Every year, there are more than six million auto accidents in the United States and more than $200 billion in injuries and damages. These accidents result in thousands of deaths and millions of serious injuries, nearly all resulting from driver negligence. Driver negligence refers to a failure on the part of a driver to uphold their duty of care to other drivers and pedestrians who are using the road. This can include failing to safely operate the vehicle through driver error, distraction, intoxication, moving violations, poor vehicle maintenance, and more.
If you’ve been in an Ohio auto accident, you will have to prove negligence to seek compensation. However, you do not have to do this by yourself, nor is it advisable to do so. Rather, you should contact an experienced auto accident attorney from Ohio Car Accident Lawyers for assistance with pursuing your auto accident claim.
Each auto accident has its own unique set of circumstances that resulted in the injuries and losses of the victims. These unique details will have to be evaluated to establish driver negligence and pursue a claim against the at fault driver’s insurance company. This is the job of your attorney who will investigate the accident to determine who is liable for your damages and whether or not you can successfully pursue an auto accident claim.
It is important to be aware that the insurance company of the at fault driver may not be willing to adequately compensate you for your injuries and losses. In fact, they may not even be willing to concede that their driver was at fault, and fault can be difficult to establish in some cases. You should avoid discussing the accident with an insurance company until you’ve spoken to an attorney. The best move is to allow your attorney to handle insurance company communication.
What Can the Attorneys at Ohio Car Accident Lawyers Do For You?
The attorneys at Ohio Car Accident Lawyers will go above and beyond to help you through the difficult process of recovering from an Ohio auto accident and getting back on your feet. For example, your attorney can assist you in locating a physician who can provide a detailed account of your injuries and limitations. You should seek medical treatment as soon as you can after an auto accident because failing to do so will harm your case. Yet, many people don’t realize that they have serious injuries at the time of the accident. You might make the mistake of assuming that you are only experiencing a bit of soreness that will go away with time, when in actuality, you have serious injuries that will take months to recover from – assuming that you will fully recover. In many cases, the injuries that you sustain from an auto accident will follow you for the rest of your life, even resulting in permanent disability.
The attorneys at Ohio Car Accident Lawyers can also help you to understand your rights, defend those rights, and help you make decisions regarding your case, such as whether or not to take your claim to court. If your case requires litigation, then you need to be sure that you have an experienced and qualified auto accident attorney on your side. Your attorney is going to think of all of the things that you might have missed, including the potential ongoing expenses and future losses that you may be facing. Your settlement should cover all of your current and future medical expenses, your lost wages, any lost future earning potential, all of your property damage, and any pain and suffering damages that you are entitled to.
How Does Comparative Negligence Work in Ohio?
For the past three decades, Ohio has operated as a comparative negligence state. This means that more than one person can be held legally responsible for an auto accident. The defense may try to prove that you are more than 50% at fault for the accident, because doing so will bar you from receiving any compensation for your losses. However, if you are less than 50% at fault for the accident, then you can receive compensation for the amount of liability that the other driver is found responsible for. For example, if the other driver is 80% at fault, then you can receive 80% of your damages. You will then be responsible for the 20% of damages that correlate to your 20% accountability for the accident.
What If The At Fault Driver Has No Insurance?
Every driver in the state of Ohio is legally required to have auto insurance. Unfortunately, not all drivers comply with this rule, and some drivers only hold the bare minimum of required insurance, which may not be enough to cover your damages.
If you have uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, then you can file a claim with your own insurance company for any damages that are not covered by the other driver’s insurance policy.
Get a Free Consultation with Ohio Car Accident Lawyers
Your initial legal consultation with Ohio Car Accident Lawyers is entirely free. You will be under no obligation to hire the attorney that you speak with. If you do hire one of our attorneys, there will be no upfront fees. Rather, we work on a contingency basis, so that you don’t pay unless we successfully recover your damages. Then, with a successful outcome, our fee will be a percentage of your recovery. Contact Ohio Car Accident Lawyers today for your free consultation.
