Portage, IN Car Accident Lawyer

Auto accidents can potentially alter victims’ lives instantly, entitling them to compensatory damages from negligent drivers.

Estimating lost wages is important, as victims might be unable to work for long periods after car accidents. We can achieve this by reviewing tax returns, employment records, and paystubs and relying on experts to estimate when you can return to your job. As we prepare victims’ claims, they should focus on their physical recoveries and getting the appropriate care from medical professionals. Stopping your treatments or missing appointments could jeopardize your financial recovery. To show that the negligent driver is responsible for your economic and intangible damages, our lawyers will work on preserving evidence that may indicate liability, like eyewitness statements and video footage.

Call Wruck Paupore at (219) 322-1166 to have our car accident lawyers analyze your case for free.

Estimating Your Lost Wages from a Portage, IN Car Accident

To estimate your lost income from the car accident, our lawyers may request information from your employer confirming your previous wage. We may also need to review income statements from recent years and paychecks, as this will clarify your earning capacity before the accident.

We can then assess how your injuries might prevent you from returning to work at the same earning capacity. For example, victims who have labor-intensive jobs might not be able to resume their previous roles because of broken bones or neck and back injuries. Other victims might be able to work but at a lower earning capacity. Differences in earning capacities due to injuries from a car accident are compensable, and our lawyers can consider this if you might be able to work in the future but in a different role and for lesser wages.

Our car accident lawyers can get medical experts and the physicians who have treated you thus far to give statements confirming that your injuries prevent you from working in your previous role, at least for the time being. If you sustained permanent injuries in the accident, experts may testify that you can never work at any earning capacity, which could increase your financial recovery. Lost wages are compensable because victims would not have incurred them if not for a driver’s negligence, making the at-fault driver liable.

Getting Continuous Treatment for Car Accident Injuries in Portage, IN

One of the most significant things victims can do to support their recoveries after accidents is to get immediate and continuous medical care. Gaps in victims’ treatment, even if unintentional, could raise questions about whether they need compensation from negligent drivers.

In car accident claims, it is important that victims appear committed to their physical recoveries. Suppose you get only some necessary medical treatments for your specific injuries or repeatedly miss scheduled visits with physicians. In that case, that will be reflected in your medical records and could come up during your case.

Furthermore, you do not incur medical damages if you do not get medical care. Because of that, you might not have sufficient proof of medical damages to show your losses and recover compensation for them. Suppose you ultimately get the medical care you need and seek recovery for those losses. In that case, you might be outside Indiana’s two-year statute of limitations for car accident claims or lack sufficient evidence to prove liability.

Many car accident injuries are severe, and victims might grow frustrated having to routinely go to the hospital, engage in physical therapy, or satisfy other elements of their treatment plans. While that is understandable, staying on track with your physical recovery timeline and following doctors’ advice is paramount to get any damages, whether for medical expenses or other losses.

What to Do to Show Liability for Car Accident Damages in Portage, IN

Our lawyers may use various pieces of evidence, like eyewitness statements and video footage, to show the negligent driver’s liability for the accident, your injuries, and all associated damages. Such damages include economic losses like medical bills, as well as your pain and suffering.

Interview Eyewitnesses

Eyewitness statements are some of the strongest evidence for car accident victims, as witnesses might fully corroborate the facts stated in victims’ claims. However, eyewitness statements might be most reliable immediately after a collision, making contacting them straightaway vital. To get in touch with eyewitnesses and schedule interviews, we can review the police report, as officers typically speak to witnesses at the scene and record their contact information.

Locate Video Sources

Though not always the case, nearby businesses with surveillance systems sometimes record accidents, resulting in useful video footage our lawyers can use to show another driver’s negligence. Private residences might have surveillance systems to deter theft or trespassing when there are no businesses nearby. With doorbell cameras increasing in popularity, there is a chance that your accident was filmed on such devices as well. We can exhaust all potential sources of video footage, including from eyewitnesses and law enforcement who might have filmed or photographed the accident’s fallout, and review it to assess its relevance and significance to your case.

Prove Damages

In addition to gathering evidence of negligence, like eyewitness statements and video footage, our lawyers will also oversee your losses from the accident, namely your medical bills. Keeping medical charges organized can be challenging, as victims might need various treatments in the weeks and months following an accident. We must submit proof of damages, like medical bills, during your claim, and without them, you cannot show you suffered financial losses because of the other driver’s negligence. While we will present proof of medical damages and lost wages, we can also demonstrate your need for non-economic damages with statements from mental health professionals.

Call Our Attorneys in Portage, IN to Discuss Your Accident

Call (219) 322-1166 for a free case assessment from the car accident lawyers of Wruck Paupore.