Indianapolis Truck Accident Attorneys

Helping Truck Accident Victims Recover Compensation

Indianapolis, the capital and largest city of Indiana, is also known as the “Crossroads of America” due to its central location and role as a major transportation hub. The city sits at the intersection of six interstate highways, six U.S. highways, and four state roads, connecting Indianapolis to surrounding regions and providing easy access to most parts of the country.

Busy crossroads also carry the risks associated with heavy traffic congestion. Indiana ranks as the fifth-busiest state for commercial freight traffic. Several stretches of highway in Indiana are hazardous for truck accidents. These accidents can cause fatal health problems and serious injuries that could take years or decades to recover from. The Indiana State Police reported accidents, injuries, and deaths caused by commercial motor vehicles (CMVs), citing 5,048 commercial motor vehicle accidents in the state, according to the last report. Of these, 91 were fatal, and 1,305 resulted in injuries.

If you or someone you know has been injured in a truck accident, there are legal options available to defend your rights in Indianapolis. Reach out to our Indianapolis truck accident attorneys at 765-563-4644 to understand your legal rights, safeguard your interests, and secure compensation for any injuries sustained.

Why Are Truck Accidents So Serious?

Truck accidents are notorious for causing catastrophic injuries, devastating property damage, and death. When a truck driver loses control of the vehicle, smaller cars in the way are no match for the 60,000 pounds or more of the commercial vehicle. Trucking accidents often result in fatalities, loss of limbs, disfigurement, burns, and more. However, the force of impact isn’t the only reason these accidents are serious.

Truck accidents are so severe because:

Truck drivers find it more difficult to control their vehicles in a dangerous situation. The truck’s mass makes it harder to stop or swerve out of the way if a sudden obstacle comes up in the road.
Trucks have larger blind spots than many drivers realize, making it harder for truck drivers to see smaller cars passing them and avoid an accident.
The commercial vehicle sometimes has dangerous cargo, including chemicals that can cause fires, explosions, and burn injuries for accident victims.
Commercial vehicle accidents are complex because of the many potential at-fault parties. Trucking companies, truck drivers, loading crews, and truck manufacturers could all be held responsible if they were negligent in their duties.

For help recovering damages in your truck accident case, seek out a trusted personal injury lawyer immediately. Your attorney can help investigate the cause of the accident to prove who is at fault. They will also help you collect compensation for your injuries, including future medical expenses, emotional distress, and other costs the insurance agent might ignore. Call Wade Trial Lawyers right away to learn more about how we can help you recover from an accident involving a semi-truck.

What Injuries Do Truck Accident Victims Suffer?

Semi-truck accidents wreak havoc on the lives of victims and their families. It is essential to understand the potential of an Indiana truck accident so you can get urgent treatment, even if you don’t think you have any severe injuries. Some internal injuries go unnoticed but may cause permanent injury or death if left untreated. Please seek medical attention immediately if you or a loved one was in a trucking accident.

Some common injuries that are seen in accidents involving commercial vehicles include:

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI): Injuries to the brain and skull are extremely serious. These include open head wounds where the skull was pierced or cut by an object and closed head wounds, including concussions, cranial bleeding, and bruises on the brain. TBI can lead to devastating future damage, such as memory loss, speech impairment, learning disabilities, and mood disorders.
Broken Bones: Fractures and sprains are common results of a semi-truck accident. The recovery from a broken bone can be far-reaching and painful. Some fractures require intense and repeat surgeries to heal completely. These injuries can cause you to miss time at work or other important opportunities.
Internal Organ Damage: Damage to internal organs is one of the most serious effects of a semi-truck accident. Delicate organs could be crushed or lacerated in the crash, causing internal bleeding and system failure. However, these injuries are hard to detect if you’re not a skilled medical professional. To prevent permanent damage or death, please get checked by a trusted doctor as soon as possible after your accident involving a commercial vehicle.
Neck and Spinal Injuries: If you have been in a car accident, you probably immediately felt the effects of whiplash on your neck and spine. The jolting movement of the impact can cause damage even in minor wrecks. With accidents involving trucks, the spine may suffer intensely. Neck and back pain can be excruciating and may lead to missed time at work and loss of enjoyment of life. In worst case scenarios, the victim may suffer paralysis or lose their lives to their injuries.
Burns: Semi-truck accidents may result in engine fires, explosions, and burns that cause a great deal of property damage and physical injuries to passengers. Burns are one of the most painful injuries to recover from, requiring lengthy hospital stays. They also may leave victims scarred for life.

