Could Ohio’s New Distracted Driving Law Affect Your Car Accident Case?
Posted in: Car Accidents
KNR Legal Blog
Car accident victims face a lot of challenges, and long and difficult recovery times if they’ve been seriously hurt. Your injuries can be extremely painful, making even the most ordinary tasks difficult.
When the insurance companies get involved, they will use their resources to investigate your case and determine if they owe you financial compensation. Unfortunately, insurance providers sometimes use their position to pay injury victims as little as possible.
As a top personal injury firm in Ohio, Kisling, Nestico & Redick understands this and can recognize the signs if an insurance company is not offering what’s fair. Do not hesitate to contact our Ohio injury lawyers about your case. We can help you review all your options and work with you to recover everything you deserve.
Call KNR today at 1-800-HURT-NOW. Initial consultations are always free and there are no up-front costs. You only pay if we recover compensation for you.
Insurance is meant to provide financial compensation to people when they unexpectedly sustain harm. The insurance providers involved in your accident can be of enormous help to your family. However, their interest in making profits incentivizes them to low-ball you when calculating how much they should pay.
It’s important to consider that insurance policies have limits on how much they will payout. But many low-ball offers are still well below the insurance policy’s limits.
Car accident injuries can result in significant costs. The insurance company is supposed to act in good faith when they investigate the expenses related to your accident.
Insurance settlements should cover damages, such as:
Injuries and property damage can happen in the blink of an eye when you are in a car accident. But it can take weeks or even months to fully grasp the extent of the damage it caused.
Doctors and therapists often require numerous follow-up visits if they are to accurately diagnose certain chronic harm. An insurance company that rushes you to accept a settlement is a strong sign that they are concerned about costs increasing in the future.
An experienced lawyer can make them understand that you need to fully investigate your injuries before accepting a financial settlement. That’s why it is essential to always consult legal counsel before signing or accepting any compensation from an insurance company.
There are many cases where the insurance company offers a settlement that is well below the policy limits as well as the needs of the victim. What is the reason for such a low offer?
Understandably they want to reduce their costs, but they must act in good faith. Therefore, they owe you an explanation for an unsatisfactory financial settlement that falls short of the policy limits.
If an insurance company does not provide an explanation for their offer, then one could assume that they are hoping you will accept it and simply go away. When you have aggressive and committed representation, you can expect a clear explanation for their offer, or better yet, you can expect a fair offer for your injuries.
A car, truck, or motorcycle accident can leave horrific injuries. Even harm that is not life-threatening can cause you pain and disabilities for months or years to come.
Insurance companies often make settlement offers while also disputing the extent of a victim’s injuries. This is a sign that they might be low-balling an accident victim. The insurance company doesn’t have to cover treatment for harm that existed before your accident. Therefore, it’s very important to document your injuries right after an accident.
Do the following to better detail your injuries:
Ohio’s contributory negligence law states that an injured person’s financial recovery can be reduced by their share of responsibility for their injuries. If the court finds that you should receive $100,000 in accident damages, but they also determine that you hold 20% of the responsibility, you would walk away with only $80,000.
If there is a chance that you hold some of the blame, the insurance company might reduce their settlement offer. In this situation, they’re basically saying, “take a low offer from us now, or you might receive even less if you seek damages at court”.
Hiring a skilled trial lawyer will help you understand the strength of your case. At KNR, we know how Ohio courts apply the contributory negligence law, and we can help make sure you don’t lose any compensation that you deserve.
Getting a low-ball financial settlement offer after a car accident or some other injury can be devastating during your time of need. Our attorneys have represented many accident victims, and aggressively pursue the true value of your claim. Do not delay in calling a skilled Ohio accident attorney with KNR if you have been injured through no fault of your own. The insurance companies have teams of lawyers working for them, and you need an experienced attorney fighting for you.
Contact Kisling, Nestico & Redick to discuss your settlement offer. Call 1-800-HURT-NOW today and set up a free, no-risk consultation.