What Should You Do After an Accident in Ohio?

After a car accident here in Columbus, OH, you likely have medical bills and other expenses piling up, and it's natural to wonder how much you might actually be able to get from a car accident personal injury claim. The answer depends on your losses, degree of fault, the insurance available to pay them, and the skill of your attorney. Car Accident Personal Injury Compensation Factors in Columbus, OH What you can collect is the proven value of what you've lost, reduced by your share of blame, and limited by the insurance policy limit. Let's consider these factors. What You've Lost You can recover economic losses and noneconomic losses. Economic Losses Economic loss covers money you spent or will spend because of the accident, like your hospital bills, household help you've had to hire, and wages or benefits you lost while you could not work. There's no ceiling on that category: if you've got the proof, you should be paid for all of it. Property damage also counts here. Noneconomic Losses Noneconomic losses are to recompense you for the pain and mental anguish of your accident, and state law caps those awards at the greater of $250,000 or three times your economic loss, with a hard ceiling of $350,000 for each plaintiff and $500,000 per incident. The cap doesn't apply if your injuries meet the statute's definition of a catastrophic injury, however, which would include: Permanent and substantial physical deformity Loss of use of a limb Loss of a bodily organ system Permanent functional injury that keeps you from caring for yourself and performing life-sustaining tasks Your Fault Ohio uses modified comparative negligence, which means you can bring a claim if your share of blame for the accident isn't greater than the combined fault of those from whom you're seeking payment. Your award is then cut by your percentage of fault. If a jury finds you 20% responsible for a $100,000 loss, for example, you would receive $80,000. Insurance Policy Limit This is often a bigger factor than any caps the state puts on these claims. Ohio requires drivers to carry bodily-injury liability of $25,000 per person and $50,000 per crash, plus $25,000 for property damage. A week spent in intensive care can consume the per-person limit easily. When the at-fault driver's policy is exhausted, you would look next to your own uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage if you bought it. In some cases, you may be able to bring a claim against the other driver, but it will only be worth doing if they have something you can take. Ohio protects a person's primary residence and its equity (unless the driver didn't have insurance at all), one car, and some of the driver's personal cash, household goods, jewelry, tools and professional books, and some other items. Your lawyer can advise you when it's worth bringing a suit against the driver directly. If you've been in an accident, call us at Barkan Meizlish DeRose Cox, LLP for a free consultation and advice about what your claim can potentially recover.

After a trucking accident, it is normal to feel overwhelmed, shaken, or unsure of what to do next. Large truck crashes often involve serious injuries, commercial insurance companies, trucking company representatives, and evidence that can disappear quickly. Taking the right steps early can help protect your health, your claim, and your ability to pursue compensation. If you were hurt in a truck crash in Columbus, OH, call Barkan Meizlish DeRose Cox, LLP at 740-204-2125 or visit our contact us page to speak with our team. You can also learn more about how we handle these cases on our trucking accidents page. more Essential First Steps After a Trucking Accident in Columbus, OH Get to Safety and Call 911 Your first priority after a trucking accident is safety. Move out of traffic if you can do so without causing more harm. If your vehicle is drivable, move it to a safe location and turn on your hazard lights. Call 911 immediately, especially if anyone appears injured or if the crash involves a commercial truck. Even if you feel fine, get medical care as soon as possible. Truck accident injuries such as concussions, whiplash, back injuries, internal injuries, and soft tissue damage may not show symptoms right away. A medical evaluation also creates important documentation that may help connect your injuries to the crash. After you receive medical attention, call 740-204-2125 or reach out through our contact us page so Barkan Meizlish DeRose Cox, LLP can explain your next steps. Talk to the Police and Request a Report Law enforcement should come to the scene and create an official accident report. Cooperate with the officers and answer their questions honestly, but avoid guessing about what happened or admitting fault. Stick to the facts you know. Before you leave the scene, ask for the police report number. Once the report becomes available, request a copy and keep it with your records. This report may become an important part of your claim, especially when dealing with trucking companies and insurance carriers. If you are unsure how to get the report or what to do with it, contact our Columbus truck accident team at 740-204-2125 or use our contact us page. Gather Evidence at the Scene If you are physically able, collect as much evidence as you can while waiting for help. Use your phone to take photos and videos of: Vehicle damage The truck and trailer License plates Company names or DOT numbers on the truck Skid marks or debris Traffic signals and road conditions Visible injuries Weather and lighting conditions The overall crash scene You should also exchange basic information with the truck driver, including their name, license information, insurance details, employer, and trucking company information. If witnesses saw the crash, ask for their names and contact information. Commercial trucking accident claims can involve driver logs, maintenance records, inspection reports, black box data, and company safety records. These details are not always easy to obtain without legal help. Our trucking accidents page explains more about these cases and why early action matters. Avoid Speaking With the Trucking Company’s Insurance Carrier Alone After a truck accident, you may hear from an insurance adjuster quickly. Be careful. The trucking company’s insurer may ask for a recorded statement, push you to settle early, or look for ways to shift blame. You do not have to handle those conversations alone. Before speaking in detail with an insurance company, call Barkan Meizlish DeRose Cox, LLP at 740-204-2125 or submit a message through our contact us page. A lawyer can step in to protect your rights, preserve key evidence, and deal directly with the insurance companies on your behalf. Call a Columbus Trucking Accident Attorney Trucking accident cases are often more complex than regular car accident claims. A crash may involve the truck driver, trucking company, maintenance provider, cargo loading company, parts manufacturer, or multiple insurance policies. An attorney who handles commercial vehicle accidents can investigate the cause of the crash and pursue the compensation you deserve. At Barkan Meizlish DeRose Cox, LLP, we have stood beside injured Ohioans for more than 65 years and bring more than 166 years of combined experience to the people we represent. We understand how trucking companies and insurers work to limit responsibility, and we know how to build strong claims for injured clients. If you or someone you love was hurt in a trucking accident in Columbus, OH, call 740-204-2125 today or visit our contact us page. You can also review our trucking accidents page to learn more about how we help truck crash victims. You do not have to face this process alone. Contact Barkan Meizlish DeRose Cox, LLP today. We also have an office in Pittsburgh, PA, and we only take a fee if we win for you. Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Reading this content does not create an attorney-client relationship.

