Fatigued and drowsy drivers may cause car accidents by falling asleep behind the wheel, making simple mistakes, or having a slow reaction time. If you were a victim of an accident caused by a fatigued driver in Indianapolis, Indiana, you may be able to take action to recover a payout based on negligence and liability. An Indianapolis driver fatigue car accident lawyer at Sevenish Law Firm, P.C., led by personal injury attorney Randall Sevenish, may be able to help.
To learn more about your right to potentially hold the liable party responsible and pursue the compensation you may be entitled to following an Indianapolis car accident, contact us for a free case review with a member of the Sevenish Law Firm, P.C., team.
Fatigued Driving Can Cause Accidents Even if the Driver Does Not Fall Asleep
Fatigue and drowsiness may play a causative role in Indianapolis, Indiana accidents. Our Indianapolis car accident lawyer can provide legal guidance if you were hurt in this kind of crash.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), fatigue affects driving in several ways:
- Fatigue disrupts focus and makes it difficult to keep attention on driving.
- Fatigue slows reaction time, especially if there is an unexpected hazard.
- Fatigue affects one’s decision-making ability.
The worse the fatigue is, the more affected a driver’s abilities may become. If they fall asleep behind the wheel, this may cause additional concerns.
According to the National Safety Council (NSC), a fatigued driver is up to three times more likely to be in an accident than a driver who is well-rested. Despite hours-of-service laws that limit how long they can work, professional drivers may also cause driver fatigue car accidents. These types of drivers include:
- Commercial vehicle drivers
- Uber and Lyft rideshare drivers
- Truck drivers
- Taxicab drivers
If you sustained injuries in an Indianapolis driver fatigue car accident, contact Sevenish Law Firm, P.C. Our team offers free initial consultations.
For a free legal consultation with a driver fatigue car accidents lawyer serving Indianapolis, call 317-636-7777
Three Things To Do After an Indianapolis Driver Fatigue Crash
There are many things you might wish to do to take care of your health and protect your financial interests after getting injured in an accident with a drowsy driver. Here are a few of those things:
- Make notes of important details. You might be surprised at how quickly things can fade from your memory, particularly when dealing with medical issues and legal matters. Claims can take many months to resolve, by which time you might need something to jog your recollection.
- Hire a personal injury lawyer to take the legal matters off your plate. The insurance company has dozens of lawyers. When you work with an attorney on your claim, you help even the playing field.
- Take care of yourself. You have been through a traumatic experience. Take the time that you need to heal both physically and emotionally.
These suggestions are a small sample of the steps you might wish to take for the benefit of your physical and psychological well-being.
Indianapolis Driver Fatigue Car Accident Lawyer Near Me 317-636-7777
Sevenish Law Firm, P.C., Handles Personal Injury Cases, Including Indianapolis Driver Fatigue Accidents
At Sevenish Law Firm, P.C., our team may be able to assist the victims of Indianapolis car accidents and gather evidence to support their claims and prove their damages. We can navigate the claims process on each victim’s behalf, using specific facts from their case to fight for the compensation they may be entitled to. Since 1985, attorney Randall Sevenish has handled only personal injury cases.
If you hire our Indianapolis driver fatigue lawyer to represent you in your car accident case, our team can:
- Fight to protect your right to pursue fair compensation.
- Investigate your accident case to prove negligence and liability.
- Handle all communication with the insurance company and other parties.
- Document your injuries, expenses, and losses.
- Handle your case based on contingency, with no upfront costs for your family.
Pro se representation, in other words handling your insurance claim on your own, or relying on a discount law firm to navigate the Indianapolis auto liability claims process may be a bad idea. You may walk away having suffered additional losses while still having medical bills or other expenses to pay.
The team at Sevenish Law Firm, P.C., may be able to help with this process. We are well-experienced in personal injury cases.
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Check Out Our Client Testimonials
Many of our clients have taken the time to post glowing reviews about how we helped them. For example:
- “If you want a man of integrity Mr. Sevenish is your man.” – Bob H.
- “Randy and the staff were very professional and kept me well informed of my case. With Randy’s help I was able to receive a fair settlement.” – Cecil D.
You can get started today with a free initial consultation.
