$48.5

Million

Truck Accident Case

We took more than 60 depositions in five different states. Because of Stephenson’s tireless advocacy, shortly before the trial was to commence, the defendants settled the case for $48.5 million.

Our Personal Injury Attorney in Shelbyville Helps Win Compensation

When someone else’s negligence leaves you with injuries, our trustworthy Shelbyville personal injury lawyer can help. We understand that when you suffer a severe personal injury, not only do you have to deal with the physical and emotional pain and trauma, but with financial losses from medical, hospital, and rehabilitative bills, the loss of income from being unable to work, and the possibility of property damage resulting from the accident. Filing a successful personal injury lawsuit against the parties whose negligence caused your accident can alleviate your financial problems and allow you to concentrate on getting well.

Indiana laws are complicated, insurance companies will attempt to deny your claim or get you to settle for the lowest amount possible, and making mistakes can be costly, so this is something you should not attempt to deal with on your own. The skilled Shelbyville personal injury attorneys at Stephenson Rife can help you prepare a case that will give you the best possible chance of getting justice and receiving the financial compensation that will allow you to get through this difficult time.

We know the courts, the system, and the tactics insurance companies use and are fully prepared to go up against them. We offer a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss the circumstances of your case and determine the best way to help. Call us today at (317) 680-2501.

How Our Shelbyville Personal Injury Attorneys Work for You

Why Choose Stephenson Rife?

There are many attorneys out there, and it’s important for you to find one you have confidence in, feel comfortable with, and who has the qualifications to get the results you need. Here are some reasons why we think Stephenson Rife is your best choice:

  • We are experienced. We have been meeting the needs of people throughout Indiana since 1976. Mike Stephenson has 40 years of experience handling injuries and is a trusted advisor to many individuals and companies.
  • We get results and win large settlements, such as the $48.5 million we won in a truck accident case. We have a strong record of success for a wide range of personal injury cases. You can read their testimonials and about the cases.
  • We handle all legal paperwork and court appearances required by Indiana law.
  • We deal and negotiate with insurance companies, so you won’t have to.
  • We are recognized for our expertise and are the law firm that other law firms consult.
  • We offer free initial consultations to get you started.
  • We are able to provide cost-effective legal services to keep fees low, and you pay us nothing unless we win and you get your money.

When you have our Shelbyville personal injury attorneys on your side, you no longer have to file forms, deal with insurance companies, or worry about whether you have the best settlement offer. We will get to work to analyze and build your case immediately. We will:

  • Meet with you to discuss how the injury happened and who the at-fault parties may be, then determine if you have a valid lawsuit and what would be a fair settlement.
  • Conduct investigations to gather evidence to prove how the injury occurred, such as by interviewing witnesses and examining photographs and videos, and police, ambulance, and medical records and reports.
  • Get expert opinions from accident reconstruction professionals, medical professionals, therapists, and life-care specialists as to how injuries will affect your life now and into the future.
  • Negotiate with insurance companies and their lawyers for a fair settlement.
  • Build your case and bring it to court and present it in front of a judge and jury if necessary.

We started our law firm in 1976, always ensuring that we put our clients’ needs first. Our personal injury attorneys in Shelbyville have extensive confidence in our ability to provide compassionate service for our clients who are going through a difficult time. We also have confidence in our ability to fight against insurers who don’t treat personal injury and accident victims with the respect they deserve.

We strive to give our clients personalized service. By tailoring our approach to meet the individual preferences of each client, we are able to help clients feel confident in the steps we are taking together.

The process of filing a personal injury claim should not add stress to your life. It will be a relief to be moving toward a successful settlement with our team at your side. We will be there for you at every stage of the legal process, from filing pretrial motions, to discovery, to presenting evidence and making closing arguments, to filing an appeal if necessary. Call us today at (317) 680-2501.

Damages Our Personal Injury Lawyers May Recover

You Deserve a Fair Settlement

Although you can count on our Shelbyville personal injury lawyers to give you compassionate service, you can also count on our doing what’s required to win the best settlement for you. We will represent your interests against the negligent party’s insurance company and fight hard to help you win the judgment you deserve.

If you suffered personal injury due to another party’s fault or negligence, our attorneys may recover a compensation award, called damages. In Indiana, you can seek both economic damages for your monetary costs and losses, and non-economic damages which are compensation for non-monetary damages that negatively impact your life, such as pain and suffering.

Compensatory damages are to cover losses and costs such as:

  • Medical and rehabilitative bills and equipment
  • Costs of continuing care
  • Property damage
  • Pain and suffering
  • Mental anguish and emotional distress
  • Permanent disability.

Punitive damages may also be awarded in certain circumstances to punish negligent parties for willful negligence, malice, fraud, or especially egregious behavior, and to act as a deterrent for similar misconduct in the future.

When we are negotiating with the insurer to try to achieve a settlement, we will present your concerns regarding your ongoing health. We don’t let an insurer dictate the terms based on their interpretation of what happened. Instead, we present the facts to show exactly what happened and how your quality of life has suffered because of your injuries.

Should the insurer refuse to provide a fair settlement offer in negotiations, we are ready to stand by your side in a court case. Our Shelbyville, IN, personal injury lawyer has extensive experience in the courtroom and will aggressively defend your rights.

