How to Obtain the Best Possible Outcome for Your Indiana Personal Injury Lawsuit

Posted on July 13, 2021 by admin

The Seasoned Litigators With Craven, Hoover, Blazek P.C. Will Recover the Maximum Settlement for You

If you or your loved one was recently involved in an accident here in Indiana, and as a result, has suffered serious injuries, you may be entitled to compensation for your past, current, and future damages. In order to obtain the best possible outcome for your case, it is vital that you choose a skilled and qualified Indiana personal injury law firm to recover the maximum settlement or verdict for you.

Who can you trust to obtain a successful ending to your Indiana accident claim? Like thousands of accident survivors before you, trust none other than the Law Office of Craven, Hoover, Blazek P.C. in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Indianapolis Personal Injury Lawyers 317-881-2700

Our Indiana Accident Lawyers Don’t Back Down to Insurance Companies

Let the expert Indianapolis personal injury attorneys at the Law Office of Craven, Hoover, Blazek P.C. represent your accident claim after being seriously injured in an accident that was not your fault. Our experienced and knowledgeable accident lawyers know how to negotiate with insurance companies. In fact, our Indiana personal injury firm has a solid reputation for standing up to insurance companies, as well as various other opposing counsels, in order to recover the compensation our clients justly deserve.

We make sure that responsible parties are held accountable for our negligence and honor our responsibilities to our clients. Our legal teams work around the clock to secure all relevant documentation and records, such as police reports, medical charts, medical records, witness statements, and all existing evidence. We also secure expert testimonies and evaluations to back our case up with facts and more evidence. We will use every resource in our power to prove that you are owed compensation for medical expenses, hospital bills, lost wages, and much more.

We Will Get You and Your Family the Compensation You Rightfully Deserve

As proud members of The Trial Lawyers of America, the Indiana Trial Lawyers Association, and several other notable administrations, you can trust that you are in the hands of top-choice professionals with a passion for helping victims of negligent accidents. Since the start of our practice in 1995, we have earned a strong reputation for providing aggressive, comprehensive, and quality legal advocacy for our clients.

At our firm, our legal teams will work hard to build a strong case based on the facts that substantiate your injuries and damages so that you and your family receive the maximum compensation deserved. If a settlement is not agreed upon, we will take the case to court and present it to a jury and judge. We believe that fair compensation should reflect the full extent of a client’s economic and personal loss. We will ensure your case is successful.

Ready to learn your eligibility for pursing legal action to recover compensation? Contact us directly at 317-881-2700 to schedule a free initial consultation with a licensed Indianapolis Indiana personal injury lawyer, today. We represent injured victims all throughout the state of Indiana.

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Can I Sue an Airline if I Am Injured on the Plane?

Posted on July 6, 2021 by admin

It is a well-known fact that traveling via airplane is statistically safer compared to traveling via car, bus, train, or any other kind of grounded motorized vehicle; however, accidents and injuries on airplanes still happen. Aside from an airplane crash, which often results in a significant number of fatalities, other types of accidents can happen on an airplane. If you are injured on an airplane, do you have the right to sue the airline in order to recover compensation for your damages and losses, such as hospital bills, medical expenses and pain and suffering?

Continue reading to learn what you need to know about common carrier lawsuits, specifically your rights to sue and airline after being injured on the plane.

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Common Carrier Airplane Accidents

An airplane is a common carrier. The term “common carrier” refers to any entity that provides transportation services for the public. In the case of an accident, common carriers are held to a more stringent duty of care in comparison to private carriers. So, when common carrier accidents do occur, such cases are usually taken very seriously and investigated thoroughly.

There are many ways a person can be injured in an airplane. Sprained ankles, broken bones, slip and falls, head injuries, and even assault are common injuries that result from accidents that occur on an airplane.

Common Carrier Liability

Regulatory bodies that set standards for safety and other types of concerns are the authorities that govern common carriers. For example, the governing regulatory body for commercial airlines is the Federal Aviation Administration (FFA). In terms of safety, these standards obligate common carriers to utilize the highest degree of diligence and care for the sake of their passengers and cargoes. And when common carriers fail to adhere to such regulations, they can be held legally responsible for any damages and losses suffered by those affected by their negligence.

