Many people flock to the nearby suburb of Zionsville to get out of the busy city. Located just 20 minutes away from Indianapolis, Zionsville is an attractive option, especially for families who benefit from high-ranking schools and a steady housing market.
Still, people are not immune to being injured in motor vehicle accidents even when they live in less populated areas. According to the 2022 Crash Facts Book, 2,292 traffic collisions occurred in Boone County, where Zionsville is located. This included eight fatal crashes and 304 injury crashes.
If you were injured in an accident caused by someone else’s negligence, an experienced car accident lawyer from Fountain Law Firm, P.C. can help. We work tirelessly to obtain the compensation our clients deserve. Call us today to take advantage of your free case review.
The leading cause of car accidents is driver error. Drivers may make careless mistakes, not know how to act in a given driving scenario, or simply not care about the safety of others. Leading causes of car accidents in Zionsville and surrounding areas include:
Even if you think you know how an accident occurred, you may not have all of the details. For example, a vehicle defect or a drunk driver could be involved. This is why it is important not to admit fault for the accident and to contact an experienced Zionsville car accident lawyer as soon as possible so they can investigate the accident and determine who is at fault.
Car accidents involve metal machines weighing thousands of pounds colliding with each other. These collisions often involve high speeds and strong forces that can lead to serious injuries, such as:
If you were involved in a car accident, it is important you seek prompt medical attention so your injuries are properly diagnosed and treated.
Car accidents can be traumatic events, sometimes even resulting in PTSD, so it can sometimes be difficult to remain calm and know what to do in the immediate aftermath of an accident. Here is a checklist to keep in case you are involved in a car accident:
Your priority needs to be your health and safety. Move your vehicle to the nearest safest place out of traffic.
Call the police or 911 to report the accident. A police officer may respond to the scene to prepare an official accident report. This report can be useful when you file your car accident claim. Ask the officer how you can get a copy of the police report.
Check yourself and any passengers for injuries. If you notice immediate injuries, request an ambulance when you call to report the accident. However, keep in mind that not all injuries are obvious. Some take days or even weeks after a crash to be fully diagnosed.
If you did not receive immediate medical attention at the accident scene, seek prompt medical attention following it. This can help document your injuries so they are part of your official medical record and can also prevent you from suffering more serious injuries.
At the scene of the accident, request information from the other driver, including:
Stick to the basics of getting this information. Do not apologize or admit fault for the accident.
Document the accident scene by taking photos or videos of the following:
If any witnesses stopped at the scene, ask for their contact information.
An experienced car accident lawyer can help you with your next steps and your accident claim.
Indiana is an at-fault state for car insurance. The driver found at fault for causing the accident is responsible for compensating the victim for the damages they caused. This is usually completed by filing a car accident claim with the at-fault driver’s liability insurance. If there is comparative fault, meaning both drivers had some fault in the crash, then the damages will be prorated accordingly.
This process can involve many steps, including:
An experienced car accident lawyer can handle your claim on your behalf so you can focus on your physical and emotional recovery. Our founding attorney, Merry Fountain, is a former car accident victim, so she knows how an injury can disrupt and derail your life. She is passionate about protecting the rights of accident victims and can discuss your legal rights and options during a free case review.
You must be able to show the other driver was negligent to obtain compensation for your car accident injuries. Negligence is a legal theory that involves three elements:
Legal duty – You must show that the defendant had a legal duty to drive safely and avoid accidents.
Breach of duty – You must be able to point to some particular action or inaction that shows the other driver breached their duty of care. For example, they may have been speeding, following too closely, or driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Causation – Next, you must demonstrate that the other driver’s actions or inactions directly caused the accident. If the other driver would not have acted in the way you alleged, the accident would not have occurred.
After prevailing regarding the other driver’s negligence, you must show that you suffered some type of harm for which a court of law could properly compensate you, such as medical expenses, lost income, and pain and suffering.
A lawyer can help gather evidence and help establish these elements.
Evidence plays a strong role in personal injury cases. Some of the evidence that your lawyer may be able to identify, gather, and preserve includes:
We are experienced in uncovering crucial evidence in accident cases.
Indiana car accident victims have the right to seek compensation for the full value of the losses they suffered, which may include economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages provide compensation for direct financial losses accident victims recover, while non-economic damages compensate accident victims for intangible losses.
Through a car accident claim, you can seek compensation for:
You have your choice of lawyers following an accident. However, it is important that you carefully consider who you hire. You will be working closely with your lawyer in the coming months, so it’s important you hire an attorney you will like working with.
It can be advantageous to hire a local attorney. Local Zionsville attorneys are familiar with the area, insurance adjusters, and other lawyers. They know how to deal with insurance companies and can advise you whether to accept a settlement offer, based on similar cases in the area.
Some car accident victims worry about whether they can seek compensation if they are partially responsible for the accident. However, it is uncommon for car accidents to be 100% to blame on one person. Instead, more than one person may be to blame for the accident.
In these situations, Indiana’s modified comparative fault system applies. Under this system, the car accident victim can still pursue compensation against the at-fault driver as long as they were not 51% or more at fault for the accident. However, your compensation is reduced by your degree of responsibility. For example, if you were found 10% at fault for the accident, your compensation would be reduced by 10%.
When hiring a Zionsville car accident lawyer, consider hiring a car accident lawyer who has the following traits:
Fountain Law Firm, P.C. offers a free case review in which we can discuss our backgrounds and how we can assist you throughout your claim.
Most Boone County car accident lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, meaning that payment for their services is conditioned on their ability to recover compensation for their clients. If they are unable to recover compensation, the client does not owe for their service. However, if they are successful, they receive a percentage of the recovery.
If the Fountain Law Firm represents you for your personal injury claim, there is no fee for also helping with your vehicle.
Indiana law gives most accident victims an upward time limit of two years to file a personal injury lawsuit. If the accident victim does not file a personal injury lawsuit within this time limit and has not received a settlement, they can lose their right to pursue compensation through the courts. This is why we recommend hiring a lawyer as soon as possible so you can protect your rights and they can manage your case deadlines.
Every car accident case is different, so there’s not an easy answer to this question. Individual situations can affect the potential duration of your claim, including the severity of your injuries, how many parties are involved in the accident, and whether liability is in dispute. While most car accident cases end in a settlement, some involve filing a lawsuit, which can further extend the amount of time it takes to resolve the case. Call us today for a free case review to learn more about the potential timeline for resolving your case.
If you were injured in a car accident, a Zionsville car accident lawyer from Fountain Law Firm, P.C. can help. We can help navigate you through this process. Contact us for a free case review.