There is good news about road accidents in Ohio in 2022. Ohio has seen a decrease in car accidents compared to its previous year, as per Dayton247now reports.
2021 saw a 10% increase in road accidents in Ohio compared to its previous year, also referred to as the deadliest year in a decade, even though the traffic volumes were below the pre-pandemic levels.
When asked about the increase in traffic deaths, Matt Bruning, Ohio Department of Transportation Press Secretary, says, “That’s the million-dollar question. We certainly think that people were speeding more. Our speed sensors were certainly showing that. I think I’ll defer to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, but I know I had seen news stories in the past where the number of traffic tickets that they were writing for excessive speeds was up”.
Reasons for increasing car accidents in Ohio
Here are the four actors for increasing road accidents in Ohio as cited by Bruning Matt after their analysis on road crashes:
- Speeding
- Distracted driving
- Impaired driving
- No seatbelts
He further added, “Drive the speed limit, buckle up, drop the distractions, and drive sober, and we feel that if you do those things, you’re going to be getting to your destination safely, and our numbers or fatalities will go down.”
This seems to have worked well for 2022. So far, 2022 has been a great year for road accidents.
However, if you are still unfortunate enough to be caught in the wrath of a car accident, a car accident attorney in Ohio can help with your car accident claim. But how?
How a car accident attorney can help you with a car accident in Ohio
- Help you in getting medical attention
If you are injured in a car accident with no fault, immediately calling your attorney can increase your chances of getting fair compensation. First, a car accident attorney looks at the medical attention you are given.
It is known not to deny medical attention at the accident scene. If your injuries are diagnosed, they immediately form part of the police report. This is very advantageous on the plaintiff’s side.
The other party cannot deny the existence of injuries and the link of injuries with the car accident if the police report mentions them. These small tips can help you claim your compensation easily. Talking to an attorney right after the accident can be thus helpful.
- File your claim
A car accident attorney will be the one responsible for filing the claim. When you consult and hire an attorney, all the legal requirements will be fulfilled by him. You may have to appear at the court during the proceedings if the case goes through the trial.
An attorney will establish the liability and provide the burden of proof on behalf of the plaintiff. He will talk with witnesses, find an expert witness (if required) and perform all tasks as an attorney to win a case.
- Collect evidence
Once you hand over your case to the attorney, he must collect evidence. Good evidence can turn any case upside down. The police report and prying into how and what the car accident are important facts that an experienced attorney knows how you use in his favor.
Finding the reason for the car accident is of utmost importance. If the car accident was caused due to intoxication, the case is handled like any other DUI accident. If it’s caused due to distracted driving, the attorney will have collected evidence like call records that prove the driver was either texting or on call that caused the accident.
Similarly, in case of overspeeding, the evidence and burden of proof will be dealt with accordingly. This is where the skills of a car accident attorney come into place.
- Get your rightful compensation
Finally, an attorney ensures you are given the right compensation as part of the claim. An attorney is the one that will estimate the amount of compensation granted in such cases and works upon recovering the same.
Be it while settling outside the court or with the court’s help, an attorney will be responsible for recovering the damages like medical bills, physiotherapy costs, hospitalization costs, loss of income due to injuries, and even damages for mental and emotional stress at times.
To recover the compensation, an attorney has to deal with various parties like the third-party insurance company, defence attorneys, expert witnesses, and even the jury.
- Helps you avoid mistakes during police interrogation
A car accident attorney prepares you well on how to answer during police interrogation. The lesser you speak, the better. You don’t have to lie about what happened and, at the same time, not accept your mistakes or blame the other driver rudely and aggressively.
He recommends you talk to your insurance company as soon as possible. He also suggests not talking to other driver’s insurance companies. Furthermore, he will suggest receiving medical attention as soon as possible, even when there are no visible injuries.
In short, a car accident attorney in Ohio helps you in every step of a car accident claim. He helps you in numerous ways, from dealing with hidden costs, deadlines, and legal procedures. From relieving you from a financial burden to providing you emotional support, a good and experienced car accident attorney does it all to get his client maximum compensation.
What does he charge in return?
A car accident attorney in Ohio works on a contingency basis. This means they get paid only when they recover the estimated amount. They are paid a fixed percentage of the total compensation amount recovered. Thus, their pay is directly proportional to the amount they recover.
Contacting and consulting a car accident attorney is usually free. Find the best car accident attorney in Ohio as soon as possible after the accident to file for your claim.
