How Much Time Do I Have to Hire a Muncie Car Accident Lawyer After My Car Accident?

Car accidents are an unfortunate fact of life in Muncie, but you may be compensated when somebody else is at fault for yours, and the amount that you obtain could be even greater if you partner with a skilled attorney, preferably sooner rather than later. Let Hensley Legal Group explain the value of prompt legal […]

December 23, 2024

The Impact of the Statute of Limitations

In some ways, how much time you have to hire an attorney is set by the Statute of Limitations, which is the period following an incident in which legal action may be taken over it. The Statute for car accidents in Indiana is generally two years, though the window could be cut in half for car accidents involving the government. Moreover, additional conditions may have to satisfied under the state’s Tort Claims Act, which stipulates that a Notice of Tort Claim must be filed with the correct agency within 270 days of the date of loss (or 180 days in claims against some “political subdivisions”).

While you are certainly entitled to handle your own car accident case, injured Muncie residents often seek out lawyers so that these and other regulations can be addressed, as failure to do so could forever bar them from receiving full financial compensation. However, a meticulous legal practitioner could keep that nightmare scenario from becoming a reality, which is why it may be wise to secure the services of a Muncie car accident attorney before the applicable deadlines come to pass.

The Danger of Waiting to Act After a Crash

Yet just because you have up to two years to hire a lawyer (or less in some instances), it doesn’t mean that you should wait anywhere near that long to act, since the steps that you take in the immediate aftermath of a crash may be critical to your case’s success or lack thereof.

This may be your first serious car accident, but it won’t be the first for the other driver’s auto insurance company, who could have investigators at the scene of the collision on the very same day that it occurs so that a strong defense can be prepared against your eventual claim. The insurer will also probably be eager to talk to you, and anything you say could be used to justify paying you pennies on the dollar or denying your claim altogether, which could leave you with little recourse if you are already teetering on the brink of ruin.

What a Muncie Car Accident Attorney Can Do for You

Clearly, the consequences of an unnecessary delay can be dire, but you can avoid those consequences by teaming up with a Muncie car accident attorney right away.

Once retained, your lawyer will launch a comprehensive investigation to identify the root causes of your Muncie car accident and each of the parties who may share blame for it, then establish valid claims against them all within the time permitted by law. If the circumstances warrant it, a lawsuit could be filed as well in a court with the power to issue a binding judgment.

Next, your attorney will move swiftly to amass the materials needed to support your claim, including evidence both of your losses and of the defendants’ guilt, including:

Police reports

Citations and dispositions

Crash site photos

Dash cam, traffic light, and surveillance footage

Black box data

Eyewitness statements

Phone records

Driving histories

Maintenance logs

Accident reconstruction and forensic analysis

After assembling an airtight case, your lawyer will strive to negotiate a settlement that reflects the entirety of your damages. Indeed, the vast majority of Muncie car accident cases are brought to a conclusion outside of the courtroom, though an experienced litigator will be indispensable if your case goes to trial, since plaintiffs who represent themselves in court loses about 96 percent of their cases. In contrast, plaintiffs with professional representation are statistically favored to win.

As you can see, there are many advantages to joining forces with a capable Muncie car accident attorney – but you can’t take advantage of any of them until you do.

Reach Out to Our Knowledgeable Muncie Car Accident Lawyers

Hensley Legal Group has been advocating on behalf of the wrongfully injured since the firm opened its doors over a quarter century ago. If you have no idea what to do or where to turn after being badly hurt in the Muncie area, reach out to our knowledgeable Muncie car accident lawyers to learn about the remedies that may be available to you.

To arrange a free case review with one of Hensley’s dedicated Muncie car accident attorneys, please call us at (317) 472-3333, chat with us online, or fill out our contact form today.