Lafayette, Indiana is surrounded by appealing open roads for exhilarating, long drives. Sandwiched between Chicago and Indianapolis, Lafayette has a year-round population of 70,185 residents. 41,573 enrolled college students at Purdue University in West Lafayette swell Lafayette’s sister city’s population, and both areas bustle with out-of-state visitors. The Indiana Chamber of Commerce even recognized Lafayette as the 2021 Indiana Community of the Year. Lafayette is a thriving small city and a great place to live and study.
Nonetheless, with so much traffic and road construction, Lafayette car accidents occur. So what should you do if you find yourself a victim of a car accident in Lafayette?
You may find yourself dealing with severe injury and property loss as a result of your Lafayette car accident. As you begin the healing process, dealing with insurance companies may feel like the last burden you want to carry. And, if you’re entitled to a settlement as a result of your accident, you may wonder what steps to take to seek compensation. No one should have to cut through the red tape of insurance companies or navigate the legal process alone.
This step-by-step guide provides statistics on Lafayette car accidents, will show you how to move forward in the aftermath of your accident, and teach you how to find an expert, caring Lafayette car accident lawyer to fight for you in any legal case you choose to pursue.
Understanding Lafayette car accident statistics
Lafayette stands as the largest city in Tippecanoe County, Indiana, and the county has many long rural country roads. In 2019, Lafayette car accidents accounted for a significant amount of crashes in Indiana. The Indiana University Public Policy Institute (IUPPI) Crash Fact Report states:
- 3, 585 car accidents occurred in Lafayette, accounting for almost 50% of accidents in Tippecanoe County
- There were 7,022 car accidents in Tippecanoe County in 2018
- 16.3% of Lafayette car accidents were speed-related
- In Tippecanoe County, 1,026 accidents were speed-related
- In 2019, Tippecanoe County averaged the second-highest number of car crashes in Indiana
According to the National Safety Council, in 2020 speeding accounted for 29% of all U.S. car accidents. While you can control your own speed, you can’t control the speed of the vehicles on the road with you. Speeding drivers may crash into your vehicle, and leave you to deal with the aftermath.
What steps to take after your Lafayette car accident
Regardless of the severity of your accident, there are vital steps to follow if you decide to pursue compensation. Immediately after your accident, you should:
- Safely pull over to the shoulder of the road (if your vehicle is still operable)
- Exchange valid insurance information with any other drivers involved
- Call 911 and wait for law enforcement to file a police report
- Take photos and video to document the accident and gather evidence that may be needed as you seek recourse
- Never admit fault or apologize at the scene of your accident
- Seek medical attention. Even if your injuries appear minor, it’s important to have a doctor document them. Injuries that seem mild can become worse without treatment.
- Consult a Lafayette car accident lawyer to explore your legal options
Try keeping a checklist of these steps in your car. After the shock and trauma of your accident, following the right protocol may not be on your mind. Keeping a written list could help.
Common car accident injuries
You may be entitled to compensation as a result of your Lafayette car accident. Some injuries that may result from car accidents include:
- Sprains, fractures, or muscle tears
- Cranial (skull) fractures
- Spinal cord injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Internal bleeding
- Paralysis
- Loss of limb
Compensatory damages you may be entitled to pursue
After your Lafayette car accident, you may find that insurance companies are reluctant to offer you a settlement. You shouldn’t have to battle insurance hurdles on your own. The right Lafayette car accident lawyer could help you receive the compensation you deserve. Compensation after an accident could include:
- Lost wages/Loss of potential income: Missed work time due to injury. Future missed work time due to recovery or rehab. You can also recover lost benefits, tips, and bonuses.
- Pain and suffering: Damages for the physical and emotional pain and mental anguish an accident has caused you.
- Lost earning potential: Injuries that caused loss of employment or a forced change of profession due to your accident.
- Medical expenses: Past and ongoing medical expenses, including emergency care, surgeries, rehabilitation services, prescriptions, and more as a result of your accident.
- Permanent disability: Any injury that caused you permanent inability to work, or hindered your ability to fully and independently function.
- Loss of consortium: A diminished quality of life with your partner or spouse.
- Loss of enjoyment: Inability to participate or enjoy the activities and hobbies you enjoyed before your accident.
What A Lafayette Car Accident Lawyer Can Do For You
After your Lafayette car accident, the last thing you need is to burden yourself with a mountain of confusing insurance-speak paperwork. You need to be able to focus on your healing and your path forward. Our team of expert car accident lawyers can help in the following ways:
- We will offer you a free consultation and we’ll explore the merits of your case.
- If you choose to retain a Lafayette car accident attorney from Yosha, Cook & Tisch, we will fight for you every step of the way on your legal journey
- We only get paid if you win your case–no matter what occurs
- We’ll deal with the insurance companies and negotiate a settlement on your compensatory claims
- We’ll fortify the foundation of your case by utilizing forensic experts and investigators to collect and examine evidence
- We will fight for you if no settlement can be reached out of court
- If your case goes to trial, we’ll call eyewitnesses and legal and medical experts to the stand
- Act as your advocate in any meetings with insurance companies or legal proceedings
With over sixty years of experience in personal injury law, we stand firmly in the corner of victims. Our Lafayette car accident attorneys fight for our clients, and our firm’s co-founder, Louis “Buddy” Yosha, has won more jury verdicts (nearly 100) than any other attorney in Indiana state history. Some of our clients have won verdicts with large settlements, including:
- $5 million was awarded to a passenger who tragically suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI) as a result of a car accident.
- $3.2 million for a child passenger who suffered a mild TBI as a result of a car accident.
Call Us for Your Free Consultation and Case Review
You may not have the ability to deal with legal matters as you heal from the trauma of your Lafayette car accident, but you can move forward by seeking justice in the aftermath of your crash. Let us deal with the headache of paperwork and fight for you.
Our wealth of experience and legal expertise allows us to battle for you against insensitive, corporate insurance companies who will do whatever they can to minimize their payout to you. Our team is dedicated to helping bring justice and compensation to every individual after a car accident. Call our firm today at (317) 334-9200 for a free consultation.
