Were you in a car accident and have legal questions? Make things simple by contacting the Goodin Abernathy LLP law firm. We have a Spanish speaking team, too, who focuses on representing Hispanic clients suffering physical injuries in motor vehicle accidents. Put us on your side for recovering the maximum damages the law allows for personal injuries. We offer free, in-person legal consultations. When we take your case, our attorneys only charge for services when we win and actually collect money.
Auto accidents may include criminal acts. But when you need to recover your own damages, the process is considered a civil law claim for negligence. Sometimes our clients are concerned about making legal claims because they are undocumented immigrants. Do not let this stand in your way because Indiana allows all accident victims the right to legal access – no matter what their immigration status is. You really should not be concerned about encountering immigration problems for making a negligence claim. Our legal team will guide you through the process and protect your rights without concern for being deported or harassed due to your immigration status.
Now let’s start by reviewing basic topics our clients must deal with after an auto accident. At the scene, police often give our clients a slip of paper with the “accident number.” Although helpful, this is not the report we need. Using your information, we access an internet portal that law enforcement uses for publishing the auto accident reports. Police post their Indiana crash reports on BuyCrash.com and charge Twelve Dollars ($12.00) to download and print it. https://buycrash.lexisnexisrisk.com/ui/home The police report will supply us with the basic information needed to identify the at-fault driver. The crash report also describes the investigation results and identifies potential witnesses.
If your car was disabled and not drivable after the accident, it was probably towed to a salvage lot. We recommend addressing this immediately because each day your vehicle sits in the tow yard, they charge you around Thirty-Five Dollars ($35.00) per day. Before you can get your car out of the lot, you must pay them for the towing service and the daily rate. If you do not have auto insurance to pay for these costs, the price can quickly jump above an amount you can pay. Then, if you do not pay the removal fee, the tow yard will sell your car for salvage. You will not have a chance to fix the car, sell it or maybe even recover your personal possessions. Our legal team counsels our clients with tips for negotiating with the salvage yards to pay less and collect your vehicle. Contact us with questions before paying full price at the salvage yard.
Many people are physically injured in car accidents. Maybe you visited the emergency room for medical treatment and have questions about the bills. Or, after the accident your injuries worsened and now you want to visit your family doctor or a specialist. Attorneys are not medical doctors but we can describe how clients typically search for physical relief from pain. Often we find our clients are confused about where to go for medical treatment. The obvious response is 1) if the pain is excruciating, visit the emergency room and 2) if the pain is tolerable, consider contacting your regular primary care doctor. Of course, there are more medical treatment options that we can discuss for choosing the best path for your recovery.
We know the medical treatment is not free and you want to know who pays the costs. GA’s legal team will explain how the law applies to this important question and show you how we step in to work with the medical billing departments. For instance, you want to know if the at fault driver’s insurance company will pay each bill. When will they pay the medical bills? Under Indiana’s negligence law, the process typically does not require a responsible driver or their insurance to pay for medical costs as you treat. Instead, they pay when you are finished with medical treatment. Even if it is an option, rarely is it a good idea to settle parts of a claim as it goes along. It is typical to settle the whole case once you finish medical treatment and know what all your damages are. Unfortunately, we know the bill collectors do not want to wait and they put pressure on you and your family. Call Goodin Abernathy, and we will step in to handle the bills and relieve you from the immediate financial pressure.
Another option for handling medical bills can include using your own auto or health insurance. If you have the right auto insurance coverage, you may be able to use your own policy to help pay bills. This coverage is typically called Medical Payments or “Medpay”. GA’s Indy legal team will review your own insurance to identify if you have this option. You may also use your own health insurance to cover medical bills for treating your injuries. We will explain how the health insurance company then has a legal and financial interest in collecting their payments from the responsible driver. If you do not have health insurance, Legalmente Hablando Indy is familiar with various hospitals and medical doctors that use payment systems you can take advantage of for continued medical treatment. For instance, Eskenazi Hospital in Indianapolis offers applications for the popular “Advantage Plan.” Patients work with financial counselors to qualify for assistance under the plan. https://www.eskenazihealth.edu/programs/financial-counseling
When you miss time at work due to an injury, you likely lose income and we understand this is very stressful. Goodin Abernathy’s legal team will explain how Indiana law applies to this part of your damages. The law for accident victims allows them to claim lost income for damages in their case against the responsible driver. We describe how this is calculated and inform you about what to expect for a lost wages claim.
