Personal injury is the area of law that covers injury-producing accidents caused by the intention, reckless or negligent actions of another person or organization. Under Indiana personal injury law, if you can recover compensation (known as damages) for your accident-related expenses. An Indianapolis personal injury lawyer can help determine if you’re eligible for damages, attempt to negotiate an out-of-court settlement with the responsible party, or file and try a personal injury lawsuit in Indiana civil court if settlement negotiations are unsuccessful.
How Long Do I Have to File an Indiana Personal Injury Lawsuit?
Under Indiana law, there is a time limit (known as the statute of limitations) to file a personal injury lawsuit. You and your Indiana personal injury lawyer must file your lawsuit within two years of the date of your accident — and not a day later. If you allow that deadline to pass without filing a lawsuit, you will be unable to collect any damages from the responsible party.
If you are suing a government entity, then you may have even less time to file a lawsuit. Indiana personal injury law says you have 180 days to file a lawsuit against a city or county government and 270 days to file a claim against a state government agency.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire an Indianapolis Personal Injury Lawyer?
Indianapolis personal injury lawyers typically represent the plaintiff, or person injured in the accident, on a contingency basis. This means that your attorney only gets paid if your lawsuit is successful. Contingency fees are typically calculated as a percentage of any money you receive through an insurance payout, negotiated settlement or court judgment. Your lawyer will advise you of this percentage when you hire him or her. Typically, you’ll also be responsible for reimbursing the lawyer for any fees — such as court filing costs — and this money will also be deducted from any damages you receive.
In What Situations Can I File a Personal Injury Claim?
Personal injury law involves many kinds of accidents. These include car crashes, trucking accidents, motorcycle crashes and boating accidents. If you’re bitten by someone else’s dog or slip and fall on someone else’s property, you may have a personal injury claim. Defective and dangerous product claims — called product liability claims — are another type of personal injury claim, as are construction accidents, birth injuries, medical malpractice cases, construction accidents and nursing home neglect and abuses cases.