If you or a loved one was involved in a semi-truck accident caused by a negligent truck driver or trucking company, you may be entitled to compensation. Family members of victims in fatal truck accidents could also be eligible for additional help paying funeral and burial expenses. Please contact our legal team to learn more about bringing a truck accident lawsuit so you have the help you need to recover following your trucking accident.

How Much Compensation is My Semi-Truck Accident Claim Worth?

Trucking accident victims are often disoriented, shocked, and confused following the crash. The trucking company usually sends its agents with a settlement offer, hoping they can close the ordeal quickly and quietly. However, the initial settlement from the truck company is usually a lowball offer that will not meet the person’s future needs. One of the biggest mistakes accident victims make is to sign an agreement or accept payment without consulting with a truck accident attorney.

When you work with our team of personal injury lawyers, you can recover the damages you deserve, including:

Past and future medical bills
Costs for emergency transportation
Emergency room bills
Surgical procedures
Rehabilitation, including physical therapy
Chiropractic care
Lost wages, income, salaries, and vacation time
Decreased income-earning ability
Loss of enjoyment of life
Loss of consortium (if the victim is your spouse)
Emotional distress
Mental trauma
Past and future pain and suffering
Funeral and burial expenses (to a certain extent)
Punitive damages if the at-fault party’s actions were criminal

You can hold negligent truck drivers and trucking companies responsible for the damage they cause in trucking accidents with the help of an Indianapolis truck accident lawyer like those at Wade Trial Lawyers. Call our law firm immediately for help through the legal process. We will fight for you to get maximum compensation following your commercial vehicle accident, so call today!

What Immediate Actions Should You Take After Truck Accidents?

In a truck accident, what you do in the first minutes, hours, and days after can significantly impact your truck accident claim. Truck drivers and trucking companies will likely attempt to deny fault, and having proper documentation of the accident and your injuries can make a difference in your case. Take these steps after an accident to protect your interests.

Report the Accident to Police

In a truck accident case in Indiana, you are legally required to report accidents to the police if there are injuries or property damage. Determining whether the damage exceeds $1,000 can be difficult on the scene. Calling the police ensures an official report is filed, which is vital for future insurance claims. While waiting for the police, collect as much information as possible for future compensation claims.

Turn on your hazard lights to warn other drivers, and don’t move the vehicles until police officers instruct you to do so. This ensures that any evidence is preserved at the accident scene, which can help determine who was at fault later on.

When the police arrive on the scene, they will ask you what happened and have you make a written statement. It’s crucial that you don’t admit fault or say something like, “I didn’t see them.” This can be recorded as part of your statement and can be used against you later on to attempt to show that you were at least partially at fault.

Depending on what they see at the scene and what the drivers and witnesses report, the responding officer may or may not issue a traffic citation. However, it’s important to understand that this isn’t the definitive legal ruling on who was at fault. It’s possible for officers to make a mistake if they don’t have access to all the potential evidence right away, such as dash cam footage. And in some cases, they may not cite either party if it’s one person’s word against the other. If you’re concerned that being cited in an accident may keep you from being able to file a truck accident claim, contact an attorney to learn more about what this means.

