Practice Areas

Car Accidents

An alarming 37,000 fatalities and around 2.35 million injuries are estimated to result from car accidents annually. A significant portion of these, particularly in Northwest Indiana, are the consequences of other drivers' negligence. If you're involved in an accident, it's crucial to consult a personal injury attorney promptly to ascertain your eligibility for compensation to help cover medical bills, lost income, and anguish.

CAUSES OF CAR ACCIDENTS

Car accidents occur on a daily basis, and many of them are caused by:

Distracted Driving
A driver becomes distracted when he takes his focus off of the road to pay attention to another passenger in the car, the radio, a phone, or any other form of distraction. Even if the driver’s eyes are only off of the road for a few seconds, this negligent behavior can lead to serious accidents. In fact, distracted driving is currently the number one cause of traffic accidents in the United States.

Speeding
Speed limits are put in place for a reason—to keep everyone on the road safe. When a driver decides to ignore the speed limit, he puts everyone else on the road at risk. The faster someone is driving, the less time he will have to react to a car suddenly braking or changing lanes in front of him.

Drunk Driving
Every sip of alcohol a person takes will impair his judgment more and more. If he decides to get behind the wheel after drinking alcohol, he may not be able to focus on the cars and road in front of him. Drunk drivers often swerve into other lanes or drive in the wrong direction. Because their judgment is so impaired, they may not be able to brake in time to avoid hitting your car at a stop sign or a red light. All of these behaviors can cause car accidents and severe injuries to all drivers and passengers involved.

COMMON CAR ACCIDENT INJURIES

Every car accident is unique, so injuries can vary greatly from one case to the next. However, there are a number of injuries that are very common in car accidents, including:

Whiplash
Whiplash occurs when the impact of the collision forces your head to suddenly jerk forward and then backward. This sudden movement damages the muscles, ligaments, and tendons in your neck and can lead to serious lingering pain following a car accident.

Head Injuries
During an accident, you may hit your head against the steering wheel, dashboard, or car window. This could cause anything from a minor concussion to a traumatic brain injury or skull fracture.

Back Injuries
Many people involved in car accidents suffer back injuries, which can range in severity from minor temporary muscle pain in the lower back to a herniated vertebral disc or spinal cord injury.

Broken Bones
Anything can happen in an accident. Sometimes people are thrown against the steering wheel causing fractured ribs and vertebrae, other times they break their wrist or leg due to bracing for impact.

AFTER A CAR ACCIDENT

If you have been injured in a car accident, it’s important to document as much evidence as possible. Most importantly, if you aren’t too injured, take photos of the vehicles and scene of the crash. This will be helpful to determine fault and speed of impact. It’s also important to take photos of any injuries sustained and to document the progress made so you can show the insurance company what you had to go through.

Keep all of your medical records, bills, lab reports, X-rays, and any other relevant documents, so you have proof of the injuries you sustained and the expenses you had to pay. If your injuries are visible, take pictures of them immediately following the accident before they begin to heal and continue to take photos as they heal so you can show the insurance company what you had to go through. The more proof you have to support your personal injury claim, the better.

SEEK LEGAL ADVICE NOW

No one should bear the consequences of another's recklessness on the road. If an NWI car accident affects you or a loved one, contact Schafer & Schafer now for a complimentary consultation.

Have you been involved in an accident with a semi-truck that resulted in injury or death?

Truck drivers traveling through Northwest Indiana face immense pressure, compelled to work long hours and cover vast distances. The truth is trucking companies frequently are more concerned about making money than they are about safety. Truck drivers are professionals who are bound by special safety regulations which govern when and how they may drive. Truckers and trucking companies routinely ignore these laws in order to meet strict delivery deadlines. Sometimes that leads to truckers piloting trucks weighing 80,000 pounds on very little sleep or taking drugs to stay awake. Other times, in order to save money, trucking companies fail to maintain the brakes, tires, lights and other safety equipment putting their own drivers and everyone on the road at risk.

Schafer & Schafer attorneys bring a wealth of experience in handling trucking cases in NWI. If your accident was the fault of the truck driver or trucking company, you need to call Schafer & Schafer Attorneys at Law today for a free consultation of your case.

Types of Injuries

In NWI, accidents involving tractor-trailers rank among the most hazardous. Due to the massive size and weight of semi-trucks, when they are involved in an accident they often times caused serious injuries. A collision between a passenger vehicle and a big rig is much more likely to result in severe injury, or even death, than a accident between two passenger vehicles. Some of the most common injuries caused by collisions between a commercial truck and a passenger vehicle are:

Brain Injury
Paralysis
Herniated Vertebral Discs
Amputations
Broken Bones
Burns
Death

Determining fault

In Northwest Indiana, trucking companies react swiftly and assertively, deploying attorneys, investigators, and insurance adjusters upon receiving reports of a crash. Many times these people are sent to the accident scene before the crash is cleared. The attorneys at Schafer & Schafer can level the playing field by forcing the trucking companies to preserve valuable evidence and by hiring an accident reconstructionist to determine the dynamics and cause of the crash.

