How Long After a Car Accident Can an Indianapolis Car Accident Lawyer Help?

December 10, 2024

Car accidents are a regular occurrence in Indianapolis, which saw 30,883 crashes in 2022 alone.  Fortunately, you could pursue a personal injury case when someone else is at fault for your own car accident, and your chances of success could be even greater if you partner with an attorney, though it is important to remember that the clock starts ticking at the moment of impact.  How long after a car accident can an Indianapolis car accident lawyer help?  Let Hensley Legal Group explain the timeline for an auto injury claim. 

The Influence of the Statute of Limitations  

The duration of your Indianapolis car accident case will be at least partially influenced by the Statute of Limitations, which is the window in which legal proceedings can be initiated over an incident.   

For most car accidents in the State of Indiana, the Statute is two years from the date of the collision, though it could be significantly shorter in cases against government bodies, with additional requirements that may need to be satisfied.  Practically speaking, this means that you will have to file suit or otherwise resolve your claim before the Statute elapses, since failure to do so could forever bar you from obtaining the compensation that you deserve.   

However, just because you have up to two years to take action, it doesn’t mean that you should wait until the two-year mark arrives, since you have a number of challenges ahead of you that could continue to grow more difficult if you delay.  Chief among these challenges is tracking down all of the potential defendants for your case.  Since their insurance carriers will probably be your main sources of financial recovery, the sooner you go after them, the better.   

Yet the list of candidates could be quite extensive, and not all of them may be obvious to a novice claimant, which is why teaming up with a dedicated attorney in the immediate aftermath of a car accident could be crucial to building a rock-solid foundation for your case. 

Standing By You Every Step of the Way 

But a skilled legal practitioner won’t merely be useful in the early stages of your case or up to the point where the Statute of Limitation expires.  Instead, a tenacious Indianapolis car accident lawyer can stand by you every step of the way so that you can get justice no matter what the length of your case ultimately is.  This kind of close attention is a key reason why the wrongfully injured receive 3.5 times more on average with attorneys than they do without them. 

Your lawyer will begin by launching a thorough investigation to identify everyone who contributed to your Indianapolis car accident, then establish valid claims against each of them by sending formal notification in writing and alerting their insurers.  If the situation warrants it, your attorney could also file a lawsuit well in advance of the statutory deadline in a court with the power to issue a binding judgment.  

Next, your lawyer will amass both evidence of your losses and evidence of the defendants’ guilt (though how quickly an attorney can get involved may play a role how substantial the latter ends up being), such as:  

• Police reports 

• Citations and dispositions 

• Witness statements 

• Crash site photos 

• Dash cam, streetlight, and surveillance footage 

• Black box data 

• Phone records 

• Driving histories 

• Vehicular maintenance logs 

• Accident reconstruction and forensic analysis 

After putting together an airtight case, your lawyer will negotiate with the defendants’ insurance companies for a settlement that reflects the totality of your damages, including your: 

• Past, present, and future medical bills  

• Lost wages  

• Diminished earning capacity  

• Pain and suffering  

• Psychological trauma 

• Mobility restrictions 

• Reduced quality of living  

• Loss of consortium (if applicable) 

Very frequently, the strength of the case presented can convince a sensible insurance adjuster to make a generous offer rather than risk a worse verdict at trial.  Nevertheless, a seasoned litigator will become absolutely indispensable if a trial proves necessary, since plaintiffs who represent themselves in court lose about 96 percent of the cases, whereas plaintiffs with professional representation are statistically favored to win. 

Clearly, a capable Indianapolis car accident attorney could provide you with invaluable assistance throughout the entire process, but you can only start enjoying that assistance once you hire one. 

Reach Out to Our Indianapolis Car Accident Lawyers 

Hensley Legal Group has been fighting on behalf of the innocent victims of negligence for over a quarter century.  If you are struggling to get back to normal after a serious injury in the Indianapolis area, reach out to our Indianapolis car accident lawyers to learn what remedies may be available to you. 

You can call us at (317) 472-3333, chat with us online, or fill out our contact form to schedule a free consultation with a knowledgeable Indianapolis car accident attorney today.