Get Checked by a Medical Professional

If anyone is injured, ensure they receive immediate medical care. Common health issues resulting from truck accidents include broken bones, head injuries, spinal cord injuries, back and neck injuries, internal injuries, and more. Even if you believe your injuries are minor, it’s crucial to call an ambulance, as serious internal injuries may not exhibit symptoms until hours or even days after the accident. Having documentation of your injuries can also help you later on in court.

Report the Truck Accident to Your Insurance Company

As soon as your immediate medical needs are taken care of, you must report the accident to your insurance company. The truck driver will also report the accident to the trucking company and their insurance company. Your insurance agent will open up a claim and start the process of determining whose insurance will pay for what and how much damage has been done to your vehicle. An insurance adjuster may come out to look at your vehicle or ask you to send pictures, depending on how extensive the damage is.

The insurance agent will be your main point of contact throughout the claim, as they will be in contact with the other driver’s insurance company. If you have retained an attorney to represent you, they can also talk to the insurance company on your behalf so you don’t have to worry about this aspect and can focus on healing.

Contact an Indianapolis Truck Accident Lawyer

While the statute of limitations for truck accidents in Indiana generally gives you two years to file a claim, you don’t want to wait that long to get in touch with an attorney. The sooner you contact Indianapolis truck accident attorneys, the sooner you can start getting legal counsel for your case and better understand what to expect over the next months.

An attorney will listen to your story, assess the details of your case, and then discuss the legal options available to you. They can generally let you know if you might have a case fairly early in the process and discuss the pros and cons so you can decide if that’s something you wish to pursue.

If you decide to retain a law firm, their representation is effective immediately. This means they can get right to work using their team and resources to investigate the accident, collect evidence, and start preparing a legal case. Once you hire an attorney, the other driver’s legal representation must also contact your lawyer instead of you directly, which can alleviate a great deal of stress and anxiety during this difficult time.

What Is Involved in Obtaining Legal Compensation After a Truck Accident in Indianapolis?

One of the main benefits of working with an experienced truck accident firm is that the attorneys have in-depth knowledge of the personal injury laws in Indiana. Each state has its own set of rules and procedures for when and how you can file a personal injury claim, such as a truck accident. Being familiar with these laws and having years of experience applying them to specific cases means that an attorney can quickly recognize the contributing factors of your case and identify a legal strategy to match.

However, knowing Indiana laws is just a start; the next step is to leverage them effectively in litigation. Here are essential points to remember when considering legal action.

Statute of Limitations

Indiana has a two-year statute of limitations for personal injury claims. This means you have two years from the truck accident date to file a lawsuit. However, this time limit can be shorter in specific cases, such as those involving a truck owned by a government agency. When you are filing a claim against a city, county, or any other government entity in Indiana, you only have 180 days from the date of the accident to submit a notice of intent to pursue a claim.

While it’s best not to wait until close to the end of the statute of limitations to file your claim, it’s also not always the right choice to file right away. If you have serious injuries that are going to require ongoing medical treatment, it may take several months until you have a full picture of the impact of the accident on your daily life and physical and mental health. An attorney can help you determine the right time to submit your filing.

Partial Fault and Compensation

Indiana follows a “modified comparative negligence” rule. Even if you share some blame, you can still recover damages as long as you were less than 50 percent at fault. However, the amount will be reduced based on your percentage of fault. If you were awarded $150,000, for example, but were 10 percent at fault, you would receive $135,000 before attorney fees.

Proving Fault in Truck Accident Cases

If your truck accident claim goes to court, you must prove that the other driver or another party, such as the trucking company, was primarily at fault. This includes showing that the defendant had a duty of care to the plaintiff, that there was a breach of that duty, that the breach caused the accident, and that the plaintiff suffered some financial damages due to the accident. Your attorney will walk through these steps with you and explain how they apply to your case so you know what to expect.

What Type of Evidence Is Used in Truck Accident Cases?

