Damages & Compensation in Ohio Car Accidents

Ohio Car Accident Compensation

After a serious car accident, securing full and fair compensation is essential. Experienced legal representation allows you to evaluate your case, determine liability, and better understand all you’re entitled to. Our Ohio car accident attorneys at Kisling, Nestico & Redick offer free, no-obligation consults.

Let us review your car accident damages and fight for max compensation to cover what the accident cost you. Call 1-800-HURT-NOW.

Why You Need Auto Accident Compensation

If you sustained an injury in a car accident caused by someone else’s negligence, you are likely dealing with medical bills, repair costs, time off work, significant pain, and incredible financial stress. When a car accident causes you harm through no fault of your own, you should not carry the financial burden.

Recovering compensation after a car accident can mean paying your hospital bills or getting a much-needed procedure. It may ease the pain and loss you experienced or help you move on after a car crash. Other factors can change potential settlements for auto accident claims.

Ohio’s Comparative Negligence Laws Can Affect Your Settlement

Ohio follows a modified comparative negligence standard. This means you can still recover compensation even if you were partially at fault for the accident, provided your percentage of fault is 50% or less.

How it works: If a jury determines your total damages are $100,000, but finds you were 20% responsible (perhaps for speeding slightly), your final award will be reduced by 20%, leaving you with $80,000. However, if you are found to be 51% or more at fault, you are legally barred from recovering any compensation at all. This is why aggressive legal representation is critical—insurance companies will often try to shift just enough blame onto you to avoid paying your claim entirely.

Car Accident Damages You Can Recover

Ohio law allows you to recover compensation for all the financial losses related to your car accident, referred to as your economic and non-economic damages.

Economic Damages

Economic damages encompass all your monetary or financial losses. This does not only include your car accident repairs or vehicle replacement fees. Some of the most valuable economic damages in a car wreck include:

• Medical Expenses: All the medications, treatments, and medical devices you received because of the accident and any you require in the future may be covered. It is important to note that you should document your medical costs to ensure that you are compensated fairly.
• Lost Wages: If your injury leaves you unable to work and forces you to lose wages, you can recover compensation. It is wise to ask your employer for a letter outlining your pay rate, how many hours you were unable to work, and the total compensation you missed because of your injury.

Non-Economic Damages

Non-economic damages do not have a standard value. Your attorney must quantify them if you hope to be awarded compensation accordingly. The most common non-economic damages awarded in Ohio car accident claims are:

• Pain and Suffering: Pain and suffering compensation accounts for any physical pain and discomfort you face. Your injuries and recovery duration will help determine the amount of pain and suffering compensation you qualify for.
• Emotional Distress: In addition to physical pain, your accident may leave you with mental anguish and psychological distress. Documentation from your doctor, therapist, or counselor may reveal the severity of your emotional distress and help you secure fair compensation.
• Loss of Consortium: Loss of consortium accounts for any loss of sexual or emotional companionship with a spouse or significant other caused by your accident. In most cases, proof of sexual disability is required to recover compensation for this damage.

Punitive Car Accident Damages

Punitive damages may be awarded if the car accident defendant’s conduct is found to be reprehensible, intentional, or grossly negligent. Punitive damages in car accidents are rarely awarded but act as a warning that the Ohio civil courts will not tolerate conduct of this nature.

Ohio Caps Car Accident Damages

Ohio has caps or limits on non-economic and punitive damages that can be awarded in car accident injury claims. For non-economic damages, the cap for non-catastrophic injuries is three times your economic damages or $250,000, whichever is greater. However, there is a maximum allowable of $350,000 per injury victim.

If an injury victim has suffered catastrophic injuries, such as the loss of limbs or disfiguring injuries, there is no cap on non-economic damages.

Punitive damages are capped at two times the injury victim’s compensatory damages or a maximum of $350,000 if the defendant is an individual or small business owner.

Car Accident Insurance Claims for Compensation

The most common way to recover compensation for your damages after a car accident is by filing a claim with the liable party’s insurance company. Ohio is a fault state for auto insurance and accident purposes, so filing a claim with the at-fault party’s insurer gives you the chance to recover certain types and amounts of damages.

Remember, you should beware of insurance companies that make quick offers, as they may be far less than your claim is worth. Never speak with the insurance company or accept a settlement offer without reviewing your case with your car accident attorney.

Beyond the At-Fault Driver: Finding Every Dollar

Sometimes the person who hit you doesn’t have enough insurance to cover your bills. KNR investigates “hidden” layers of coverage to maximize your recovery, including:

• UM/UIM Coverage: Your own Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage can step in if the at-fault driver is broke or fled the scene.
• MedPay: Optional coverage on your own policy that pays medical bills immediately, regardless of who caused the crash.
• Employer Liability: If the other driver was working or “on the clock” at the time of the crash, their employer’s commercial policy may be liable for significantly higher damages.

Bringing Your Case for Damages to Court

Most car accidents are resolved by negotiating with the liable insurance companies. However, preparing cases for court strengthens your argument for compensation and forces the parties involved to take your claim seriously. In addition, bringing your case to trial may be the best way to recover total compensation if there are questions about fault or liability.

Documents to Maximize Your Financial Recovery

If you hope to maximize your car accident claim compensation, there are valuable pieces of evidence that could help to prove liability in your case, including:

• Medical documentation of your injuries, including receipts and hospital bills
• Testimonies from economic experts
• Witness statements
• Paystubs proving your loss of income

Your attorney may also utilize various multiplier methods to determine how much your pain, suffering, and other noneconomic damages are worth.