Westfield Personal Injury Lawyer

Accidents can happen anytime or anyplace, possibly resulting in serious injury. If you or a loved one have been the victim of an accident due to another person’s negligence, you may be eligible to file a personal injury claim. The experienced personal injury lawyers at Wilson Kehoe Winingham are here in Westfield and can help you get the compensation you deserve.

Finding yourself injured through no fault of your own can be traumatizing. You may feel overwhelmed and concerned about mounting medical bills. You might not be able to work due to the injury, adding to an already stressful situation.

Personal injury claims result from a wide variety of accidents, including everything from car and boating accidents to dog bites or a slip and fall incident. All of which have the potential to result in life-altering injuries. Sadly, personal injury cases can happen even within the friendly confines of Westfield, Indiana.

The Town of Westfield, Indiana

Westfield is home to more than 40,000 residents and is located approximately 20 miles north of downtown Indianapolis. The town is best known for Grand Park, the largest youth sports campus in the U.S. The facility features 26 baseball and softball diamonds and 31 multipurpose fields for soccer, football, field hockey, and lacrosse.

Residents and visitors alike enjoy exploring Westfield by bike or on foot. The Monon Trail, an 18-mile multi-use path, begins in town and connects to Carmel and further south to Indianapolis. It’s also easy to get out in nature by visiting MacGregor Park.

What Can a Westfield, IN Personal Injury Attorney Do for Me?

If you have been injured in an accident and it was someone else’s fault, you may be able to file a personal injury claim. An experienced Westfield personal injury lawyer from Wilson Kehoe Winingham can help you to receive compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and other potential losses.

Our lawyers know that insurance companies will work against you to avoid any payout or to offer the lowest amount possible to just make the case go away. To these insurance companies, you’re just an annoyance and a file number, but if you work with WKW, you’re a client we care about and we’ll fight to get you a full and fair settlement.

Investigate the Accident

This is the first phase of any personal injury claim. Once you’ve met with your lawyer and described to them what happened, it’s now their turn to dig a little deeper. Even in cases where it may seem obvious where the fault lies, a competent lawyer will know that’s not always true.

The investigation will vary depending on the type of accident, but as one example, perhaps there was a parts manufacturer with a faulty product. The manufacturing company would have been nowhere near the scene of the accident, but they still could be determined liable. A thorough investigation is necessary for every personal injury claim to ensure a full and fair settlement.

Communicate With Insurance Companies

This is likely the top area where an experienced personal injury attorney from WKW can have the most impact. While you are able to represent yourself in a personal injury suit, you would likely end up frustrated and walking away with just a percentage of what a lawyer may have been able to secure. Our attorneys have dealt with insurance companies for decades and are not intimidated by their tactics. Personal injury attorneys at WKW will know all the potential claims that can be sought and what a reasonable number is for your long-term care and recovery.

Types of Personal Injuries in Westfield, Indiana

Accidents can happen anytime to anyone. In other words, nobody plans to be in an accident. Depending on the type of accident, resulting injuries can range from minimal to life-altering. As a victim, you may have medical bills piling up and find yourself unable to work. The stress can feel overwhelming.

The experienced personal injury attorneys at Wilson Kehoe Winingham have handled all types of cases, from car and truck accidents to workplace injuries to toxic mold. Personal injury lawsuits have been the primary focus of our law firm for more than 30 years.

Car Accidents

Whether it’s an in-town fender bender or a more potentially dangerous interstate accident, Westfield, Indiana has its share of auto accidents. If you’re the victim of another driver’s negligence, you don’t have to suffer in silence.

Looking at car accidents in the state of Indiana as a whole, in 2019, Indiana drivers experienced 217,396 collisions, 739 of which resulted in fatalities.

Auto accidents are one of the most common reasons for a personal injury claim to be filed. When drivers behave negligently, severe injury can be inflicted upon the victim, leaving them impacted for life. The personal injury attorneys at Wilson Kehoe Winingham can help you get compensation for medical costs, ongoing treatments, property damage, and pain and suffering.

Medical Malpractice

Medical malpractice suits happen when a doctor, another health care professional, or a facility either failed to act or acted in a way that caused harm to a patient. These cases typically require extensive investigation of what happened to prove that the doctor or medical facility is at fault. Cases may include prescription error, surgical negligence, medical device failure, or improper treatment.

Other Types of Personal Injury Accidents

Personal injury cases have been a primary focus of Wilson Kehoe Winingham’s practice for more than 30 years. We have secured full and fair settlements for our clients and successfully taken cases to trial as needed. Other representative areas of personal injury cases we handle include:

• Motorcycle accidents
• Bicycle accidents
• Boating accidents
• Transportation accidents
• Aviation accidents
• Workplace accidents
• Golf Cart accidents
• Construction accidents
• Farming accidents
• Premises liability
• Mesothelioma (from exposure to asbestos)
• Dog bite lawyers
• Slip and fall accidents
• Fire and explosions
• Insurance claim denials
• Product liability
• Drug injuries
• Brain injuries
• Wrongful death
• Nursing home abuse
• Spinal cord injury
• Birth injuries
• Toxic mold exposure

Available Compensation for Personal Injury Victims in Westfield

There are two main types of damages recoverable from personal injury lawsuits: special damages and general damages.

Special damages are economic. They’re objective, quantifiable, out-of-pocket expenses incurred as a result of the accident, such as loss of wages, 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 Much Is My Westfield Personal Injury Case Worth?

