The Realities of Legal Liability and Suicide

Tragically, suicide affects thousands of families and loved ones each year. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in our country. In fact, more than 47,000 people died in 2017 alone as a result of suicide. When this kind of tragedy occurs, friends and loved ones are often left with many unanswered questions.

Although many questions regarding a person’s suicide attempt cannot be answered, a question that often comes to mind is the question of legal liability, which might have an attainable answer. Are certain people to blame, or simply negligently liable, for a person who takes their own life?  Continue reading to learn the realities of legal liability and suicide.

Indiana Personal Injury Attorneys 317-881-2700
Indiana Personal Injury Attorneys 317-881-2700

Duty of Care and Negligent Supervision

Many people will find ways to end their lives even if others attempt to step in and help. Basically, there are times when there is nothing anyone could have done to stop a person from committing suicide. On the other hand, there are some circumstances in which it may be possible or probable for a person to be legally responsible for a victim of suicide. People in the above roles have a legal “duty of care” to responsibly monitor, care, or supervise a person in their custody to prevent them from harm, even from themselves.

Whether a patient in the care of medical professionals, or a child in the care of their own mother or father, there is a steadfast legal standard of care. This includes parents, caregivers, guardians, medical professionals, and even school officials. The underlying legal matter is referred to as, “negligent supervision.” See our blog, “3 Common Examples of Negligent Supervision” for help understanding more about this legal principle.

Schools

If a student chooses to commit suicide on school grounds, it could be argued that certain school officials neglected their duty to responsibly “supervise” and care for the student. After all, it is the school’s legal responsibility to provide safe and supervised environments for all students and faculty. This includes protecting kids from severe bullying that could lead to mental health issues and eventual suicide attempts. Also, if school officials, like counselors or nurses, are aware of a child’s suicidal considerations, it may be their duty to thoroughly inform the parents right away.

At Home

As for parents of children that commit suicide, they could face possible legal repercussions for risking injury to a minor as a result of an unhealthy or volatile home. Parents are expected by courts and government officials to provide necessary mental health treatment, as well as, standard medical care, for their children. If a parent knows their child suffered from mental health issues and does nothing to address it, it could be argued that parents, or legal guardians, neglected this “duty” that resulted in the child’s suicide. Until a child or minor reaches the age of 18, or becomes emancipated, they are legally under the care and responsibility of their parents of legal guardians. This can also apply to children who are older than 18 and mentally or physically handicapped and dependent on their guardians.

Medical Care

Aside from school officials and legal guardians, other people might be help legally liable for a person’s suicide under certain circumstances. Psychiatrists, medical doctors, nurses, and similar health care professionals also carry a particular “duty of care” for their patients. All of this strictly depends on the specific circumstances, as well as, establishing that there was a duty of care owed.

Talk to a Personal Injury Lawyer for Advice

Indianapolis Personal Injury Lawyers  317-881-2700
Indianapolis Personal Injury Lawyers

If you believe your child or loved one was a victim of negligence that resulted in suicide or serious injury, it is important to consult a licensed Indiana personal injury lawyer for professional guidance. You may be legally entitled to compensation for your losses and damages. Call The Law office of Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C. at 317-881-2700 to schedule a free initial consultation, today.

Facts About Vicarious Liability Lawsuits

Have you ever borrowed a friend’s car? Or maybe you drove your parent’s vehicle as a teenager? Is so, vicarious liability played a role in terms of the law. Aside from driving another person’s vehicle, there are many other circumstances that pose this level of liability.

Continue reading to learn more about vicarious liability, including some common examples and how to make a claim.

Indianapolis Personal Injury Lawyers
Indianapolis Personal Injury Lawyers

According to Dictionary.law.com, vicarious liability is defined as, “(…) an attachment of responsibility to a person for harm or damages caused by another person in either a negligence lawsuit or criminal prosecution. (…)” Vicarious liability is also referred to as “imputed liability.”

