What are Interrogatories in a Car Accident Claim?

If you were recently injured in a car accident that was not your fault, you will likely be making a personal injury claim against the negligent party. In some cases, these kinds of claims must go to trial. If they do, you will become familiar with a term known as “interrogatories”, which will be a vital factor to your overall injury case.

Continue reading to learn more about interrogatories, including how it may affect your car accident lawsuit.

Indianapolis Car Accident Lawyers 317-881-2700

Indianapolis Car Accident Lawyers 317-881-2700

The Discovery Phase

When a car accident lawsuit is set into motion, a complaint and answer are filed with the court. Once this occurs, the discovery phase can begin. During this phase, both the plaintiff party (you) and the defendant party (the party being sued) will exchange information about the facts of the accident. There are two main methods the court system uses to obtain this type of information: depositions and interrogatories.

Depositions are formal, recorded interviews under oath used to learn what a person knows pertaining to the case in question, and as evidence for later use during the trial. Either parties in a lawsuit can have anyone provide a deposition 20 days after a lawsuit is filed.

Interrogatories are a little different, but are used for much of the same purpose. Rather than a formal interview in person, interrogatories are a set of written questions that each party sends to the other. Each party must fill out the entire list in writing, under oath, and within a limited period of time (usually between 20 and 40 days depending on the state).

Although they are not always phrased in the form of questions, interrogatories always pertain to specific factors surrounding the case, such as reckless driving, distracted driving, and intoxicated driving. Since it is common for both parties to have different versions of what happened in an accident, they are designed specifically to get both sides of the story so that each party can prepare their case before trial.

What to Expect on the Form

The number of questions and requests on an interrogatory form is generally limited to 25 or so; however, it is possible for a court to approve more questions. Here are some examples of what you might see on an interrogatory form:

State the make, model, year, and current registrant of the vehicle you were in at the time of the accident.

State the company, address, and policy number of the insurance for the vehicle that was involved in the accident.

State the exact location and time of the car accident.

State where you were traveling to and from when the car accident occurred.

List the names and contact information of any witnesses to the accident.

In your own words, how did the accident occur?

How fast were you driving when the accident occurred?

In the 24 hours prior to the accident, did you consume any alcohol? If so, which kind and how much?

Were you on any medications when the accident occurred? If so, state the name, dosage, and prescribing doctor of the medication.

As a driver, how many car accidents have you been involved in over the past 10 years? List the dates, nature of accident, and legal outcome for each one.

List all of the traffic violations you have been cited for in the last 10 years.

List all of the physical evidence or documents you know of regarding the accident, including photographs, sketches, diagrams, and reports.

Where to Get Started

Contact a licensed and experienced Indianapolis car accident attorney to make a personal injury claim. They have the knowledge and resources to navigate your case in a way that recovers the full and fair compensation you deserve after being injured in a car accident by a negligent driver.

Indianapolis Car Accident Attorneys

Personal Injury Law Firm 317-881-2700

Personal Injury Law Firm
317-881-2700

Call Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C. at 317-881-2700 for help with car accident injury claims in Indianapolis, Indiana. Here at our personal injury law firm, we are eager to help injured victims recover the full and fair compensation they deserve. We offer free initial consultations and never collect lawyer fees unless we prevail for you. Contact us to get started in your financial recovery, today.

Recent Missouri Duck Boat Accident May Have Been Caused By a Design Flaw

Could the fatalities that resulted from a recent duck boat ride accident in Missouri been prevented if certain safety recommendations had not been ignored?

Indiana Boat Accident Lawyers 317-881-2700

Indiana Boat Accident Lawyers
317-881-2700

Duck Boat Accidents

What originated as a form of supply conveyance in Normandy during World War II, has now evolved into a popular tourism loop all along the coasts of the United States. From Boston to Seattle, and everywhere in between, duck boat rides have been around for decades, providing views of a city’s skyline from land and sea in the form of land-to-water amphibious vehicular rides.

But throughout the years of their operation, accidents and fatalities have not been a stranger to the industry. In fact, nearly 40 victims have lost their lives in duck boat accidents in the United States over the last 20 years. This number includes a 2010 duck boat accident that killed 2 victims in Philadelphia after colliding with a barge on the Delaware River, another 2015 accident in Seattle that killed 5 students, and many more like them.

The Miss Majestic Tragedy

In May of 1999, a tragic duck boating accident in Hot Springs, Arkansas took the lives of 13 victims aboard the Miss Majestic. According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the cause of the accident was deemed to be a result of inadequate maintenance of the vessel. Three years following the tragedy, the NTSB issued a report suggesting a wide range of safety recommendations and precautions for duck boat operators.

