Should I Get an Indiana Car Accident Lawyer After an Accident?

If you have recently been hurt in a car accident in Indiana, you might be contemplating a personal injury case against the parties responsible for it, but do you need legal assistance in order to obtain justice? Join us as we discuss the benefits of partnering with a capable attorney if you are asking yourself […]

September 4, 2024

The Difficulties of Handling Your Own Case

Indiana saw 206,936 collisions in 2022 – about one every two-and-a-half minutes. Clearly, Indiana car accidents happen at an astonishing rate, but that doesn’t make it any easier to decide what to do when you suffer an automotive injury in the Hoosier State. Though you are certainly entitled to handle your own case, you may soon run into difficulties if you attempt to do so.

Any personal injury case must demonstrate both “negligence” and “damages.” Negligence is the failure to exercise appropriate caution to avoid causing harm, otherwise known as damages. If a defendant’s negligence brings about an Indiana car accident in which you sustain bodily damages, you could initiate a case against that defendant for economic damages.

Nonetheless, it can be a challenge merely identifying each of the potential defendants, whose insurance companies are likely to be your chief sources of financial recovery. The list of candidates might include the driver who hit you, the owner of his or her car, any company making commercial use of that car, and possibly others as well, all of whom must be pursued within the time allotted by law.

And tracking down the defendants is just half of the equation, since you will also have to accurately assess and convey your damages if you hope to be fully compensated for them. Even if you have been injured before, you have probably never had to calculate an injury in purely monetary terms before, and chances are that you won’t be able to tell whether an offer for your injuries is fair if you don’t know what they are actually worth.

Furthermore, your current injuries might constitute a small fraction of your total damages. Accepting a settlement that only reflects the immediate costs of your Indiana car accident could leave you holding the bag when the long-term costs emerge, not to mention the non-monetary damages that are sometimes more detrimental and more enduring.

Finally, these challenges may pale in comparison to the challenges posed by the insurance carriers, who will have a strong incentive to minimize your case. This may be your first car accident, but it won’t be the first for the insurance adjuster, who could exploit your inexperience to resolve your claim for pennies on the dollar or simply deny it altogether, which could leave you with little recourse when you may already be on the brink of ruin.

What an Indiana Car Accident Attorney Can Do for You

This is where a skilled Indiana car accident attorney can make a difference. Just as it won’t be the first car accident for the adjuster, it won’t be the first for your lawyer either, who will know how to fend off the tricks and tactics frequently deployed against rookie claimants.

Additionally, your attorney can determine the true value of your case and work tirelessly to equal or exceed that figure during negotiations – a leading reason why personal injury plaintiffs statistically receive 3.5 times more with lawyers than they do without them.

Once retained, your attorney can launch a comprehensive investigation into your car accident, then establish valid claims against all of the individuals and entities to blame for it by sending them formal notification in writing and alerting their insurers. If the situation warrants it, a lawsuit can be filed too in a court with the power to issue a binding judgment.

Your lawyer can then move swiftly to amass the evidence to build an airtight case. When confronted with incontrovertible proof of the extent of your losses and the depth of the insured’s guilt, a sensible adjuster may agree to a generous compensation package rather than risk a worse verdict at trial.

However, should a trial be necessary, a seasoned Indiana car accident attorney will become even more essential, since plaintiffs who represent themselves in court lose about 96 percent of their cases, whereas plaintiffs with professional representation are favored to win.

Indiana Car Accident Lawyers Fighting for the Seriously Injured

Hensley Legal Group has been fighting for the seriously injured since 1998. If you are struggling to get your life back on track after a major crash, our dedicated Indiana car accident lawyers can help you explore your legal options.

You can schedule a free consultation with an accomplished Indiana car accident attorney by calling or texting us at (317) 472-3333, chatting with us online, or filling out our contact form today.