In plainest terms, vicarious liability cases are those in which one party is held legally responsible for another party’s negligent or unlawful actions. Although the first party is legally responsible, the law holds the secondary party accountable as well. Vicarious liability comes to play in situations where a person has a duty of care for another person or thing, but acts negligently, resulting in serious injuries or accidents.

Examples of Imputed Liability

To better understand the principles and laws surrounding imputed liability, it is helpful to review some examples of such cases. For instance, employers have a duty of care to their staffs, making workplace accidents a common outcome of imputed liability. As an example, if an employer retains a staff of employees who act negligently in the workplace (i.e. sexual harassment, discrimination, assault, etc.), the employer can sometimes be held legally accountable for any resulting damages to employers, clients, or other victims.

In turn, victims of this negligent behavior can then make a personal injury claim to collect compensation for medical and hospital expenses, lost wages, pain, suffering, and more, all from the employer and each individual guilty employee. Employers in this situation are considered responsible because they have the duty to prevent and be aware of negligence in the workplace. By law, they should have stopped or prevented harmful behavior on the job before any serious repercussions could occur.

As mentioned before, driving another person’s car may also involve vicarious liability. For instance, if a minor crashes their parent’s vehicle and causes serious injury or death to another driver or pedestrian, it is the parents that can also be held legally responsible for all damages and losses that occurred as a result of the car crash, sometimes whether the minor had permission to drive the vehicle or not.

You see, by law, parents have a duty of care to properly teach their child how to operate a vehicle safely, and only allow their teen to drive their vehicle when they are capable of doing so responsibly. This is also the case if a friend or other relative borrows someone’s car and hurts someone else while driving it. Although the owner of the car was not the one behind the wheel, and the person driving had a valid license, the owner could be held accountable for the damages to the injured party.

Were You Hurt in a Negligent Car Accident?

If you were recently involved in a car accident that was not your fault, and now you are facing heaping medical expenses, hospital bills, and missing work, talk to an Indianapolis personal injury lawyer about making a car accident claim. You may be entitled to collect compensation to cover all of your financial losses and damages that resulted from your accident.

Contact the Law Office of Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C. at 317-881-2700 to discuss your recent accident and learn the best course of action for your personal injury claim. We can help you recover the full and fair compensation you deserve. Furthermore, we offer free initial consultations and never collect lawyer fees unless we prevail for you. Call 317-881-2700 to get started, today.

Were You Injured at a Store After Falling on Ice or Snow?

Premise liability is a staple principle of tort law. If you were recently shopping at a local store that did not take the proper precautions to protect its patrons from falling on snow and ice, or being involved in an accident as a result of neglected snow and ice removal, you could be entitled to certain compensation for your related damages and losses.

Continue reading to learn more about premise liability in Indiana, including how to get started evaluating your potential personal injury case.

Indianapolis Slip and Fall Lawyers 317-881-2700
Indianapolis Slip and Fall Lawyers 317-881-2700

Basics of Premise Liability

Premise liability refers to an area of the law that holds property owners legally responsible for any harm or damages caused to people who are on their premises. For clarity, a property’s “premise” is defined as inside and outside the property, sometimes including sidewalks and access property. Furthermore, factors of premise liability differ depending on whether the injured person was invited onto the property, licensed to enter the property, or trespassed onto the property.

Situations like structural hazards, violence and assault, food poisoning, animal attacks, swimming pool accidents, and bonfires, are general examples of premise liability cases, however, one of the most prevalent types of premise liability cases involve slip and fall accidents. In the case of snow and ice, if a store owner does not properly manage the removal of the accumulation on their premises, it can result in slippery walkways outside, slippery floors inside, obstructed fire escapes, unleveled surfaces, car and pedestrian accidents, and other hazardous conditions.

If a property owner is aware of unsafe conditions or should have been aware, and allows the unsafe conditions to continue by failing to eliminate all hazards, they are putting visitors and customers at risk of being injured. In such cases, if a person is involved in an accident caused by a property owner’s negligence, and as a result of the accident injuries occur, the property owner could be held legally liable for that person’s related damages and losses, such as hospital bills, medical expenses, lost work wages, pain, suffering, and more.

