After being injured in a car accident caused by a teen driver, you may be interested in learning about your financial recovery options. At Sevenish Law Firm, P.C., we extend legal aid to claimants who have suffered injuries in accidents because of teen drivers and other negligent parties. An Indianapolis teen driving car accident lawyer from our firm can:
- Review the relevant insurance policies for coverage options
- Itemize the cost of your incurred damages
- Speak with your doctors regarding your condition
- Establish the four elements of negligence
- Negotiate with the liable insurance company for a favorable monetary settlement
- Handle the communications and paperwork involved with your case
- File a lawsuit if we can’t settle your teen driving car accident case outside of court
We also work on contingency, meaning you do not need to pay us anything up front to build your personal injury case. We do not ask for our attorney’s fees unless your teen driving case is successful. To learn more about how our personal injury team can help your case, contact us to get started.
Possible Causes of Your Indianapolis Teen Driving Accident
To recover compensation, your legal team must determine how and why your accident happened. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that the leading cause of all motor vehicle collisions is driver error. When evaluating the circumstances of your accident, your car injury lawyer may find that the other driver in your case did not uphold their duty of care. Every motorist assumes this duty when they operate a vehicle on the road.
There are many reasons why a teen driver may have caused your collision. Some contributing factors may include:
- Texting and driving. When a motorist does not have their full attention on the road, they put everyone around them in danger. Your lawyer can subpoena the teen driver’s phone records to determine if they were texting at the time of the crash.
- Drunk driving. In the State of Indiana, drunk driving is a crime, according to the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute (CJI). If the teen driver who caused your accident was operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol—even if they received criminal charges—you can initiate a personal injury claim or lawsuit.
- Speeding. Every driver on Indiana’s streets has a legal obligation to follow the posted speed limit. Your lawyer can read the police report to determine if speeding contributed to your car accident.
- Driver inexperience. Many teens cannot employ defensive driving strategies simply because they do not have enough driving experience. However, this does not shield them from fault and liability if they cause an accident. Your lawyer can review the negligent motorist’s driving records to determine how long they had been driving and if they have any previous traffic citations.
You may not see the cause of your collision listed here, but your lawyer can gather various pieces of evidence to determine why your accident occurred. From there, they can start the process of assigning fault and liability for your damages.
For a free legal consultation with a teen driving accidents lawyer serving Indianapolis, call 317-636-7777
Your Injuries Will Factor Into the Value of Your Indianapolis Personal Injury Case
You may be dealing with expensive medical bills or impairments to your quality of life. Many of the damages you are experiencing––both economic and non-economic––are recoverable via a personal injury claim or lawsuit. Some injuries you may be dealing with include:
- Broken or fractured bones
- Internal bleeding
- Organ damage
- Cuts, abrasions, and lacerations
- Spinal cord trauma
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- The loss of a limb or bodily function
- Paralysis
- Disfigurement
An Indianapolis teen driving accident lawyer can meet with your health care team to discuss your diagnosis and prognosis. The nature and severity of your car accident injuries will affect the value of your personal injury case.
At Sevenish Law Firm, P.C., we are committed to protecting your legal rights following a car accident involving a teen driver. To learn more about how our team can support your legal interests, reach out to us.
Indianapolis Teen Driving Accident Lawyer Near Me 317-636-7777
Recoverable Damages After a Collision With a Teen Driver in Indianapolis
While your main focus may be recouping the cost of your medical bills, you may also be eligible to recover other types of damages. Our Indianapolis teen car crash lawyer can review the evidence associated with your case to estimate the value of all your economic damages. They can also work to calculate the cost of your non-economic damages.
Some recoverable damages in an Indianapolis teen driving accident case may include:
- Medical bills, including the cost of emergency transportation and follow-up care. The reasonable cost of medical treatment for your wounds is usually recoverable. This can include the trauma center, doctors, hospital, surgery, X-rays, physical therapy, and prescription drugs.
- Lost income, tips, bonuses, benefits, and employment opportunities that you missed out on because of your injuries, healthcare services like surgery, and recuperation time.
- Reduced earning capacity if your wounds keep you from being able to make as much money as before the collision.
- The cost of replacing or repairing your vehicle.
- Pain and suffering, which encompasses the discomfort, inconvenience, and emotional distress of the accident and your injuries.
- Disability or limitations the accident causes.
Wrongful Death Damages
If you lost a loved one in a collision that a teen driver caused, you may be able to recover the cost of their medical bills, household support, and lost income on their behalf. You can learn more about the damages our Indianapolis wrongful death lawyer can help you pursue when you contact Sevenish Law Firm, P.C., today.
