Indianapolis Auto Accident Lawyer

Almost nothing turns life upside down physically, emotionally, and financially more than a sudden car crash. The physical injuries, like broken bones and head injuries, usually heal slowly over many months. Emotional injuries, like pain and suffering, are even more difficult to move past. All the while, financial pressures can be crushing. Medical and other bills come due at a time when there is little or no money available to pay them.

At Holland & Holland, we do more than halt this downward spiral. We reverse it. For example, we do not just connect you with a doctor. We connect you with a physician who is experienced in Indianapolis car accident cases and who charges no money upfront. A helping hand is only part of the story. Our Indianapolis auto accident lawyers also stand up for you in court.

What Causes Car Accidents in Indianapolis?

A few car crashes are “accidents” in the sense that they were inevitable and unavoidable. Sudden wind gusts and lightning strikes cause a handful of these incidents. For the most part, driver negligence causes car accidents in Indianapolis. That negligence usually falls into one of the three following categories:

• Behavioral: Alcohol impairment is a good illustration of behavioral negligence. People who have been drinking know that they should not drive, yet they get behind the wheel anyway. The same thing applies to drivers who are under the influence of a legal or illegal drug, suffer from certain medical conditions, or are dangerously fatigued.
• Operational: Excessive speed causes about a third of the fatal car accidents in Indianapolis. Velocity increases the risk of a collision and also increases the force in a collision. Speed increases stopping distance, which is the distance a vehicle travels between the time a driver sees a hazard and safely stops the vehicle. Moreover, according to Newton’s Second Law of Motion, speed multiplies the force in a collision between two objects.
• Environmental: When the road is wet, the sky is dark, or there are similar adverse environmental conditions, drivers have a responsibility to slow down and operate their vehicles more carefully. Many people ignore these conditions and put other drivers at risk.

Damages in a car accident claim usually include compensation for both economic losses and noneconomic losses. Economic losses are easily calculated, such as medical bills, lost wages, or property damage, while noneconomic losses are a bit tougher to put a number on. These include pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and others. Punitive damages, meant to punish the at-fault party and deter similar behavior from others in the future, are awarded in special cases.

Your Claim for Damages

These damages are available if the tortfeasor’s (negligent driver’s) conduct fell below the legal standard of care.

On a person-to-person basis, most drivers have a duty of reasonable care. Before setting out, they must be sober, well-rested, and alert. Then, they must drive defensively and obey the unwritten rules of the road. Almost inevitably, we all make mistakes during this process, and we must all accept the consequences for those mistakes.

Drivers must also obey the written rules of the road. They must obey the speed limit, stop at stop signs, and so on. If they fail to do so, and that failure substantially causes injury, they may be liable for damages as a matter of law.

In either case, the victim/plaintiff must establish negligence by a preponderance of the evidence (more likely than not). Such evidence usually includes witness statements, the victim’s own testimony, and electronic evidence, like information from a vehicle’s Event Data Recorder.

Work with Experienced Attorneys

Negligence causes most of the car accidents in Indianapolis. For a free consultation with an experienced personal injury lawyer in Indianapolis, contact Holland & Holland. We routinely handle matters in Marion County and nearby jurisdictions.