Cline Avenue (SR 912) Accidents in Hammond: Who’s Liable and What to Do After a Crash

November 12, 2026

• Cline Avenue is not a normal road: it’s a major connective expressway running through Hammond, IN. Crowded, fast, and heavy with construction, it is the scene of many accidents.
• These accidents can involve multiple liable parties, including INDOT. Indiana law allows you to pursue cases against this many defendants, but winning them, especially with tight timeframes, can be tricky.
• Working with a local Hammond car accident lawyer who has the experience and tenacity to pursue your claim could be your best chance of getting what you need and deserve.

To someone not familiar with Hammond, IN, the name “Cline Avenue” might conjure the image of a peaceful residential or retail street. But those of us in the know understand it is anything but: Cline Avenue, or SR-912, is an 11-mile expressway running through the heart of Hammond, connecting 90, US-41, the Borman Expressway, and US-12. In the decade or so since it opened, it has become one of the most important roadways in the region.

That means a lot of traffic. It means local and out-of-state cars mixing at high speeds. It means construction zones and trucks. It means car accidents.

If you are in an accident on Cline Avenue in Hammond, you’ll need to determine who is liable for the crash and what to do after it happens. You’ll need to protect your rights so you can win your claim and get your life back. And you’ll want to work with a local, dedicated Hammond car accident lawyer who won’t stop until you get what you deserve.

What Makes Accidents on Cline Avenue Different

Despite the name, Cline Avenue is not a Hammond city street (there are historical reasons for the name). The road, officially State Road 912, is a state-maintained freeway, overseen by the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT). This is not just a point of curiosity; it impacts who investigates a crash and could affect who is liable.

Accidents on Cline Avenue are relatively frequent. There are various reasons for this, including:

• Heavy traffic. This is known as the “fastest road from NW Indiana to Chicago.” It’s a major link of the industrial centers of Hammond to and from their markets. It is also a throughway for residents of Hammond. Drivers using the Borman Expressway or 41 connect to it too.
• Mixed traffic. There is a heavy mix of commuter, industrial, and commercial trucking on the road. We all know how many truck accidents on the Borman Expressway there are – Cline Avenue is nearly as busy and considerably tighter.
• Frequent construction. Cline Avenue’s predecessor was closed due to unsafe conditions. INDOT won’t let this happen again. But that leads to construction, with its barricades, lane closures, poor sightlines, and sudden stops.
• Confusing and sudden entrances/exits. If you are not familiar with the road, coming off 90 and getting on 41 (or vice versa) means lane changes at speed. It can be confusing. Drivers not ready for this can slow or stop without warning.

What does this mean? Accidents during merges. Rear-end collisions during stop-and-go traffic. Accidents with trucks.

These accidents can be dangerous. They can change your life. They can leave you with expensive medical bills, lengthy therapy work, lost wages, and a diminished quality of life.

To get fairly compensated for an accident like this, you’ll want to discover who is liable.

Understanding Liability in a Cline Avenue Accident

In every accident, the initial fault is assumed to lie with the other driver. If the driver rear-ends you, he or she is most likely at fault. But many cases are not so straightforward, and even one as simple as that can be more complicated than it seems.

See, Indiana is a comparative fault state (and to be clear, Indiana law applies to accidents on this side of the Indiana/Illinois border, no matter where the other driver is from). There can be multiple parties who share blame for your accident. However, as long as you are less than 51% responsible, you should be entitled to compensation.

There can be lots of liable parties, though. If you were hit by a truck, those parties could include the driver, the trucking company, the loader, the shipping agent, even the contractor responsible for truck maintenance. Most if not all of them have insurance; none of the insurance companies want to pay.

This can get complicated by construction. If you are in an accident in a construction zone, then the liable parties might be the project designer, the general contractor, subcontractors, or INDOT, which almost certainly oversees the project.

Even outside of construction zones, INDOT could share responsibility if the road was not well maintained. In any case where INDOT has potential liability, you only have 270 days to file a notice of claims – not two years!

Insurance Companies May Fight Your Claim

No matter who is liable, insurance companies have a strong incentive to fight your claim. You could do everything correctly, including…

• Calling 911 and getting a police report from the Indiana State Police
• Gathering evidence (witness statements, photos, etc.)
• Seeking medical care and starting a record of your injuries and costs

…and insurance companies may still try to fight you. They may try to blame you. They may ask you to make a statement hoping you’ll incriminate yourself (NEVER GIVE A STATEMENT TO INSURANCE WITHOUT A LAWYER). They could trawl your social media for posts to use against you. They might offer you a quick lowball settlement when you are desperate so that you can’t get anything more.

In short, they can use their strength, experience, knowledge of the legal system, and deep pockets to prevent your claim from being successful.

You need a car accident lawyer with the strength, experience, knowledge, and determination to fight back.

Reach Out to Our Hammond Car Accident Attorneys

The local Hammond car accident lawyers who will take your case and have a track record of winning 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 a knowledgeable Hammond car accident attorney.