Columbus, Indiana, combines an affordable cost of living, a strong and diverse job market, and a high quality of life supported by numerous parks and attractions. Home to architectural gems by I.M. Pei and Eero Saarinen, the city inspires creativity in daily life. Its economy thrives on innovation, led by companies like Cummins Inc. Residents enjoy safe neighborhoods, excellent schools, and lively arts and food scenes. With its walkable downtown and strong sense of community, Columbus is the perfect community to live, work, and grow

At Habig Injury Law, we’re proud to stand beside the people of Columbus, Indiana, when they need personal injury guidance and representation most. With over 30 years of combined experience, our Columbus personal injury lawyers have a perspective that helps us anticipate what large insurers will do. We serve Columbus and the surrounding region on a no-fee-unless-we-win basis, so you won’t pay upfront, and we only collect a fee when you recover.

Comprehensive Personal Injury Services in Columbus, IN

You shouldn’t have to battle insurers and defense lawyers while you’re trying to heal from your injuries. Our Columbus personal injury lawyers take on that fight so you can direct your energy toward getting better. We’ve spent years learning how corporations and insurers operate, which means we anticipate their tactics before they use them. From the initial investigation through settlement negotiations or trial, we stay by your side and push for the full compensation you’re owed.

Why Choose Habig Injury Law?

Insurance companies and corporate defendants have deep pockets and experienced legal teams working to minimize what they pay you. Our founding attorney spent years defending trucking companies, which means we know their strategies before they use them. We represent Columbus residents and clients throughout Central and Southern Indiana with the inside knowledge that comes from working on both sides of personal injury cases.

• Inside Knowledge of Defense Tactics: Our founding attorney’s background defending trucking companies and corporations gives us a clear view of how defendants think and operate. We anticipate their strategies, understand their weaknesses, and use that insight to make your case stronger from the start.
• No Upfront Costs or Fees: We work on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay nothing upfront and nothing unless we win your case. You won’t receive a bill for consultations, investigations, or legal work while your case is pending, so financial concerns won’t prevent you from getting legal representation.
• Deep Community Roots: Habig Injury Law maintains offices in Greenwood and Bloomfield, and we serve clients throughout Central and Southern Indiana, including Columbus and Bartholomew County. We’re not a national firm that treats you like a case number: you’ll work directly with Columbus personal injury lawyers who live in your community.
• Commitment to Giving Back: We donate a minimum of 2.5% of our annual revenue to local charities that support children, foster families, teachers, schools, and youth sports programs. When you hire us, you’re supporting a firm that invests in the communities we serve.
• Full-Service Representation: We handle every aspect of your case from investigation through trial if necessary. We gather evidence, negotiate with insurance companies, consult with medical professionals and reconstruction specialists, and take cases to court when defendants won’t offer fair settlements.

Insurance companies count on injured people accepting quick, low settlements or giving up when claims get complicated. We level the playing field by bringing experience, resources, and determination to every case. You’ve been hurt because someone else was careless, and you have the right to fair compensation that covers your medical bills, lost wages, and pain.

Frequently Asked Questions About Personal Injury Cases

How long does it typically take to resolve a personal injury case in Indiana?

The time it takes to resolve a personal injury case in Indiana depends on the severity of your injuries and how long it takes the insurance company to offer a fair settlement.

• Medical Treatment Timeline: You shouldn’t settle your case until you’ve finished treatment or reached maximum medical improvement, which is when doctors determine that your condition won’t improve further. Minor injuries like soft tissue damage might resolve in a few months, while serious injuries needing surgery, rehabilitation, or ongoing care can take a year or longer before you reach that point.
• Negotiation vs. Litigation: Cases that settle through negotiation with insurance companies usually resolve faster than those that go to court. If the insurance company accepts liability and makes a reasonable offer, you might settle within several months of finishing treatment. However, if they dispute fault, lowball your damages, or refuse to negotiate fairly, filing a lawsuit becomes necessary. Cases that go to trial can take 18 months to several years from the date of your accident.

Every case is different, and pushing for a quick settlement before you know the full impact of your injuries can leave you without enough compensation to cover future medical needs. Our Columbus personal injury lawyers will keep you updated on what’s happening with your case.

What happens at an initial consultation with a personal injury lawyer?

An initial consultation with a personal injury lawyer gives you a chance to explain what happened, ask questions, and determine if the attorney is right for your case. At Habig Injury Law, we offer free consultations, which means you won’t pay anything to meet with us and discuss your situation.