Premise Liability Organizations

Important organizations related to premise liability law in Indiana are the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) and the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC). 

Indiana Slip and Fall Attorneys

Slip, trips, and fall cases are some of the most complex, thus requiring the attention of a seasoned personal injury law firm. If you were recently injured after falling on snow, ice, or any other hazard, it is vital that you contact a licensed Indiana slip and fall attorney as soon as possible to learn your rights to compensation.

Personal Injury Lawyers 317-881-2700
Indianapolis Personal Injury Lawyers 317-881-2700

At the Law Office of Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C., we offer free initial consultations to get you started on the right path toward financial recovery. There is no out-of-pocket obligation to pay unless we recover a settlement for you. Call 317-881-2700 to schedule your introductory appointment with a skilled and knowledgeable accident lawyer you can trust.

How to Get a Free Personal Injury Case Evaluation in Indianapolis

After being injured in an accident that was no fault of your own, you may feel like your life will never get back on track to the state it was in before. But with the help of a seasoned personal injury lawyer, you may be able to recover compensation in order to pay for your medical bills, lost wages, and more. Once you are medically stable enough to move forward with making an accident claim for compensation, your first step is to have your case evaluated by a legal professional.

As a recent accident victim, it is natural to have several questions about case evaluations, such as “Where can I get one?” and “How must do they cost?” If you also have these same questions, you are already on the right path because you are acknowledging important parts of your personal injury case.

Continue reading to learn more about personal injury case evaluations, including how to get a free one in Indianapolis.

Free Personal Injury Consultations 317-881-2700
Free Personal Injury Consultations 317-881-2700

Personal Injury Evaluations

The primary purpose of an initial personal injury case evaluation is to better understand the value and validity of your potential claim. They are also intended to identify statute of limitations within the state, as well as, any prohibiting factors that may contradict or jeopardize your rights to recompense. Overall, personal injury case evaluations are used to determine whether or not a client has a valid case and which course of action is best for pursuing fair compensation.

Free Initial Consultations

Virtually all personal injury law firms provide initial consultations, but not all of them do it for free. It is wise to seek out free initial personal injury evaluations when looking for a law firm to represent your claim. Where can you find free case evaluations for personal injury claims? You can spend endless hours searching the entire city, or blindly choose from a vast list of lawyers; or, you can skip all the hassle and contact the Law Office of Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C. at 317-881-2700, today.

Indianapolis Personal Injury Lawyers 317-881-2700
Indianapolis Personal Injury Lawyers 317-881-2700

Our Indianapolis personal injury law firm offers free initial case evaluations. Additionally, we work on a contingency fee basis, which means we never collect lawyer fees unless we obtain a settlement or judgment for you. Contact us today at 317-881-2700 to schedule your free consultation, and learn what you need to know about your rights to compensation.

Did Your Recent Car Accident Result in a High-Risk Pregnancy?

Pregnancy Injury Claims 317-881-2700
Pregnancy Injury Claims 317-881-2700

If you are expecting, it is only natural for you to do everything in your power to protect your child. From regular OBGYN visits and prenatal care, to healthy eating, researching, and more, you have checked off all of your maternal duties in order to prepare for your precious blessing. But keep in mind that there is only so much you can do.

You see, no matter how much you plan and prepare, you cannot control those around you. This is often the case with reckless car accidents. Such accidents have the potential of turning a healthy pregnancy into a high-risk one. Continue reading to learn more about high-risk pregnancies and car accident claims, including how to get started on yours as soon as today.

High Risk Pregnancies

A common and unfortunate outcome of serious car accidents involving pregnant victims are high-risk pregnancies. Not only do high-risk pregnancies pose serious health complications for a baby, they also pose health complications for a mother. Before a car accident, a woman might have a healthy pregnancy; but then following a car accident, she may begin to experience several types of complications, either before, during, or after birth. Examples of high-risk pregnancy complications may include placenta issues, high blood pressure, preeclampsia, slowed fetal development, pre-term labor, and even miscarriages.

