When to Hire an Indianapolis Car Accident Lawyer

April 29, 2024

Car accidents are an unfortunate fact of life in Indiana, where 3,307 Hoosiers were hurt and 949 were killed in collisions in 2022 alone. The injuries incurred in a car accident can sometimes be extreme, demanding prolonged care at a cost beyond what many families could pay without assistance.

That assistance could come in the form of a personal injury case, though a favorable outcome is never guaranteed, which is why injured Indianapolis residents frequently retain the services of seasoned car accident attorneys. But how long do you have to seek legal help if you have been injured in a crash? Join us as we discuss when to hire an Indianapolis car accident lawyer.

The Influence of the Statute of Limitations

The timetable for a car accident case in Indianapolis may be influenced in part by the Statute of Limitations, which is the window in which a plaintiff must file a lawsuit or otherwise resolve a claim. The Statute for car accident cases in Indiana is typically two years from the date of the incident (with some exceptions), though it can be narrower if the defendant is a public transit agency like IndyGo or some other state or municipal body.

If that should happen, not only would you have to contend with a shorter Statute (usually one year), you might have to satisfy additional restrictions under Indiana’s Tort Claims Act. Specifically, a Notice of Tort Claim might have to be filed with the appropriate government entity within 270 days of the date of loss (or 180 days in claims against some “political subdivisions”).

Neglecting to meet the statutory requirements and deadlines for your car accident case could forever bar you from full financial recovery, which is why a car accident lawyer could be even more crucial in such situations.

What a Car Accident Attorney Can Do for You

While you may have up to two years to initiate an Indianapolis car accident case, depending on the circumstances, that does not mean you should wait until the last minute to take action. The truth is that the clock on your car accident case begins ticking at the moment of impact, and what you do in the immediate aftermath could heavily determine your success or failure.

For example, the other driver’s insurance company could have investigators on site within hours of the car accident, gathering the evidence needed to minimize the company’s fiscal exposure. You can rest assured that they will definitely know what to look for, and the chances are that you won’t.

Moreover, you could be at an even greater disadvantage when that insurance company comes calling. This may be your first car accident, but it will not be the first for the veteran adjuster on the other end of the line, who will likely have handled hundreds of collision cases before, some of them very similar to yours. The insurer will be able to turn your relative inexperience against you, exploiting the most innocuous comment you make to justify offering you pennies on the dollar for your claim or even denying it outright.

As you can imagine, you may have an uphill battle ahead of you. To start off on the strongest possible footing, reach out to knowledgeable legal practitioners right away, like the Indianapolis car accident attorneys at Hensley Legal Group.

A skilled lawyer can launch a comprehensive investigation into your car accident and everyone responsible for it within the time allotted by law, moving swiftly to secure the materials to build your claim. After assembling an airtight case against every defendant, your attorney can then endeavor to negotiate a settlement that compensates you for the entirety of your losses, including:

• Medical bills
• Lost wages
• Pain and suffering
• Mental and emotional trauma
• Diminished quality of life
• Impaired mobility
• Loss of consortium
• Punitive and wrongful death damages (if applicable)

And if an offer is not received that reflects the true value of your case, your lawyer can fight for a verdict that does at trial, where plaintiffs with attorneys win more often than not, compared to plaintiffs who represents themselves, only 4 percent of whom prevail.

The advantages of hiring an Indianapolis car accident lawyer are clear, which is why you should strive to do so at the earliest opportunity.

Turn to Our Indianapolis Car Accident Lawyers

If you have been seriously injured in a car accident, consider doing what so many others have done before you and turn to the Indianapolis car accident lawyers at Hensley Legal Group, who have been standing up for the everyday people of Indiana for more than 25 years.

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