Another initial concern includes how to deal with the insurance companies. Understandably, our clients visit us because they are concerned about how the negligent driver’s insurance company is treating them. Clients want to know the law and make sure they are being treated fairly. This is where an attorney at Goodin Abernathy helps. Remember, insurance representatives are trained and experienced with handling claims to save their companies money. Insurance companies are in business to make money – not pay it out. This is why you need professional legal help. Our experienced team will represent you and fight for your legal rights. Choose to have an attorney on your side (and if necessary, that speaks Spanish), cares about your recovery and is experienced with challenging insurance companies to win the best recovery for your case.
Our attorneys handle personal injuries on a contingency fee basis. You only pay for legal fees when we win and collect money. There are no up-front fees that you pay to open a case with our law firm. Legalmente Hablando Indy enjoys supporting Indiana’s Hispanic community with quality legal services. Our contingency fee rates are typically less than big advertising law firms. Instead of trying to pay the cost of marketing, we save our clients money and provide excellent legal services. Our initial consultations are free. We will sit with you, review your photos, accident reports and medical treatment. If you are in the hospital or unable to travel, we can visit your location or set up a video conference. Contact Goodin Abernathy’s legal team to schedule an appointment today!
Why You Need to be Represented by the Attorneys of Goodin Abernathy LLP for Farming Accidents in Indiana
The Goodin Abernathy LLP trial attorneys are experienced with helping farm and field workers who suffer serious injuries in farming accidents. As Indiana’s harvest season begins, now is the time to use extra caution working in the fields and driving through the countryside.
The Hoosier State is ranked 10th nationally in total agricultural production and ranked in the top five states for crop production like corn and soybeans. It’s also ranked fifth in the nation for swine production and third for poultry. (https://farmflavor.com/indiana-agriculture/) With this high volume of production, numerous workers and large farm machinery are active daily in the fields of Indiana’s farms. Because of this heavy equipment, agriculture is a hazardous industry. Farmers are at a high risk for fatal and serious farm accident injuries. (https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/aginjury/) These injuries are gruesome and can have long lasting effects. Over the years, Goodin Abernathy LLP’s personal injury attorneys have represented farm hands throughout Indiana, helping them understand the legal system and fighting to make sure they collect the legal benefits or damages they deserve following serious accidents.
Our initial consultations are free. More importantly, since each client’s farming accident experience is unique; Goodin Abernathy LLP does not charge a set contingency fee. Our fees depend on the level of legal work your claim requires. When meeting with us for the first time, no one will pressure you to sign a fee agreement or make any decisions right away. We prefer in-person initial consultations. If time and distance are a barrier for out of state clients, we handle video conferencing and telephone conferences at convenient times, all days of the week.
Goodin Abernathy LLP attorneys handle farming accident cases for injured clients and their families from all across the country. If the accident happened in Indiana, Goodin Abernathy LLP attorneys know the law. We handle state and federal lawsuits and are proficient at holding those responsible accountable for their negligence.
Since fall is when the harvest takes place, more accidents occur during this time of year. Most farm operations own and run their own semi trucks for hauling grain. Thus, more big trucks are driving throughout the countryside on state and country roads increasing possibilities that trucking accidents can occur. Grain trucks, filled full of heavy grain, are harder to stop. They can also enter the road at unmarked points during the day or night. Many do not have the proper, legally mandated, reflectors and lights. Some of these farm vehicles are even left on the side of the road without the proper materials to make them visible to other traffic on the road. Big farm machinery can also hit or run over workers in the field—especially those attempting to load produce.
