Construction Vehicle Accident Lawyers

Indiana would not be what it is today without the men and women of the construction industry, yet construction workers continue to face some of the most dangerous employment conditions in the state.  There were 21 Indiana construction-related deaths in 2021 alone, but even non-fatal construction accidents can inflict punishing injuries that few Hoosiers could manage on their own, and among the chief sources of those injuries are collisions involving construction vehicles. 

Fortunately, you may be eligible to pursue a personal injury case if you have been hurt by a truck or other vehicle being deployed for construction purposes in Indiana, though success is not guaranteed.  To tip the odds in your favor, get in touch with the Indiana construction accident lawyers at Hensley Legal Group, who have been standing up for the seriously injured for more than 25 years. 

You can call or text us at (317) 472-3333, chat with us online, or fill out our contact form for a free case review with an experienced Indiana construction vehicle accident attorney now. 

Causes of Indiana Construction Vehicle Accidents 

Anyone who has visited a major construction site probably encountered an environment that was teeming with vehicles, with backhoes, excavators, bulldozers, or trucks playing pivotal roles in the project’s completion.   

But despite their massive dimensions and intricate mechanisms, what these machines have in common with ordinary passenger vehicles is that they are driven by humans, who occasionally make mistakes.  And when those mistakes are made while the vehicles are in motion, construction vehicle accidents may occur in which the occupants of other vehicles or pedestrians can be struck and injured. 

With this in mind, it may be no surprise that construction vehicle accidents are primarily caused by the drivers or operators of these vehicles, much like how 87 percent of all truck accidents and 94 percent of all motor vehicle accidents are the result of driver error. 

Operator-based causes of Indiana construction vehicle accidents may include: 

• Excessive speed – An operator who is driving too fast on a construction site has less time to react but requires more time to stop, a combination that could prove to be disastrous. 

• Distraction – Not paying attention is the second most frequent contributor to crashes, and a driver’s distraction could be compounded by improper phone use while a vehicle is in operation.  

• Abrupt turns – Construction vehicles typically have higher centers of gravity, and they could be subject to rollovers when they are turned abruptly. 

• Ignoring blind spots – Though all vehicles have no-zones or blind spots, which are areas beyond a driver’s field of vision, construction vehicles may have substantially bigger blind spots.  Consequently, their operators have a heightened duty to check their no-zones regularly so that they do not hit anyone.  

• Intoxication – Alcohol and drugs can dull reflexes and cloud judgment, which could make drivers of any sort of vehicle behave erratically, respond inadequately, or lose control. 

• Fatigue – Operating any vehicle while drowsy can be as detrimental as operating it while drunk, with one driver fatigue study concluding that staying awake for over 20 hours can produce the same degree of impairment as a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 percent. 

• Insufficient training – Construction vehicles are fundamentally complex, and their operators must undergo extensive training if they hope to prevent catastrophic accidents, which might nevertheless be inevitable if that training is insufficient. 

Other elements that could cause an Indiana construction vehicle accident might include: 

• Vehicular design and/or manufacturing flaws 

• Road or site hazards 

• Inclement weather 

No matter what the cause of your accident is, our knowledgeable Indiana construction vehicle accident attorneys are ready to advise you of how best to proceed against everyone at fault. 

Who Is at Fault for an Indiana Construction Vehicle Accident?  

But exactly who is at fault for an Indiana construction vehicle accident?  The truth is that a case of this nature could have many different potential defendants depending upon the circumstances, such as the: 

• Construction vehicle driver/operator 

• Construction vehicle owner (if separate from the driver/operator) 

• Property owner 

• Project developer 

• General contractor directing construction 

• Contractors 

• Subcontractors 

• Manufacturers, distributors, and retailers of malfunctioning machines and/or components 

• Government agency with authority over a public space under construction  

In certain situations, multiple parties could have varying levels of legal liability for a single accident, for which they could have varying levels of economic liability, and you must go after all of them within the window allotted by law, known as the Statute of Limitations.  The Statute is two years for most Indiana construction vehicle accidents cases, though it could be significantly shorter in claims against the government, with additional stipulations that may have to be satisfied. 

If you fail to file suit or reach an agreement before the Statute expires, you could be forever barred from getting the compensation you deserve – the sort of oversight that will not happen when Hensley’s meticulous Indiana construction vehicle accident lawyers are handling your case. 

Guidelines to Observe Following an Indiana Construction Vehicle Accident 

To better protect that case, there are key guidelines that you should remember to observe following an Indiana construction vehicle accident.  Specifically, you should: 

• Report the incident – Your employer, foreman, or supervisor must be notified right away so that the incident and its timing can be accurately recorded.  

• Seek treatment – To ensure that the healing process is not hindered and doubt is not cast on the extent and relevance of your injuries, seek medical promptly. 

• Obtain witness information – Get the names and numbers of anyone who saw the construction vehicle accident, since they could independently verify what took place. 

• Take pictures and shoot videos – This may be your last opportunity to capture critical defects before they can be repaired, so try to take pictures and shoot videos of your surroundings if you can. 

• Avoid the insurance companies – Insurers with applicable coverage may want to speak with you, but anything you say could be used against you, so it might be wise to avoid them until you… 

• Talk to an attorney – A seasoned Indiana construction vehicle accident lawyer can answer your questions and lay the groundwork for the strongest personal injury case possible.  

What an Indiana Construction Vehicle Accident Attorney Can Do for You 

A construction vehicle accident can knock your life off course, overwhelming you with mounting medical bills while robbing you of the ability to earn the money to pay for them.  Merely making ends meet can soon become a challenge, much less meeting the new demands on your finances. 

You need attorneys with the compassion to support you through your struggles and the skill to overcome them – like the tenacious Indiana construction vehicle accident attorneys at Hensley Legal Group.  

If you hire Hensley, we will launch a comprehensive investigation into your construction vehicle accident, then move swiftly to amass the materials to assemble your claim, securing evidence of both your damages and the defendants’ guilt.

After putting together an airtight case, our Indiana construction vehicle accident lawyers will enter into negotiations with the insurance carriers, working tirelessly for a settlement that reflects the full spectrum of your losses, such as your: 

• Medical expenses  

• Lost wages  

• Pain and suffering  

• Mental and emotional trauma 

• Mobility restrictions  

• Diminished quality of living  

• Loss of consortium  

• Punitive and wrongful death damages (if relevant)  

And if we do not receive an offer that is worthy of your case, we are not afraid to take it to trial for a verdict that is, unlike many of our competitors, who seldom, if ever, venture into a courtroom.

We realize that you may be concerned about committing to more expenditures when you can least afford them, but our firm works on a contingency basis.  This means that you will not owe us anything unless our Indiana construction vehicle accident attorneys win your case.  

You have enough to worry about just recovering from your injuries.  Let Hensley worry about recovering the funds necessary to do it. 

Sit Down with Our Indiana Construction Vehicle Accident Lawyers 

Hensley Legal Group has been fighting for the innocent victims of negligence since 1998.  If you have been harmed by the careless acts of a careless actor, sit down with our Indiana construction vehicle accident lawyers to explore the remedies available to you. 

You can schedule a complimentary consultation with a dedicated Indiana construction vehicle accident attorney by calling or texting us at (317) 472-3333, chatting with us online, or filling out our contact form at your earliest convenience.