Shelbyville Car Accident Lawyers

Have you suffered from injuries in a Shelbyville car accident? When drivers act negligently, they endanger other road users and can cause significant harm. Depending on the severity of a motor vehicle accident, these incidents can often be life-altering. After enduring auto accident injuries, you may experience physical, emotional, mental, and financial confusion and pain. Having an experienced car accident lawyer at your side allows you to focus on your recovery.

If you or a loved one have been injured in a car accident that was not your fault, you may be eligible for financial compensation. The Shelbyville car accident lawyers at Wilson Kehoe Winingham are available to help you with your car accident case.

Shelbyville, Indiana Car Accident Statistics

Shelbyville is located in central Indiana and within the Indianapolis metropolitan area, just 26 miles southeast of the capital. With a population nearing 20,000 people, Shelbyville offers access to large-city amenities while staying rooted in small-town values. It’s considered a great place to raise a family but is sadly no stranger to serious car crashes.

According to the Indiana Crash Facts book, the state of Indiana had 350,641 individuals involved in car accidents in 2019. After seeing annual increases for years, this number is down slightly from 2018, but is still a grave concern.

And Shelby County’s numbers remain high, with 1,215 collisions and a ranking of number 19 (out of 92 counties) in the state for fatal crashes per 100K population.

Common Causes of Car Accidents in Shelbyville, IN

The majority of car accidents happen due to human error, along with a variety of contributing factors. Some of the main causes for car accidents include:

• Distracted driving (texting, talking on the phone, eating, grooming, etc.)
• Impaired driving (operating a vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol)
• Speeding
• Running red lights or stop signs
• Reckless or aggressive driving (switching lanes too quickly, disregarding the safety of others, etc.)
• Fatigue (sleepiness, drowsiness, or exhaustion)
• Weather conditions (rain, snow, fog, wind, etc.)
• Road conditions (poorly maintained roads, improper signage, etc.)
• Vehicle defects
• Loss of control
• Driver illness or medical condition

Knowing the most common causes of motor vehicle accidents can help keep you and your family safe on the road. Preparing for safety before getting in the car is an important part of being proactive about avoiding potential collisions.

Common Injuries Sustained in Shelbyville Car Crashes

The following are examples of the most common Shelbyville car accident injuries:

• Broken bones
• Scrapes and cuts
• Internal bleeding
• Soft tissue damage
• Whiplash
• Knee injuries
• Back or neck injuries
• Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Death

Some of these injuries, such as back or neck injuries, may not be apparent in the immediate aftermath of an accident. Instead, they could show up days or weeks later.

Getting Medical Care for Your Injuries

It’s important to get checked out by a doctor, even if you don’t have any noticeable injuries immediately following the accident. Injuries from a car accident could take days or months to appear, and it’s common for adrenaline to flood the system and mask any pain immediately following a crash.

Also, even obvious injuries can worsen over time, so it’s important to have a medical record on file. Don’t wait until you are in pain to see a doctor. Get a checkup from a medical professional as soon as you can after the accident.

How to Go About Collecting Damages for a Shelbyville Car Accident Lawsuit

There’s no need to suffer in silence if you’re the victim of another driver’s negligence. If you have property damage to your car, mounting medical bills, and/or are unable to work, an experienced WKW car accident lawyer in Shelbyville can help.

There are two main types of damages recoverable following a car accident: special damages and general damages.

Special damages are economic. They’re objective, quantifiable, out-of-pocket expenses incurred from the malpractice, such as loss of wages, property damage, medical expenses, or mobility equipment (like a wheelchair).

General damages are non-economic. They boil down to putting a price tag on an otherwise subjective injury, such as loss of enjoyment or a lower quality of life, pain and suffering, or emotional distress.

How to File a Car Accident Claim in Shelbyville, IN

After a car accident, you may feel overwhelmed—medical bills, car repairs, calls from insurance agents, and low settlement offers can all pile up until it seems impossible to get the compensation you deserve. The Indiana car accident lawyers at WKW can help you understand your rights and walk you through the car accident lawsuit process in order to build a successful case so you can focus on your recovery.

When possible, we will negotiate a settlement. However, if all parties cannot agree on a fair settlement offer, we will take our significant trial experience to court and fight for the compensation you deserve.

Litigation in car accidents differs case by case because your experience is unique to you. Although cases are independent of one another, the general order of proceedings is as follows.

• Complaint: Writing a complaint initiates the litigation process. A complaint is filed to the court, then you must give it to the defendant.
• Response: Once you have found the defendant and given them the official complaint, they then need to respond to you.
• Discovery: Analyzing evidence is the discovery portion of the lawsuit process. The timeline for discovery may last between a few months to over a year.
• Trial: Once all evidence is examined, a court trial will take place. Both parties will present evidence for a jury to determine a verdict.
• Potential Appeal: There is a possibility of an appeal if either party is unsatisfied with the verdict. Appeals can take additional months or years. If this is the case, the experienced lawyers at WKW will be there throughout the whole process to help secure the compensation you deserve.

Being in a car accident is often scary and stressful. Following the accident, there can be a lot to deal with, including medical bills, not being able to work, or caring for a loved one. You do not have to go it alone. Working with an experienced Shelbyville car accident lawyer who has filed many insurance claim cases will help you to maximize your claim amount.

Indiana Statute of Limitations on Car Accidents

Indiana has a set of laws dictating when you can file lawsuits in court. These deadlines are called statutes of limitations. The statute of limitations differs among states and is based on the type of claim you are filing. The Indiana statute of limitations for an auto accident is two years from the day of the incident. Because of this strict deadline, we recommend that you contact an experienced car accident lawyer as quickly as possible after your accident.

How Is Fault Assigned in a Shelbyville Car Accident Case?

Indiana uses tort liability, which is an at-fault liability. Tort law means that fault is determined based on the percentage of fault assigned to each driver. The percentage you are at fault is the amount that you will either pay or receive in compensation.

Indiana requires all drivers to have insurance minimums of $25,000–$50,000 for injury and $10,000 for property damage. Fault is determined by establishing the negligence of a driver; this is proven by presenting evidence. An experienced lawyer will do a full investigation of the accident, review your evidence, and help present your case to insurance companies.

Reach Out to WKW | What Our Lawyers Can Offer You

With extensive experience in auto accidents and injuries, the Shelbyville car accident attorneys at Wilson Kehoe Winingham can help you get the full and fair compensation you deserve. Plus, our lawyers work on a contingency basis, meaning no out-of-pocket costs to you.

Our firm was built on the foundation of “restoring lives” so we can help our clients move forward. In the event of a tragic car accident, let the legal team at WKW work toward the best possible outcome for you and your loved ones.

Contact Us Today

Don’t go it alone. Reach out to the experienced car accident lawyers in Shelbyville today. Call 317.920.6400 or fill out an online contact form for a free, no-obligation case evaluation.