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Laws That Could Apply to Your Indianapolis Case
The Indianapolis car accident team from Sevenish Law Firm, P.C., understands all aspects of the Indiana Codes as they apply to personal injury accidents in and around Indianapolis. We can navigate the process of seeking damages you may be entitled to, protecting your rights, and ensuring you do not sustain additional losses. The laws governing these kinds of cases include:
- IC § 34-51-2-5, under which the value of your recoverable damages may go down if the insurance company can prove your actions contributed to your accident or injuries.
- IC § 34-11-2-4, under which you may only have two years to take legal action against the liable party or parties in your case, and missing this deadline could cause you to lose the right to file a lawsuit.
With these and other laws in mind, the team from Sevenish Law Firm, P.C., may be able to investigate your Indianapolis driver fatigue car accident case, gather evidence to prove negligence, liability, and damages, and take action to pursue a payout you may be entitled to. This payout could come as a result of a demand for a fair settlement from the insurance company or an award from a personal injury lawsuit.
Damages You Could Recover in a Driver Fatigue Car Accident Case
The recoverable damages in a car accident case may include:
Medical Costs
You can get compensated for any of the medical costs associated with your accident. This may include ambulance rides, hospital stays, doctor’s visits, medication, surgery, and more.
Lost Income
If the accident caused you to need time away from work, you can receive compensation for your lost income. You may also receive compensation for reduced earning capacity if your injuries prevent you from returning to the same job.
Property Damage
If your car or any other personal property was damaged in the accident, you can receive compensation. This would cover the cost of taking your vehicle to a repair shop.
Pain and Suffering
The injuries caused by a driver fatigue car accident may be severe. Our lawyer can assign a value to the pain and suffering you’ve experienced to help you pursue compensation.
Other Non-Economic Damages
Beyond pain and suffering, you can recover compensation for other non-economic damages. These may include mental anguish or scarring and disfigurement.
Wrongful Death Damages
You can seek wrongful death damages if your loved one passed away in a fatigued driver crash. This would help pay for their final medical bills, funeral expenses, and more.
One of the difficult parts of handling a personal injury case may be ensuring you identify your damages and have the necessary evidence to prove their value.
Victims who handle their claims on their own may overlook expenses and losses, and there may be a lot of money left on the table. Alternatively, they may have a decent understanding of their expenses but do not negotiate with the insurance company aggressively enough to recover the payout they may be entitled to.
If Sevenish Law Firm, P.C., collects proof of your documentable expenses and losses, our Indianapolis driver fatigue lawyer may be able to demand compensation from the insurance company and take the case to trial if they refuse a fair settlement agreement.
Traps to Avoid After an Indianapolis Car Crash Involving Driver Fatigue
After all that you have gone through from getting hurt in a collision with a drowsy driver, the last thing you want is to get paid less money than you deserve. Here are some of the things that could cause you to get less compensation for your injuries and losses:
- Not finishing your medical treatment. We understand how inconvenient it is to go to multiple doctor’s appointments and how uncomfortable things like physical therapy can be. However, if you do not complete all the treatments your doctor prescribed, the other side can argue that you might have healed better with those services, so they should get to pay you less in damages.
- Recorded statements. The claims adjuster might ask you to give a recorded statement, which is a series of questions they will ask you while recording your responses. They do not give you a copy of the transcript. Instead, they pull portions of the transcript out and use them against you. Sometimes, they even blame the injured person for the collision. You do not have to give a recorded statement. If this happens to you, you can direct their calls to us. We can provide the information the insurer needs.
- Settling your case too early. People who try to handle their injury claims on their own often grab the first settlement offer from the insurance company of the at-fault driver. This is almost always a mistake. The first offer is usually quite low, and it gives the claims adjuster room to negotiate. If you accept this offer, you won’t be able to sue for further damages from the insurer. This is why we advise our clients to avoid accepting an offer until we review it.
These are only a few of the pitfalls that could take money out of your pocket. Working with our Indianapolis driver fatigue car accident lawyer can help you avoid these and many other problems.
Talk to a Member of Our Indianapolis Driver Fatigue Car Accident Team Today
Our firm is dedicated to personal injury cases. It’s all we do. You can find out more about working with our Indianapolis driver fatigue lawyer from Sevenish Law Firm, P.C., during a free case review. Reach out to us for a complimentary consultation to learn how we may be able to help you.
Call or text 317-636-7777 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
