Indiana Car Accident Attorney

An Indiana car accident attorney is essential when you are involved in an accident and are seeking damages.  Conversely, an Indiana car accident attorney is also useful to defend against damage claims.  Although car accident litigation rarely goes to civil court, usually ending in settlement, an Indiana car accident attorney will be your best option for achieving a favorable result in court.  You may choose to work with the other party without an attorney, but you will compromise your chances at a satisfactory outcome.  The Indiana car accident attorney is well aware of relevant state and local laws that will affect liability and the amount of potential damages that can be won as a result of the case.

What to tell your Indiana car accident attorney
You will need to work with your attorney to make a preliminary determination of liability.  even if you think you were at fault in the accident, you should never admit that, especially when you do not know the full circumstances of the accident.  You may have been distracted while driving, but perhaps the other car was speeding, failed to signal and the driver was speaking on a cell phone.  This certainly makes the other driver more liable for the accident than you are.

When meeting with your Indiana car accident attorney, bring all documentation related to the accident including police reports and photos of the accident scene.  Detail any damages done to you, including medical bills but also repair bills or assessment for your vehicle, if applicable.


Where to look for an attorney
You may use this website to find an attorney.  To do so, use the search box on top of all pages.  You may also compare attorneys and ask free questions by clicking Find Attorneys on top of the page.

You may also look for an Indiana car accident attorney among with directories of the voluntary Indiana State Bar Association and the Indianapolis Bar Association.  Members of these organizations must adhere to their standards of professional and ethical conduct.  when choosing a Indiana car accident attorney from these another other Indiana bar associations, you be assured that you are receiving services from a qualified legal professional and that you will have proper recourse for fee dispute resolution and other services if necessary.


Is comparative negligence a factor in my case?
Comparative negligence refers to laws that reduce awards by a factor of how negligent the plaintiff was in the actions that caused the injury.  Indiana is a state with modified comparative negligence, also known as the 51% rule.  Any individual that has their share of negligence in an accident exceeds 51% cannot collect damages from the other party.  If the liability is less than 51%, then the jury award will be reduced by the percentage of negligence.  For instance, if Party A, by virtue of speeding is found 30% at fault for an accident, then any jury award they receive from Part B will be reduced by 30%.

A Indiana car accident attorney will help you estimate negligence on your part using police reports and other testimony.  The final determination of negligence will be made in court.


Personality & Values
You will need to maintain constant communication with you Indiana car accident attorney in case these are developments or critical deadlines that must be met.  If the Indiana car accident attorney sets up tough barriers to contact, they you should reconsider your decision as a lack of communication will jeopardize damages collected in the case or your ability to counter damage claims.  Fees might constitute a barrier to contact if the law office will change for incoming communication.  Be sure to ask about email and telephone fees in the initial consultation, if applicable.

Ensure that your Indiana car accident attorney is honest and above all objective.  The best attorney will analyze your case objectively and determine your chances of winning at trial or reaching a favorable settlement.  If an Indiana car accident attorney makes unrealistic promises or promises that sound too good to be true, then you should consider another legal representative.


Rates, Fees & Retainers
Get all fees in writing from your Indiana car accident attorney.  This will prevent you from being overbilled and will give you an idea of how much you will eventually pay to deal with this legal matter.

A contingency fee is a percentage of the award that the accident lawyer is entitled to claim if they win the case.  Nearly all accident lawyers accept cases on this basis and this fee is sometimes (but not always) lower when the case is settled out of court, as it saves the attorney’s time.  There are no current Indiana limitations on contingency fee arrangements in accident cases, but some arrangements may be subject to review in cases with potentially high settlements.  The Indiana car accident attorney may also be constrained by codes of professional ethics, that limit the contingency fees they may collect from a client.

You may be asked to set up a retainer account.  The attorney will bill hourly and flat fees to this account as per the fee agreement.  The Indiana car accident attorney can request that the retainer be refilled at any time, meaning that this arrangement can become expensive quickly.  You will generally not need a retainer in an auto accident case due to the propensity for attorneys to work on contingency.


Interviewing your attorney
The following questions are important when interviewing your attorney:

In your opinion, am I liable in this case?

What is the possibility that we can settle out of court? 

Do you accept a lower contingency fee for out of court settlements?

Does my share of the negligence prevent me from collecting damages?

What fees do I pay for using you legal services?  Can I have that in writing?

Are you willing to go to trial?

Can I contact you directly if there is a problem?

Can you allow me to examine your credentials?

What is your experience with auto accident law, specifically my circumstances?

If you cannot handle my case, can you refer me to a lawyer that can?