What does all this mean? Well, an airline has a duty of care to ensure that the passengers are safe from all foreseeable hazards. For instance, an airline must ensure that their pilots are fully trained and knowledgeable of all instruments and procedures on the particular planes will be operating, the airline staff has a duty of care to ensure that there is a clear and safe path way from their seats to the bathroom, that overhead bins are not overloaded with luggage that can fall on top of passengers and cause head injuries, and that all weather reports have been extensively scrutinized in order to ensure safe journey to the ultimate destination.

In the cases of what the law calls “acts of God”, like natural disasters and unforeseeable types of turbulence, it is quite difficult to recover settlement and accident case. In such cases, airlines are usually protected against being sued, but every case is fact dependent.

Other Possible Liable Parties

Aside from the actual airline, there are other possible responsible parties in an on-flight airplane accident. Such parties depend on the cause of the accident. For instance, the aircraft repair company can be held responsible for negligently maintaining or repairing the aircraft, while also manufacturers and sellers of aircraft parts can be held responsible if some sort of negligence occurred on their behalf. Even passengers can be held responsible for an on-flight airplane accident, such as in the case of assault.

What You Need to Do as a Victim of an Airplane Accident or Injury

If you are injured on an airplane, it is important that you learn your rights to pursuing legal action against the airline or other possible parties so that you may obtain the monetary relief you deserve to cover all of your pain and suffering, lost wages, and all medical bills resulting from your injuries. As an airline accident victim, the best way to learn your rights after an on- flight airplane accident is to consult with a seasoned Indianapolis Indiana personal injury attorney. We have the knowledge, experience, and resources to determine the strength of your case and to properly document and prove your damages and losses.

Are you ready to learn more about your rights after being injured on an airplane? Contact the Law Office of Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C. at 317-881-2700 to speak with a skilled and experienced personal injury lawyer in Indianapolis Indiana. We can conduct consultations for free, over the phone, via video conference, or in person at our office. We represent injured persons and dependents following the wrongful death of a loved one throughout the state of Indiana and for Indiana residents injured throughout the world.

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How Long Does it Take to Settle an Accident Claim?

Posted on May 21, 2021 by admin

If your personal injury claim settles too quickly, does that mean you’ve settled for less compensation?

If your claim settles too slowly, will you be able to cover your out-of-pocket expenses while in recovery?

How long will it take to settle my case and receive payment?

These are common questions asked by wrongfully injured accident survivors all across the nation, and rightfully so. It is important to understand your rights as an accident victim, as well as your eligibility for pursing legal action against the at-fault party and their insurance carrier. Continue reading to learn how long personal injury claims take to reach a settlement or verdict, and what you can expect as a client of a skilled and experienced accident attorney.

Indianapolis IN Personal Injury Claim Law Firm 317-881-2700

The Beginning of the Personal Injury Claims Process

There are certain strategies that work better than others when it comes to obtaining the maximum settlement or verdict for a personal injury claim. The best and most effective approach is to hire a licensed and experienced personal injury law firm to represent you in your case. From there, they will navigate each and every aspect of your claim, using their own proven strategies to recover the full and fair compensation you deserve.

In fact, hiring a reputable Indiana accident lawyer is your first step you should take as soon as you are medically stable after an accident. Even if you are not medically stable enough to contact a lawyer and discuss your claim, you can have your spouse or next of kin do it for you. Family and guardian ad litems can file personal injury claims on behalf of an injured victim in certain circumstances.

Settling Too Quickly Can Mean Less Compensation

In most cases, settling a personal injury claim too quickly can result in being shorted on the compensation the victim is rightfully owed. Although there are some cases in which settling quickly is the right option, most times, a personal injury lawyer will continue to fight the insurance company until a maximum settlement is reached. This takes time, which is just one element of a personal injury case that can extend the amount of time it takes to come to an end. With a skilled accident lawyer on your case, you will not have to worry about settling too quickly and sacrificing monies that you could have been awarded or offered.

Why Cases Sometimes Take a Long Time to Settle

Along with back and forth negotiations and stubborn insurance companies, other common reasons why personal injury cases take longer to reach a settlement include:

▷ Victim has not yet reached maximum medical improvement (MMI);
▷ The case involves a considerable amount of money;
▷ There are legal or objective issues that need resolving.