Among the long list of recommendations, canopy removal was one of them since it prevented passengers from escaping the vessel, especially if wearing a life preserver jacket. Another notable recommendation was adding extra buoyancy protection to prevent the boats from sinking in the case of a flood or leak. Unfortunately, many of these safety recommendations have been ignored for the past 2 decades. This has been made blatantly apparent by the most recent duck boat accident that tragically took the lives of at least 17 victims in Branson, Missouri last week.

July 19th Missouri Duck Boat Accident

The company, Ride the Ducks Branson, sent a traditional, canopy-style duck boat into Table Rock Lake, which eventually capsized after being caught in a serious storm that produced 5-foot waves and 60 mph winds. Although there were life vests for everyone on board, once the boat began to sink, passengers were unable to escape.

According to NTSB Member, Earl Weener, 16 passengers and 1 crew member died from drowning. Many onlookers and authorities believe this to be a result of a disregarded design flaw. Duck boats are narrow and sit very low to the ground; these features, coupled with their overhead canopies, could be the reason why so many victims have lost their lives. Jim Hall, a former NTSB chairman during the 1999 accident, stated, “”I don’t think those vehicles were designed for the recreational use they’re being used for (…) they’re not safe.”

Duck Boat Regulations

The U.S. Coast Guard, one of the agencies that regulates the duck boat industry, admits that they set some degree of parameters on the vessels, like certificates of inspection and certified route authorization, but not much else. As for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), who also regulates their travel on the road, they had no official statement regarding any duck boat bans or federal regulations that may be in the works now that so many accidents have surfaced. There are currently no federal requirements for duck boats. Although the NTSB can give recommendations, they do not have any regulatory authority to enforce them

Settlements for Victims

On road and water, duck boats have proven to be dangerous and negligent in nature. Not only are they too wide for roads and lack the same degree of maneuverability as standard vehicles, they are too narrow for rough waters and pose safety hazards with their snare-like canopies. It seems as though courts and juries agree; after all, the 2010 Philadelphia duck boating accident lead to an injury settlement of $17 million.

Indiana Boat Accident Victims

For the Indiana family who lost their loved ones in the recent Missouri duck boating accident, and for all other boat accident victims, The Law Office of Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C. is here for you.

Personal Injury Lawyers 317-881-2700

Indianapolis Personal Injury Lawyers 317-881-2700

One of our own seasoned personal injury lawyers, Ralph Hoover, has one of the largest boating accident verdicts in the state. We will work around the clock to ensure you receive the full and fair compensation you deserve after being injured in a boat accident, or suffering the loss of your loved ones in a wrongful death boat accident. Contact us at 317-881-2700 to schedule a free consultation. We never collect lawyer fees unless we prevail for you.

The Costs of a Personal Injury Lawsuit

When it is time to look for a reputable personal injury law firm to represent you in your accident claim, your first concern may be money. Fortunately, accident attorneys are on your side in terms of economic recovery; their primary goal is to recover the full and fair compensation you deserve after being injured in an accident. However, their services are not free, which means you can expect to pay lawyer fees. Furthermore, there are additional costs that you may incur in a personal injury lawsuit aside from lawyer fees.

Continue reading to learn which costs you are likely to incur in a personal injury lawsuit and who to talk to about making an accident claim.

Personal Injury Lawyers 317-881-2700

Personal Injury Lawyers 317-881-2700

Consultation Fees

Most personal injury law firms offer free initial consultations so they can determine whether or not a client has a strong case. This is because these firms work on contingency. This means they only get paid if they recover a settlement for you. If they do not believe they can recover a judgement in your favor, they will not take on the case, so there is no reason to charge a client for an initial consultation.

Contingency Fees

A personal injury lawyer gets paid a percentage of the money you are awarded in judgment, either after the trial or in settlement of your case before trial. This percentage is discussed and outlined for a client when an accident lawyer decides to take on their case. From the time they take on your case to the time of trial or settlement, you do not have to pay them as you go for additional meetings or time spent working on your case. However, once you receive your judgement, you must pay out the percentage they are owed, as outlined in your contract.

Additional Fees

After you pay your lawyer fees, there are additional fees that may be owed. You do not pay these fees out of pocket, or even as the case progresses; instead, these fees are paid out of your settlement after you have paid the lawyer fee. Personal injury lawyers may or may not front medical costs; it depends on the bar rules in your state.