Machinery accidents only allot for a portion of farming accidents. Here are some of the other accidents the attorneys of Goodin Abernathy LLP have handled:
a dairy farm hand who slipped in cold, frozen mud and fell into a manure pit where he died from toxic fume exposure;
a young teen who was working as a temporary farm hand and put his hand in an auger to dislodge material when the machine started running again and mangled his hand;
silo accidents where young or untrained farm hands get sucked into huge amounts of grain.
Goodin Abernathy LLP attorneys also realize that many of Indiana’s agricultural workers come from out of state or even out of the country. In fact, 73% of America’s farming labor force is comprised of migrant workers.
If you are injured in Indiana, Goodin Abernathy LLP is the firm to represent you. When Goodin Abernathy LLP attorneys take a farming accident case, we grab it hands-on and work to collect the details that accurately describe how and why the accident happened. Our experience handling medical testimony, using top quality experts and showing a jury the anatomy of an injury is just as important as our experience investigating accidents. We have the skills necessary to represent you, and the attorneys of Goodin Abernathy LLP CARE ABOUT OUR CLIENTS.
Goodin Abernathy LLP also offers all of these services, in Spanish, to the Indiana Latino community. Marca aquí por un versíon en Español – Legalmente Hablando Indy.
Indiana law allows farms to cover cases under Indiana Worker’s Compensation law or face a potential negligence claim. Worker’s compensation should provide you with medical, rehabilitation and income benefits if you are injured on the job. These benefits are provided to help injured workers return to work. It also provides benefits to the worker’s dependents if they die as the result of a job-related injury. The attorneys are Goodin Abernathy LLC understand the legal intricacies of farming accidents claims. We care about you and your families and are ready to help you fight for the maximum amount of compensation allowable by law.
Let Goodin Abernathy LLP guide you through your legal claim. We walk beside you through the entire process handling your case with the care and attention you deserve. We want to get to know you, discuss the legal process, provide you the opportunity to ask questions and explain our fee structure. Reach out to Goodin Abernathy LLP and let us show you how we set ourselves apart from other attorneys. Experience the care, wisdom, and experience Goodin Abernathy LLP has to offer by calling 317.843.2606 today for your free consultation.
Why Experience Matters & Why You Should Hire Goodin Abernathy LLP Attorneys For Your Trucking Accident Case
The Goodin Abernathy LLP trial attorneys are sharp at prosecuting Indiana negligence claims involving semi-trucks and serious injuries. Many of our clients, who live out of state, suffer accidents in Indiana and need reliable legal representation. If you want personal attention by an Indiana attorney that excels in the courtroom, then contact Goodin Abernathy LLP because we are real attorneys who CARE ABOUT OUR CLIENTS.
Our initial consultations are free. More importantly, since each client’s truck accident experience is unique, Goodin Abernathy LLP does not charge a set contingency fee. Our fees depend on the level of legal work your claim requires. When meeting with us for the first time, no one will pressure you to sign a fee agreement or make any decisions right away. We prefer in person initial consultations. If time and distance are a barrier for out of state clients, we handle video conferencing and telephone conferences at convenient times, all days of the week.
Before you read any more, consider this: If you are attracted to a big box law firm, with a flashy commercial campaign and marketing gimmick, where the named attorney does not even handle your case or go to court, then we are not your firm. Goodin Abernathy LLP attorneys stick to a traditional “attorney and client relationship” – where you have direct access to the attorney, paralegal and staff who actually represents you. If this is the legal care and trust you want, then keep reading.
Indiana is known as the Crossroads of America and handles a huge volume of interstate traffic. Over the road semi-trucks pass through our state every minute – working to stock our shelves with food and keep the economy running. But sometimes those truckers make mistakes. From the congested Terre Haute section of I-70 over to the hills and bridges of I-74 near Cincinnati; along the I-65 pressure exchanges near Louisville, driving through the stop and go traffic of Indianapolis and up to the incredible volume and speeds of I-90, I-64 and I-65 corridor through the Indiana Region, Goodin Abernathy LLP takes the time to investigate cases as if they occurred in our own parking lot.