Never accept a lowball settlement from an insurance adjuster after being wrongfully injured in an accident because once the settlement is agreed to, there is no going back on it if you find you need further medical care. Contact the accident attorneys at Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C. at 317-881-2700 and schedule a free case evaluation with a seasoned personal injury lawyer in Indianapolis, Indiana to learn more about your rights to compensation. We represent injured persons and the dependents in wrongful death cases throughout the state of Indiana and Indiana residents injured in other states.

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What is the Worth of My Personal Injury Claim?
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What is Maximum Medical Improvement in a Workers’ Compensation Case?

Is There Still Time to File My Indiana Personal Injury Claim?

Posted on January 26, 2021 by admin

When a person is injured in an accident, they don’t always know it right away. Evidence of injury can appear weeks and even months after an actual accident took place. Car accidents are a very common example of this onset of injury phenomenon, as victims often feel sore, or begin experiencing certain damages and losses due to their involvement in the accident later, rather than at the moment or right after the event.

If you were in an accident that was not your fault, and you are just now experiencing pain or any other types of damages as a result, it is important to seek treatment as soon as possible. Like many other personal injury victims in the past, you might be wondering whether or not there is still time left to pursue legal action against a wrongful party and recover compensation for your damages.

Continue reading for information about time limitations for personal injury accident claims in Indiana, and how to learn your current legal options at this point following your accident.

Indianapolis IN Personal Injury Law — Indianapolis Personal Injury Lawyers 317-881-2700

General Time Limitations for Accident Claims

Every state has set time limits for filing tort lawsuits called statutes of limitations. The amount of time you have to legally file a claim against a negligent party depends on the statute of limitations in your state of residence. For instance, here in Indiana, the time limit for personal injury lawsuits is 2 years (Title 34, Art. 11, Ch. 2, Sec. 34-11-2-4) from the original date of the accident. If your accident took place within the last 2 years, you may still be eligible to potentially file a claim to obtain compensation for your damages and losses. You must speak with an Indiana personal injury lawyer to learn your case’s strength and viability to be sure.

Suing a Government Entity is Different

If you intend to sue a government agency, there are a completely separate set of limitations. In most cases, you cannot sue a government agency without first filing an administrative claim with the city in which your injuries occurred, and often times, a person has as little as 90 days to file this claim, and perhaps less depending on the state where the injury occured. It is common for these claims to be denied too, and when you receive your denial letter, it will usually have information in it describing how long you have to file a lawsuit in court. Here in Indiana, claimants have 180 days to file a claim against a city or county, and 270 days to file against a government agency.

Extending the Indiana Personal Injury Statute of Limitations

If your time runs out on your claim in Indiana, you forfeit your right to file a claim for compensation. There are exceptions in which accident victims can request to extend the statute of limitations filing deadline, but it is rare for a judge to permit such extensions unless the victim is a minor or mentally incapacitated, or if the defendant left the state after the accident. If you are hurt in an accident that was not your fault, whether you are aware of your injuries instantly, or long after the event, the best time to begin your personal injury claim is directly after receiving medical treatment. Contact an experienced team of accident attorneys in Indiana to learn your next steps in the personal injury claim process.

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.

To protect your rights, trust our Indianapolis personal injury law office to navigate your personal injury claim and recover the maximum compensation you deserve. Our seasoned accident lawyers represent all types of personal injury cases in Indiana, from car and truck accidents to workplace accidents, brain injuries, child injuries, orthopedic injuries, and many more. Schedule a free initial case evaluation as soon as possible, before your deadline to file passes by in Indiana and to start obtaining the evidence for your case before it disappears. Best of all, the law office of Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C. does not require any upfront lawyer fees, and only bill you if we obtain a settlement or verdict for you.

4 Reasons Why Your Accident Case Will Likely End in a Settlement

Posted on January 5, 2021 by admin

In a personal injury case, a settlement is reached when the defendant’s insurance adjuster offers compensation to the plaintiff or injured party. Upon accepting the offer, the plaintiff fully relinquishes all rights to pursue any other claims against the defendant in relation to the personal injury case. It is a fact that most accident claims settle rather than go to trial. But why do most personal injury claims end this way? Well, for the same reasons yours likely will.

Continue reading to learn 4 reasons why your personal injury case will probably settle out of court, and how to get your accident claim on this track toward a successful outcome.