If you are ever involved in a car accident while pregnant, immediately seek medical attention or see your doctor, even if you think the accident was minor. Furthermore, if you experience any high-risk pregnancy complications, it is vital to contact an experienced personal injury law firm for legal guidance. You may be entitled to certain compensation for your accident-related damages and losses.

Recovering for Losses and Damages

Pregnant women who enter into a high-risk pregnancy as a result of a negligent car accident will need more medical care, more time off work, and experience several other types of losses and damages. Even if no issues result after birth, a high-risk pregnancy still leads to several kinds of economic losses, including missed work, higher medical expenses, more hospital bills, and more.

Lower-risk pregnancies simply do not incur as much medical expenses as high-risk pregnancies. For this reason, it is vital to hire a personal injury lawyer so that you can learn your rights to compensation. As a car accident high-risk pregnancy victim, you are owed recompense for you and your child’s cumulative damages if caused by another party’s negligence.

Make Your Claim Today

If you are a recent car accident victim whose injuries include a high-risk pregnancy, you have a right to make a claim against the negligent driver and their insurance carrier. You may be entitled to collect compensation to cover all of your damages and losses, including hospital bills, medical expenses, lost wages, ongoing care, pain, suffering, and more. Since such cases are so complex and delicate, it is imperative that you hire a seasoned accident attorney who can aggressively represent you in your case.

The Law Office of Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C.

Personal Injury Lawyers 317-881-2700
Indianapolis Personal Injury Lawyers 317-881-2700

Start by calling the Law Office of Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C. at 317-881-2700 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Although based out of Indy, our law firm represents victims all throughout the state, as well as, out-of-state victims who are injured in Indiana. We offer free initial consultations to discuss your claim, and never require any upfront lawyer fees. Call 317-881-2700 to schedule your consultation, today.

Is My Personal Injury Case Criminal or Civil?

Personal injury cases are highly complex since they involve the law. Such cases are made even more complex when accidents are so severe, they can lead to permanent losses or even wrongful deaths. This leads many to wonder whether or not personal injury cases are criminal matters. Although it would seem reasonable to assume that an accident that leads to another person’s death would result in someone being criminally penalized, it is not always the case. In fact, numerous personal injury lawsuits are civil matters and do not involve crimes being committed.

Continue reading to learn the fundamental differences between criminal and civil law, as well as, how to make a personal injury claim for compensation after being negligently injured in an accident.

Indianapolis Accident Attorneys 317-881-2700
Indiana Accident Attorneys 317-881-2700

Criminal Legal Matters

Criminal law involves crimes against the state, government, or society in whole. Criminal violations, like felonies and misdemeanors, are subject to state and federal punishment, therefore, guilty person’s face jail time, governmental fines, and more. In criminal law, the burden of proof shifts to a more complex principle. It is always up to the state prosecutors to provide evidence in order to prove that a defendant is guilty.

All people are innocent until proven guilty, so the defendant has no burden of proving their own innocence at all in a criminal case. There are a few exceptions to this rule, in the case of insanity claims and self-defense claims. The state has the responsibility of proving “beyond a reasonable doubt” that a defendant is guilty of the crime in question. Beyond a reasonable doubt that a defendant is guilty for a jury to hand down a guilty verdict is a very high bar for a prosecutor to meet.

Civil Legal Matters

In contrast to criminal law, civil law is the area of the American legal system that manages disputes or wrong-doings between private parties, rather than the state, government, or society as a whole. A common example of such cases involve injuries. If someone is wrongfully injured by another person demonstrating negligence or malicious intent, they can ask the courts to decide who is at-fault and if the negligent party should pay remuneration to the injured person. The same goes for family law and divorce cases, disagreements over property ownership, breach of contracts, wrongful terminations, and more. 