• What to Bring: Bring any documents related to your accident and injuries. This includes police reports, medical records and bills, photographs of the accident scene or your injuries, insurance information, and contact details for witnesses. If you don’t have all these documents yet, that’s fine: we’ll help you gather missing information later.
• What We’ll Discuss: We’ll ask you to explain how the accident happened, who was involved, and what injuries you suffered. We’ll ask about your medical treatment, whether you’ve missed work, and how the injuries have affected your daily life. This conversation helps us evaluate your claim and identify potential sources of compensation.
• Case Evaluation: We’ll give you an honest assessment of your case based on what you tell us. We’ll explain whether we think you have a valid claim, who might be liable, and what types of damages you could potentially recover. We’ll also discuss potential challenges or weaknesses in your case; we won’t sugarcoat the situation or make promises we can’t keep.

If we agree to take your case, we’ll explain how the legal process works, what you can expect, and what we need from you. If we don’t think you have a strong case, we’ll tell you that too and explain why.

Is there an initial consultation fee to meet with a personal injury lawyer?

No, Habig Injury Law offers free consultations for personal injury cases. You won’t pay anything to meet with us, discuss your accident, and get an honest evaluation of your case.

How much does it cost to hire a personal injury attorney in Indiana?

Hiring a Columbus personal injury lawyer costs you nothing upfront. Our fee is a percentage of the settlement or verdict we secure on your behalf. If we don’t win your case, you don’t owe us anything for our legal services. The contingency fee covers our time investigating your case, negotiating with insurance companies, filing lawsuits if needed, and taking your case to trial when necessary. You get full legal representation without watching the clock or worrying about mounting hourly charges.

What if I am partially at fault for the accident in Indiana?

Indiana follows a modified comparative fault rule, which means you can still recover damages even if you share some responsibility for the accident. However, there are limits to how much fault you can bear and still receive compensation.

• The 51% Rule: You can recover compensation as long as you’re 50% or less at fault for the accident. If a jury or insurance adjuster determines you’re 51% or more responsible, you’re barred from recovering anything. 
• Reduced Recovery: Your compensation gets reduced by your percentage of fault. If you’re awarded $100,000 in damages but found 40% at fault, you’ll receive $60,000. 

Insurers know how comparative fault works, and they’ll try to inflate your share of responsibility to reduce what they pay. They might claim you were speeding, not paying attention, or violated traffic laws. We counter these arguments with evidence like police reports, witness statements, traffic camera footage, and accident reconstruction analysis.

How is fault determined in an Indiana personal injury case?

Fault in an Indiana personal injury case is determined through evidence like the following:

• Police Reports: Officers who respond to auto accidents document what they observe, interview drivers and witnesses, and sometimes indicate who violated traffic laws. With slip and fall incidents or dog bite cases, a property manager or party in a position of authority can note what happened.
• Witness Statements: People who saw the accident happen can describe what they observed before, during, and afterward. 
• Physical Evidence: With auto accidents, skid marks, vehicle damage patterns, debris fields, and road conditions tell a story about how the collision occurred. Photographs and videos from the scene, dashcams, or nearby security cameras can also demonstrate what happened with other types of accidents.
• Traffic Laws and Regulations: Violations of Indiana traffic laws help establish fault in auto accident claims. Running a red light, failing to yield, speeding, or texting while driving all demonstrate negligence. In truck accidents, violations of federal safety regulations can prove the driver or trucking company acted carelessly.

What is the process for filing a personal injury claim in Indiana?

Filing a personal injury claim in Indiana starts with seeking a medical evaluation immediately after your accident. Once you know that you have compensable injuries, speak to a Columbus personal injury attorney who can review the evidence and send a demand letter to the at-fault party’s insurance company outlining liability and damages. 

Our personal injury lawyers will negotiate for fair compensation, and, if necessary, file a lawsuit on your behalf. After a settlement or verdict is reached, we handle the paperwork, deduct our fees and expenses, and make sure your compensation gets paid, so you can continue with medical treatment as you rebuild your life.

How long do I have to file a personal injury lawsuit in Indiana?

Indiana’s statute of limitations gives you two years from the date of your accident to file a personal injury lawsuit in most cases. If you miss this deadline, the court will likely dismiss your case, and you’ll lose your right to recover compensation.

Please note that claims against state, county, or municipal agencies have much shorter deadlines. In most instances, you must file a notice of tort claim within 180 days or 270 days, depending on the government entity involved.

What types of compensation can I seek in a personal injury case in Indiana?

Indiana law allows injury victims to recover several types of compensation, called damages, for losses caused by someone else’s negligence.

