Charles P. Ward Personal Injury Law Blog

Generally speaking, a person injured in an accident due to
the negligence of another driver, has only two years in which to file a claim
against the responsible party according to the Indiana Statute of Limitations. [See
IC 34-11-2-4 Specific Statutes of Limitation] However, when the responsible party, in whole or part, is a governmental entity, a... Read More

Midwesterners are generally known for their friendliness and hospitality. Drive the rural roads of Indiana and you’ll witness acts of courtesy as oncoming drivers waive and greet you with a friendly eye. During harvesting season, farmers operating their double-wide combines on county roads will pull off the berm waiving you on out of consideration for motorists. How often have you yourself waived on another driver who was trying to cross... Read More

Distracted driving is an umbrella term which defines the use of an electronic devise of any kind while driving, including but not limited to hand-held and hands-free cell phone use. In 2009, Webster’s New World Dictionary proclaimed it “the word of the year.” The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that at any moment in time the prevalence of drivers talking on their cellphones is 11%. According to The Read More

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) occurs when any external, physical force damages the brain.  A football concussion, hitting your head after a bad fall, and a rotational injury without direct impact to the head—typically seen in severe whiplash cases—all constitute TBIs.

What is a TBI and how do I know if I have one?

As our understanding of the brain improves, we have come to... Read More

Almost every parent knows that “pit in the stomach” feeling when they hand the car keys over to their newly licensed teenage son or daughter who is about to solo on the road for the first time. Somewhere in between adolescence and adulthood our children grow up and we have to build their confidence by displaying our trust in their good judgment. Fortunately for parents and young drivers alike, many states are moving into new laws which require everyone learning to drive under... Read More

The next time you evaluate your automobile insurance policy, I would recommend seeking a quote for a higher level of liability coverage. For instance, if you currently have $100,000/$300,000 liability coverage, ask your agent to quote the $250,000/$500,000 coverage. You may find that the additional coverage may cost you only pennies a day.

A recent survey conducted in Indianapolis exposed that each tier increase of auto liability insurance for a driver... Read More

 “I walked away. No broken bones! I didn’t even have a headache.” These words ring all too familiar after a crash encounter.  Often the persons involved in an accident are running on auto-pilot while simultaneously using nature’s own best defenses to carry on: a shock to the system coupled with a generous burst of adrenaline. Immediately following an automobile, motorcycle, bicycle or trucking accident, an injury may exist that is, as yet, not evident to... Read More

We all have an idea of what negligence means. For example, we know a neglected child when we see one, we can all identify that one neglected house on our street, and we know what happens when we neglect our health or our finances.  But what does negligence mean in a legal sense? 

Negligence and its elements

Legal negligence constitutes more than simply not taking adequate care... Read More

Propaganda is a tool used for the purpose of swaying opinion. Sound bites about the ‘hot coffee’ case against a fast food chain have been crafted to malign and ridicule personal injury attorneys and the American legal justice system for the purpose of achieving local and ultimately national tort reform legislation in America. Here are the facts surrounding Stella Liebeck’s case against the fast food restaurant for knowingly serving scalding hot coffee, capable of... Read More