Indiana Accident Claim Law Firm 317-881-2700

At Which Point are Settlements Offered in a Personal Injury Case?

During the course of a personal injury accident case, a settlement might be offered by the opposing party at virtually any point. Most often, a settlement is submitted by the insurance adjuster after the accident claim arises, but before it is actually filed. This is a strategy used by insurance companies to get the injured victim or plaintiff to quickly settle for a small payment. In fact, this technique is a prominent reason why all accident victims need to hire a seasoned and skilled Indianapolis personal injury lawyer to represent their case.

Without adequate legal representation, accident victims are more vulnerable to accepting an offer that is less than what their claim is actually worth. Be sure to hire an experienced Indiana personal injury attorney as soon as possible to get your claim started on the right track, and to obtain the maximum settlement or verdict for your case.

Many Personal Injury Cases Settle Out of Court Because:

1. Cost Control and Risk Mitigation

Agreeing to a settlement tends to put personal injury defendants’ insurance carriers at an advantage because they have more control over the risks that might be involved in facing litigation from an injured victim. At the same time, they can mitigate their legal expenses by avoiding certain costs or excessive fees. You see, most insurance companies have it in their business model to payout such claims, as it is usually an inevitable aspect of the industry. But they do not want to pay too much, nor more than they have to. Trial is expensive, and you never know just how long it can go on. By avoiding trial, insurance companies avoid paying extra in court fees and legal costs.

2. Professional Discretion

Insurance companies do not like to put their legal matters in the public eye. So, many choose to settle with accident victims to avoid going to trial, which would be included in public records. This protects their public brand, character, value, and overall reputation. This is very common in defective product and product liability cases. Manufacturers and distributors do not want to be known for producing unsafe or dangerous products, so they will usually try to avoid going through a big public trial. It is common for settlements to attempt to include a requirement of confidentiality, protecting the defendant from negative publicity.

3. Faster Resolution and Remuneration

For accident victims, settling out of court will speed up the process for full and fair compensation. Trials can extend over a period of several months, sometimes years. When you add in appeals, it can take even longer to reach a resolution, and the resolution might not be what a plaintiff might expect. Furthermore, waiting this long to collect compensation for an injured victim’s damages and losses can cause excessive stress and struggle for both the victim and their immediate family.

4. A Guaranteed Payout

The primary reason why most personal injury cases settle out of court is because it gives the plaintiff, whether the injured victim or their next of kin, the guarantee of payment. Not only does a plaintiff know they will be compensated, but with the help of their lawyer, they will have an opportunity to negotiate for a fair settlement amount.

Your Leading Personal Injury Lawyers in Indianapolis, Indiana

Call Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C. at 317-881-2700 to consult with our skilled personal injury accident attorneys in Indianapolis, Indiana. Accident attorneys, Daniel Craven, Ralph Hoover, and Keith Blazek retain extensive trial and litigation experience representing injured victims in various types of personal injury cases. We offer free initial consultations to assess your case. Best of all, we never collect lawyer fees unless we recover compensation for you! We represent injured persons throughout the State of Indiana.

The General Stages of a Personal Injury Lawsuit

Posted on December 23, 2020 by admin

Most personal injury claims do not end up in court. However, when a personal injury claim does turn into a lawsuit, the legal climate changes. Although not all personal injury lawsuits are alike, once the courts are involved, most tend to take on the same succession of steps. Whether you are preparing to enter into personal injury lawsuit, or you are a recent victim of a personal injury and wish to move forward with an accident claim, it would be wise for you to familiarize yourself with what might take place. Continue reading to learn the general stages of a personal injury lawsuit, and how to get started on your accident claim in Indiana.

When a Personal Injury Claim Goes to Trial

Even though personal injury lawsuits are all different, when they end up in trial, they usually have the same litigation milestones. These milestones lay the foundation of what you can expect the general succession of steps in a personal injury lawsuit to look like. If you have already decided to file a personal injury lawsuit, you have hopefully already hired professional legal representation from a law firm who specializes in personal injury law.

This is the first stage of the process.

