Tag Archives: car accident lawyer Indianapolis

The Importance of Witness Statements After a Car Accident

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Witness statements are used in various areas of the law. When it comes to car accidents, they can be a critical piece of evidence in determining liability. In other words, collecting witness statements after being involved in a car crash can help you prove that you were not at-fault, and therefore, not liable for any losses or damages. Furthermore, such evidence can help support your claim for compensation to cover your personal damages and losses that resulted from the car accident.

Continue reading to learn more about gathering witness statements after a car accident, including where to find seasoned personal injury representation in Central Indiana.

Indianapolis Car Accident Attorneys 317-881-2700
Indianapolis Car Accident Attorneys 317-881-2700

What To Do After a Car Accident

Your first priority after being involved in a car accident is medical care. Be examined and treated by on-site EMT’s, as well as, your own personal doctor and/or specialists the same day. Accordingly, be sure to keep all records and documents of medical visits, diagnosis’, and treatment.

In less serious car accidents in which you are not unconscious or incapacitated, you can collect your own witness statements after being initially treated on-site. Otherwise, ask someone for assistance to complete the task for you. This could be a police officer, passenger, or anyone else you trust to collect accurate information.

Who do you ask? Anyone that might have seen the accident. This includes pedestrians, road workers, drivers, passengers of either party’s vehicle, restaurant workers, and similar onlookers. You do not need to go into a heavy interview process, but rather, collect witness contact information and reach out to them the next day for their official accounts of the accident.

What do you ask? As mentioned, you do not have to make a full day of interviewing witnesses. Instead, you can simply take down their name, phone number, email address, and if they oblige, even a work number and home address. With this information, you or someone you trust can contact these individuals and ask them to describe their account of the accident.

Keep in mind, the sooner you collect witness statements, the more accurate the information will be. People have busy lives, and even one day in passing can jeopardize their recollection of what too place when the car accident happened. It is strongly recommended to get witness statements at the scene of the accident.

You see, Indiana is a comparative negligence state, which means it is possible for both parties to have liability in a car accident, and yet, both collect compensation for their losses. See our blog, “What is Comparative Fault Analysis in a Personal Injury Case?” to understand this legal principal better. What does this mean for you as a victim of a car accident? It means you must protect yourself by acting fast and getting the evidence you need to prove your claim and avoid being falsely deemed “partially at-fault.”

How Witness Statements are Used

Witness statements can be used by both insurance companies and courts as evidence to determine fault in a car accident case. This is why they are so important, especially when personal injuries and property damages are at play. If you want to ensure you are fairly compensated for your losses and damages after being injured in a car accident that was not your fault, be sure to hire a qualified Indianapolis personal injury law firm to deal with the insurance claim proceedings for you.

Indiana Car Accident Lawyers You Can Trust

Call The Law office of Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C. at 317-881-2700 to file a personal injury car accident claim in Indianapolis, Indiana. Our seasoned personal injury lawyers are eager to recover the full and fair compensation you deserve after being injured in a car accident. We offer free initial consultations and never collect attorney fees unless we recover for you.

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

Why Choose Us to Represent Your Personal Injury Claim?

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Here at the Law Office of Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C., our Indianapolis personal injury attorneys each have more than two to three decades of experience providing steadfast, personalized, and responsive legal services for injured victims here in Indiana. Continue reading to learn more about our law firm, including why you should choose us to represent you for your personal injury claim.

Indianapolis Personal Injury Lawyers 317-881-2700

Indianapolis Personal Injury Lawyers
317-881-2700

☑ Professional.
☑ Adept.
☑ Motivated to Obtain Your Settlement.

Our seasoned accident attorneys have enjoyed distinguished careers practicing in the field of personal injury law for more than 20-30 years, each. We provide personalized and responsive legal assistance for a wide range of accidents and injuries. From slip and falls, to car and trucking accidents, to burn injuries, product defects, workplace injuries, wrongful death cases, and everything in between, our seasoned personal injury attorneys know exactly how to recover the full and fair compensation a victim deserves.

No matter which type of accident you have experienced, you can rest assure your claim is in the hands of truly skilled and qualified professionals. And over the past 2-3 decades, we have earned a solid reputation for providing an aggressive, all-inclusive legal team for injured victims in Indiana. Furthermore, we are we proud members of The Trial Lawyers of America, the Indiana Trial Lawyers Association, and active in several other notable administrations and organizations as well.

