Columbus, IN Car Accident Lawyer

Vehicle crashes and collisions are a regular occurrence. While some are fortunate enough to emerge with only a few bumps and bruises, others are more seriously injured. Whether your injuries are big or small, you should speak to a lawyer about how to get fair compensation.

Talk to your lawyer about how and where your car accident happened. Knowing these details might help us determine who is responsible for the collision and where we can find evidence. We need evidence to prove fault. Fault is usually based on negligence, meaning we must prove how the defendant’s negligent behavior directly caused the crash. In some cases, defendants try to turn the tables by arguing that the plaintiff contributed to the accident. We might need additional evidence to refute these claims. Evidence can include witness testimony, medical records, dashcam footage, and more. Discuss your damages with a lawyer. You should be compensated for financial losses in addition to emotional and physical pain and suffering.

Speak to our car accident attorneys at Wruck Paupore by calling (219) 322-1166 and ask for a free case review to get started.

How Your Car Accident Might Have Occurred in Columbus, IN

Many vehicle accidents are the result of distractions. A distracted driver can be incredibly dangerous. Even taking your eyes off the road to adjust the radio or grab something from the back seat might be enough to cause a collision. Now, with phones and GPS devices a common part of our daily reality, more drivers than ever are distracted.

Another common cause of accidents is intoxication. Drinking and driving do not mix. Ever. Intoxicated drivers often lack good judgment and are more likely to drive recklessly. Speeding, weaving between lanes, and ignoring signs and signals are common in drunk driving accidents. If an intoxicated driver sees an accident coming, they tend to lack the reflexes needed to stop in time. Major collisions are, unfortunately, common.

A lot of accidents boil down to common traffic violations. Driving too fast, failing to signal a turn, broken taillights, running red lights, and other violations are so common we sometimes do not even notice when we commit them ourselves. Unfortunately, it only takes one mistake to cause a serious crash.

Accidents can happen almost anywhere, but there are certain places where drivers must exercise caution. State Routes 31 and 46 run right through Columbus, IN. These are major highways with heavy traffic and high-speed limits. Call a lawyer if you were involved in an accident on one of these highways or any road in the area.

How to Prove Fault in a Columbus, IN Car Accident Case

Proving fault in car accident cases requires proving negligence. To prove negligence, our car accident lawyers must sufficiently establish each of its four critical elements: duty, breach, causation, and damages. If even a single element is lacking, negligence cannot be found.

Duty refers to the legal obligation of safety owned to you by the defendant. In vehicle accident cases, it is usually the duty to drive with reasonable safety under the circumstances while obeying traffic laws.

The breach is whatever the defendant did or failed to do that violated this duty. Running a red light, speeding, or driving while drunk are all examples of a breach.

Next, we must prove causation. This means we have to prove that the defendant’s breach of their duty is the direct and proximate cause of the accident.

Finally, we must establish your damages, including injuries, financial costs, and emotional or physical suffering.

What if I Did Something to Cause the Car Accident in Columbus, IN?

Sometimes, defendants argue that the plaintiff somehow contributed to the crash in an effort to reduce their own liability. Rules regarding claims of contributory negligence are found under I.C. § 34-51-2-5.

If a plaintiff is determined to be partially responsible for the accident that caused their injuries and damages, their damages award may be reduced in proportion to their fault. For example, if you are deemed 25% responsible for the car accident, your overall damages may be diminished by 25%.

According to I.C. § 34-51-2-6, if you file your claims against one defendant or two defendants that may be legally treated as a single entity, you may be barred from recovering any damages if your share of responsibility for the car accident exceeds that of the defendant or defendants. If you are suing two separate defendants, you may be barred from recovery if your fault is determined to be greater than the fault of all defendants together.

Defendants might argue that the plaintiff was not wearing a seatbelt and thus made their own injuries worse. Under I.C. § 9-19-10-7(a), the lack of a seatbelt is not evidence of contributory negligence.

Evidence We Need to Prove Your Claims in Your Columbus, IN Car Accident Case

We can start our search for evidence at the scene of the accident. Do you remember any witnesses who were nearby when the crash happened? Maybe other drivers or pedestrians who happened to walk by stopped to help. If you have their names, we can track them down and ask them to testify about what they saw. If you do not know of any witnesses, we can check police crash reports to see if the authorities spoke to anyone.

We should also get copies of your medical records from when you were treated for injuries after the crash. If the defendant disputes the existence or extent of your injuries, your medical records might help us get to the truth.

Many drivers are putting video cameras in their vehicles to record things like accidents. If you or the other driver had a dashcam, we need to see the footage. Video evidence of the crash can be extremely powerful and might be the key piece of evidence in our case.

Talk to Our Columbus, IN Car Accident Attorneys Today

Speak to our car accident attorneys at Wruck Paupore by calling (219) 322-1166 and ask for a free case review to get started.