Who’s At Fault in a Car Accident? A Guide to Liability in Ohio
Posted in: Car Accidents
KNR Legal Blog
When you’re in a car accident, you may think that insurance will cover all your damages. Although Ohio requires every driver to have insurance, you may be stuck with part of the bill depending on what your policy covers. Find out what exactly is covered under insurance and what’s not.
If you’re involved in an accident that’s not your fault, the at-fault insurer will cover your expenses, including car repairs. However, this situation changes when you cause the accident. Ohio requires drivers to have minimum liability insurance.
This insurance covers medical expenses and other damages as a result of the accident. Furthermore, it covers property that was damaged during the accident. This insurance breaks down into three parts, including:
Property liability insurance will help you pay to repair the damage you caused to another person’s car or property. Ohio requires drivers to have a minimum of $25,000 in property liability insurance. To have an idea of how much this insurance will cover, let’s consider a few things.
According to Kelly Blue Book, the average used car in the U.S. was valued at over $25,000. If the vehicle is new, the average price is more than $40,000. Whatever your insurance doesn’t cover will fall on you.
Policies have limits based upon the type and amount of coverage you bought. Although property liability will pay for repairs to the other car you damaged, it will not cover your vehicle’s repairs.
Car repairs aren’t the only thing you’ll need to worry about in a crash. You’ll also need to cover the expenses of the injured party. When you’re involved in a car accident, this insurance will help cover the injury expenses of the other party if you’re at fault. This insurance will also cover the lost wages of the injured party.
Ohio requires drivers to carry at least $25,000 of this type of bodily liability insurance. This may seem like a lot; however, the CDC states the average cost of injury requiring hospitalization is around $57,000. There are cases where the costs can be much higher.
This is similar to the previous liability insurance. The only difference is it covers the medical expenses when you’re at fault for injuring two or more people. Ohio requires drivers to carry a minimum of $50,000 of this type of bodily liability insurance.
As stated before, the average cost of injuries requiring hospitalization is around $57,000. Multiplying that number by the number of people injured can result in a staggering bill.
If your current policy doesn’t include the coverage you need to cover your car repairs, consider adjusting your policy with the following coverage to make sure your car gets repaired no matter who’s at fault.
Collision insurance will help pay to repair the damage to your car that resulted from an accident with another vehicle, no matter who’s at fault. This insurance also covers you if you hit a fixed object, such as a pole, fence, or tree.
Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage protects you from a driver who does not have insurance or does not have enough to cover the damages they caused to your car. This coverage also includes hit and run crashes.
Comprehensive insurance covers damages not caused by a wreck. This includes damages that happen at home or in a public parking lot, such as hail, fire, theft, and vandalism.
After a crash, you need to know what your insurance will cover. A car accident lawyer helps you understand your policy and can file a claim on your behalf. Insurance companies want to settle damages quickly and with as little cost to themselves as possible. Representing yourself is never a good idea; however, consulting with a car crash attorney is.
For a free consultation, call Kisling, Nestico & Redick today.