Some trucking accidents are caused by innocent mistakes with small damages. Other Indiana trucking accidents are horrific, resulting in death, paralysis that forever change lives. Often these accidents are caused by truck driver inattention, fatigue or plain risky driving. These are the cases Goodin Abernathy LLP’s attorneys aggressively handle.
Goodin Abernathy LLP attorneys handle personal injury cases for injured clients and their families from all across the country. If the accident happened in Indiana, Goodin Abernathy LLP attorneys know the law. We handle state and federal lawsuits involving trucking companies and drivers from all around the United States. We are proficient at holding trucking companies and drivers accountable for their negligence. Since trucking companies are structured for financial profit, the companies must also be prepared to pay for damages they cause.
Semi-trucks are gigantic and extremely heavy. When you mix their speed and weight with the consequences of driver inattention, faulty maintenance or driver fatigue, it creates a deadly recipe. The most common truck accidents we handle include rear end collisions, head-on collisions, jackknifes and rollovers. On the highway, these trucking accidents usually involve multi car pileups and cause problems for the police re-construction experts to evaluate. When Goodin Abernathy LLP attorneys take a trucking case, we grab it hands on and work to collect the details that accurately describe how and why the accident happened. This includes interviewing the investigating police, contacting other drivers that witnessed the incident and hiring qualified experts to report on safety violations. We also use reconstruction experts who describe why the collisions occurred with diagrams, photos and video production.
Big trucks cause big accidents and big injuries. Many of our cases involve fatalities, brain trauma, spinal cord injuries and amputations. Highway collisions, like under-ride and override accidents are the most likely to cause fatal injuries, severe brain or spinal trauma, often leading to permanent damage or paralysis. Our experience handling medical testimony, using top quality experts and showing a jury the anatomy of an injury is just as important as our experience investigating accidents.
The scope of injury isn’t the only thing larger than normal in a trucking accident. The claim process itself is much more rigorous. More people are involved than in your typical motor vehicle accident. Since trucking companies often have greater financial resources than the common driver, they create legal headaches for injured drivers and families. That is why hiring an experienced truck accident attorney is so important.
The attorneys at Goodin Abernathy LLP understand the legal intricacies of collecting evidence and using it in the courtroom. As important as our legal abilities is the fact that WE CARE ABOUT OUR CLIENTS.
Trucking accidents are complicated. Let Goodin Abernathy LLP guide you through a legal claim. We walk beside you through the entire process handling your case with the care and attention you deserve. We want to get to know you, discuss the legal process, provide you the opportunity to ask questions and explain our fee structure. Reach out to Goodin Abernathy LLP and let us show you how we set ourselves apart from other attorneys. Experience the care, wisdom, and experience Goodin Abernathy LLP has to offer by calling 317.843.2606 today for your free consultation.
The attorneys at Goodin Abernathy LLP handle Wrongful Death claims – fighting to honor the memory of lost loved ones and supporting their dependents as the law allows. Losing a loved one is catastrophic. The physical and emotional void left by a family member’s death feels insurmountable. These emotions don’t even include the financial toll of losing a family’s bread-winner. Money can’t replace someone we love, but as a practical matter, it’s something families need legal help collecting. In Wrongful Death cases, not only do Goodin Abernathy LLP attorneys know we are legally obligated to pursue the fullest extent of damages under the law – we want to fight for them because we care about our clients.
Indiana law allows family members and dependents to recover money as legal damages when their loved one is killed by another’s negligence. “Damages” is a legal term referring to the compensation – normally a sum of money – provided to a person who suffers harm or loss due to the negligence of another. Negligence causing one’s death is commonly known as a “wrongful death” claim.
Here are some things to consider when deciding what to do after losing a loved one to Wrongful Death.
Wrongful Death is a Civil Claim not a Criminal Claim
Wrongful Death refers to deaths that result from the negligent act of an entity or another person. A negligent act does not always mean a crime was committed. Your loved one’s death need not be the result of an intentional criminal act for you to make a Wrongful Death claim. We are experienced handling cases involving both criminal and negligent (civil) claims. Explaining how the criminal and civil laws work is one of the first things we address with grieving families. It’s natural to ask “Why didn’t that driver, who ran the red light, get sent to jail?” Goodin Abernathy’s attorneys evaluate and explain cases clearly. Sometimes cases do not involve criminal acts and we understand families are stunned the at-fault driver is not going to jail. While being honest with our clients, we are also sympathetic to their loss. No question is a dumb one and no feelings are dismissed by us. We take the time to walk our clients through legal explanations because we want them to understand and be comfortable with the process. As regular people, Goodin Abernathy’s attorneys actually care about our clients – then we use our training and experience to provide them with superior legal services.