Personal Injury Trial Lawyers in Indiana 317-881-2700

Stage 1

The first step to addressing any legal matter is to retain qualified legal representation. However, you do not want to hire just any attorney. It is vital that you seek legal assistance from a law firm that specializes in the type of claim you need to file. In this case, you would hire an Indiana personal injury lawyer. Most personal injury law firms provide free initial case evaluations for you to learn your legal rights to being compensated for your damages and losses.

Additionally, most personal injury attorneys work on contingency, meaning they do not collect any lawyer fees unless they recover settlement or verdict for you. If they are unsuccessful at obtaining a settlement for you, there is no obligation to pay them for their services. Be sure to also choose a law firm that has extensive trial and litigation experience.

Stage 2

The next stage of a personal injury lawsuit mostly involves your hired legal team. To determine if you have a valid case, your personal injury lawyer will likely begin an exploratory investigation, starting with a liability investigation and confirming the adequacy of the opposing party’s insurance coverage. Sometimes, this step is done prior to making the client-attorney relationship official.

In the event that your accident lawyer believes your case is valid, they will move forward by filing a personal injury complaint against the defendant in the appropriate civil court. This personal injury complaint is the very first official document of an accident lawsuit. From this time, your personal injury lawyer will have to locate and serve the defendant a copy of the complaint.

Stage 3

After a defendant is served a lawsuit, the defendant will provide a copy of the lawsuit to their insurance carrier and the insurance carrier will hire a defense attorney for the defendant to answer the complaint and defend the case. Under any insurance policy a defendant has with their insurance company, the insurance company chooses the defense attorney and the insurance company pays the defense attorney.

Stage 4

At this stage of the personal injury lawsuit process, the lawyers hired to represent both parties will begin the pretrial process. This is known as discovery, and involves several steps in itself. During this time, both lawyers will exchange all evidence with one another, including witness information. They will also go before the proceeding judge to let them know how the case is proceeding. Also in the presence of the judge, they will decide on all deadlines for filings in the case, a mediation deadline, a final pre-trial conference date and a trial date.

As the discovery stage continues, both lawyers will also schedule depositions and other necessary interviews and statements. This stage of the personal injury lawsuit process can take several months and involve a few court appearances. The amount of time it takes to complete the pretrial stage will depends on various factors, such as the current traffic of the court, the amount of investigation required, court delays, rescheduled court dates, and so forth.

The Final Stage is Trial

The last stage of the personal injury lawsuit process is the actual trial, which can last for several days. The judge will be the ultimate decider, unless it is a jury trial, in which a jury will decide who is at fault for the accident and which damages the plaintiff is entitled to. Most personal injury cases are jury trials. After the trial, either side can choose to file an appeal. Once all appeals are extinguished, the defendant [ie. defendant’s insurance company] must pay the plaintiff their verdict if they received one.

Indianapolis Personal Injury Lawyers That Will Fight For Your Rights

Call Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C. at 317-881-2700 if you need an experienced personal injury lawyer in Indianapolis, Indiana. Our seasoned personal injury lawyers are ready and able to recover the full and fair amount of compensation you deserve after being seriously injured by another’s negligence. You should recover for damages and losses, including medical expenses, hospital bills, pain, suffering, lost wages, and more if the damages were caused by another person’s negligence. We represent injured persons throughout the State of Indiana. Get started with a free consultation, today.

Facts About Secondary Liability and Indirect Infringement

Posted on December 11, 2020 by admin

If you have recently become involved in a personal injury lawsuit, one of the most fundamental aspects of your case will be the question of liability. Although it can be quite simple establishing liability in a straightforward accident claim, such as a drunk driver crossing onto a sidewalk and hitting a pedestrian, there are some claims that involve different kinds of liability, like vicarious and contributory liability. This can make it more of a challenge identifying who is at fault for an accident. As an accident victim, you might not realize who might be liable for your damages.

Continue reading to learn more about vicarious and contributory liabilities, and how to get started on your Indiana accident claim.

Indiana Personal Injury Lawyers 317-881-2700

Secondary Liability is the Same as Indirect Infringement

Secondary liability is also referred to as indirect infringement. It is best defined as a legal obligation, forcing an individual to assume responsibility for another person’s act or behavior. Examples of secondary liabilities include principle liability, employers’ liability, and parental liability. There are several other types as well, such as ecclesiastical corporation liability, enterprise liability, and more, but these cases are generally infrequent and more complex. The more common types of secondary liability are contributory liability and vicarious liability. These are the primary cases of secondary liability seen in civil courts today. No matter which type of secondary liability case in question, the underlying factor for each is indirect infringement.

