The 180-Day Deadline That Destroys Lloyd Expressway Crash Claims

August 8, 2026

• For most personal injury cases in Indiana, you have two years to file a claim. But when a government agency is liable, you only have 180 to 270 days to start your case before your window for compensation closes entirely.
• Accidents on the Lloyd Expressway in Evansville often involve local or state governments, whether because of construction zones, government vehicles driving negligently, or dangerous conditions on the road.
• Determining liability isn’t always easy when there are multiple parties involved, and the clock never stops ticking. That’s why having a seasoned Evansville car accident lawyer is so important.

“Don’t hurry, you have two whole years to file your claim.”

If you’ve been in an accident on the Lloyd Expressway, you’ve probably heard that advice from well-meaning people. And in many cases, it is true: the general Statute of Limitations for personal injury claims is two years, and it might make sense to wait to see how your medical bills shake out.

But that isn’t always the case, especially in areas where your accident might intersect with state or local government bodies (which is very common on the Lloyd Expressway). When dealing with government entities, your timeline dramatically shortens – maybe to as little as 180 days. This means you have to move quickly to understand who is potentially liable, and get your paperwork in order, or else miss out. Having a veteran Evansville car accident attorney who can get your claim started is the best way to not miss out on any crucial deadlines.

Understanding the Claims Process Against Government Entities

The section of the Indiana Code entitled “Tort Claims Against Governmental Entities and Public Employees” is as fun to read as you’d imagine, but the implications are straightforward. You have a very limited timeframe to start your case against government entities or the individuals employed by them after a car accident. This is:

• 180 days for accidents involving local municipalities (the City of Evansville, the Evansville PD, Vanderburgh County Sheriff, school corporations, etc.)
• 270 days for accidents involving the state government (the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT), Indiana State Police)

It is important to note that this isn’t the deadline for filing your lawsuit. It is instead the deadline for filing a Notice of Claim with the correct agency. The agency will then do its own investigation and decide whether to settle your claim or contest it. In the latter case, you will have to file a lawsuit.

If your Notice of Claim is not filed by the deadline, the claim will usually be barred forever. It doesn’t matter if the government was clearly liable.  The Indiana Tort Claims Act is unforgiving about that, but there might be some leeway if you file in the wrong place but made a good faith attempt to meet the right deadline.

Still, though, you don’t want to leave that to chance. You could miss out on the financial recovery you need to pay medical bills, make up for lost wages, and compensate you for your pain and suffering. So it is crucial to quickly understand if any government entities are liable for your accident.

How Government Negligence Is Established in Lloyd Expressway Crash Claims

We’ve all driven across Evansville. We know that there are some particularly dangerous intersections on the Lloyd Expressway. We know that there is near-constant construction designed to make intersections safer, left turns less tricky, and traffic more fluid throughout.

But accidents happen. When they do, you’ll want our complete legal guide to Lloyd Expressway accidents. You’ll see that determining liability is one of the key aspects to your case. In some situations, the government could prove to be at least partially responsible.

Let’s say you’re driving on the Lloyd Expressway near Vann Avenue. This is one area of major construction. You have the dangers and distractions of construction, not to mention the confusion of drivers whose routines have changed. If you’re hit by a car, it would seem the other driver is directly responsible.

However, there are stretches where the designer or contractor may have made it more dangerous to drive. That means fault could also lie with INDOT, which oversees the project.

But construction on the Lloyd isn’t the only place where the government could be negligent. Other areas of responsibility could potentially include:

• Government vehicles operating negligently. This could include school buses, maintenance trucks, snowplows, etc. These laws exclude emergency vehicles, but only during an emergency, and even that is limited if recklessness can be proven.
• Dangerous road design.
• Road neglect (failing to repair potholes or clear snow, ice, debris, downed trees, etc.).
• Negligent hiring, training, or supervision (e.g. keeping a driver with a poor record on).
• Traffic signal failure (including railroad gates and crosswalk signals).

Many accidents have multiple negligent parties. The government could be directly at fault, but sometimes the civilian driver who hit you could have been partially impacted by government negligence.

You’ll need to quickly determine who is liable if you want to meet the government statutes. And you’ll want a legal partner who understands how to determine liability and knows how to deal with the government, since missing deadlines can be as debilitating as a Lloyd Expressway crash itself.

Reach Out to Our Experienced Evansville Car Accident Attorneys

Not every firm knows how to work with the government. There are a lot of loopholes that municipal and state lawyers can exploit. So you’ll want a team that can unwind the strands of liability and get your Lloyd Expressway crash case started without missing any timelines.

The Evansville car accident lawyers with the knowledge and tenacity to get your case moving are at Hensley Legal Group, PC, a dedicated Indiana personal injury law firm whose experienced attorneys have been fighting on behalf of the wrongfully injured since 1998.

Simply call us at (317) 472-3333, chat with us online, or fill out our contact form now for a free consultation with one of our Evansville car accident attorneys.