Was someone driving erratically, causing an accident that killed your loved one? Did your loved one suffer an accident at work resulting in their death? Besides having an Indiana Worker’s Compensation claim, you may also have a wrongful death claim. There is a big, important difference between the two. Because we’ve handled these situations, we’ll explain how we prosecute both legal claims for our clients’ maximum benefit.
I’m Grieving and Don’t Have the Time or Energy to Pursue Legal Action
Losing a loved one is exhausting. It feels like there is a never-ending number of things to take care of and the last thing most people want to consider is a drawn-out legal battle. We get it- just remember two things: 1) In Indiana, the personal representative of the deceased has two (2) years to make a claim. (IC 34-23-1-1); and 2) the longer you wait to engage legal help means the more likely important evidence is lost. You might not feel like you have the time to juggle a lawsuit and find your way after a loss. But trust the idea we want to help, and we will make it as easy as possible to connect and communicate with us. When it comes to the legal issues involved with a claim, it’s our job to do the work so you and your family can move forward at the same time.
What Sort of Damages are Available in a Wrongful Death Case?
Damages may include medical, hospital, funeral and burial expenses. Damages include the loss of someone’s love and affection. Another big category of damages includes lost income or lost earnings. Under Indiana’s Wrongful Death Statute “recovery of emotional damages is allowed for spouses and dependent children; a decedent’s minor children may recover for loss of parental training and guidance as well as for the loss of their parent’s care.” (TRW Vehicle Safety Systems, Inc. v. Moore) “This loss can be determined, in part, from assistance that decedent would have provided through money, services or other marital benefits, but it also includes loss to children of parental training and guidance and loss of love and affection to surviving spouse.” (Southlake Limousine and Coach, Inc. v. Brock)
Wrongful Death cases are complex. The attorneys at Goodin Abernathy LLP are here to help you navigate these difficult times. Unlike a lot of big name advertising firms, our fees are structured for fairness to our clients. Our fees depend on the level of legal work you claim requires. You should not pay one set fee percentage for your case. We will explain how our fee structure works and comfortably answer your questions. Goodin Abernathy LLP gives you the time for decision making – we do not pressure you into signing our fee agreement the first time we meet. In these situations, you deserve an attorney that will walk beside you through the entire process. Contact us, Goodin Abernathy LLP, and see how we set ourselves apart from other attorneys. We know this is an emotional time. Let us help you recoup a sense of security for your family’s future. Call Goodin Abernathy LLP at 317-843-2606 today to schedule your Free Consultation.
We know losing loved ones is sad and very stressful. The COVID Pandemic has been hitting my Hispanic client base hard and causing a lot of heartache. Other cases we see involve “wrongful death” or negligent death claims. Goodin Abernathy LLP focuses on prosecuting these claims. The law allows loved ones to pursue financial damages when their family members die in work accidents or due to the negligence of others. These legal theories are known as an Indiana Worker’s Compensation claim or a negligent death / “Wrongful Death” claim. The law controlling each these claims are very different and it is important that families use Goodin Abernathy’s legal services to prosecute the actions.
When one dies, the damages generally include a lifetime of financial income. This greatly impacts the families that were relying on that support. Legalmente Hablando Indy makes sure the lost income is correctly calculated under the law. Plus, we pursue other damages allowed under the law. Neither the citizenship of the decedent or their remaining families matters – Goodin Abernathy will represent them to the fullest extent of the law.