Each personal injury case is unique, so there is no set answer to this question. The dollar amount sought will depend on a number of factors, including the severity of the situation/injury and any long-lasting impacts. It will also depend on the types and level of insurance involved. The experienced personal injury lawyers at WKW have served as counsel on every type of these lawsuits and will not leave money on the table.

How Do I File a Personal Injury Lawsuit in Westfield, IN?

The first step in filing a personal injury claim should be to hire an experienced attorney who will walk you through each step of the process, including establishing legal standing, determining liable parties, filing a claim with the proper court, and serving a complaint. Trying to manage this process on your own will only lead to frustration and leave money on the table.

Can I Represent Myself?

Legally, there is nothing stopping you from representing yourself in the state of Indiana. This is known as “pro se” representation. However, most individuals who decide to go it alone end up frustrated and drained. Not to mention that they have likely settled for far less money than an experienced attorney would have secured.

Wilson Kehoe Winingham’s experienced personal injury lawyers have helped clients for decades to secure favorable outcomes in the face of unfortunate situations. Chances are, your injury would be the first time you’re encountering this process. Why go it alone when there’s an experienced and caring team here in Westfield to help you through this crisis?

Types of Injuries Sustained in Westfield Personal Injury Cases

Just as accidents can take all forms, so too can the resulting injuries. But no matter the severity of the injury, you may be entitled to compensation. Some of the more common injuries we see in Westfield, IN personal injury cases, include:

• Whiplash: Most commonly resulting from a car or truck accident, whiplash occurs following a rapid back-to-forth forced movement of the head, resulting in neck tissue strain.
• Bone fractures: This includes damage to ribs, with severity depending on whether the break is a simple or compound fracture.
• Sprains and tissue or ligament strain: Any joint may be affected by the sudden tug or pull from an accident.
• Brain injury: Depending on the severity of the blow to the head or the force of impact, these can range from a concussion to traumatic brain injury (TBI).
• Cuts, abrasions, and bruises: These may be serious in and of themselves, or could lead to an infection or other related difficulties down the road.
• Internal bleeding: This can result from a severe impact or a fractured bone.
• Disfigurement: These injuries may require surgery and/or have long-term or even lifelong implications.

Westfield Personal Injury FAQs

Accident victims with personal injuries usually have a lot of questions, as this is uncharted territory. Some of the questions—and their answers—that we are asked more frequently are listed below.

How long do I have to file a personal injury claim in Indiana?

Each state has its own set of laws dictating when you may file lawsuits in court. These deadlines are called statutes of limitation, and they are strictly enforced. According to Indiana Code section 34-11-2-4, Indiana’s statute of limitations for personal injury cases is set at two years, meaning you have two years from the day of your accident to file the initial court documentation.

What should I do after a personal injury accident?

Immediately following your injury, you could be feeling under duress and/or it may be possible that you won’t yet realize the extent of your injuries, which could be masked by an adrenaline rush. While the specifics of the scene of your injury factor into what happens next, there are a few basic steps you should follow to ensure both your own wellbeing and your ability to build a successful personal injury claim.

1. Ensure your safety. Try to remain calm and think clearly. Unless you feel that physical movement could worsen your condition, move to safety. For example, if you’ve been in a car crash, get yourself and your vehicle—depending on its condition—out of the flow of traffic where more damage could occur.
2. Call the police. It is important to get an official police report on file. The police can also dispatch medical assistance to the scene if needed.
3. Gather information. You’ll want to collect the names and contact information of any other parties involved, including insurance details where relevant. If there are any witnesses, try to gather their information as well. If you were injured while at work, ask for all details regarding your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance plan.
4. Seek medical attention. Your safety and wellbeing should be your top priority. It is essential to seek medical care following an accident, as you may have internal or other injuries that are not immediately obvious. You will also want to have a medical assessment on file in case you move forward with a personal injury claim.
5. Take a deep breath. Now is not the time to go around town talking about what happened or your injury. Anything you say could be turned against you later.
6. Hire a lawyer. It’s best to engage with an experienced personal injury lawyer from the beginning, so no valuable time is lost in pursuing a personal injury claim. WKW offers a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss the details of your case.

Who do I sue for damages in a personal injury case?

This will obviously depend on the circumstances of your accident and injury. Your lawyer will need to explore all possible negligent parties in a claim. Some cases are more complex than others—medical malpractice, for example—and the parties at fault could have been nowhere near the procedure, like when an inserted medical device fails. Having multiple liable parties is not unusual in personal injury cases, which is why it’s so crucial to work with a firm whose focus is on all types of personal injury claims.

What to Expect Working With WKW | Contact Our Westfield Personal Injury Lawyers

Our team of personal injury lawyers at Wilson Kehoe Winingham have decades of experience handling personal injury cases of all types. In fact, working with our clients to restore their lives during challenging times is at the core of our entire practice. We limit the number of cases we take on so that every client gets the personal attention they deserve and need during this trying process. We are with our Westfield, Indiana clients every step of the way. And since we work on a contingency basis, there is no up-front cost to you, leaving you with one less thing to worry about from the start.

Reach Out to WKW Today for a Consultation

The personal injury lawyers at Wilson Kehoe Winingham are here in Westfield and ready to help. We fight for all our clients to get you the compensation you deserve. Our firm offers a free, no-obligation consultation, so you can feel comfortable learning more about our services. Call our office today at (317) 669-9983.