Zionsville Car Accident Lawyer

Located just 20 minutes north of Indianapolis but maintaining a small-town feel, Zionsville is a desirable place to live. High-ranking schools, a steady housing market, and a quaint main street has helped boost the town to a population of almost 30,000 residents. Unfortunately, the boost in population has also led to an increase in car accidents.

Zionsville, In

Zionsville Indiana Car Accident Statistics

Zionsville is located in Boone County. According to the 2019 Crash Facts Book, there were more than 2,220 collisions in Boone County. If you or a loved one has been involved in a car accident, you’ll want to work with an experienced car accident lawyer who can help get you the compensation you deserve.

Causes of Car Accidents in Zionsville

There are many factors that can contribute to a car accident. Even if the reason for the crash may seem straightforward, there may be underlying elements contributing to the accident that an experienced car accident lawyer at Wilson Kehoe Winingham would know to consider. Common causes of accidents may include:

• Distracted driving
• Driving while overly tired
• Driving under the influence
• Hazardous or aggressive driving
• Underlying medical conditions
• Driving too fast
• Poor weather
• Poor road conditions

Types of Car Accident Injuries

Car accidents often lead to injuries. The severity of the injuries will depend on the specifics of the accident. Examples of injuries that result from car accidents include:

• Broken bones
• Lacerations
• Burns
• Internal organs
• Brain or spinal cord
• Whiplash
• Concussion

What to Do if You’ve Been Involved in a Car Accident in Zionsville

Being in a car accident can be scary. There are a number of steps you should take immediately following an accident for your own sake as well as a future claim:

1. Get yourself and any passengers to safety. Move to safer ground, away from traffic. If your car can be driven, pull it out of traffic.
2. Never admit fault at the scene of the crash even if you think you may have played a role.
3. Call the police or 911 so an official accident report will be filed.
4. Exchange contact information and insurance details with any other drivers involved in the accident. If there are witnesses, take down their information, too.
5. Document the scene of the crash by taking photos and video. Go beyond property damage; also include the road, any greenery near the road, signals or stop signs if at an intersection, road conditions, etc.
6. Get examined by a doctor, regardless of how you’re feeling after the crash.
7. Contact an experienced car accident attorney at WKW to discuss your case and potential compensation.

Why You Should Contact a Medical Professional After a Car Accident

Getting a medical check-up following an accident will provide documentation of any injuries sustained in the crash. Also, it’s common for injuries to not show up until days or even weeks following a crash. A medical record will provide a baseline for how you were feeling following the crash and serve as an indicator if your condition worsens.

Should You Hire a Local Zionsville Car Accident Lawyer?

Following a car accident, you will likely feel overwhelmed. You’ll be trying to rest and recover from injuries, all the while medical bills are piling up. Your car is damaged or maybe even totaled. Insurance adjusters are calling. There’s no need to take all this on alone. Having an experienced car accident attorney familiar with the Zionsville area can immediately step in to help. They will know how to deal with lowball insurance offers so you don’t make the mistake of accepting less than what is fair compensation.

Filing an Injury Claim with a Car Accident Lawyer

Following your car accident, you will want to send a demand letter to your insurance company. We strongly recommend working with an attorney who is experienced in car accident cases to get this done. A demand letter, also known as an insurance claim letter, is written to present the facts of your case and persuade the insurance company that you’re entitled to compensation, often due to another’s negligence.

Proving Negligence in an Indiana Car Accident

Negligence means that a person had a responsibility to behave in a certain manner in order to keep others safe but failed to do so. This typically results in someone getting harmed. You must prove four things in a negligence case: duty of care, breach, causation and damages.

1. Duty of care: This means that all vehicle operators must drive in a reasonable manner. Drivers owe others on the road a basic duty of care, so this is the easiest to demonstrate.
2. Breach of duty: Next, you must show how the party at fault breached or failed in their duty of care. Examples would be someone running a red light or texting while driving.
3. Causation: At this stage, you must demonstrate that the actions of the other driver resulted in damages to your property or personal injuries. In other words, you need to show that if the other driver had not behaved as they did, you would have remained uninjured and not suffered property damage.
4. Damages: At this stage you indicate how the actions of another led to financial loss through medical bills, property damage, lost wages, etc.

