under the influence is a common cause of car accidents. If you are hurt in a DUI accident, our attorneys can help.
  • Distracted driving: Rowe & Hamilton Attorneys at Law has years of experience handling distracted driving cases.
  • Head-on collisions: These accidents result in severe injuries and can be fatal. Our skilled attorneys will provide the legal counsel and representation you need in your head-on collision case.
  • Hit & run accidents: Call us immediately if you get into a hit & run accident, since these cases can be challenging to navigate.
  • Rear-end accidents: Our attorneys will analyze your case and help you determine liability if you have been in a rear-end accident.
  • Reckless driving: We have a proven record of successfully helping clients recover damages in reckless driving car accidents. Let our team analyze your case and help you.
  • Rideshare accidents: Multiple parties can be at fault in a rideshare accident. Let our experienced lawyers help you establish liability and recover damages.
  • Rollover accidents: Navigating this car accident claim can be difficult. Take time to recuperate and let our skilled car accident lawyers recover damages on your behalf.
  • Speeding accidents: Speeding is illegal, so if you have been in such an accident, our professional attorneys will ensure you receive maximum damages.
  • Uninsured motorists: We have extensive experience helping clients file lawsuits after getting into accidents with uninsured drivers.

Call Us for a Free Consultation

Navigating a car accident lawsuit alone can be difficult and frustrating, especially figuring out Indiana’s car accident laws. It will help if you hire a skilled car accident attorney to help you navigate the process.

At Rowe & Hamilton Attorneys at Law, we have over 32 years of experience successfully representing car accident victims and helping them recover maximum damages. We also have extensive trial experience and apply a personal touch to each client’s case. Our attorneys know how the legal system works and will help you navigate your lawsuit to ensure you receive justice.

Call 317-482-7888 today to schedule a free initial consultation with our Indianapolis car accident lawyers.

Related Articles