If a semi-truck collision in Northwest Indiana has left you injured, it's imperative to promptly contact Schafer & Schafer attorneys to secure equitable representation. Do not just settle for what the insurance company thinks is fair. Usually, what insurance companies offer someone who does not have an attorney is only a fraction of what the case is actually worth. Also, many times it is difficult to determine how serious an injury is immediately after a crash. The insurance industry commonly exploits this by immediately contacting the injured person and offering a very low settlement for what may be a permanent, lifelong injury. The family-owned law firm of Schafer & Schafer will stand by you and ensure your rights are represented and you receive fair compensation for your injuries.

If you have lost a loved one unexpectedly due to the action or inaction of another person in Indiana or Illinois, you may have a case for a wrongful death suit.

Wrongful death claims allow family members to seek monetary damages for their loss. Losing a loved one is probably the most stressful event in a person's life, and when that loss is unexpected or unnecessary, it can be that much harder. It is important to have a knowledgeable and competent attorney on your side. If you think you have a case for wrongful death, contact the attorneys at Schafer and Schafer LLP today for a free consultation about your personal situation.

With our support, you can navigate this tragic period and pursue financial restitution. Compensation may encompass:

Reasonable medical, funeral, and burial expenses
Reasonable costs for management of the decedent's estate
Lost earnings that would have benefited the survivors
The loss of love, care, and affection on the part of the survivors

Your Legal Rights

A wrongful death lawsuit echoes a personal injury claim but is initiated by the family. Every state has different laws regarding who can benefit from a wrongful death lawsuit, and it is important to contact attorneys competent in the area of wrongful death to ensure that no part of the case is overlooked. A wrongful death case is a complex case which not all attorneys are qualified to handle. Here at Schafer and Schafer LLP, we have the knowledge and experience to represent you in your wrongful death case in Indiana or Illinois. Wrongful death laws are constantly under review and changing. Our law firm is up to date with current laws regarding who can collect and for what can compensation be awarded. Contact the attorneys at Schafer and Schafer LLP today for a free consultation on your wrongful death case. There is a time limit for filing, so do not delay. This is a stressful and emotional time for the surviving family members. Our law firm can help at least recover funds to ease the financial burden through this trying time.

Have you or a loved one been the victim of medical malpractice in Illinois or Indiana?

Medical malpractice poses a grave concern. Annually, over 225,000 individuals in the United States lose their lives due to malpractice. Key reasons to initiate a medical malpractice lawsuit against a healthcare professional or institution in Northwest Indiana encompass:

Wrongful death
Birth injuries
Errors in medication type or dosages
Wrong diagnosis or treatment delayed
Mistakes on medical records
Performing surgical tasks without informed consent
Errors in surgery
Mistakes in emergency room

When illness or injury brings us to seek medical treatment, we expect that we will be cared for properly, and in the best manner appropriate for the situation. Medical malpractice occurs when a medical provider fails to use the degree of skill and care that should be used under the same or similar circumstances. Laws regarding medical malpractice are different for different states, and can be confusing to say the least. It is important to have a knowledgeable and competent attorney on your side to get you the maximum for your injuries or death of a loved one due to medical malpractice.

Time Limits for Filing a Claim

Generally, claims should be filed within two years of the incident. Both Illinois and Indiana have specific provisions concerning minors. There are also extenuating circumstances that may allow for a claim to be filed longer than the two year deadline. Because medical malpractice law is complex and it is usually a very emotional time for the victim, or the family of the victim, it is important to have the support of an excellent law firm working for you. If you believe that your injury or the death of a loved one was caused by malpractice on the part of a medical professional or entity, it is important that you contact our firm right away to get started on your case. Initial consultations are free and we do not collect unless we collect for you.

Slip / Trip / Fall

Mishaps are a reality of life. However, some accidents could have been avoided and by legal standards, should have been. If you suffered injuries on a poorly maintained or hazardous property, you might have grounds for a premises liability case. Call the attorneys at Schafer and Schafer LLP today for a free consultation regarding your situation.

In premises liability, the law holds property owners accountable for particular injuries sustained on their property. These cases often pose challenges in establishing liability, making it crucial to document all aspects of the incident. Photographs must be taken immediately, and the injured party's clothing should be preserved exactly as it was at the time of the incident, no changes, not even washed.

Types of Accidents

For owners or maintenance staff to be deemed liable, the evidence must confirm their awareness of the hazardous condition and lack of timely action to prevent harm. In other words, it must be proved that the owner was negligent about keeping his or her property safe. Some examples of premises liability situations are:

Violations of building codes, resulting in unsafe conditions
Ill-maintained sidewalks, driveways or parking areas, resulting in dangerous conditions
Wet, icy, slippery, or greasy floors that have inadequate warning, resulting in falls
Inadequate lighting for hallways or stairwells, resulting in falls
Criminal attacks due to improper security

Your Legal Rights

Property owners in Northwest Indiana are obligated to ensure reasonable safety measures, and visitors should anticipate a reasonably safe environment. Certainly not all incidents are means for a lawsuit, but if you believe that your injury was caused by negligence on the part of the property owner, you may have a case. The attorneys at Schafer and Schafer LLP have over 100 years of combined experience in helping victims of personal injury recover funds for medical costs, lost wages, pain and suffering. Call today for a free consultation regarding your situation. We do not collect fees unless you win your case.