Vicarious Liability Law Basics

You will find vicarious liability within the respondeat superior doctrine, under common law. It decrees the legal responsibilities of any person in a superior role, such as leaders, executives, managers, supervisors, bosses, directors, whole corporations, companies, and more. It makes clear that they are legally responsible for the actions of their teams or employees. An example of a vicarious liability lawsuit would be if a parent or guardian fails to properly supervise their child, allowing the child to access the home’s handgun and accidentally shooting and injuring another person. The parents could be held legally accountable for their child’s actions, as well as the victim’s damages, under negligent supervision laws. In such a case, the parents home owner’ liability insurance company could contractually be obligated to pay any verdict against the parents, up to the insurance policy limits.

Contributory Liability

Contributory liability holds a third party legally responsible for another’s actions, even though they were not actually committing an infringement directly. If a person has knowledge of, benefits from, enables, contributes, or influences another person’s transgression, they too can possibly be held legally responsible under contributory liability. An example of contributory infringement would be if someone loans another person a gun, and that person uses the gun to commit a crime, the loaner of the gun might be held legally responsible for the infringements involving the gun under contributory liability, depending upon the specific facts of the case.

Where to Get Legal Advice for Your Indiana Personal Injury Claim

Call the Law Office of Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P. C. at 317-881-2700 to secure your rights to full and fair compensation after suffering damages as a result of a personal injury accident in Indianapolis, Indiana. Seasoned accident attorneys, Daniel Craven, Ralph Hoover, and Keith Blazek have extensive trial and litigation experience in personal injury law, and can obtain the maximum settlement for your claim. It is important to act fast after being injured in an accident, because the sooner you act, the more likely you are to win your claim and recover compensation for your damages as critical evidence will need to be obtained. Schedule a free initial consultation, over the phone, online, or in person at our Indianapolis personal injury office.

Do I Need a Lawyer for My Personal Injury?

Posted on November 30, 2020 by admin

There are several different personal injury practice areas, from slip, trip, and falls, to car accidents, workers’ compensation, medical malpractice, defective product liability, elder abuse, trucking accidents, wrongful death, and more. No matter which type of personal injury or accident you’ve recently suffered, when deciding whether or not to hire a lawyer to represent your claim, the answer is always yes. Even if it to just get a review or your case and the relevant issues.

Continue reading to learn why it is essential to hire a skilled accident attorney, and where to get a free case evaluation to determine if you are eligible to pursue legal action against a negligent party in Indiana.

What a Personal Injury Lawyer Can Do for You

The law is complex, so managing your own personal injury case is not something you want to attempt. Furthermore, after suffering injuries and damages after an accident, you need to be focused on your physical and mental recovery, and not on complicated legal matters. A personal injury lawyer is more than just a legal advocate for their clients; they manage all aspects of their client’s claim, including investigations, initial demands, settlement negotiations, case development, complaint filing, litigation, and everything in between. Professional legal representation by a specialized personal injury attorney is the key to obtaining the maximum settlement or verdict for a claim. The insurance company for the defendant will act like you do not need an attorney and will even sometimes advise you that, but during that time period, evidence is being lost. It is vital to your case that the evidence be obtained and preserved.

How to Get Started With Your Personal Injury Claim in Indiana

If you have been involved in a personal injury, your first step is to obtain medical care and then hire an attorney immediately. Not only are there statutes of limitations that limit how long a claimant can file a claim, evidence can be lost forever if not obtained quickly. To find out the answers to your eligibility to make a claim, contact an Indiana personal injury law firm and schedule a consultation with a certified accident attorney. We provide initial consultations for free, which allows you to learn your legal options with no obligations.

Choosing the Right Indiana Personal Injury Lawyer for Your Case

There are several Indiana law firms to choose from, but be sure your selection is based on reputation and successful case results. Look for a personal injury lawyer who can offer a free consultation and works on contingency.

Trust the Law Office of Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C. for Indiana Personal Injury Representation

Call the Law Office of Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C. at 317-881-2700 for trusted personal injury representation in Indiana. Our seasoned accident attorneys work tirelessly to ensure our clients’ rights to full and fair compensation. We offer free initial consultations to access your case, and never collect attorney fees unless we obtain a settlement or verdict for you! Call 317-881-2700 to schedule your free initial consultation with an Indiana personal injury lawyer, today.

