Just Been in a Car Accident in Indianapolis?

Your safety comes first — before you think about vehicle damage, insurance, or fault. Take a moment and check yourself and your passengers for injuries.

Call 911 even if injuries seem minor. Under Indiana law, you are required to report any accident involving injury, death, or property damage exceeding $1,000 to law enforcement. The responding officer from the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) will create an official crash report — a critical piece of evidence for any future claim.

Adrenaline can mask pain for hours after a collision. Injuries like whiplash, concussions, and internal bleeding frequently have delayed symptoms. Avoid telling anyone at the scene "I'm fine" — that statement can be used against you later by insurance adjusters looking for reasons to minimize your claim.

If your vehicle is drivable and you're not seriously hurt, move it to the shoulder or a nearby parking lot to prevent blocking traffic. Turn on your hazard lights. Indianapolis sits at the crossroads of several major interstates — I-465, I-65, I-70, and I-69 — and a disabled vehicle on any of these corridors creates serious secondary accident risk, especially during rush hour.

If you can't move the car, stay inside with your seatbelt fastened until help arrives. Standing on the roadside is dangerous, particularly on the I-465 loop or along high-speed stretches of I-65 and I-70 through downtown.

Pull out your phone and photograph everything: all vehicles involved from multiple angles, the intersection or road where the crash happened, traffic signals or signs, skid marks, road conditions, weather, and any visible injuries. These photos become evidence that insurance adjusters and attorneys will rely on.

Exchange information with the other driver: name, phone number, insurance company and policy number, driver's license number, and license plate number. If there are witnesses, ask for their names and contact information — witness testimony can be decisive in a disputed fault claim.

Do not apologize or admit fault at the scene, even if you think you might share some responsibility. Fault determination in Indiana is a legal question that depends on all the evidence, not a split-second impression in the aftermath of a collision.

If IMPD responded to the scene, they will generate an official crash report. If officers did not respond — which can happen with lower-severity collisions — you can file a report online through IMPD's Coplogic online citizen reporting system or in person.

To obtain a copy of your Indianapolis crash report, you can use the Indiana State Police BuyCrash portal at buycrash.com, which provides digital access to reports for a small fee. You can also request a copy in person from the IMPD Records Division at 50 N. Alabama Street, Room E100, Indianapolis, IN 46204, Monday through Friday. You'll need the date of the accident, location, and names of the drivers involved.

Even if you feel fine, see a doctor within 72 hours of the accident. Concussions, herniated discs, soft tissue injuries, and internal bleeding often have delayed symptoms that don't appear until days after the crash. A prompt medical evaluation creates a documented link between the accident and your injuries — without it, the insurance company will argue your injuries were caused by something else.

Indianapolis has several major hospitals and trauma centers. IU Health Methodist Hospital operates the region's only Level I trauma center. Eskenazi Health, Ascension St. Vincent, Community Health Network, and Franciscan Health Indianapolis all provide emergency and follow-up care throughout Marion County. Urgent care clinics are also available across the city for non-emergency evaluations.

Keep every receipt, every doctor's note, and every prescription. These medical records form the foundation of your injury claim.

The at-fault driver's insurance company will contact you quickly — often within 24 to 48 hours. They may sound friendly and concerned. They are not on your side. Their goal is to settle your claim for as little as possible.

You are not legally required to give them a recorded statement. If they ask, you can say: "I'm not prepared to give a statement at this time." They may also offer a quick settlement. Don't accept it — early offers are almost always far below the actual value of your claim, especially before you know the full extent of your injuries.

Under Indiana Code § 34-11-2-4, you have two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. Miss that deadline and you permanently lose the right to seek compensation through the courts.

Two years may sound like enough time, but building a strong case requires gathering evidence, obtaining medical records, completing treatment, and negotiating with insurance companies. Attorneys recommend starting the process within weeks, not years, of the accident. Indiana's statute of limitations is shorter than many neighboring states — don't wait.

If you were injured, if the other driver was at fault, or if you're getting the runaround from an insurance company, it's worth having a conversation with a personal injury attorney. Initial consultations are typically free, and most personal injury attorneys work on contingency — you pay nothing unless they win your case.

An experienced Indianapolis car accident attorney can evaluate whether your case has value, handle all communication with insurance companies, gather evidence and expert opinions, and negotiate a settlement that reflects your full damages — not just your current medical bills, but future treatment costs, lost income, pain and suffering, and diminished quality of life.