Gathering Evidence for a Car Accident Case

As mentioned, documenting the scene immediately following an accident is important. But an experienced car accident lawyer from WKW would use the latest technology to go beyond what you personally captured to uncover additional evidence. This includes using the latest technology for computer animation and accident reconstruction models.

Determining Liable Party in an Accident

Following an accident, it needs to be determined who is liable, meaning who will pay for the damages. Accidents often involve a driver being negligent or failing to drive with care. That driver is generally found to be at fault, but many additional factors can also play a role.

Indiana Comparative Fault System

What if more than one driver contributed to the cause of the accident? In such a case, then each driver’s contribution to the accident would factor into the amount of damages they can claim.

For example, if you were found to be 25% responsible for the car accident, then you could receive a maximum of 75% of damages. With Indiana’s comparative fault system, any driver found to be 51% or more responsible for an accident will not be able to recover any compensation.

Estimating the Value of Your Car Accident Case

There are two main types of compensation you can claim following a car accident: economic and non-economic damages.

Economic damages, also known as special damages, are costs that have a specific dollar amount tied to them. Examples include medical expenses, automobile damage, lost income, etc.

Non-economic damages, also known as general damages, can be a little trickier to quantify as there’s no direct cost associated with them. Examples include pain and suffering, lower quality of life, and loss of companionship.

Types of Car Accident Compensation

While each case is unique, there are four general types of compensation following a car accident:

• Medical expenses: This can include anything from reimbursement of medical bills and pain medications to rehab and therapy. An experienced attorney will know to also look ahead for any ongoing medical treatments lingering past the time of the accident.
• Lost income: If your injuries have prevented you from being able to work, you may seek compensation for these lost wages.
• Pain and suffering: This refers to emotional trauma suffered following a crash and throughout the recovery process
• Punitive damages: These are relatively rare in car accidents and only awarded if the other party was deemed to be particularly irresponsible while driving.

Negotiating a Car Accident Settlement

Insurance companies will want you to agree on a settlement as soon as possible. This isn’t because they know you need the money; it’s so they can get you to agree to the lowest offer. Many injuries can show up or worsen over time, so agreeing to a number too soon will leave you shortchanged. We highly recommend that you have an experienced car accident lawyer on the call when discussing any sort of claim after your crash. The right lawyer will know what to say and what not to say to help you get the compensation you deserve.

How Long Does It Take to Settle Car Accident Claims?

There is no set answer to this question as each case is unique. For the most part, car accident cases end with a settlement, not in a courtroom. However, if the parties involved can’t come to an agreement, then the case would go to court, which can take anywhere from a couple months to years, depending on the complexity of the case.

Choosing the Right Zionsville Car Accident Lawyer for You

When considering hiring a lawyer, you’ll want to find someone with experience. You’ll also want to find an experienced lawyer who has proven results. Meet with lawyers you’re considering working with to make sure they’re a good fit for your particular case. At WKW, we offer a no-obligation consultation to learn more about your case, and so that you can get to know us at no cost to you.

How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Car Accident Lawyer in Zionsville?

Don’t let fear of cost stop you from hiring a car accident lawyer. Reputable firms will work with you on a contingency basis. This means that you’ll pay nothing up front. Instead, the attorneys who represent you will receive a percentage of the settlement you receive. If you don’t receive a settlement, you will not lose any money.

What to Expect When Working with WKW

Following an accident, you’ll want your legal team to be solid and to have your best interests in mind. At WKW, we offer more than 30 years of experience working with clients who have been through what you’re dealing with now. We limit the number of clients we take on to better prioritize our caseload and give each client the time they need. The car accident lawyers at WKW also partner with leading industry experts and the most modern technology to understand and recreate your particular car accident scenario.

Statute of Limitations for Car Accidents in Indiana

Indiana law states  that you have two years to file a claim on car accident cases. Note that the two-year limit begins on the date of the accident. We recommend hiring a lawyer as soon as possible following the accident so they can start walking you through the proper steps immediately.

Reach Out to Zionsville Car Accident Attorneys at WKW for a Free Consultation

The car accident attorneys at Wilson Kehoe Winingham are here to help. We will stand by you step-by-step through the process of filing a claim to receiving compensation. WKW offers a free consultation, so you have nothing to lose by reaching out. Call us today at 317.920.6400.

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