The Law Offices of David W. Holub represents people injured in car accidents in Dune Acres, Indiana. We serve Dune Acres and the rest of Porter County from our office in Merrillville. Consultations are free. Call us at (219) 736-9700.
Car Accidents in Dune Acres
Dune Acres is one of the smallest towns in Porter County, and one of the most private. It was platted in 1923 as a lakeside resort village in Westchester Township, and today it covers about 3.4 square miles, more than a third of it water along the Lake Michigan shoreline. The 2020 census counted 234 residents, up from 182 a decade earlier.
Where Crashes Happen in Dune Acres
Dune Acres is a gated community. A single controlled entrance serves as the main way in and out of town, and residents and guests pass through it to reach the private, wooded streets inside. That layout means Dune Acres has almost no through traffic of its own. Nearly every vehicle inside town limits belongs to a resident, a guest, or someone with a specific reason to be there.
Where Crashes Happen in Dune Acres
U.S. Route 12, Dunes Highway, is the closest highway to Dune Acres and the road nearly everyone uses to reach the gate. Mineral Springs Road, once the site of the town’s own South Shore Line train station before it closed in 1994, remains a key route connecting US-12 to the entrance. Because Dune Acres sits surrounded by protected dune land tied to Indiana Dunes National Park, US-12 near the entrance carries local residents, park visitors heading to nearby trailheads and beaches, and drivers passing through along the lakeshore.
The crash risk inside Dune Acres itself is low because so few cars pass through, but the entrance area and the stretch of US-12 near Mineral Springs Road see a different mix of drivers than the road does further along, including some unfamiliar with the area who slow suddenly to look for the gate or a trailhead turnoff. A car that brakes hard or turns without much warning on a highway like US-12, where other traffic often moves at higher speed, is a common setup for a rear-end or turning crash.
Indiana Law That Governs Your Dune Acres Claim
Under Indiana law, you generally have two years from the date of your crash to file a lawsuit for your injuries. This deadline comes from Indiana Code 34-11-2-4.
Indiana uses a comparative fault system to divide responsibility after a crash. You can still recover compensation as long as you were not more than half at fault, but your award is reduced by whatever percentage of fault is assigned to you (Indiana Code 34-51-2-6).
These rules do not apply the same way if a government vehicle caused your crash. Indiana’s Comparative Fault Act excludes government defendants entirely (Indiana Code 34-51-2-2), so the older contributory negligence rule takes over, and even a small share of fault on your part can bar your claim.
Claims involving a government entity also carry short notice windows: 180 days for a city, town, or county defendant (Indiana Code 34-13-3-8), and 270 days for the State of Indiana (Indiana Code 34-13-3-6). These deadlines are easy to miss if you wait too long to speak with a lawyer.
Where Your Dune Acres Case Is Filed
A town as small as Dune Acres has no court of its own. Civil injury claims are filed in the Porter Superior Court, Superior Division, at the Porter County Courthouse, 16 East Lincolnway, Valparaiso, where Superior Court 1, 2, and 5 handle civil plenary and personal injury cases through random, rotating assignment. The Porter Circuit Court, at the same courthouse, also hears civil matters. Because so few Dune Acres crashes involve anyone beyond a resident or a guest passing through the gate, the filing itself still happens in Valparaiso, but the facts are often straightforward.
What To Do After a Crash Near Dune Acres
Call 911 right away, whether the crash happened on US-12 near the entrance or on Mineral Springs Road. Indiana State Police or Porter County Sheriff’s deputies typically respond, and their report is important evidence later.
Get medical care promptly, even for injuries that seem minor at first. The nearest full-service hospital is Northwest Health – Porter in Valparaiso.
Take photos of the vehicles, the road, and your injuries, and get the names of any witnesses, including gate staff who may have seen the crash. Be cautious about speaking with the other driver’s insurer before you understand the full extent of your injuries.
Our Merrillville car accident page explains the claim process step by step.
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, about a 35 minute drive from Dune Acres. We do not have an office in Dune Acres. Clients meet with us at the Merrillville office, and many matters can also be handled by phone.
Dune Acres Car Accident FAQs
Who is at fault in a crash on US-12 near Dune Acres?
It depends on the specifics, but crashes near the Dune Acres entrance often involve a car slowing or turning toward Mineral Springs Road while other traffic keeps highway speed. Photos, the police report, and any nearby witnesses usually help sort out fault.
What if the other driver was just passing through and not local?
Many drivers on US-12 near Dune Acres are visiting the national park or passing through along the lakeshore. An out-of-town driver’s insurance applies the same as a local driver’s, and we can pursue a claim through their carrier regardless of where they live.
What if the at-fault driver was uninsured?
If the driver who hit you had no insurance, or not enough to cover your injuries, your own policy’s uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage may apply. This is worth checking even if you assume you have no options.
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.