Halloween Liability and Safety Tips for Adults

Posted on October 30, 2020 by admin

Both children and adults look forward to this time of year; and why wouldn’t they? Between the Fall festivals, candy corn, warm apple cider, pumpkin carving, and of course, Halloween, there is so much to be excited about! Halloween is a fall holiday that is equally anticipated by children, teens, and adults alike. But the fun stops when someone gets hurt. In fact, it is common to focus on child safety during the Halloween season, but the truth is, there are several risks for adults who celebrate the holiday too. For this reason, it is important to review some Halloween liability and safety tips for your own protection.

Continue reading to catch up on some important safety tips for all Halloween activities.

Safety Advice for Adults Who Celebrate Halloween

Whether trick-or-treating, handing out candy, attending a party, or hosting one yourself, there are several crucial reminders and safety tips to read through before all your awaited festivities begin. Preventative maintenance of your property and other precautions are the best strategies against sustaining injuries, or your insurance company being held legally responsible for someone else’s injuries.

Here are the top Halloween liability reminders you should know as an adult who is planning to celebrate this year:

 🎃 Don’t Drink and Drive. The money you will spend on DUI fines, court fees, and additional related penalties will by far exceed the money you would spend on an Uber. Also, intoxicated driving is dangerous, and can put others in harm’s way. Don’t risk injuring or killing another as a result of a drunk driving accident. It’s NEVER worth it!

🎃 Hosting a Party Comes With Certain Liability. If someone is injured in your house, you can be held liable for their injuries and subsequent damages and your insurance carrier will have to pay any verdict or settlement on your behalf. Even if you are not hosting a party, if anyone is hurt on your property, you can be legally responsible and your insurance carrier will have to pay any verdict or settlement on your behalf. Make sure you keep your home owner’s insurance up to date This includes over-serving your guests alcohol and/or letting them drive home.

 🎃 Alcohol Increases Liability. If you are serving alcohol to guests, whether at an off-site venue or your own residence, you can be taking on legal liability. If anyone is harmed as a result of the alcohol you serve, such as alcohol poisoning or drunk driving accidents, you and your insurance company can possibly be held legally responsible for all the subsequent damages and losses suffering by all victims involved. There could also be criminal liability in such situations too, especially in the cases of minors being served alcohol.

 🎃 Businesses Can Be Held Liable Too. Virtually all states in our country have Dram Shop laws in place that impose legal liability onto owners of bars, restaurants, liquor stores, and any other establishments that sell alcoholic beverages and products to minors or intoxicated customers. For instance, if a bar or restaurant over-serves a visibly-intoxicated patron, and then that patron suffers harm (or causes harm to another) as a result of over-drinking, the business can be held legally responsible for all damages, and possibly even have their liquor license revoked. The at-fault party’s insurance carrier would, in most circumstances, pay any verdict or settlement.

What to Do if You are Harmed in a Negligent Halloween Accident This Year

If you are seriously injured this Halloween season, whether as a result of a negligent party host, property owner, or candy manufacturer, contact our licensed Indianapolis personal injury law firm as soon as possible before the statute of limitations runs out on your claim. We can protect your rights and recover the maximum settlement or verdict for your damages and losses.

Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C.

An Indiana Personal Injury Law Firm That Wants the Best for You

Contact us today at 317-881-2700 to learn more about making an accident claim after being injured by a negligent party this holiday season. Attorneys, Daniel Craven, Ralph Hoover, and Keith Blazek are accident lawyers with extensive trial and litigation experience in several practice areas of tort law. Not only do we offer free initial case evaluations, we never collect lawyer fees unless we obtain a settlement or judgment for you. We represent injured workers all throughout the State of Indiana, so get started with a free consultation, today.

FAQS Regarding Personal Injury Settlements

Posted on October 14, 2020 by admin

After being injured in a serious accident that was no fault of their own, the law provides personal injury victims certain relief for their subsequent damages and losses. They can be awarded compensation to cover their hospital and medical bills, pain and suffering, lost wages from missing work, and much more. But personal injury victims typically have a lot of questions about collecting compensation from a negligent party’s insurance company.