• Medical Expenses: You can recover costs for emergency room visits, hospital stays, surgery, medication, physical therapy, medical equipment, and future medical care related to your injuries. This includes both bills you’ve already paid and estimated costs for ongoing treatment.
• Lost Wages: If your injuries prevented you from working, you can claim the wages you missed. This includes sick days, vacation time used during recovery, and lost earning capacity if you can’t return to your previous job or work the same hours.
• Pain and Suffering: This category compensates you for physical pain, emotional distress, anxiety, depression, and reduced quality of life caused by your injuries. 
• Property Damage: You can recover the cost to repair or replace your vehicle, bicycle, clothing, or other personal property damaged in the accident.
• Loss of Consortium: Spouses can sometimes claim compensation for the loss of companionship, affection, and intimacy when serious injuries affect their relationship.
• Punitive Damages: In cases involving intentional harm or extremely reckless behavior, courts may award punitive damages to punish the defendant and deter similar conduct. These awards are rare and only apply in egregious cases.

The total compensation depends on the severity of your injuries, how they’ve impacted your life, and the strength of evidence supporting your claim.

How do I know if I have a valid personal injury claim in Indiana?

A valid personal injury claim includes four key elements: duty, breach, causation, and damages. 

• Duty of Care: The person or entity must have owed you a legal duty to act reasonably. For example, drivers owe other motorists a duty to follow traffic laws. Property owners owe visitors a duty to maintain safe premises. Doctors, nurses, and pharmacists owe patients a duty to provide competent healthcare.
• Breach of Duty: The defendant must have violated that duty through negligent or reckless behavior. This could mean running a red light, leaving a spill on the floor, or misdiagnosing a medical condition.
• Causation: The breach must have directly caused your injuries. You need to show a clear link between the defendant’s actions and the harm you suffered. Pre-existing conditions or unrelated injuries complicate this element.
• Damages: You must have suffered actual losses like medical bills, lost wages, pain, property damage, or other measurable harm. Without damages, there’s no claim, even if someone acted negligently.

The best way to know if you have a valid claim is to consult with a Columbus personal injury lawyer.

Should I call a personal injury lawyer or the insurance company first?

Call a personal injury lawyer first, before talking to any insurance company about your accident. This protects your rights and prevents you from making statements that could harm your case.

The insurance adjuster for the at-fault party will contact you soon after the accident, sometimes within hours. They will seem friendly and helpful, but their goal is to reduce what they pay. They’ll ask you to give a recorded statement, describe your injuries, and explain what happened. 

The problem is that anything you say can be used to deny or reduce your claim later. Saying “I’m fine” or “I feel okay” gives adjusters ammunition to claim you weren’t seriously hurt. Once you hire a lawyer, they will handle all communication with insurance companies. At Habig Injury Law, we know what information they need, what questions to avoid, and how to present your case without giving adjusters opportunities to devalue your claim. They also make sure you don’t accept quick settlement offers that fall short of covering your actual losses.

What should I do immediately after being involved in a personal injury accident in Indiana?

Seek medical care right away, even if you feel fine. Not only does post-accident adrenaline obscure pain, and some injuries, like internal bleeding, concussions, or soft tissue damage, don’t show symptoms immediately. A doctor’s examination creates documentation linking your injuries to the accident. Delaying treatment gives insurance companies an excuse to claim your injuries weren’t serious or weren’t caused by the accident.

Other recommended steps include:

• Call Police: If you’ve been in a motor vehicle accident, report the accident to law enforcement and request an officer come to the scene. The police report documents what happened, identifies parties involved, and sometimes includes the officer’s assessment of fault. If you’ve fallen, notify the property owner or manager immediately so an accident report can be made.
• Gather Evidence: If you’re physically able, take photographs of vehicle damage, property damage, skid marks, road conditions, traffic signs, and your visible injuries. Get contact information from witnesses who saw what happened. Note the time, weather conditions, and lighting. This evidence disappears quickly, so collect it while you can.
• Exchange Information: Get the other driver’s name, phone number, address, insurance company, policy number, license plate, and driver’s license number. Don’t discuss fault or apologize: stick to exchanging basic information.
• Don’t Give Statements: Insurance adjusters will call asking for recorded statements. Politely decline until you’ve spoken with a personal injury attorney. Anything you say can be twisted to reduce or deny your claim.
• Contact a Lawyer: Call a personal injury attorney as soon as possible. We’ll guide you through next steps, protect you from insurance company tactics, and start investigating while the evidence is fresh. Early legal help improves your chances of fair compensation.

Contact Us for a Free Consultation

You shouldn’t have to fight insurance companies and deal with the legal system while you’re trying to heal. At Habig Injury Law, we’ve built our practice on results, not promises. We also work on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay nothing unless we win your case. No upfront costs, no hourly billing, no financial risk to you.

Every day you wait, evidence disappears, and your case gets harder to prove. Insurance adjusters are already working to protect their company’s interests: you need someone protecting yours. We serve Columbus and communities throughout Central and Southern Indiana with the aggressive representation injury victims need. To schedule your free consultation, call Habig Injury Law today at 317-642-3813 or fill out our online form.