Each piece of your legal argument has to be grounded in evidence. Evidence can be tangible, such as specific items or photos, or based on witness testimony. Testimony can include eyewitnesses, but it’s also common for these cases to involve expert witnesses. Expert witnesses have specific credentials and experience in a specific field, giving them the authority to testify about the likelihood of what happened. For example, accident reconstruction specialists could serve as expert witnesses to present their findings of how the accident occurred.

Collecting everything you can related to the accident is essential, including photos of the scene, police reports, witness statements, and, most importantly, your medical records. Strong evidence will help your Indianapolis truck accident attorney to strengthen your case.

What Do I Need to Know About Talking to Insurance Companies and Evaluating Settlement Offers?

One of the most stressful parts of dealing with the aftermath of a truck accident can be talking to the insurance companies. Insurance companies are focused on getting the best deal for them, which often means low-ball settlement offers that are a fraction of what you’re actually entitled to. Insurance companies may also offer quick settlements, hoping you’ll underestimate your injuries.

If you want to maximize your compensation and get a fair settlement, it’s critical not to accept any settlement offers without consulting with an Indianapolis truck accident lawyer. They can help ensure you receive fair compensation by reviewing any offers and letting you know whether it’s fair or whether you would be better off taking the case to court and letting a jury decide. If you want to try to settle out of court, an attorney can also negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf to get a better offer.

What Are the Benefits of Using a Truck Accident Lawyer?

One of the best things you can do for yourself after a truck accident is to work with an experienced attorney. Personal injury attorneys deal with these types of cases on a regular basis and have the skills and knowledge necessary to win your case. You can focus your time on healing and getting back to life while your attorney handles all the legal aspects, complicated paperwork, and stressful negotiations.

We realize that many truck accident claims turn out to be tough legal cases for the accident victims. To guarantee that you and your loved ones receive full and proper compensation, contact our Indianapolis truck accident lawyers today and schedule a consultation.

Why Should I Work With Your Indianapolis Truck Accident Lawyers?

The truck accident attorneys at Wade Injury Lawyers will handle all communication with the trucking company, insurance companies, and other lawyers. We know how important it is for our clients to recover from their injuries and how much time and energy that can take. We’re focused on taking the legal burden so you can focus on what really matters.

We’ll streamline the paperwork and fiercely advocate for your best interests. When you’re up against the legal teams for large trucking companies, you need representation that isn’t afraid to go to bat for you and your interests. We provide aggressive representation for our clients and will do what it takes to get the best possible outcome for your case.

Our Indianapolis attorneys are skilled negotiators who will strive to secure a fair settlement. Reaching a settlement offer can benefit you because it takes less time and often results in receiving compensation more quickly. However, we’re fully prepared to take your case to court if that’s what it takes to get you what you deserve.

We’ll pursue all available forms of compensation, including:

Medical bills
Pain and suffering
Lost wages
Rehabilitation costs
Emotional distress
Loss of enjoyment of life
Legal fees
Punitive damages (in certain cases)

Let the Wade Injury Lawyers fight for you while you focus on healing. Don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re here to help you every step of the way. We handle many personal injury cases, including car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, wrongful death, Uber/Lyft/rideshare accidents, and drunk driving accidents. Call our office at 765-563-4644 to get started today.

Should I Hire Wade Injury Lawyers?

At Wade Injury Lawyers, we pledge to restore the well-being of accident victims by providing resolute legal representation. Our seasoned attorneys grasp the nuances of injury law and are committed to securing rightful compensation. Together, let’s turn your David and Goliath story into a victory.

Your time to act is now. At Wade Injury Lawyers, our mission is to restore the lives of accident victims with aggressive legal advocacy. We want you to feel confident, protected, empowered, and motivated to get the compensation you deserve. Trust our assertive and detail-oriented firm to champion your rights against insurance companies and corporate entities.

Call 765-563-4644 to schedule your free initial consultation with our Indianapolis truck accident attorneys!