In the course of handling wrongful death and work accident claims for my Hispanic clients, many families send their loved ones back to Mexico for burial. My law office – Goodin Abernathy LLP helps those families communicate with consulates and local government. We are experienced working with morticians, the local Consulate and other services to coordinate these transfers. Technically, the action of returning a body or remains of a deceased loved one is called “repatriation”. Government Consulate offices, like the Mexican Consulate in Indianapolis, are a starting point. https://consulmex.sre.gob.mx/indianapolis/
Families should also be ready to work with the morgue and local government for handling the process. My law office communicates with the county health department and other services to manage transportation to a final resting place. I find most families appreciate the sense of confidence that things are being handled correctly when my firm supplies this support. Here is a guide for information specific to using Mexico’s process. https://www.gob.mx/cms/uploads/attachment/file/548418/Gu_a_para_el_traslado_de_restos_o_cenizas.pdf You’ll also find general information about the process in this article. https://www.azcentral.com/story/noticias/2020/04/17/como-repatriar-cuerpo-cadaver-estados-unidos-hacia-mexico/5124133002/
Goodin Abernathy and attorney Jim Browne personally handles your case. We speak Spanish and you meet with us personally. Unlike many TV and billboard advertisers, you actually meet with attorney Jim Browne and he handles your case. Recently, we have handled death cases involving work accidents in construction projects, delivery services and an attack at business. Each of the families that hired us benefit from a team of experienced legal professionals that truly care about their cases.
If your friend, loved one or family member is injured or killed, contact attorney Jim Browne and the Goodin Abernathy law team. Listen to how we care and what we will do seeking justice for your loved one. Learn more about us on this website or our Facebook site.
We have all seen it, and perhaps even done it ourselves. Driving down the road with a cell phone in our hand. Indiana House Bill 1070 “Distracted Driving,”(read here) passed the House by a vote of 86-10 last week and has been referred to the Indiana Senate. This bill will make it illegal to have a cell phone or other “mobile device” in one’s hand while operating a motor vehicle in Indiana. It modifies the existing law which prohibits texting while driving to include all uses of a mobile device that are not hands free or voice activated. The current law which makes it “unlawful to type, transmit, or read e-mail or text messages on a communication device while driving in Indiana,” has been in effect since July 1, 2011, but has been ineffective in curbing the behavior. This is due primarily, because the existing law as written, is difficult to enforce. This new law could go a long way to prevent distracted driving, and potentially save lives, because it will allow officers to write tickets simply by seeing a person operating a vehicle with a device in their hand, and there will be no requirement that they prove that the operator was actually using the device.
The Indiana Department of Labor defines distracted driving as, “any non-driving activity a motorist engages in that has the potential to distract him or her from the primary task of driving. Stressful jobs, busy lifestyles and technology are just a few reasons why individuals may engage in distracted driving activities.” https://www.in.gov/dol/2873.htm
There Are Three Primary Types of Distracted Driving:
Cognitive distraction takes your mind off the road.
Visual distraction takes your eyes off the road.
Manual distraction takes your hands off the wheel.
Texting, or otherwise using a device to search the internet, change a song, look up a contact, or like a Facebook post can be extremely dangerous because it involves all three types of distraction. Your mind is not focused on the road because you are concentrating on your device. Your eyes are also taken away from the road, as are your hands. As we all know, it only takes a second of distraction to cause a crash.
The U.S. Department of Transportation reports that in 2012, 3,328 people died in crashes linked to driver distraction, and more than 421,000 more people suffered a distracted driving-related injury. In fact, 17 percent of all crashes resulting in an injury involved driver distraction. More recent statistics indicate nine people are killed and more than 1,000 injured daily in accidents in which at least one driver was distracted.
Nearly 4,000 people were killed in crashes involving distracted drivers in 2015.
Distracted driving was the reported cause of death of 3,450 people in 2016.
An estimated 391,000 drivers were injured in distracted driving crashes in 2017.
For comparison, there were 39,773 gun deaths in the United States in 2017.
In 2019, distracted driving was a reported factor in 8.5% of fatal motor vehicle crashes. https://www.thezebra.com/distracted-driving-statistics/
If you support this Bill we would encourage you to contact your State Senator and request that they vote in favor of HB 1070,click here.
