If another driver’s negligent actions caused your car accident on Interstate 270, U.S. Highway 33, State Route 161, or another thoroughfare in Dublin, OH, you have the right to collect compensation for any damages you incurred. This includes your medical bills, lost wages, and the repair or replacement of your vehicle.
Most commonly, you collect the money due to you by filing a claim with the at-fault driver’s car insurance provider. However, you may experience difficulty getting the money you deserve.
A Dublin, OH, car accident lawyer with Bressman Law can investigate your accident, collect evidence to prove liability, and negotiate a fair settlement with the insurance company to cover your accident-related losses. You can focus on your recovery while we handle your legal case.
What do I Need to Do Immediately After a Dublin, OH Car Accident?
Your first concern after a car accident should always be your health. If you did not receive medical care at the accident scene, you should visit the nearest emergency department or schedule an appointment with your doctor right away.
Even if you do not believe you suffered serious injuries, it is important to understand the extent of your losses. Medical documentation also plays a key role in providing evidence for your case.
Once your doctor assures you that your medical condition is stable, go ahead and give us a call. While not every car accident claim requires the help of an attorney, we can offer you a free case evaluation to help you better understand your legal options and any challenges you could face getting the payout you deserve.
For a free legal consultation with a car accident attorney in Dublin, call (614) 538-1116
How Can I Get the Compensation I Need After a Car Crash in Dublin, OH?
Some car accident victims can secure compensation by filing a claim with the at-fault driver’s auto insurance provider. Enlisting the help of a car accident attorney can make the process easier by allowing you to focus on your physical recovery.
We can gather all the evidence to support your claim, and we work with the insurance company to help them understand your accident-related losses. We can also manage all communications with the insurance company, so you do not need to worry about saying something that might jeopardize your case.
If your injury costs exceed the limits of the at-fault driver’s insurance policy, we can negotiate to get you more money or file a lawsuit to seek fair compensation.
Dublin Car Accident Attorney (614) 538-1116
How Much Can I Recover By Filing a Car Accident Claim?
Every car accident case is unique, and your damages depend on various factors, including the extent of your injuries and pain and suffering, your current wages, and the value of your property damages. However, the Insurance Information Institute (III), reports that the national average bodily injury liability (BIL) insurance claim was nearly $16,000 in 2018.
To determine the potential value of your car accident claim in Dublin, OH, a car accident lawyer with our firm can analyze your case and calculate your damages. Additionally, we may work with medical professionals to get a precise estimate of your future medical needs and consult with economists and vocational experts about your past and future lost income.
There are two primary types of damages awarded after a car accident: economic and noneconomic damages.
Recoverable Economic Damages
Your economic damages have verifiable financial values. They include:
- Medical bills (anything from surgical costs to prescription medications)
- Rehabilitation
- Ongoing medical care costs
- Wages from missed work
- Lost wages from being unable to return to work or having to take a lesser-paying job
- Vehicle repair or replacement
- Almost any other expense related to your accident or injuries (e.g., transportation costs to and from appointments, any vehicle or home modifications you needed to make to accommodate a disability, costs of hiring someone to help around the house, etc.)
Economic damages are often simple to calculate. To determine the value of these losses, we will collect your bills, receipts, and other documentation and combine the totals.
Compensable Noneconomic Damages
Non-economic damages, however, are more difficult to calculate. This is because they do not inherently come with financial values. Non-economic damages include things like:
- Pain and suffering
- Lost quality of life
- Disability
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Loss of consortium
To maximize compensation for noneconomic damages, it may be helpful to keep a diary tracking your daily pain levels, mental and emotional state, and how your injuries interfere with work, activities, and your interactions with loved ones. A Dublin personal injury lawyer with our firm can also help you calculate non-economic losses.
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You Can Pursue Awards on Behalf of a Deceased Loved One
According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, around 22,700 vehicle accidents occurred in Franklin County in 2021. These collisions resulted in 117 fatalities. If your loved one passed away due to a fatal car accident injury, you may qualify for wrongful death compensation.
