Northwest Indiana Car Accident Lawyers

If you are in an automobile accident, you may need an attorney to help you recover damages received as a result of your accident. At the Law Offices of Shane O’Donnell, our injury attorneys will help you recover a fair and reasonable settlement for injuries you obtained due to an automobile accident.

You have the right to recover damages if someone is driving negligently or in a reckless manner and causes injury to you. Call our law office for help because you only have a limited amount of time to recover any monetary damages after the accident.

The extent of your damages may not be immediately known. Any accident, including minor accidents, can cause damages that are not noticed or felt at first. If you receive any signs that you may be injured immediately after, or later, seek medical attention as even minor aches and pains can develop into more serious injuries later on.

If you or a loved one has been in an automobile accident, please call, email, or stop by our office today to schedule your free consultation. If you cannot come to our office we will come to you. Remember we work on a contingency fee basis and if you don’t win, we don’t win. All of our initial consultations are free so you have nothing to lose by coming in and discussing your options. Give us a call today.

Of all the types of accidents that may lead to injury or death, car accidents are the most common. A collision on a highway, street, intersection, or parking lot may cause minor to serious injury as well as property damage. It is therefore highly advised for any party involved in a car accident to seek legal counsel as soon as possible.

An Indiana personal injury attorney at the Law Offices of Shane O’Donnell can offer experienced guidance in these often complex car injury matters. Call the Law Offices of Shane O’Donnell today at (219) 213-2254 for a free initial consultation.

Indiana is an “At Fault” Insurance State

Auto insurance rules fall into one of two categories depending on what state you’re in: “fault” (or “at fault”) and “no-fault.” Indiana is a “fault” insurance state, which means that drivers have more freedom to decide how they are going to proceed in terms of pursuing compensation for damages after an auto accident. Basically, if you’re an Indiana driver who has been injured or been left with a damaged vehicle after a crash for which another driver is at fault, you can file a claim under your own insurance policy, pursue a claim against the other driver’s insurance policy, and/or file a lawsuit against the other driver.

(By contrast, in a “no-fault” state, each driver typically files a claim with his or her own insurance company, regardless of who caused the accident. The options for bringing a lawsuit against another driver are limited in most no-fault states.

Indiana’s Minimum “Financial Responsibility” Requirements

Under Indiana law, owners of registered vehicles aren’t required to carry liability car insurance per se, but they must demonstrate “financial responsibility” in the event of a car accident, and most vehicle owners do end up choosing to purchase insurance as a way of complying with this rule. The minimum amounts of “financial responsibility” for a car accident in Indiana are:

• $25,000 per person for death or bodily injury
• $50,000 per accident when multiple people are killed or injured
• $10,000 per accident for damage to other people’s property, and
• $50,000 in uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.

These amounts cover the bills when an accident you’re in causes injuries or property damage. “Property damage” includes both real estate and fixtures, like houses and fences, and damage to other vehicles. The minimum property damage coverage, however, does not apply to the costs of fixing your own car after a crash.

Finally, “uninsured/underinsured motorist” coverage covers costs if you’re in a crash with a driver who either doesn’t have any insurance at all, or doesn’t have enough insurance coverage to pay for all the medical bills and other losses related to the accident. It’s important to note that you’re free to decline UIM coverage when you purchase a car insurance policy in Indiana, but you must do so in writing.

Every Indiana vehicle owner must be able to show financial responsibility in line with the minimums listed above.

When a victim of a car accident loses his or her life or suffers from a permanent injury or disability, there may be sufficient grounds to seek financial compensation from the party responsible for causing the collision.

By thoroughly reviewing every aspect of your claim and presenting your case in a logical and compelling manner, the best car accident lawyer in Indiana can seek maximum monetary damages on your behalf. Particularly after a serious accident, this may have a significant influence on your ability to rebuild and move on with your life.

What Causes Car Accidents?

Car accidents in Indiana and throughout the United States have many causes. The most common, however, is driver conduct. Driving while distracted or tired, drunk driving, speeding, and reckless driving are some of the leading types of driver conduct that may lead to motor vehicle accidents of all kinds, including those that involve large commercial trucks, motorcycles, pedestrians, and bicycle riders. It only takes a split second for a driver to lose control of a vehicle or fail to notice a change in traffic or road conditions that leads to a deadly collision.

Additional causes of car accidents, although less common, include defective automobile parts, dangerous roadways, and heavy weather. These factors may also combine with driver negligence or carelessness to cause a collision.

It is important to move quickly if you or someone you know has been injured in a car accident in Indiana recovering fair compensation is crucial if you would like to cover all of your medical bills, lost earnings, and other losses or injuries that you have experienced.

Contact Our Car Accident Attorneys Today

Need a lawyer for a car accident case in Indiana? Our law firm’s experience in this field and resources can help us ensure that you are treated fairly by your insurer. We can also alleviate much of the stress that you may be experiencing by handling your claim for you.