Indiana gives you 2 years to file most truck accident claims, and it follows modified comparative negligence (51% bar). Federal FMCSA rules govern the trucking company; Indiana law governs your injury claim.
Indiana calls itself the Crossroads of America, and if you've ever driven I-65 on a Friday you know why. For an Indiana truck accident lawyer, the first question is often simple but important: was a government vehicle or road agency involved? The answer can change the whole case.
How Indiana splits fault
Indiana's Comparative Fault Act bars recovery above 50% fault. Note that the Act does not apply to claims against governmental entities, where Indiana retains contributory negligence — a trap worth knowing about.
Also see who can be held liable.
Toll Road steel haulers and I-65 all the way down
Up in Lake and Porter counties, the Indiana Toll Road and I-94 run side by side into Chicago. Steel coils, flatbeds and tankers from the mills share those lanes with commuters from Valparaiso, and when traffic stacks up near Gary, a heavy load needs a lot of room to stop.
I-65 runs the length of the state, from Chicago-bound freight in the north down through Indianapolis to Louisville. I-70 crosses it in the middle. Farm equipment and grain trucks on the state roads add their own risk at harvest time.
Indiana brands itself the Crossroads of America, and the description is literal — more interstate highways converge here per square mile than in almost any other state. Northwest Indiana, including Porter and Lake counties around Valparaiso, carries Chicago-bound freight on the Toll Road and I-94 simultaneously with steel and heavy industry traffic.
- I-65 (Indianapolis–Louisville and Indianapolis–Gary)
- I-70 (Indianapolis east–west)
- I-69 (Evansville–Indianapolis–Fort Wayne)
- I-80/I-90 (the Indiana Toll Road)
- I-94 through the Calumet region
If you haul steel or general freight in Indiana
Flatbed drivers know a shifting load can turn a small bump into a disaster. If your crash involved cargo that moved, take photos of the securement before anyone touches it and hang on to your bill of lading. Whoever loaded that trailer might share responsibility.
If a truck hit your family around Indy or up in the Region
Families should find out quickly whether a city truck, county plow or state road crew was part of the crash. Indiana treats those claims differently and the notice window is short. Keep the crash report and write down any government vehicle numbers you saw.
What's different about Indiana claims
Before you talk to an adjuster
- ⚠️ Indiana's comparative fault statute does not cover claims against governmental entities. In those cases contributory negligence still applies, meaning any fault on your part can bar recovery entirely.
- The Indiana Tort Claims Act requires notice within 180 days for political subdivisions and 270 days for state claims.
- Indiana does not cap compensatory damages in ordinary private personal injury actions, but caps apply to claims against governmental entities.
The federal layer
An interstate carrier in Indiana answers to the same federal floor as everywhere else: at least $750,000 in liability coverage, hours-of-service limits under 49 CFR Part 395, and a six-month retention floor on driver duty records. Read about preserving the truck's data and the federal safety regulations.
Finding a lawyer in Indiana
Ask any Indiana lawyer you call how they handle cases that might involve a government entity, given the separate fault rule and notice deadlines that apply there.
Network attorneys cover Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Valparaiso, Gary, South Bend, and Evansville. Start a free case review.
Other states
See all states → or check filing deadlines for all 50 states.
Sources
- Large Truck and Bus Crash Facts — Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
- SAFER Company Snapshot — carrier safety records — Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
- Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Federal regulations and crash statistics are updated periodically. Figures cited on this page reflect the referenced publications at the time of writing; check the source for the current edition.