What Happens After a Car Accident, and Why Do I Need an Indianapolis Car Accident Lawyer?

An Indianapolis car accident can inflict punishing injuries requiring prolonged treatment that you might be unable to afford without assistance, and your chances of obtaining that assistance may depend upon your decisions in the wake of a crash, including the decision to retain an attorney. Join us as we examine what you should know if […]

April 6, 2025

Steps to Take Following an Indianapolis Car Accident

It can be tough to keep your wits about you following an Indianapolis car accident, as anybody involved in one of the 30,883 collisions that took place in the city in 2022 is probably aware, but there are critical steps that you should take to protect your potential personal injury case. Specifically, you should try to:

Move to a safe location before a second accident occurs.

Call to request the presence of police and emergency personnel if they haven’t arrived already.

Seek treatment promptly, either from paramedics at the scene or at the nearest emergency room.

Visually document the crash site by snapping photos and shooting videos.

Exchange contact information with the driver who injured you and anyone who witnessed the collision.

You should also alert your auto insurance company about your Indianapolis car accident as soon as you can so that you can remain in compliance with the terms of your policy and access its benefits, which might include reimbursement for tows, rentals, repairs, and doctor visits. However, you may want to stay away from the auto insurance companies for the defendants who harmed you, since anything you say to them might be used to undermine your claim, particularly if you don’t have a knowledgeable legal practitioner in your corner.

Hiring an Indianapolis Car Accident Attorney Can Make a Huge Difference

The reality is that you will usually be at a major disadvantage if you go it alone against the defendants’ insurance carriers, who are generally the main sources of financial recovery. This may be your first serious car accident, but it won’t be the first for a veteran insurance adjuster, who could exploit your relative inexperience to resolve your claim for less or simply deny it altogether, but hiring an Indianapolis car accident attorney can make a huge difference.

Just as it won’t be the first car accident for the adjuster, neither will it be the first for a seasoned lawyer, who will be far better equipped to fend off the tricks and tactics that novice claimants so often encounter. This is a key reason why personal injury victims receive 3.5 times more on average with attorneys than they do without them.

A skilled Indianapolis car accident lawyer will begin by launching a comprehensive investigation to identify the root causes of your accident and the defendants who played a role in it, then establish valid claims against all of them within the time allotted by law. If the situation warrants it, a lawsuit may be filed as well in a court with the power to issue a binding judgment.

Additionally, your attorney will act swiftly to amass the evidentiary materials to back up any allegations that you make, such as:

Police reports

Citations and dispositions

Eyewitness statements

Black box data

Phone records

Driving histories

Maintenance logs

Accident reconstruction and forensic analysis

After constructing the strongest case possible against each of the defendants, your lawyer will negotiate tirelessly with their insurers for a settlement that reflects the totality of your damages, including your:

Medical bills

Lost income

Pain and suffering

Mental and emotional trauma

Mobility restrictions

Scarring and disfigurement

Diminished quality of living

Loss of consortium

When confronted with irrefutable proof of both the extent of your losses and the depth of the insured’s liability, a sensible adjuster may choose to put forth a healthy offer rather than risk a worse verdict at trial. Indeed, most Indianapolis car accident cases can reach an amicable conclusion without a trial, though a battle-tested attorney will become indispensable if your case sees the inside of a courtroom, where 96 percent of the plaintiffs who represent themselves lose.

In contrast, plaintiffs who secure professional representation are statistically favored to win, and they may even be awarded the resources necessary to become whole again.

Our Indianapolis Car Accident Lawyers Will Be Here for You

Hensley Legal Group has been fighting for wrongfully injured Hoosiers for over a quarter century. If you have no idea what to do or where to turn after being badly hurt in Indianapolis traffic through no fault of your own, our Indianapolis car accident lawyers will be here for you.

You can schedule a free consultation with a dedicated Indianapolis car accident attorney by calling us at (317) 472-3333, chatting with us online, or filling out our contact form now.