The Borman Expressway through Gary and Hammond is packed with trucks at every hour of the day, and a lot of them are running between Chicago and the rest of the country. If you were hit there, or anywhere on the Crossroads of America, the clock is already running in Indiana.
The truck accident statute of limitations in Indiana appears to be 2 years from the date of the crash (Ind. Code § 34-11-2-4). Wrongful death generally runs 2 years from the date of death. If a government vehicle or entity was involved, formal written notice is generally required first, on its own clock: 180 days. The evidence clock is shorter than all of them.
How current these numbers are
A licensed attorney checked these Indiana figures against the cited statutes on 2026-09-20. Statutes still change (Florida cut its injury period in half in 2023; Louisiana doubled its own in 2024), so confirm with an Indiana lawyer before you rely on them.
Life next to big rigs on I-70
Indiana is about volume. The Borman (I-80/94) through Lake County is among the most truck-dense stretches of road anywhere, with construction zones that seem permanent and steel-mill traffic mixing with through-freight. I-65 and I-70 carry nonstop traffic through Indianapolis, where the FedEx hub and dozens of distribution centers keep trucks moving all night. Lake-effect snow bands off Lake Michigan hit northwest Indiana hard, and whiteouts on I-65 near Lafayette cause multi-truck pileups. Down south, I-64 and I-69 wind through hills near the Ohio River. Spring floods and summer thunderstorms add their own risk.
Indiana calls itself the Crossroads of America for a reason — more interstates converge here than in almost any state, and the Borman Expressway through Lake County is among the most truck-dense stretches of road in the United States. Indianapolis is a national parcel-hub city. Crashes pile up on I-70 (Terre Haute–Indianapolis–Ohio), I-65 (Louisville–Indianapolis–Gary), I-80/94 through the Borman Expressway, I-69 and I-74 and US-31 and US-30.
How the clock plays out: a crash on I-65
Say you're a trucker heading west on the Borman in a December snow squall off the lake. Traffic ahead slows to a crawl, but the rig behind you doesn't see it in time and pushes you into the car in front. Now you're in the middle of a three-vehicle crash, hurt, with a load you can't deliver. Your own ELD and dash cam will help show you were stopped. The other driver's records will show how fast he was going and how long he'd been driving. Both sets need to be saved before they rotate out.
What makes Indiana different
Indiana splits its government notice periods by entity: 270 days against the State, but only 180 days against a political subdivision — a city, county or school corporation. Indiana also treats its two-year wrongful death period as a condition of the statutory right rather than an ordinary limitations period, which narrows the tolling arguments available if the deadline is missed.
Every Indiana clock in one table
| Deadline | Period | Runs from | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal injury lawsuit | 2 years | the date of the crash | Ind. Code § 34-11-2-4 |
| Wrongful death claim | 2 years | the date of death | Ind. Code § 34-23-1-1 |
| Notice — state entity | 270 days | the date of the crash | Ind. Code § 34-13-3-6 |
| Notice — city, county or district | 180 days | the date of the crash | Ind. Code § 34-13-3-8 |
On the wrongful death period: Indiana treats the two-year wrongful death period as a condition of the statutory right, which limits tolling arguments.
If a government vehicle was involved in Indiana
Shortest government notice window found for Indiana: 180 days (Ind. Code § 34-13-3-8). It comes due long before the ordinary deadline, it's a precondition to suing, and missing it usually bars the claim entirely. Notice to the Attorney General and the state agency within 270 days. Political subdivisions — cities, counties, school corporations — get only 180 days.
Public fleets you could realistically be hit by here: INDOT plow and maintenance trucks, county highway department equipment, IndyGo buses, municipal fleets in Indianapolis and Fort Wayne, and school corporation buses. Not sure the vehicle was one of these? Work to the shorter deadline until someone confirms otherwise.
If the injured person was a minor
Tolled to age 18 in Indiana under Ind. Code § 34-11-6-1. The clock generally doesn't start until the injured person turns 18. That pause covers the court deadline, not the evidence: a carrier may destroy a driver's logs six months after the crash no matter the injured person's age, and in many states a government notice deadline isn't tolled for a child either.
When the Indiana clock starts
Applies. Indiana's clock runs from when the plaintiff knew or should have discovered the injury and that it was caused by another's act.
Your Indiana dates, calculated
Enter your crash date. Indiana is preselected, and nothing you type is sent anywhere.
The evidence clock runs faster than 2 years
- Dashcam and telematics video: often 30 days or less (No federal retention requirement — vendor and carrier policy only).
- ECM / black box data: overwritten as the tractor runs; often lost on repair or resale.
- Driver logs: six months (49 CFR § 395.8(k)(1)).
- Maintenance records: one year while the vehicle is in the carrier's control (49 CFR § 396.3(c)).
- Annual inspection report: 14 months (49 CFR § 396.21(b)(1)).
Until a written preservation letter reaches the carrier, destroying records at the end of a retention period is routine and lawful. The FMCSA regulations and evidence guide explains each record.
Local moves that protect an Indiana claim
- Indiana State Police handle interstate crashes. Request the Indiana Officer's Standard Crash Report, which lists the carrier's USDOT number.
- INDOT traffic cameras cover the Borman and Indianapolis interstates. Footage is usually overwritten quickly, so ask about it early.
- If you were hit near a steel mill or rail yard in Lake County, note any company signs or truck numbers. Local industrial carriers may not be well known.
Fault rules and damages caps are covered on the Indiana truck accident lawyer page.
Crashed near the Indiana line?
A crash a few miles over a border can fall under a different deadline. If you're not sure which state you were in, check both.
| State | Injury deadline | Wrongful death |
|---|---|---|
| Illinois | 2 years | 2 years |
| Michigan | 3 years | 3 years |
| Ohio | 2 years | 2 years |
| Kentucky | 1 year | 1 year |
Compare any state with the filing deadline calculator, or see the full state index.
Next steps
- Get a preservation letter to the carrier. It's the most time-critical step.
- Confirm whether a government entity was involved. If so, your 2 years deadline may give way to 180 days.
- Don't give a recorded statement to the trucking company's insurer.
- Get the Indiana crash report; it names the carrier, DOT number and insurer.
- Have a lawyer licensed in Indiana confirm these dates against the current statute.
Sources
- Hours of Service — records of duty status retention — 49 CFR § 395.8 (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration)
- Inspection, Repair, and Maintenance — record retention — 49 CFR Part 396 (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration)
- Accident register requirements — 49 CFR § 390.15 (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration)
- Large Truck and Bus Crash Facts — Federal Motor Carrier 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.