Our Clients Come First, From Start to Finish.

Our Indianapolis personal injury law firm is strictly dedicated to the well-being of our clients in more ways than one. Since the start of our practice, we have represented hundreds of accident victims, and continue to put our clients first at every step of the way. Our teams are always nearby and easily reachable to clients. That is because we work with our clients, side by side, throughout the entire legal process, from the initial consultation to the final judgment or settlement.

If you have questions about your recent accident or injury, all you have to do is contact our office to schedule a meeting with one of our distinguished attorneys. There is no upfront obligation either! We offer free initial consultations to discuss your potential claim, and provide advice on the best course of action for your particular case. Best of all, there are no preliminary attorney fees, so you don’t pay us unless we get a settlement or judgment for you!

Schedule Your Free Consultation Today

Indianapolis Personal Injury Lawyers 317-881-2700

Indianapolis Personal Injury Lawyers 317-881-2700

Call the Law Office of Craven, Hoover and Blazek P.C. at 317-881-2700 for personal injury case assistance you can trust. Not only do we represent clients with personal injuries throughout the state, we also represent residents of other states who suffered injuries in Indiana. Our seasoned accident lawyers will be aggressive with your claim, and do everything in our power to recover the compensation you deserve.

Who is Liable for Driveway Backup Accidents?

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Indianapolis Personal Injury Lawyers 317-881-2700

Indianapolis Personal Injury Lawyers 317-881-2700

Driveway backup accidents occur when a child is playing in the driveway, and a person unknowingly backs out of the driveway in their vehicle, causing serious injury or death to the child. Whether the gear was shifted into neutral and the vehicle rolls backwards, or the driver just didn’t see the child behind their car, some form of negligence is usually to blame.

The most common people involved in such accidents are homeowners, relatives, friends, and neighbors, since they are the ones most likely to be parked in or near the home of the child. But who is actually liable for driveway backup accidents? The guardians? The homeowners? The driver? Because such accidents vary in detail, assigning liability is not always so clear cut.

Guardians and Negligent Supervision

In most cases of driveway backup accidents involving child injuries, it is either the driver or the child’s guardian (parent, nanny, relative, sitter, etc.) who’s legally held responsible for any injuries or damages caused to the child. Under Tort law, parents or guardians can be considered guilty of negligent supervision, which occurs when a person is in charge of monitoring a child fails to do so, resulting in severe injuries or wrongful death to the child.

In the case that a child shifts a vehicle out of gear causing it to back over another child in the driveway, it can be the owners of the vehicle and the property who are alleged liable for the damages. These cases are tricky since it can also be the parents of the victim who are responsible for the accident.

Manufacturer Defects

Sometimes, the manufacturer of a vehicle can be held liable in driveway backup accidents. For example, if a vehicle is equipped with defective backup cameras and sensors that failed to sense a child behind it, and as a result a child was seriously injured or killed in a driveway backup accident, it could be a product liability case in which the manufacturer of the vehicle could be held responsible for the accident and subsequent injuries and losses to the family.

Criminal Action

Although rare, criminal action can be taken against the person or party responsible. They can possibly be charged with vehicular assault or involuntary manslaughter, depending on the circumstance of the case and the state in which the accident took place. Often times, a wrongful death or personal injury lawsuit is filed instead to collect compensation for hospital bills, medical expenses, pain and suffering, and more.

Indianapolis Child Injury Lawyers

Personal Injury Lawyers Indiana

Personal Injury Lawyers Indiana 317-881-2700

Call Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C. at 317-881-2700 if your child was negligently injured in Indiana. Our seasoned personal injury attorneys, Daniel Craven, Ralph Hoover, and Keith Blazek, have extensive trial and litigation experience and can recover the full and fair compensation you deserve to get your life back to a functional state. And we do not collect attorney fees unless we recover for you! Call 317-881-2700 to schedule a free initial consultation with one of our Indianapolis child injury lawyers, today.

Safe Driving Tips for Teenagers

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Car Accident Lawyers 317-881-2700

Car Accident Lawyers 317-881-2700

Drivers of all ages need to have knowledge of how to operate a vehicle safely. But when it comes to teenagers, it is important to instill the proper driving and traffic education while they are just starting out, so they will develop safe driving habits at a young age and use them for the rest of their driving careers. If you are parent or guardian to a licensed adolescent, be sure to educate them on the most important safe driving tips and keep them better protected from harm.

