The Law Offices of David W. Holub represents people injured in car accidents in Beverly Shores, Indiana. We serve Beverly Shores and the rest of Porter County from our office in Merrillville. Consultations are free. Call us at (219) 736-9700.
Car Accidents in Beverly Shores
Beverly Shores sits along the Lake Michigan shoreline in Porter County, about 36 miles east of Chicago. The town covers under six square miles, and more than a third of that area is water. U.S. Route 12, known locally as Dunes Highway, is the main road through town, crossing Broadway Avenue near the restored South Shore Line train depot, one of the busier spots in Beverly Shores.
Where Crashes Happen in Beverly Shores
Much of the land around town belongs to Indiana Dunes National Park, and Indiana Dunes State Park sits just to the west. That parkland means US-12 carries local residents alongside park visitors and seasonal homeowners who keep cottages here for summer weekends, sometimes called “some-timers” by longtime residents. Many of these seasonal drivers only travel the road a few months a year, and traffic slows and speeds unevenly near park entrances and scenic pull-offs. Drivers unfamiliar with the road sometimes brake hard or change lanes without much warning, which sets up rear-end collisions.
Where Crashes Happen in Beverly Shores
Away from US-12, Beverly Shores keeps the character of the resort town it was platted to be in the 1920s. Streets curve through wooded lots, and many were never built for through traffic. Cyclists and pedestrians use these streets, along with trails connecting to the national park, especially near the train station and shops along Broadway. Low-speed collisions here can still cause real injuries to anyone on foot or on a bike.
Beverly Shores is small, with a year-round population under 700 and an older resident base, so traffic is lighter most of the year but spikes when Chicago visitors arrive for beach weather. Crashes connected to Beverly Shores tend to fall into a few patterns: rear-end and lane-change crashes on US-12 near the park entrances, low-speed crashes involving pedestrians or cyclists near Broadway and the train station, and collisions involving drivers unfamiliar with the area’s roads and rail crossing.
Indiana Law That Governs Your Beverly Shores Claim
Indiana law gives you two years from the date of a crash to file a lawsuit for your injuries. That two-year clock comes from Indiana Code 34-11-2-4.
Fault in Indiana is handled under a comparative fault system. As long as you were not more than half at fault for the crash, you can still recover money, though your award is reduced by your own share of the fault (Indiana Code 34-51-2-6).
That rule changes when a government vehicle caused your crash. Indiana’s Comparative Fault Act does not apply to government defendants (Indiana Code 34-51-2-2), so the older contributory negligence standard applies instead, and any fault on your part can bar your claim completely.
Claims against a government entity also carry short notice deadlines: 180 days for a city, town, or county defendant (Indiana Code 34-13-3-8), or 270 days for the State of Indiana (Indiana Code 34-13-3-6). Missing these deadlines can end a claim before it starts.
Where Your Beverly Shores Case Is Filed
Beverly Shores has no court of its own that hears injury lawsuits. Car accident claims are filed in the Porter Superior Court, Superior Division, at the Porter County Courthouse, 16 East Lincolnway, Valparaiso. Cases are assigned at random among Superior Court 1, 2, and 5. The Porter Circuit Court, also at the Valparaiso courthouse, hears civil cases too. From Beverly Shores, that is roughly a half-hour drive down US-12. Your attorney handles the filing, so you rarely need to appear in person.
What To Do After a Crash in Beverly Shores
Call 911, especially if the crash happened on US-12, where a stopped car is a hazard. Beverly Shores police or Indiana State Police will respond and write a report that matters later.
See a doctor even if you feel fine at the scene. Injuries from a low-speed hit near Broadway or the train station do not always show symptoms right away. The nearest full-service hospital is Northwest Health – Porter in Valparaiso.
Photograph the vehicles, the road, and your injuries, and get witness contact information. Be careful with the other driver’s insurer. You are not required to give a recorded statement, and early offers are often lower than your actual costs.
Our Merrillville car accident page explains what happens after you file a claim.
About the Law Offices of David W. Holub
Attorney David W. Holub has represented injured people across Northwest Indiana for decades. Attorney Katelyn Holub is also licensed in Indiana and handles car accident and other injury claims. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome; each case depends on its own facts.
Our office is at 8403 Merrillville Road, Merrillville, IN 46410, usually about a 35 to 40 minute drive from Beverly Shores. We do not have an office in Beverly Shores. Clients meet with us at the Merrillville office, and many matters can also be handled by phone.
Beverly Shores Car Accident FAQs
What if a tourist or seasonal driver caused my crash in Beverly Shores?
Beverly Shores sees a lot of visitors and seasonal homeowners near the national park. An out-of-town driver’s insurance still applies the same way a local driver’s would, and we can usually pursue a claim through their carrier.
Who is responsible for a rear-end crash on US-12?
The trailing driver is often presumed to be following too closely or not paying attention, but Indiana still weighs all the evidence. Sudden braking near a park entrance can affect how fault is divided.
Can I still make a claim for a low-speed crash near the train station?
Yes. Insurers often argue a low-speed crash could not cause a real injury, but soft tissue and joint injuries are common even in minor collisions. Medical documentation close in time to the crash helps prove these claims.
What does a car accident lawyer cost?
Consultations are free. We handle injury cases on a contingency fee, so the fee comes out of any recovery. No recovery means no fee.
Talk With Our Office
If you have questions about your situation, you can contact our office to discuss it. Call (219) 736-9700 or send a message through our contact page.