The Law Offices of David W. Holub represents people injured in car accidents in North Judson, Indiana. We serve North Judson and all of Starke County from our office in Merrillville. Consultations are free. Call us at (219) 736-9700.
Car Accidents in North Judson
North Judson sits at the point where State Road 10 and State Road 39 come together in the center of town. The two highways run as one road through downtown before splitting apart again, and that concurrency channels through traffic, local errands, and drivers cutting across the county onto the same few blocks. Left turns off the highway into the small business district, along with vehicles pulling out from side streets, are a regular source of crashes at this junction.
East of town, SR-10 continues toward the Bass Lake area, where it links up with U.S. 35 about ten miles away. Traffic bound for the lake, especially on summer weekends, moves through North Judson on its way east, adding drivers who are less familiar with the road and its curves to the local mix.
Where Crashes Happen in North Judson
North Judson is a small, rural town, and its roads reflect that. Outside the SR-10/SR-39 junction, speed limits rise quickly, and the roads run long and straight through open farmland, which can make it hard to judge closing distance on a slower vehicle, a farm implement, or a car waiting to turn. Grain trucks and farm equipment are common during planting and harvest, and they need more room than passenger vehicles.
The town grew up as a railroad junction, several lines once converged here, and it still has active rail crossings that interrupt local streets. A stopped train can back up traffic quickly and push an impatient driver to take a chance they otherwise would not.
The crashes we see most often around North Judson are intersection and turning collisions at the SR-10/SR-39 junction downtown, rear-end and highway-speed crashes on the open stretches of SR-10 and SR-39 outside town, and crashes tied to farm equipment or rail-crossing delays on the roads leading in and out of town.
Indiana Law That Governs Your North Judson Claim
Indiana gives you two years from the date of the crash to file a lawsuit. The rule is Indiana Code 34-11-2-4. Evidence and witness memories fade fast, so it helps to start early.
Indiana uses a comparative fault system. You can recover as long as you were not more than half at fault, and your award is reduced by your share of the fault (Indiana Code 34-51-2-6).
Different, stricter fault rules apply when a government vehicle is involved. The Comparative Fault Act does not cover government defendants (Indiana Code 34-51-2-2), so contributory negligence applies instead, and any fault on your part can bar recovery. This comes up around North Judson when a county truck, a school bus, or another government vehicle is part of the crash.
Notice deadlines are short: as little as 180 days for a town or county (Indiana Code 34-13-3-8), and 270 days for a claim tied to a state highway like SR-10 or SR-39 (Indiana Code 34-13-3-6).
Where Your North Judson Case Is Filed
North Judson does not have its own court for injury lawsuits. Starke County’s seat is Knox, about ten miles southeast, and the Starke Circuit Court there hears civil cases filed anywhere in the county, including crashes on SR-10 and SR-39 in North Judson. Unlike counties with court divisions spread across several cities, Starke County keeps injury filings in one place. Most claims resolve before trial.
For a broader look at crash trends and venue across the county, see our Starke County car accident page.
What To Do After a Crash in North Judson
Call the police and stay at the scene if you can. A crash at the SR-10/SR-39 junction downtown can block traffic through the center of town, so move to a safe spot nearby if possible.
Get medical care right away, even if you feel fine. The nearest hospital, Northwest Health – Starke, is in Knox, about ten miles away, and some injuries from a highway-speed crash on SR-10 or SR-39 do not show up until later.
Photograph the vehicles, the road, and your injuries, and get witness names, especially from businesses near the junction. Be careful with the other driver’s insurer, and skip the recorded statement.
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 practiced personal injury law in Northwest Indiana for decades. He and attorney Katelyn Holub are licensed in Indiana and handle car accident and other injury cases across the region. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome; each case depends on its facts.
Our office is at 8403 Merrillville Road, Merrillville, IN 46410, about 45 miles and just over an hour from North Judson via SR-8. We do not have an office in North Judson. Much of the early work can be handled by phone.
North Judson Car Accident FAQs
Who is usually at fault in a crash on SR-10 or SR-39 outside of town?
It depends on the evidence, but rural highway crashes outside North Judson often come down to speed, following distance, or a driver misjudging a farm vehicle or a car ahead. Crash reports, photos, and skid or debris evidence usually help sort out fault.
Are motorcycle crashes more common around North Judson at certain times of year?
Motorcycle traffic on rural highways like SR-10 and SR-39 picks up in the warmer months, when more riders share the road with cars, trucks, and farm equipment. A motorcycle is smaller and harder to see than a car, so intersection and turning crashes are a particular risk during riding season.
What if the other driver barely has any insurance?
Indiana requires liability coverage, but the state minimum does not go far after a serious crash. If your own policy includes underinsured or uninsured motorist coverage, it may fill the gap between what the other driver’s policy pays and your actual costs. It is worth checking your policy or asking us to review it.
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.