In Ohio, family members cannot pursue a wrongful death action directly. Instead, your loved one’s personal representative (executor) can seek awards on behalf of their estate and surviving spouse, child, parents, or next of kin.
Compensation may include loss of the deceased’s income, the inheritance they would have saved had they lived, the value of their household services, and loss of their guidance, companionship, and support. Survivors may also receive awards for their mental pain and suffering.
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What Happens If I don’t Like a Settlement Offer?
If a settlement offer doesn’t appeal to you, then you do not have to accept it. Once Bressman Law calculates the cost of your injury-related damages, we can give you insight into what a fair settlement looks like in your case.
If you do not agree with the insurance company’s offer, then we can:
- Keep negotiating for a settlement
- Determine other avenues from which you can seek compensation
- File a lawsuit against the at-fault driver
Our attorneys will not back down until we secure the awards you deserve. Our successful car accident case results include:
- A $1.6 million settlement for an injured family of three
- A $100,000 settlement for a client injured by a drunk driver
- A $125,000 settlement in which the at-fault driver paid their insurance policy limit, plus additional compensation
At the conclusion of your case, we want you to feel good about its outcome. We do not want you to pay for damages that you did not cause. Before we can begin the process of filing a claim, however, we must first determine who is liable.
How do I Know Who Is Liable for My Damages?
In some car accidents, liability is easy to determine. When another motorist runs a red light and hits you (or fails to stop and rear-ends you at a stop sign), the police report and eyewitness testimony are usually enough to prove fault.
Sometimes, though, car accidents are more complicated and require an in-depth investigation to determine liability and collect the evidence to prove fault.
To win compensation for your injuries, we must prove negligence. We need to show the other motorist acted carelessly. This requires proof of the following:
- The other motorist had certain rules of the road s/he needed to abide by.
- S/he failed to abide by the rules or otherwise exercise due caution.
- This caused an accident.
- You suffered injuries and financial losses because of this accident.
We can investigate the cause of your accident, whether that requires interviewing witnesses or hiring experts to verify the cause of your injuries. By doing this, we can determine who is liable for your accident and secure the evidence necessary to show they acted negligently and caused your injuries.
Potentially Liable Parties
Who is liable for your accident will depend on its cause. Common causes of negligence-related motor vehicle accidents include:
- Failure to yield
- Tailgating
- Speeding or driving too fast for current conditions
- Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs (DUI)
- Distracted driving
- Traveling in the wrong lane
- Failure to stop at a marked intersection
- Aggressive driving (road rage)
- Driving drowsy
- Bad road design
- Faulty traffic lights/obstructed road signs
- Defective brakes, tires, or other vehicle issues
Once we get to the bottom of what caused your crash, we can seek compensation from one or more at-fault parties. Liability could rest with:
- A passenger vehicle driver
- A commercial vehicle driver
- A driver’s employer
- A government or private roadway owner
- A car maker or auto parts manufacturer
How Long do I Have to File My Lawsuit?
Some car accident cases do not require litigation; however, we may advise filing a lawsuit if the insurance company does not present a fair settlement. Ohio car accident claimants have two years to file their lawsuits, as explained under Ohio Revised Code Section 2305.10. This deadline begins from the date of a collision or at the time of a loved one’s passing
Some circumstances of your case could affect this deadline. Your age, the details of your injuries, and whether you were involved in a hit-and-run accident could affect how long you have to act.
A car accident attorney serving Dublin, OH, can evaluate your case and determine how long you have to file a lawsuit under the state’s statute of limitations. They will file your case within that deadline to protect your right to fair compensation. Even if we do not need to take legal action, acting in a timely fashion may increase your chances of a successful insurance settlement.
How Can I Reach a Car Accident Lawyer in Dublin, OH?
At Bressman Law, we are here to help you navigate the car accident claims process. From ensuring you receive the medical care you need to negotiate for a fair settlement, we handle all aspects of your Ohio car accident case. This leaves you free to focus on your recovery.
Call us today to learn about working with our car accident lawyers in Dublin, OH. All initial consultations are free, and you never pay anything until we reach a settlement in your case.
Call or text (614) 538-1116 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