Anyone found guilty of a civil matter or infraction will not be subjected to jail time, government fines, or capital punishment. Instead, most civil litigation cases end with a negligent party being order to compensate the injured party for their losses and any additional damages caused by the defendant’s negligence. Recompense is often times paid by the defendant’s insurance provider, but sometimes, they must pay out of pocket if they did not have insurance, for example. If they have no money, assets, or insurance, an injured person may not receive any recompense, even if it is court-ordered, and even if ordered to pay by a court, discharge of the obligation in bankruptcy can still be a high probability.

As for burden of proof, civil cases and criminal cases differ greatly. In civil law, the plaintiff has the burden of proving their damages and the negligent act of the opposing party be a more likely than not standard, which is much lower than the beyond a reasonable doubt standard in a criminal manner. The defendant has the burden of proof regarding and defenses they assert in the civil matter. In a civil case, a plaintiff and a defendant must hire and pay for their own attorney, or choose to defend themselves. Only in criminal cases will the state offer a lawyer for free.  However, in a civil matter, because most defendants have insurance, the insurance company will hire and pay the defense attorney fees and expenses.

Get Trusted Advice Today

Personal Injury Lawyers 317-881-2700
Personal Injury Lawyers 317-881-2700

Personal injury cases are highly complex and require professional legal representation. Talk to your trusted personal injury attorney to learn more about your particular claim, including which course of action best meets your needs for compensation and justice. Start by calling the Law office of Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C. at 317-881-2700 to schedule a free initial consultation. Our experienced Indiana accident lawyers, Daniel Craven, Ralph Hoover, and Keith Blazek, are ready to recover the full and fair compensation you deserve.

Defining “Duty of Care” in a Personal Injury Lawsuit

Personal Injury Lawyers 317-881-2700
Personal Injury Lawyers 317-881-2700

Negligence is the legal concept that most personal injury claims and lawsuits depend on. Without proof of negligence, it would be difficult to establish fault, which in turn, makes it virtually impossible to recover compensation for an injured victim’s (or family’s) damages and losses. For this reason, as a victim of a negligent accident, it is critical to retain an experienced Indiana personal injury attorney who is well-versed in the type of accident and injuries you have suffered.

When it comes to proving fault in a personal injury case, your seasoned attorney is your best chance at achieving the outcome you desire. Aside from hiring a qualified lawyer, you can also be sure to make your claim as soon as possible, before your state’s statute of limitations ends. In the meantime, continue reading to learn more about establishing fault in a personal injury case, starting with a common legal concept known as “duty of care.”

Breaching Duty of Care

Negligence can be defined in many ways, but there are two fundamental factors that make evident its basic concept; these two factors are “duty of care” and “breaching” the duty of care.  Every person in the United States has a legal responsibility, or duty of care, to prevent or avoid causing harm to another person, whether intentional or accidental.

Establishing a party’s duty of care is the primary step in a personal injury case. The legal team works to prove that a particular party (person, company, etc.) had a responsibility, or duty of care, and then failed to uphold that responsibility, directly causing another person to be injured or killed. Personal injury lawyers want to demonstrate to the court that the opposing party breached their duty of care, which directly led to an innocent person incurring serious injuries and subsequent losses.

The Next Step in a Personal Injury Case

Once the two above-mentioned concepts are demonstrated and confirmed in court, the next step in a personal injury case is to prove that the injured victim (or plaintiffs) were direct victims of injury and suffered serious damages and losses as a direct result of the defendant’s negligence.

If the concepts of negligence and duty of care can be established and upheld, then a plaintiff has a greater chance of winning their case and recovering recompense for their damages and losses. Such damages and losses may include hospital bills, medical expenses, lost wages from time off work, pain and suffering, prolonged physical therapy, loss of consortium, wrongful death, and much more. 

What You Need to Do

Personal Injury Law Firm 317-881-2700
Personal Injury Law Firm 317-881-2700

Contact the Law Office of Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C. at 317-881-2700 to learn more about making a personal injury claim in Indiana. Our office is based out of Indianapolis, but we provide representation for victims all throughout the state of Indiana, as well as, individuals who were injured in Indiana, but live elsewhere. We offer free initial consultations and never collect lawyer fees unless we prevail for you. Call 317-881-2700 to get started, today.