Continue below to review some of the most frequently asked questions personal injury lawyers get from their current and prospective clients about accident claim settlements, and perhaps get the answers you are looking for today, including where you can get more answers to your personal injury claim questions at the bottom of this blog.

Indiana Personal Injury Law Firm 317-881-2700

Will My Settlement Be Impacted if I am Partly to Blame for My Accident?

When an individual is seriously hurt in an accident, it is necessary to determine who was at fault for the incident. This process of determination is called comparative fault analysis, and it is widely used as a standard in tort cases. The jury gives this report to the judge at the closing of a personal injury trial. Comparative fault analysis simply describes the standard formula used to identify the negligent party involved in a serious accident, however, there are numerous details that go into making these distinctions. Fundamentally, if a victim or plaintiff is 50% (or less) at-fault in the case as compared to all fault against all defendants, then they are most likely entitled to basic compensation. In Indiana, a plaintiff cannot have 51% fault or greater and be awarded compensation.

Where Can I Find Answers to My Personal Injury Questions?

If you have questions about personal injury compensation, it is vital to discuss your claim with a team of licensed Indianapolis Indiana accident attorneys. They can give you personalized recommendations for your case, and document an impactful claim to recover the full and fair compensation you deserve. As soon as you receive medical attention for your injuries, your next step should be to contact a personal injury law firm for help with your accident claim.

How Much Does an Accident Lawyer Charge?

Contingency fees are the most common form of billing practice used by personal injury law firms and attorneys. This payment arrangement works by not charging clients any retainers or upfront lawyer fees, but collecting a percentage of whatever monetary settlement they recover for them. Personal injury claims are complex and vary from case to case, so the percentage collected upon judgment will vary among lawsuits.

How Does a Court Assess an Injured Victim’s Damages and Losses?

Under tort law, when a person is a victim of a civil wrong-doing, a court may award damages to compensate them for their injuries and losses. Assessing the amount of damages is often a difficult and complex process since so many variables influence the final determination. A court/jury must consider the losses or injuries of a victim’s person, property, and overall quality of life. Courts take this responsibility seriously since the law intends to help victims of personal injury get back to the condition and state of life they were in before their accident and if that is not possible, to compensate for the permanent injuries. It requires evidence on behalf of the victim to recover the full and fair amount of compensation for the total amount of damages and losses. Evidence includes medical records, police reports, expense records, witness statements, interviews, doctor depositions and much more.

What Does Personal Injury Compensation Cover?

Economic losses, non-economic losses, and future economic losses are the types of damages meant to be covered by personal injury compensation. Economic losses may include all or a combination of medical expenses, hospital bills, OTC medication costs, prescription costs, lost wages, childcare expenses, home adaption expenses, and fuel costs (to and from doctors’ visits). Future economic losses may include prolonged medical treatment, physical therapy, long-term care, future medical expenses, future lost wages, future prescription costs, and future hospital costs. Non-economic losses may include pain and suffering, permanent disability, permanent disfigurement, mental anguish, PTSD, loss of social life, loss of work abilities, loss of companionship, and loss of education experience.

How Long Does it Take to Get My Compensation?

From start to finish, a personal injury case can take anywhere from one year to five years or more, depending on the complexity of the case and how long the injured party needs medical care. You can expect it, in most cases, to take at least one year before a case is settled. There are countless variables that affect the time frame of a personal injury claim and receiving awarded compensation. Again, talk to your attorney to get a better idea of how long your particular case is predicted to take. In some cases, a settlement can and does occur within 1 year though.

Personal Injury Attorneys in Indianapolis, Indiana Who You Can Trust

Call the Law Office of Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C. at 317-881-2700 for information about your rights to pursue legal action after being seriously injured in a wrongful personal injury accident in Indianapolis, Indiana. Attorneys Daniel Craven, Keith Blazek, and Ralph Hoover are highly experienced accident lawyers who will obtain the full and fair compensation you rightfully deserve for your damages and losses. Not only do we offer free initial consultations, in-person or over the phone, we also work in contingency, which means we never collect attorney fees unless we recover a settlement or verdict for you. Contact us today at 317-881-2700 to set up your free case evaluation with a seasoned Indianapolis accident attorney. We represent injured persons throughout the State of Indiana.