Personal Injury Attorney in Indianapolis

We handle accident claims in Indiana and other acts of negligence throughout the Hoosier State. Talk to us today to know your rights.

Accidents in Indiana that result in injuries can have serious consequences. If you sustained a severe injury or lost a loved one in a fatal accident, the effects can be significant and even last a lifetime. We know that any act of negligence can turn your world upside down and be a life-altering experience.

We fight aggressively to recover compensation for clients who are dealing with permanent, disabling injuries, severe pain, and the related medical expenses and other losses. Don’t hesitate to contact us today at Hocker Law, LLC for a free and confidential consultation about your personal injury case.

Personal Injury FAQs

Many highly skilled lawyers work at our law firm, and our lawyers thoroughly understand Indiana's laws and want to work with you on your case. We are familiar with the tactics used by insurance companies to keep payments to a minimum or to deny claims for medical bills and other accident expenses. By thoroughly investigating the case and working with outside experts, we show the insurance companies the full impact of the injury. This often is enough to obtain a favorable settlement, but we are not afraid to file a personal injury lawsuit and take a case to trial if necessary.

What types of personal injury cases does Hocker Law, LLC handle?

We can help you with a wide range of personal injury cases. Our law firm handles injury claims including:

Car accidents caused by other drivers for a wide range of reasons, including not paying attention or driving too fast.
Truck accidents caused by commercial truck drivers involving other motorists.
Motorcycle accidents caused by other drivers, which result in serious injuries for motorcyclists.
Pedestrian accidents caused by drivers who don’t share the road and hit people crossing the street or walking alongside the road.
Dog bites or animal attacks involving dangerous dogs.
Slip and fall/premises liability accidents involving dangerous conditions on other people’s property.
Medical malpractice cases involving injuries or fatalities caused by negligent or reckless medical professionals.
Work accidents involving injuries sustained on the job.

Personal injury law covers many other types of accidents. The following are some of the cases we are prepared to handle. If you don't see your accident on this page, call us and tell us what happened. We may be able to help you:

Sports accidents
Boating Accidents
School accidents
Playground accidents
Airplane accidents
Train crashes
Defective product injuries

Common accident injuries

Severe injuries often occur due to accidents caused by other people’s reckless or negligent behavior. Such injuries include:

Back injuries - From back sprains to herniated discs and broken backs, a severe injury to the back or spine is often sustained in an accident. Paralysis and other serious medical conditions are common in such cases.
Brain injuries -Injuries to the brain are among the most catastrophic of all injuries. Tragically, some people who strike their heads during an accident may not realize how seriously they are hurt. The symptoms of a traumatic brain injury may begin as a headache or severe pain but can quickly get worse and result in death if not treated immediately. Severe injuries to the brain can cover a wide range, including brain swelling, internal bleeding (hemorrhage), a blood clot (hematomas), or bruised brain tissue (contusion).
Broken bones - Bone fractures involving the arms, legs, and bones in other parts of the body often occur during serious accidents. Have a doctor examine you right away to determine if you have a broken bone. You may need an X-ray or other medical tests.
Burn injuries - First-degree, second-degree, and third-degree burn injuries often are sustained during workplace accidents, such as an industrial explosion, but as with many injuries, they can be sustained in many types of accidents.
Concussion - This type of head injury is the result of a blow to the head. The impact is often temporary but can be permanent, especially if an individual sustains several concussions in a short period.
Head injuries - Head injures cover a wide range, from mild concussions to permanent brain damage. Often, it's hard to predict the severity of a head injury without medical treatment. It's important to seek immediate medical attention if you suspect a head injury. A doctor might take an X-ray, CT scan, or MRI to diagnose the severity of your head injury.
Neck injuries - Like head injuries, a severe injury to the neck can cover a broad range. From mild neck sprains to a broken neck that results in paralysis or even death, neck injuries need to be taken seriously right from the start.
Spinal cord injuries - The location on the spine of the injury and the severity of the injury can make a dramatic difference from one injury to another. In severe instances, a spinal cord injury can result in paralysis from the location of the injury and below.
Traumatic brain injuries - Among the most severe type of head injuries, traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) can result in brain damage and permanently affect a person's ability to think and function normally.
Whiplash - A type of neck injury often caused by the violent, rapid movement of the neck forward and back. Whiplash injuries might be dismissed by insurance companies as minor, but anyone who has sustained a whiplash injury knows how debilitating and painful it can be.

Make sure you take your injury seriously right from the start. If something doesn’t feel right, have a doctor examine you right away and diagnose what’s wrong. If you’re in severe pain and the doctor says there’s nothing wrong, get a second opinion. Your health and well-being should always come first.

How much is my injury claim worth?

If you sustain an injury in an accident caused by someone else, the value of your claim should add up to the total financial impact of your accident. What many people might not realize is accident expenses go beyond emergency medical care and replacement income while you’re recovering after your accident. You deserve to be paid for all your injury-related expenses, including any anticipated years later.

An experienced lawyer knows how to accurately estimate how much money your injury claim could potentially be worth. Don’t take the at-fault party’s insurance company’s word on how much you should receive. They often don’t take into account long-term expenses associated with serious accidents. Experienced attorneys do and can demand the maximum financial compensation you deserve.

What can I be compensated for after my accident?

You deserve to be paid for all your injury-related expenses, now and in the future. Such expenses can cover a wide range, including:

All your medical bills, including emergency medical care, surgery, physical therapy, and long-term medical care for severe pain and other chronic medical conditions.
Compensation for vehicle repair or replacement costs.
Money for damage to physical property sustained in the accident.
Home modifications due to a permanent disability sustained in the accident.
Replacement income if you cannot work while you’re recovering from your accident.
Lost future income if you cannot return to work due to your injury.