The most common fees you might expect to pay in a personal injury lawsuit include:

Copies of Records and Reports (i.e. medical records, police reports, etc.)
Legal Research Costs
Court Costs (i.e. Filing Fee, Deposition Fees, etc.)
Investigators Fees
Expert Witness Fees
Office Expenses (i.e. Copying, Faxes, etc.)

It is vital to talk to a trusted Indianapolis personal injury law firm right away about your accident claim. They can help you choose the best course of action for financial recovery. They have the knowledge and resources to answer your questions about legal concepts and claim procedures, as well as, provide up-to-date information you can trust.

Indianapolis Personal Injury Claims

Personal Injury Law Firm 317-881-2700

Personal Injury Law Firm
317-881-2700

Call The Law Office of Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C. at 317-881-2700 to make a personal injury claim in Indianapolis, Indiana. Our licensed attorneys are eager to help you recover the full and fair compensation you deserve after being injured in an accident caused by another party. We offer free initial consultations and never collect lawyer fees unless we prevail for you.

The Top 10 Most Dangerous Summer Toys for 2018

A reputable and publically recognized consumer group called W.A.T.C.H., Inc. has released their 2018 safety report that includes this summer’s most dangerous toys. If your child is injured as a result of a defective product, contact a licensed personal injury law firm right away for help with making a claim.

Continue reading to learn more about W.A.T.C.H. and which toys they have deemed “unsafe” for this summer.

Child Injury Attorneys 317-881-2700

Child Injury Attorneys 317-881-2700

World Against Toys Causing Harm, Inc.

World Against Toys Causing Harm, Inc. (W.A.T.C.H.) is a consumer group that specializes in research that supports prevention against toy-related injuries. It is a Massachusetts non-profit corporation dedicated to children’s causes, including raising awareness about unsafe children’s products, such as playground equipment, toys, furniture, clothing, and more. It was founded by Edward M. Swartz (1934-2010), who spent most of his career as a nationally-known trial lawyer and child safety consumer advocate.

Please visit their website at https://toysafety.org to learn more about their cause, review safety warnings, and much more.

Dangerous Toys and Playgrounds

According to W.A.T.C.H., the majority of child deaths that occur as a result of a defective or dangerous toy happen during the summer. In fact, these same reports show that emergency rooms treat 2.5 million injured children in the summer, every year. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), emergency rooms treat more than 200,000 children ages 14 and younger for playground-related injuries. Furthermore, a 2017 report released by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimates there were 174,100 toy-related emergency department-treated injuries and 7 deaths in 2016 to children younger than 15 years old.

Although the Toy Industry Association (TIA) insists that all toys for sale in the United States are sent through some of the sternest safety requirements in the world, the consumer advocates at W.A.T.C.H. disagree, stating, “Most people have no awareness of the lack of adequate mandatory pre-market safety testing of toys and children’s products in contrast to the rigid rules that exist for food and drugs.”

2018 Unsafe Toy Warning

In a recent press release held at Franciscan Children’s Hospital in Boston, MA on June 21st, World Against Toys Causing Harm, Inc. Consumer Advocates, Joan E. Siff (President) and James A. Swartz (trial attorney and Director) disclosed information to parents, guardians, and caregivers about the top 10 “Summer Safety Traps” for 2018.
These toys have the potential to cause a wide array of serious injuries and fatalities, including high falls, blunt force trauma, eye injuries, drowning, head injuries, choking injuries, and various orthopedic injuries. Here are the top 10 safety concerns they have listed for this summer:

Water Balloon Slingshots

High-Powered Water Guns and Guns with Projectile Ammunition

Backyard Swimming Pools (Above-Ground and In-Ground)

Backyard Water Slides

Shallow Water: Baby Pools, Garden Buckets, and Pool Covers

Bounce Houses and Backyard Trampolines

Low Riding Wheeled Toys (Big Wheels & Other Plastic Tricycles)

All-Terrain Vehicles (ATV’s)

Lawn Darts

Check out the actual W.A.T.C.H. press release for more information regarding this list.

Child Injury Claims

Contact a seasoned Indianapolis personal injury lawyer for information about receiving compensation after your child has been seriously injured or killed by a defective product or unsafe toy. They will tell you everything you need to know about making a child injury claim, and help you recover the full and fair compensation you deserve.

Indianapolis Personal Injury Lawyers Who Can Help

Personal Injury Lawyers 317-881-2700

Personal Injury Lawyers 317-881-2700

Call Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C. at 317-881-2700 to schedule a free consultation with a licensed Indianapolis personal injury attorney who can determine the best strategies for your case. Not only does our law firm offer free consultations, we never collect lawyer fees unless we prevail for you! Call 317-881-2700 to get started on your financial recovery, today.