Continue reading to learn 5 safe driving tips that are imperative for teens to learn and remember.

Stay Alert

As a teen, it is so easy to get distracted no matter what you are doing. Unfortunately, driving is no different. Especially with the use of handheld devices, like cell phones and tablets, more and more people are leaning their attention away from the road when they shouldn’t be. For this reason, it is most important to always remain alert when you are behind the wheel of a vehicle. Place your cell phone, GPS system, makeup, mirror, and all other distractions aside while your car is in motion. This is not only important to prevent harming yourself, but also other drivers and pedestrians.

No Speeding

Of course kids want to go fast, but this is not okay when behind the wheel of a motor vehicle. It is important to teach your kids the importance of speed limits. A car that is moving too fast is more difficult to control, and will over-react to the smallest change in motion. Flipping, swerving, spin-outs, and more are all possible consequences of driving too fast and then trying to stop or change motion. Speeding is also a common reason for motor vehicle fatalities. Not only is speeding dangerous in general, it is even more hazardous on narrow roads or in rain, snow, ice, and at night.

Keep a Safe Distance

Kids are not only interested in going fast, they also want to get where they are going quickly. Rushing and speeding are different, and it is important to discuss this with your teen. Of course you should never speed, but you should never tailgate, drive to close, or roll through stops and turn-abouts either. Rushing like this will only get you to your destination a minute sooner, which is not worth the risk of causing an accident, or being ticketed by law enforcement.

Avoid Aggressive Drivers

Teenagers might not always recognize the danger in some situations, and aggressive drivers are one example. Explain to your teens that it is important to avoid aggressive drivers at all costs. This means vehicles that are swerving, honking, or harassing, as well as, vehicles that are driving too fast, attempting to illegally pass, or instigating a race. These are all dangerous scenarios that can cause a very serious car accident.

Avoid Intoxicated Driving

There is no excuse for driving under the influence. Not only can it jeopardize your life, it can put other lives in danger as well. Talk to your teen about driving under the influence of drugs, alcohol and prescription medications.
If you or someone you love has been injured in a car accident, contact a car accident lawyer right away. You could be entitled to compensation for your damages and losses.

Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C.

Personal Injury Attorney Indianapolis

Personal Injury Attorneys 317-881-2700

Call Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C. at 317-881-2700 to file a car accident injury claim in Indianapolis, IN today. Attorneys, Daniel Craven, Ralph Hoover, and Keith Blazek are dedicated and determined to obtain the full and fair amount of compensation you deserve as an injured victim in a negligent accident. We offer free initial consultations, 24 hour phone services, and never charge attorney fees and less we prevail for you. Call 317-881-2700 to schedule a consultation with a car accident lawyer in Indianapolis, IN today.

Can I Sue a Person for Wrecking My Car and Injuring Me?

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Car Accident Lawyers 317-881-2700

Car Accident Lawyers 317-881-2700

If you let a person drive your car, are you liable for any damages they might cause you and your vehicle? Or are they liable? Laws regarding vicarious liability in motor vehicle accidents vary from state to state, however, many are on the same page when it comes to a letting an individual operate your vehicle willingly. There are also different circumstances that change the liability boundaries among drivers and vehicle owners; such as employer and employee or parent and minor.

In this case, we will discuss the liability for a car accident and personal injury in a standard relationship scenario, like a friend, stranger, or relative. Continue reading to learn who would be at-fault for damages caused in a motor vehicle accident, in the case that someone else was driving the car other than the vehicle owner.

Negligent Entrustment

Negligent entrustment is a term that refers to the scenario of letting an unfit person drive your vehicle willingly. If you were to loan your car to someone that was not fit to operate a motor vehicle under law, then you would be responsible for any damages, injuries, and accidents they cause while driving it. An unfit person is anyone not legally permitted to operate a motor vehicle. This includes anyone who is underage, uninsured, unlicensed, under the influence of drugs or alcohol (including sleeping pills and pain medication), ill or sick, handicap or physically impaired, injured, a repeated reckless driving offender, or too elderly to drive.

