Indiana Car Accident Claim FAQs
The aftermath of an auto crash can be a distressing, painful and confusing time. While seeking medical attention can be a top priority, it’s also important to get answers about liability and your legal recovery options. These answers can be central to protecting a potential claim and securing the compensation you’re entitled to for your crash-related injuries, property damage and/or other losses.
Accordingly, the following reveals some helpful answers to frequently asked questions about Indiana car accident claims. While this information can reveal more about victims’ options for financial recovery, please don’t hesitate to contact a Fort Wayne car accident lawyer at Finderson Law, LLC when you need:
- Advice and answers pertaining to your crash
- Effective, aggressive advocacy as you proceed with a claim.
Call (260) 420-8600 or Email Us
for a Free Consultation & More Information about Your Rights & Legal Options
Taking the one step to contact us can help you protect your rights while positioning your car crash claim for the best possible resolution and the maximum available recovery.
How do I know who is liable for my car crash?
The best way to definitively determine who’s at fault and liable for your auto accident is to consult a lawyer at Finderson Law, LLC. One of our attorneys can carefully review the facts of your case and point out all at-fault parties (because, in many crashes, multiple parties, including some not necessarily at the scene, can be liable).
In absence of a consult and understanding the details of your crash, we can tell you that the following parties are among those who are commonly liable for causing auto wrecks (and, consequently, compensating victims):
- Other motorists, including commercial drivers, as well as the drivers of passenger vehicles
- Motor carriers (i.e., trucking companies) when they or their drivers play a role in causing wrecks
- Equipment manufacturers when faulty auto parts malfunction and contribute to crashes
- Parties responsible for maintaining safe roadways when dangerous road conditions play a role in causing auto accidents.
Please be aware that Indiana follows a Modified Comparative Fault, 51 percent Bar Rule. This means that, even if you contributed to a car accident, you can still be entitled to financial recovery as long as you are not found to be 51 percent or more at fault for the crash.
In other words, if you are found to be no more than 50 percent at fault for causing an auto wreck, you CAN still be entitled to compensation (though the award or settlement will typically be reduced in proportion to the degree at which you were at fault).
So, for example, if your claim is worth $50,000 and you are determined to have been 20 percent at fault, the award would be reduced by 20 percent (or $10,000), meaning you would receive $40,000 in car accident compensation.
How can I prove liability?
The evidence necessary for providing who’s liable for a car crash will depend on the specifics of a wreck and details like (but not necessarily limited to):
- The parties involved in the crash
- The presumed (or known) cause(s) of the crash
- Whether police were called after the wreck.
Generally, evidence like the following can be helpful to establishing liability for an auto accident:
- The police report for the accident
- Crash-scene photos
- Witness statements
- Tire tread patterns and/or the nature of the vehicle-related damage (which can reveal point(s) of impact, etc.).
How much is my car accident claim worth?
The value of your auto wreck claim will, again, hinge on the details of the crash, the cause(s), the extent of the damage and the liable party (or parties).
In absence of reviewing the specifics of your crash and potential claim, we can tell you that compensation for car accident victims commonly includes damages for losses like (but necessarily limited to) the following:
- Past and future medical bills (associated with treating the crash-related injuries)
- Property damage repairs
- Past and future lost wages, when crash-related injuries prevent a victim from working
- Funeral and burial costs (for claims related to fatal auto wrecks)
- Loss of consortium
- Mental suffering.
A Fort Wayne attorney at Finderson Law, LLC can provide you with more precise answers regarding the value of your claim after examining the details of your crash.
How soon do I have to file my car accident claim?
Indiana law provides two (2) years for victims to file car accident claims. This two-year period, which is also known as the statute of limitations for a car crash claim, starts counting down on the date that:
- The crash occurred; OR
- The injuries were discovered; OR
- The injuries resulted in death (if severe injuries take a victim’s life in the days or weeks after a wreck happens).
Generally, it’s advised that victims pursue claims as soon as possible because more evidence for the crash and claim tends to be available in the following weeks (rather than a year or more down the line).
How do I get my car wreck claim started?
Simply contact Finderson Law, LLC, and our attorneys can take care of all of the work necessary to:
- Initiate your claim
- Defend your rights and interests as your claim proceeds
- Help you resolve your claim as favorably as possible.
Get More Answers & Experienced Help with a Claim: Contact a Fort Wayne Car Accident Lawyer at Finderson Law, LLC
A Fort Wayne car accident lawyer at Finderson Law, LLC is ready to answer your questions and discuss your potential claim. Call (260) 420-8600 or email us to set up a free, no obligations initial consultation and discover how we can help you after a car accident.
Having earned a reputation as diligent, dedicated problem solvers, our attorneys are skilled at partnering with our clients to help them pursue their best options for financial recovery. You can count on us to work tirelessly to build you the strongest possible case, relieve your stress and bring your claim to the best possible outcome.
With Finderson Law, LLC, you can be confident that you are receiving the highest quality representation and personal legal service regardless of the value of your claim.
We don’t charge any fees unless we obtain a recovery for you. This means that you have nothing to lose and potentially a lot to gain by contacting us to find out more about your legal options.
Our record of high-quality legal service – and superior results – has earned us a 5-star rating on Facebook.
From offices in Fort Wayne, we are proud to represent accident victims and families throughout Allen County and the state of Indiana.