People and the families of those who have been wrongfully injured by other people, products, or companies may be entitled to file a claim for personal injury.

These people may be victims of accidents, medical malpractice, defective products, dog bites, wrongful death, and more. Generally, victims may be entitled to recover medical expenses, lost wages, property damages, damages for pain and suffering, physical disfigurement, and disability.

A person who has been injured by someone else’s carelessness should contact a personal injury attorney, who can help them prepare their evidence and provide knowledge on how much and what type of compensation to file for. It is also important for the victim to take some initial steps toward making sure the injury claim can be settled fairly and as quickly as possible. For one, they should write down everything they can remember about how the injury occurred. They should also contact a personal injury attorney before making any statements to insurance company adjusters or representatives. Also, the victim should tell anyone that may be responsible for the injury that they are intending to file a claim against them.

It’s very important to protect any evidence necessary to prove the injury, such as a damaged car, photographs of an accident or injury scene, clothing that was worn at the time, damaged personal belongings, and so forth. In most cases, the evidence must be collected quickly as witnesses move and evidence gets lost.

In Indiana, to collect on an injury claim, one must prove that the person who caused the injury was negligent, or failed to exercise ordinary care. It must be proven that there was a duty owed by the person who caused the injury, that the other person failed to carry out the duty they owed, that damages were suffered, and that the other person's failure caused the injury. If the victim’s own carelessness contributed to the injury, the amount able to be recovered will be reduced in proportion to the victim’s carelessness under Indiana comparative negligence law.

Under Indiana law, the person who caused the injury is responsible for past, current, and future estimated medical expenses; time lost from work; damaged property; any permanent disfigurement or disability; emotional distress, including anxiety and depression; a change in future earning ability due to the injury; and any other costs that were a direct result of the injury.