Loaning Your Car

If you allow a “perfectly-fit” person to operate your vehicle, there are still liability set-backs in the case of an accident. If you loan your vehicle, or simply let someone drive with you as a passenger, and they cause an accident that results in vehicular damages and personal injuries, you would be responsible under law for these damages. However, there are exceptions to this situation, and it differs from state to state. But in most states, the car owner is the liable party in a case like this. In these states, as long as permission was given, the owner of the vehicle is accountable for any damages another person might cause.

Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C.

Personal Injury Lawyers 317-881-2700

Personal Injury Lawyers 317-881-2700

Call Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C. at 317-881-2700 and schedule a free initial consultation with a seasoned car accident lawyer in Indianapolis, Indiana. Attorney, Daniel Craven, retains extensive trial and litigation experience, and is happy to answer your questions about filing a motor vehicle accident claim in Indianapolis. Call 317-881-2700 today to learn more about your rights following a serious car accident in Indiana.

Is Sliding on Black Ice and Causing a Traffic Accident Considered Negligent and Grounds for a Lawsuit?

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Car Accident Lawyers 317-881-2700

Car Accident Lawyers 317-881-2700

Motor vehicle accidents can occur for countless reasons. Most traffic accidents are caused by drivers’ carelessness or defective road signals, while most others are the consequence of accidental circumstances. This time of year, many car collisions are a result of hazardous weather conditions, like rain, fog, lightening, snow, and ice. Wearing your seat belt and driving at a safe speed are two significant ways to prevent injury and accidents from happening; however, there are some motor vehicle accidents that cannot be avoided. Sometimes, these poor weather conditions cause drivers to lose control of their vehicles, spin into other lanes, collide into embankments, hit curbs, and much more.

Black ice is a common culprit behind losing control of a vehicle in bad weather. It is a frequent hazard that causes accidents just like the ones mentioned above. But to what degree are you guilty if you slide on black ice, lose control of your vehicle, and collide into another driver? Is it pure accident or should you be held liable for the other drivers’ damages? Continue reading to learn more about liability in a traffic collision caused by black ice, or other severe weather conditions.

Motor Vehicle Accidents and Liability

If you were to slide on black ice while operating a motor vehicle, and subsequently collide into another vehicle, causing that driver and their passenger’s injury or damage, would you be liable? The short answer is maybe; but there is a much longer explanation. The most important factor to consider when determining who responsible in a car accident is whether or not a driver acted carelessly, or if they acted reasonably, even in dangerous weather conditions. Did a driver act in accordance to the standard of care expected by a reasonable person? Or were they driving recklessly?

For example, if a reasonable person was driving in poor weather conditions, like snow or ice, they would “reasonably” drive at a safe and cautious speed, rather than driving at the suggested legal speed limit because their visibility and control is limited. On the other hand, a reckless driver would continue to drive normally, in poor weather, at the suggested speed limit. If it were a sunny and dry day, then driving at the recommended speeds is, of course, reasonable; however, in dangerous weather conditions, a reasonable driver would slow down and drive more cautiously. This is a huge factor in determining liability in a motor vehicle accident lawsuit, whether natural elements were supposedly the cause or not.

Car Accident Attorneys 317-881-2700

Car Accident Attorneys 317-881-2700

Another aspect to consider is the condition of the vehicle. If the owner of the car or truck did not reasonably care for their vehicle in order for it to drive safely and function properly, then they may be at-fault for a car accident that occurs in poor weather. For example, if a person has very old, bald, and worn out tires on their vehicle, and they lost control on ice or a wet spot, then poor weather is not the sole reason why an accident happened.

Had the driver reasonably serviced their tires, they may not have slid on the ice or slick spot to begin with because they would have had better traction and stability control. Other reasonable maintenance for a car would include functional windshield wiper blades, good brake pads and rotors, functional brake lights and head lights, and much more. These, and more, are additional concerns that an insurance adjuster might look at when determining liability in a car accident case. These types of lawsuits are often tricky and complex. There are several factors and variables that determine who is at-fault in a car accident.

If you are ever an innocent victim in a traffic accident that was caused by another person’s reckless driving, contact an Indianapolis car accident attorney right away. You may be entitled to compensation for your damages, such as lost wages, medical expenses, hospital bills, vehicular damages, pain, suffering, mental anguish, prolonged rehabilitation, and much more.

Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C.