Amounts of Damage Awards

There is a wide range of damage amounts that may be awarded in a personal injury case, from the tens of thousands to millions of dollars. Amounts vary depending on the circumstances of the accident and factors such as the extent and permanence of the injuries and whether the person will need continuing care.  Each case is unique, so we cannot give you an exact figure, but our personal injury attorneys know from experience what your case should be worth and will fight for the maximum amount possible.

Shelbyville Personal Injury Attorney Must Prove Negligence

Proving another party was at fault is a major part of any personal injury case. To win your case, our personal injury attorneys would have to prove negligence by showing that . . .

  • The defendant had a duty of care not to cause harm.
  • They breached or failed in that duty by acting negligently.
  • This failure of duty caused your injuries.
  • You suffered damages as a result.

To prove negligence, our legal team would produce evidence from our investigations. If necessary, we would hire experts to reconstruct the accident and testify as to how it happened and experts to testify as to how the injuries negatively impact your life now and will into the future.

In some cases, there may be multiple parties who were negligent and contributed to the accident. Our attorneys would seek to identify them all and name them as defendants, as they all may have insurance and assets that can go toward a settlement.

Personal Injury Lawyer Answers Questions

Dealing with a serious personal injury is difficult, and you are bound to have questions and concerns.  The following are some answers to questions our personal injury attorneys are often asked.

  • In general, you have two years from the date of the accident that led to the injury to file a personal injury lawsuit. If the injuries resulted in a wrongful death, you generally have two years to file a wrongful death claim from the day of the death. This time period is called a statute of limitations, and the provisions can be found in (Indiana statute §34-11-2-4). With some exceptions, if you fail to file on time, the courts will refuse to hear your case, so count on the team at Stephenson Rife to keep your case moving along, hitting all deadlines.

  • No, the less you say to insurance companies, the better. Insurance adjusters are not on your side; their goal is to increase the company’s bottom line and pay out as little as possible. They will use tactics to lessen or deny the payments, such as trying to get you to admit you were at fault for the accident, and anything you say to them can be used against you. They have high-powered lawyers on their side, so the best approach to take with insurance companies is to tell them to speak to your attorney, and let Stephenson Rife handle all dealings and negotiations with insurers.

  • If you did something that contributed to the accident, our Shelbyville personal injury lawyers may still be able to get a settlement for you. Indiana uses modified comparative negligence (Indiana Code Title 34, Section 51-2-5, et seq.), also known as the “51% fault” method in injury cases. As long as you are found less than 51% at fault, you can still collect a damage award, but the courts will reduce your financial damages by the percentage of fault you bear. For example, if it is determined that you were 20 percent at fault and the settlement was for $100,000, our attorneys could still help you collect $80,000.

  • If a close family member has died from a personal injury, close family members (meaning parents or legal guardians, spouses, and children, including adopted children) are entitled to bring a lawsuit for wrongful death.In Indiana, it is technically the personal representative of the deceased person’s estate (Indiana code section 34-23-1-2) who files the wrongful death suit. The family members become the estate’s beneficiaries and determine how to split the damage award, which may cover:

    • Medical expenses
    • Funeral and burial costs
    • Lost wages, along with any benefits the deceased likely would have received or earned, such as a pension
    • The costs of bringing the wrongful death suit, including attorney’s fees
    • Loss of love and companionship.
  • The good news is that it doesn’t cost anything up front to hire our Shelbyville personal injury lawyers. We work on a contingency basis, which means we take on all costs and expenses of your case, and you pay nothing unless and until we win. Fees and costs are then taken out of the settlement award.

When you have our Shelbyville personal injury lawyers on your side, we will be there throughout the entire process to answer your questions and address your concerns, explain what goes next, and prepare you for all steps as necessary.

Types of Cases Our Shelbyville Personal Injury Lawyers Handle

There are many ways that personal injury can occur. Some of the types of personal injury cases our personal injury lawyer in Shelbyville, IN, will take on include:

Whether you need service in any of these areas or in our other practice areas, you can count on us. We will seek a financial settlement that reflects your current health situation, as well as your future outlook.

Call Our Shelbyville Personal Injury Attorneys for Help

At Stephenson Rife, our Shelbyville personal injury attorneys have the experience necessary to pursue positive results, no matter what legal challenges are involved.  We know how devastating it is to have suffered personal injury and will do everything possible to get you the compensation that will relieve you of your financial burdens.  We provide caring, confident and cost-effective service you can count on, which is why we are the law firm that other law firms consult.

Our personal injury lawyers in Shelbyville, IN, work on a contingency fee basis. Our clients do not pay ahead of time. Our fee comes from a percentage of the final settlement in the case. For a review of your case, call us at 317-680-2501 as soon as possible.

Attorney Mike Stephenson

Indiana Attorney Mike StephensonMike Stephenson has 40 years of experience and is a trusted advisor to many individuals and companies. His current practice is dominated by civil litigation in state and federal courts. He focuses much of his time on handling catastrophic injuries caused by all types of accidents, including motor vehicle, trucking, workplace injuries, product liability, and fire, just to name a few. He also works extensively in construction accidents. [ Attorney Bio ]