What Can an Indianapolis Car Accident Lawyer Do After Your Car Accident?

January 2, 2025

Car accidents are an unfortunate fact of life in Indianapolis, but you may have grounds for a personal injury case when somebody else is at fault for yours, and you could increase your chances of a successful outcome by partnering with an attorney.  What can an Indianapolis car accident lawyer do after your car accident?  Join us as we examine the benefits of seeking legal assistance following a collision.   

Couldn’t You Handle Your Own Indianapolis Car Accident Case? 

Indianapolis recorded 30,883 traffic accidents just in 2022, many of which led to civil claims against the parties responsible for them.  Very often, victims of incidents like these choose to hire attorneys to take legal action on their behalf, but couldn’t you handle your own Indianapolis car accident case?   

While you are certainly entitled to go it alone after a serious Indianapolis car accident, you may run into trouble if you do so.  A viable car accident case must demonstrate both negligence, which is the failure to exercise sufficient care to avoid inflicting harm, and damages, which are the losses incurred as result of that negligence.  Basically, if you suffer physical damages because of a defendant’s negligence, you could go after that defendant for financial damages. 

Yet merely identifying every possible defendant can be challenging.  Aside from the driver who hit you and the owner of his or her vehicle (if separate from the driver), a host of other individuals, entities, or even government agencies could be culpable too.  In some instances, multiple defendants could share blame simultaneously for a single Indianapolis car accident, and you could be forever barred from obtaining full compensation if you don’t pursue all of them within the time allotted by law. 

Assuming you do somehow manage to track down each of the defendants, you will probably encounter stiff opposition from their insurance companies, who will typically be your primary sources of economic recovery.  A veteran insurance adjuster may try to exploit your relative inexperience to resolve your claim for less than it is worth, a task that could be more easily accomplished if you aren’t actually aware of what your claim is worth.  And if you accept a “fair” offer that does not take the entirety of your losses into consideration, you could be stuck with the bill when the true costs of your Indianapolis car accident finally emerge. 

As you can see, justice can prove elusive when you are struggling with a significant auto injury, but retaining a knowledgeable Indianapolis car accident lawyer could make a huge difference. 

How an Indianapolis Car Accident Attorney Can Help 

This may be your first accident, but it won’t be the first for a seasoned Indianapolis car accident attorney, who will be better equipped to fend off the tricks and tactics that might otherwise be deployed against you.  Your lawyer will also be better equipped to assess the real value of your case and will always strive to equal or exceed that figure, which is a key reason why 85 percent of the payouts made by insurance carriers go to claimants with attorneys. 

Your lawyer will begin by conducting an exhaustive investigation to unearth the root causes of your Indianapolis car accident and the defendants who contributed to it, then establish valid claims against them by sending formal notification in writing and alerting their insurers.  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 amass the materials necessary to build an airtight case, including: 

• Police reports 

• Tickets and dispositions 

• Photos and video footage 

• Black box data 

• Witness statements 

• Phone records 

• Driving histories 

• Maintenance logs 

• Accident reconstruction and forensic analysis 

When confronted with irrefutable evidence of your damages and the insured’s liability, a sensible adjuster may be convinced to propose a generous settlement rather than risk a worse verdict at trial. 

Indeed, Indianapolis car accident claims usually reach negotiated conclusions, though sometimes a trial may be unavoidable, at which point a skilled litigator will become absolutely essential.  Whereas plaintiffs who represent themselves in the courtroom lose about 96 percent of their cases, plaintiffs with professional representation are statistically favored to win, and they could potentially be awarded the funds they need to get back to normal. 

Get in Touch with Our Indianapolis Car Accident Lawyers 

Hensley Legal Group has been standing up for the wrongfully injured for over a quarter century.  If you are still reeling from the effects of a major crash in the Indianapolis area, get in touch with our Indianapolis car accident lawyers to learn about the remedies that 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 dedicated Indianapolis car accident attorney today.