You should not have to pay for someone else’s reckless or negligent behavior. If someone else caused your accident, you deserve to be paid for all your injury-related expenses. It’s that simple.

What to do if you’re injured in Indianapolis

Make sure the scene is safe, then report the accident appropriately. If you are involved in a car accident or another type of incident that calls for law enforcement attention, call 911 and remain at the scene until the police arrive. If you are hurt on someone’s property, report the accident to the owner or someone in charge of the premises. If you are hurt at work, tell your supervisor or manager, not just a coworker.

Start gathering evidence right away. If it is safe to do so, take pictures of the scene and any visible injuries. If there was an object involved in your accident, save it. Get names and contact information for any witnesses. If the police investigate, make sure you get the investigating officer’s name and badge number. Take note of any security cameras or other recording devices in the vicinity; you need to get that evidence before it’s lost or overwritten.

You need to see a doctor right away, even if you feel fine. Right after an accident, your adrenaline is high, your “fight or flight” response is engaged, and you may not feel pain or other symptoms. Getting medical attention immediately is the best option for your health. It also creates a record of your injuries that you can later use to verify your claim. Be sure to save copies of all medical documents, including prescriptions, discharge instructions, visit summaries, and even mileage to and from your medical appointments.

Finally, you need to contact us as soon as possible, before you talk to the insurance company. They’re not on your side, and any information they get from you will be twisted to their purposes. We can advocate for your legal rights and interests throughout the process.

The role of the insurance company in a personal injury claim

When you’re injured in an accident caused by negligence, the liability insurance company for the at-fault party is responsible for paying your damages. Depending on the type of accident, you may be dealing with someone’s car insurance, homeowner’s insurance, business liability insurance, malpractice insurance, or something similar. Regardless, the insurance companies make their money by collecting premiums and paying out as little as possible in claims. Their representatives have one job: to reduce, delay, or deny your claim. They may make unreasonable requests for paperwork or issue denials for mysterious reasons. They may try to pressure you into accepting a “lowball” settlement offer, saying it’s the best they can do, or even manipulate you into thinking the injury was your fault.

There are two things you need to remember when dealing with an insurance company. First, anything you say to them can and will be used against you. Your statements can be misconstrued or taken out of context to blame you for your injuries or downplay the extent of those injuries. Second, once you accept the insurance company’s money, that’s it. Your claim is closed and you can’t go back for more if the cost of your injury turns out to be higher than you thought.

The insurance companies will say they’re on your side. They may even heavily imply that you don’t need a lawyer – but they will absolutely call their lawyer as soon as they’re done talking to you. They have legal representation to protect their interests, and you should do the same.

Why do I need an Indianapolis personal injury lawyer to handle my case?

When you have an experienced attorney working for you, you can dictate the terms of your case. Instead of being at the mercy of insurance companies focused on paying you as little as possible, you can demand the compensation you rightfully deserve. If you are represented by Hocker Law, LLC, we will immediately contact the insurance company and inform them that you are represented by counsel. From that point forward, they will send all communications to us so that we can protect your rights while you focus on healing.

We will zealously investigate your accident. This starts with learning directly from you about the details of your accident. We pore over accident reports, interview witnesses, and gather physical evidence from the scene. We often work with experts in accident reconstruction who can examine the scene and help determine if someone was engaged in some form of negligence. We also put in the effort to calculate the full amount of compensation you need for your injuries. We often work with medical experts who can advocate on your behalf and support your injury claim.

Then, we can offer you intelligent advice about the best way to address your legal situation. We will advocate for your interests in settlement negotiations with the insurance company and, if necessary, at trial. Our goal isn’t just to get you money; it’s to help you rebuild your life. You were injured, and under Indiana law, you deserve to be made whole again. We will be your staunch advocate throughout the process and make sure you are always prepared for what’s coming next.

How much does it cost to hire a personal injury lawyer?

The aftermath of an injury is often a financially challenging time, especially if you can’t work due to your injuries. That’s why we handle personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis, which means you only pay us if we win your case. Our firm advances the costs of litigation and invests our own time and resources into the case. If we win, our fee is a percentage of the money we recover for you, so you don’t pay us anything out of pocket. If we don’t win, you don’t pay us a cent.

Working on a contingency fee means we can protect your constitutional right to a jury trial regardless of your ability to pay. The injury wasn’t your fault. Your ability to access justice shouldn’t depend on your finances.

How much time do I have to take legal action?

In Indiana, in most cases, you only have two years from the date of your accident to file a lawsuit. This deadline is known as the statute of limitations. Keep in mind that the deadline may vary depending on the type of case. If you miss the applicable deadline, you could miss out on your only opportunity to get the money you deserve for medical bills and other, injury-related expenses.

It's also important to realize how long it often takes to build a successful case. You should not wait until the last minute to take legal action. The sooner you hire a lawyer to handle your case, the better. That’s because the evidence you need to build a strong case can disappear over time. Witnesses forget what happened. Evidence disappears or gets destroyed.

Indianapolis personal injury lawyers can help you rebuild your life

Make the most of your opportunity for justice. Hire a lawyer to represent you and thoroughly investigate what happened. Your attorney knows what’s at stake and can serve as your voice for justice every step of the way.

Make sure you make the most of your case. Contact Indianapolis law firm Hocker Law, LLC and discover how we can help you. Call (317) 578-1630 and schedule a free consultation. Turn to us for your legal needs. We want to be your lawyer for life.