Personal Injury Lawyers 317-881-2700

Personal Injury Lawyers 317-881-2700

Call Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C. at 317-881-2700 to speak with a car accident lawyer in Indianapolis, Indiana. Attorney, Daniel Craven, is a licensed personal injury lawyer with several years of litigation and trial experience. He is happy to answer your questions about filing a car accident lawsuit, and assess your eligibility for recompense. Our law firm offers free initial consultations and never collects lawyer fees unless we win your settlement! Call 317-881-2700 for more information about recovering compensation following a motor vehicle
accident in Indianapolis, IN.

Road Trips and Tips for Safe Holiday Passages

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Car Accident Lawyers 317-881-2700

Car Accident Lawyers 317-881-2700

This Thanksgiving holiday, let us be thankful for our health, safety, friends, and family. Thanksgiving is a popular travel holiday, when families tend to come together from all parts of the country to celebrate love and be thankful for one another. One of the most common practices that take place on or around this holiday are lengthy road trips. If not by plane or boat, families usually choose to pack up the mini-van and drive the few hundred, or few thousand, miles it takes to reach their central family headquarters.

Along with holiday traffic flow comes risks, crowds, stop-and-go driving, frustration, fatigue, and more. This is why it is important to remember and understand safety guidelines for taking long road trips. Continue reading to learn how to safely navigate the road for extended periods of time, as well as, a few tricks to making the journey easier.

Road Trip Safety

Driving in general has its risks. You cannot control how other people drive, nor can you control road and weather conditions; however, when it comes to taking a long road trip, there are a few more safety measures and precautions to make for safe travel. Long trips that require extensive periods of driving can be more hazardous than standard car trips. This is because drivers tend to become desensitized to their surroundings and “zone-out” while driving on the road. This diminishes a driver’s alertness and hinders their ability to react or respond to other drivers around them, road signs, traffic signals, and more. Also, road trips can cause drivers to become fatigued, and many still refuse to stop for rest when this happens. This causes more accidents than you can imagine.

Car Accident Attorneys 317-881-2700

Car Accident Attorneys 317-881-2700

Another reason why long road trips can be dangerous if not careful is that people have new technology that can distract them from the road. For example, many newer model vehicles, especially ones marketed toward families, now come with optional upgrades like flat screens, DVD players, head phones, and more. This allows passengers to stay entertained on a long trip, but these devices can also distract a driver if they aren’t careful.

Adjusting screen settings, loud music, tangled headphone wires, and more are reasons for parents to take their eyes off the road for one second to assist their child, even though that one second could result in an accident. Another form of driver-distraction to avoid includes fussing with the GPS, adjusting the navigation screen, text messaging, and even eating. These reasons are why long holiday road trips can be a bit more dangerous than regular day-to-day driving.

Tips for Safe Holiday Travels:

• Pre-Set All Screens and GPS

• Pull Over to an Exit to Adjust Settings, Text Message, Clean Up a Spill, Eat, Etc.

• Keep Your Eyes on the Road at All Times

• Never Pull Over on the Highway Shoulder Unless a Medical or Vehicle Emergency (Always Find the Nearest Exit and Pull Off There)

• Use Hands-Free Calling for Phone Calls

• Avoid Driving Long Distances Alone if You Can

• Always Try to Drive with At Least One Another Person

• Get a Full Night’s Rest Before Driving Long Distances

• Map Out Your Coordinates Before Starting the Car

If you or a loved one is injured in a traffic accident this Holiday season, or anytime ever, contact a licensed car accident lawyer to fight for your rights to compensation. The can assess your case and determine if you or your family has a valid claim. Injured victims of negligent motor vehicle accidents deserve to recover compensation for their damages. Damages include pain, suffering, lost wages, medical expenses, hospital bills, loss of companionship, prolonged rehabilitation, mental anguish, trauma, and much more.

Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C.

Indianapolis Personal Injury Lawyers 317-881-2700

Indianapolis Personal Injury Lawyers 317-881-2700

Call Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C. at 317-881-2700 for accurate information about filing a car accident injury claim in Indianapolis, Indiana. Attorney, Daniel Craven, has extensive trial and litigation experience in motor vehicle accident law. He is ready to discuss your recent injury and determine your eligibility for remuneration, today. We offer free initial consultations so there is no out-of-pocket cost to have your case assessed. And we never collect lawyer fees unless we recover full and fair compensation for you! Call 317-881-2700 and speak with a licensed and experienced
car accident lawyer in Indianapolis, IN.