Personal Injury Attorney in Indianapolis, IN
If you’ve been injured through the fault of another individual or business, you need an Indianapolis personal injury attorney. Personal injury attorneys are attorneys who specialize in getting individuals compensation for injuries, both temporary and long-term, that they experience.
What is “Personal Injury”?
A personal injury can occur when someone is injured due to the negligence or maliciousness of another individual. As an example, a personal injury case could be levied if someone trips and falls on broken concrete at a business, or if someone is hit in a crosswalk.
A personal injury does require that damages be shown — the person will need to have expenses relative to the injury. However, these expenses may be broader than an individual might at first assume.
Personal injury cases can be extremely complicated. An Indianapolis personal injury attorney must prove that another individual or business was liable for the injury. They must be able to show that the injury was caused by the incident that occurred. And they must show the material damages of that injury.
But, all told, a good personal injury attorney will be able to provide the support and information that an individual needs — and help them acquire financial compensation for their injury.
What Does Personal Injury Cover?
A personal injury case might cover:
- Direct and immediate medical costs. If you need to go to the hospital following an injury, this would count as a personal injury.
- Indirect and long-term costs. For instance, an individual who has a leg injury may need recurring physical therapy.
- Lost wages. Someone might find that they can no longer work or no longer work in their field.
Personal injury cases can also cover emotional damage, also known as pain and suffering, but this can be more difficult to show. The best way to show this is to thoroughly document it and review it with your attorney.
Personal injury cases work best when the financial component of the cases — the costs involved — are well documented. For that reason (and many more), it’s best to involve a personal injury attorney as soon as possible. A personal injury attorney will be able to go over the facts of your case and tell you what information you need.
What Are the Challenges of a Personal Injury Case?
A good attorney can help you deal with potential issues in your case before they become problems. There are a few things that can cause issues in a personal injury case:
- Talking to people before talking to an attorney. If you admit fault, for instance, it can be difficult to prove that you weren’t at fault. It’s very easy for individuals to accidentally admit fault even if they weren’t at fault, out of politeness or shock.
- Not having enough information. From the very beginning of an incident, everything should be documented. Write down dates and times, take photos and videos, and record all your calls (if legal and allowed in your area).
- Being unable to show financial damage. It can be difficult to prove damages if you don’t have billing statements. “Pain and suffering,” for instance, is hard to prove — but a bill at a therapist is not.
- Not going to the doctor immediately. It’s important to go to the doctor because this quantifies the costs of the injury. Further, it proves that you were injured at that time.
- Being able to collect. If the individual who is being sued does not have any assets, it can be difficult to collect even if the judgment is rendered against them. For this reason, it’s not all about the case — it’s also about the situation.
Most of these challenges can be countered by involving an attorney early on.
How Do You Defend Yourself Against a Personal Injury Case?
What do you do if you’re the defendant in a personal injury case? The steps are very similar.
First, you will need an Indianapolis personal injury attorney to walk you through the case and discuss the likelihood of you being found liable. They will tell you what information and evidence you need to collect, as well as walk you through the court process.
In many cases, insurance will kick in if you become the focus of a personal injury case. But that doesn’t mean you don’t want to consult with a lawyer. The insurance company’s interest is in saving money; if they believe that they can save the most money by paying out the other party, they may do so. And that could increase your insurance rates or lead to further liability down the road.
Your first step toward protecting yourself in a personal injury case is always going to be to consult with an attorney.
How Do You Know You Have a Personal Injury Case?
Personal injury cases aren’t just based on whether someone is liable but also on whether it can be proven that the person is liable. If you’re wondering whether you have a personal injury case, you should talk to a personal injury attorney. Only they can tell you whether you have sufficient evidence or whether you might be able to get sufficient evidence.
For more information about personal injury — when it counts as personal injury, what you could be owed, and what you need to do next — you need to contact a professional. Contact us today to schedule a consultation about your personal injury case.
Contact Trapp Law, LLC to find Your Accident Lawyer
If you believe that you have personal injury case, or want to know if you do, contact Trapp Law, LLC in Indianapolis, IN. We will listen to you and help you to understand your options.
Contact us using the form below or give us a call at (317) 423-1823.
What Do You Need to Know About Personal Injury in Indianapolis?
If you have been injured in an accident, you may be wondering what to do next. Should you call a personal injury lawyer? How much money can you expect to receive in damages? What are your rights under Indiana law?
In fact, the best thing you can do in the event of personal injury is to talk to a personal injury lawyer as quickly as possible. Personal injury cases are extremely complex and case-specific. You need to give as much detail as possible to an attorney to determine whether you have a case — and you shouldn’t make any assumptions either way.
Talk to a personal injury lawyer and get complete documentation regarding your injury as soon as possible.
The Most Common Personal Injury Cases
The most common personal injury cases in Indianapolis are automobile accidents, followed by medical malpractice, and then slips/falls.
If you have been involved in a car accident, you will need to prove that the other driver was at fault in order to recover damages. Indiana is a “fault” state when it comes to car accidents, which means that the driver who caused the accident is responsible for any damages that result.
Medical malpractice is difficult, though not impossible, to prove. You will need to show that the doctor or other medical professional deviated from the accepted standard of care and that this deviation caused you harm.
Slip and fall cases are also challenging to win, as you must prove that the property owner was negligent in allowing a dangerous condition to exist.
Benefits of Hiring a Personal Injury Attorney
There are many benefits of hiring a personal injury lawyer, even if you are not sure whether you have a case. Don’t just rely on self representation!
A personal injury attorney will review your case and all evidence to determine whether you have a claim. If you do have a claim, your attorney will help you gather evidence, interview witnesses, and file the necessary paperwork with the court.
Your attorney will also negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf to get you the best possible settlement. If the insurance company refuses to settle, your attorney can file a personal injury lawsuit on your behalf.
The amount of your settlement will depend on many factors, including the severity of your injuries, whether you will have long-term or permanent damage, whether you missed time from work, and whether you had to pay for medical treatment.
In general, the more severe your injuries, the higher your settlement will be. If you have permanent damage, such as paralysis or a brain injury, your settlement will be much higher than if you had a broken bone that healed.
If you missed time from work, you can recover damages for lost wages. If you had to pay for medical treatment, you can also recover those costs.
In addition to economic damages, you may also be able to recover damages for your pain and suffering. These damages are more difficult to quantify, but your personal injury attorney will help you determine a fair amount.