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Determining Liability in a Car Accident Involving a Teen Driver
When our team reviews your case, we will look for the four elements of negligence:
- Duty of care. The opposing party had a legal duty to drive safely and keep others out of harm’s way.
- Breach of duty of care. The opposing party’s actions or inactions violated this duty.
- Causation. The defendant’s breach directly caused the accident that harmed you.
- Damages. You are entitled to receive payment for the injuries and losses you suffered from the accident.
Can Parents Be Held Liable in an Indianapolis Teen Driving Car Accident?
Yes, parents can be held accountable for any injuries or damage their minor child causes while operating a motor vehicle in Indiana, per IC § 9-24-9-4. A minor is a child under age 18 in Indiana.
Parents who sign their minor child’s driver’s license can be responsible for damages. Also, for a parent to be held responsible for the accident, the minor child must be in the parent or guardian’s custody and living with them.
Parents can be held liable for up to $5,000 in actual damages, per the law (IC § 34-31-4-1). These damages are ones that plaintiffs can document with a bill, invoice, receipt, or other written paperwork. Our teen car accident lawyer will advise you on if you can hold the liable party’s parents responsible for the financial damages you suffered.
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Testimonials From Our Personal Injury Clients
Here are some Google review quotes from people we have helped:
- “I would highly recommend Sevenish Law to anyone in need of Legal Services. You can appreciate Sevenish and their loyalty, honesty, and integrity.” Cherell O.
- “They were patient, kind and persevered with a lot of hard work, until my case was settled and is now behind me.” Debra R.
Come find out for yourself how hard we work for our clients.
Our Indianapolis Teen Driving Accident Lawyer Can Help You File a Lawsuit
Most personal injury cases are settled before they go to trial. However, if negotiations with the insurance company prove unsuccessful, you may need to go to court to get the money you need. Per IC § 34-11-2-4, you typically have two years from the date of the crash to file a lawsuit in Indiana. If your case goes to court, then our Indianapolis teen driving lawyer can:
- Communicate with the defendant and their legal counsel
- Present evidence of negligence in court
- File your case within the state’s statutory deadline
- Look for contradictions in any witness testimony
- Negotiate for a pre-trial settlement
- Guide your case to completion
How Contingency Fees Work in Teen Driver Injury Cases in Indianapolis
We do not charge any upfront legal fees to handle injury claims arising from collisions with teen drivers. Like other injury cases, we accept these claims on a contingency fee basis. With this arrangement, our attorney’s fees come out of the settlement or court verdict.
Risks of Handling Your Injury Claim Without a Lawyer
The claims adjuster might say you do not need to work with an attorney on your claim. This is, of course, disingenuous since insurance companies have hundreds of lawyers on their payroll representing them.
Here are some of the many reasons why you might want to consider teaming up with an injury lawyer when seeking compensation for your losses from a crash that involved a careless teen driver:
Indiana’s Strict Filing Deadline for Injury Cases
Negotiating with the claims adjuster does not stop the state’s statute of limitations from running. You might think the insurance company is negotiating with you in good faith, and they might be, but they might also be hoping to run the clock out on your time to file your case. People who try to handle their claims without a lawyer often do not know about the statute of limitations.
When the filing deadline passes, the claims adjuster will stop returning your phone calls. One day the adjuster is friendly and charming, and then the next day, they “ghost.” You see, after the filing deadline expires, neither the insurance company nor the careless driver owes you any money. Their legal obligation has evaporated, along with your right to receive compensation for your injuries.
Lowball Settlement Offers
You probably do not know how much your injury claim is worth in dollars. You know that you missed work, and you have a stack of medical bills, but that is not the full measure of your damages.
The insurance company can access information about thousands of cases. This information helps the insurer determine the monetary value of your claim. Luckily, personal injury attorneys can get this information, also. When you work with a lawyer on your accident claim, you do not have to take an uninformed guess as to how much a fair settlement would be.
Learn More About Your Options in a Free Case Review After an Indianapolis Teen Driving Car Accident
You may be thinking about representing yourself after your accident with a negligent teen driver. However, handling a personal injury case is not an easy undertaking. Without legal representation, you will be solely responsible for all aspects of your case, on top of recovering from your injuries.
You can partner with an Indianapolis teen driving accident lawyer at our firm at no cost to you. At Sevenish Law Firm, P.C., we can handle your legal burdens while you focus on moving forward.
To learn more about what we can do for you if you were hurt in a crash with a negligent teen driver in Indianapolis, reach out to us today.
Call or text 317-636-7777 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