The immediate aftermath of a car accident is a bewildering time for anyone. You’re dealing with a lot of emotions - often some combination of shock, fear, anger, pain, and confusion. In a state like that, it’s no surprise that you might not handle those few minutes perfectly, especially if you don’t know what you should be doing. But as experienced personal injury lawyers in Ohio, Barkan Meizlish DeRose Cox, LLP have gone through a number of car accident cases, and we have a good sense of what may help - and what doesn’t - after a car accident. Hopefully, you never need these tips, but if you ever do, we hope you find it helpful to avoid these five common mistakes people make after a car accident. 1. Not Calling the Police Legally, the police should be called out to nearly any car accident, regardless of whether you think you’ll be calling a car accident attorney in Ohio to file a claim or not. The police will record what happened at the accident, which will include your testimony and that of the other driver (assuming there is one), and other relevant evidence at the scene. This evidence isn’t just for you to use in a claim if you choose to hire a car accident attorney in Ohio. Having this information on record also protects you from potential false claims the other driver and their car accident attorney may raise against you later. Having the police record to dispute such claims is a powerful tool, and is just the legally appropriate thing to do. 2. Admitting Guilt For the Accident Any car accident lawyer will tell you that one of the most important aspects of a car accident personal injury case is establishing liability and fault. So, if you get out of your car and say something like, “I’m sorry, it’s my fault,” or “I didn’t see you there,” you’re potentially shifting the blame onto yourself. Even if hiring a car accident attorney in Ohio isn’t in your plans, even casually admitting fault for the accident may signal to the other driver that they could hire a car accident attorney against you, and win. 3. Not Getting Medical Attention Much in the same way calling the police to the site of an accident is a great way to make sure there is an accurate record of the event, making sure you see a doctor is the best way to get ahead of any health problems that may arise from your accident. Often, people in car accidents think they feel fine, but once the adrenaline wears off, injury symptoms can start to show themselves. If you wait too long after an accident to be examined for these conditions, it can be difficult for a personal injury attorney to link those conditions or injuries to the accident itself. The personal injury lawyers at Barkan Meizlish DeRose Cox, LLP must be able to prove the accident proximately caused your injuries. Therefore, timely treatment is very important if you are injured. 4. Posting On Social Media Generally speaking, you’re going to want to offer as little information as possible on your social media channels about the accident. You should offer accurate information to the police, but only as much as they ask for. Oversharing information about your accident is a great way to have that information turned around on you in a court of law. Your Facebook posts about the cause of the accident, your injuries, or even your activities after the accident, can all be detrimental to a case if you’re looking to hire a personal injury attorney to file a claim. 5. Not Hiring a Personal Injury Attorney for your Car Accident There are a lot of things a car accident attorney can help you with in the immediate aftermath of a car accident. There are insurance forms and claims to fill out, medical considerations, and communication with the at-fault party. In most cases, the above will consume your time, attempt to gain an advantage over you, and possibly ignore your rights. At Barkan Meizlish DeRose Cox, LLP, our personal injury attorneys won’t let anyone trample on your rights when you’re at your most vulnerable. Contact us at 614-221-4221 if you or a loved one has been in a car accident, and let us help you heal and get back to normal.