When a person is involved in a car accident, it can feel as if the whole world has been turned upside down. Not only does the victim have to deal with the injuries sustained in the car crash and lost wages that will follow but also the fact that they may have lost their vehicle.
In Ohio, personal injury verdicts in any car accident claim try to award fair and just settlement amounts to the victim so that their medical bills, personal injury costs, lost income, and property damage are covered.
However, one has no way of knowing how much they will get in an Ohio personal injury case unless they approach an experienced attorney for assistance.
Schuerger Shunnarah Trial Attorneys have been going to war for car accident victims in Ohio for many years and have won millions of dollars in settlement amounts in the process. Personal injury victims can visit the law offices today and sit down for a free consultation and speak about how long it takes to get a settlement from a car accident in Ohio.
Average Car Accident Settlements in Ohio
One of the first things car accident victims want to know when considering filing a personal injury lawsuit is how much they can get as a settlement.
What are the average car accident settlements in Ohio? To answer this, a personal injury lawyer will have to refer to the available statistics on previous personal injury cases.
Research has shown that the median personal injury verdict in Ohio is usually somewhere around $13,000.
However, victims of car accidents in Ohio are likely to walk away with just over $300,000, which is the average verdict for a personal injury case.
About 3% of Ohio personal injury verdicts award the victim over $1 million.
What does this all mean for those considering filing Ohio personal injury cases? Well, victims need to know that each personal injury claim is different.
A car accident victim who has suffered minor neck injuries cannot hope to receive the same personal injury settlement offers as one who has suffered injuries so horrific that they will likely be experiencing chronic pain for the rest of their lives.
Common Car Accident Damages
At times, a car crash can result in very serious injuries to the victims that cause a lot of pain and suffering. The following are some of the injuries a car accident victim is likely to suffer:
Neck and back injuries
Soft tissue injuries
Traumatic head injuries
Broken bones
Internal injuries
Amputations
Disfigurement
Permanent disability
Wrongful death
These injuries can easily result in extremely high medical expenses that victims will need to be compensated for. On top of this, other damages have to be considered, such as:
Lost wages
Property damage
Future loss of earnings
Pain and suffering
Wrongful death claim
Loss of companionship
Future medical expenses
Reduction in quality of life
Punitive damages
Factors That Determine the Value of a Car Accident Settlement
One of the most important factors that affect the amount that victims will be awarded in personal injury cases is the severity of their injuries. If the victim's injuries are so serious that they will require, for example, neck surgery and a prolonged period away from work, the settlement offer will take that into account.
Severe injuries, such as traumatic brain injuries, are the ones that are most likely to be awarded a very high settlement offer because of the negative impact the injuries have on the victim's quality of life.
Other factors also come into play, such as whether the victim's car will need to be replaced, or if the victim is the sole earner in the family. In some cases, punitive damages can also be imposed if the courts determine that the actions of the at-fault party warrant further punishment.
The issue of comparative negligence is also another important factor. If the victim is found to be partially responsible for the car accident, their settlement offer will be reduced according to the percentage of blame they have been assigned.
In cases where the victim's responsibility for the accident is considered to be more than 50%, they will not be entitled to receive any compensation from the defendant. Schuerger Shunnarah Trial Attorneys can also answer questions like, "Is emotional distress considered a personal injury in Ohio?"
Two Options for Recovery of Compensation
After experiencing a motor vehicle accident, the victim has two options to consider when seeking compensation, which are:
Claim From the Insurance Company
If the other party is at fault for the car accident, the victim can file a claim against the insurance company of the at-fault driver.
In the best-case scenario, the insurance company will launch an investigation to determine if their policyholder is indeed responsible for the crash, and if so, the victim will receive a settlement offer.
File a Car Accident Lawsuit
Filing an insurance claim is not always smooth sailing, though. In some cases, the insurance company will offer a settlement that is too low or deny any wrongdoing completely.
When this happens, the victim will have no choice but to hire a personal injury lawyer and seek a car accident settlement through the court system.
Factors To Consider Before Accepting Settlement Offers
Usually, an insurance company may make quick offers that are very low in the hope that the victim will accept and put an end to the matter. However, victims seeking a fair settlement have to consider the following:
The cost of their medical expenses, including any future treatment or physical therapy
The severity of the injuries and physical pain and suffering
How much time they will have to take off work
The impact of disability or disfigurement
Loss of consortium due to wrongful death
Steps To Maximize a Car Accident Settlement
Being awarded maximum economic damages in Ohio car accident cases is possible if the victims follow these simple steps:
Seek medical attention as quickly as possible
Document the injuries
Follow the doctor's instructions
Keep a record of all treatments
Avoid trying to negotiate with the insurance company
Refuse the first settlement offer
Call an experienced Cincinnati car accident lawyer
An Experienced Personal Injury Attorney Can Help
With the right attorney by their side, victims stand a good chance of walking away with significant economic and non-economic damages from their car accident settlements.
Ohio Law entitles all victims of personal injury to fair compensation, and Schuerger Shunnarah Trial Attorneys is waiting to assist, just one call away.