Auto accidents can cause devastating injuries, leading to missed work and extensive medical bills. You may have to fight hard to ensure an insurance company pays what’s due. Filing a claim can be stressful. A Cincinnati car accident lawyer from our law firm can help ensure you get the compensation you deserve.
Negligent drivers must be held accountable for recklessly endangering others’ lives on Cincinnati, OH roads. Filing a claim helps send a message about the gravity of their behavior and deters them from repeating the same poor decision. Compensation can provide you with the financial means to pay for past and future medical care and other accident-related losses.
As the injured party, you’re probably receiving many calls from your own insurance company and that of the other driver. You can count on your Thomas Law Offices attorney to guide you on how to handle those calls. Our lawyers have years of experience analyzing car accident scenes, gathering evidence, and crafting convincing, strong cases for their clients and will advocate for your best interests.
There are multiple types of car accidents, spanning in severity. Ohio State Highway Patrol data shows 1,244 fatal car accident cases occurred in 2021.
Auto accidents aren’t just isolated to passenger cars but can also involve another motor vehicle like a large truck or motorcycle and even bicycles and pedestrians.
Being aware of common traffic accidents like the following can help you avoid a similarly dangerous situation:
These are among the most dangerous car crashes because drivers face one another when they collide. These often occur when someone is driving the wrong way or loses control of their vehicle and commonly result in catastrophic injuries or death.
These accidents frequently occur when motorists aren’t paying attention or recklessly driving. Speeding or distracted drivers may not brake fast enough, causing them to hit the car in front of them. Vehicle occupants’ injuries depend on a driver’s speed.
Drivers can hit pedestrians or run off the road and strike inanimate objects like houses, signs, and telephone poles. Pedestrians often sustain major injuries because they lack protection. Intoxication and distractions play a big role in single-vehicle accidents.
These incidents involve more than two vehicles and can cause many injuries. These crashes often result from a driver making a mistake on a busy highway and other motorists not being able to take evasive action to avoid becoming entangled in the crash.
These wrecks, also known as “T-bone” or broadside collisions, often occur during motorists’ lefthand turns. These crashes often cause serious injuries—especially if vehicle occupants receive the full force of the impact.
Negligence refers to an accident that could have been prevented had a motorist acted more responsibly. Even the safest drivers may not be able to avoid collisions caused by negligent motorists. Common causes of car wrecks include:
Multitasking doesn’t allow drivers to fully focus on their surroundings and maintain control over their vehicle. Distractions can take drivers’ hands off the wheel and their eyes and minds off the road.
Cell phone use may cause a motorist not to notice that they’re drifting out of their lane or when cars ahead have stopped. A crash may be unavoidable once a driver realizes this has happened.
Other distractions include changing the radio station, eating and drinking, or reaching for something in the car.
A reckless motorist who speeds, runs red lights, doesn’t abide by stop signs, or fails to yield to another driver’s right of way increases their crash risk. A negligent driver who fails to stop at an intersection may cause a crash when pulling into traffic.
Drivers who engage in road rage, such as tailgating other motorists, weaving in and out of traffic, or cutting in close on someone, may also cause an injury accident.
Motorists’ abilities to drive safely may be severely compromised if they have been drinking alcohol or taking drugs. Although Ohio motorists face operating a vehicle under the influence (OVI) charges for driving while impaired by drugs or alcohol, this doesn’t deter some drivers. The latest statistics show that 351 alcohol-impaired fatalities occurred in Ohio in 2019.
Sometimes a crash isn’t a driver’s fault. Negligent car manufacturers produce defective products. Issues with a car’s brakes, steering wheel, or engine could affect a motorist’s ability to control their vehicle.
Drivers have a responsibility to exercise a duty of care, including obeying traffic laws and remaining alert while driving. Their failure to do so increases their risk of causing an auto accident. Negligent drivers can be held liable for breaches of their duty of care.
Determining the cause of your accident can provide crucial insight into how the at-fault motorist acted negligently. Any car accident lawyer on our Cincinnati team is prepared to investigate your crash and consult with experts, including accident reconstructionists, to determine how the accident occurred. Our attorneys will use their findings to strengthen your injury claim.
You have enough on your plate. Get a free case evaluation and clear answers from our experienced attorneys today — we’ll take it from here.
While some people only think about the physical impairments associated with car accidents, crash victims often experience psychological trauma and deal with financial burdens post-collision.
Crash-related injuries, whether minor or severe, can significantly interrupt a person’s life. This is why it’s important to always see a doctor for an evaluation after an accident. Symptoms often take hours, days, or weeks to appear.
Not seeing a doctor after an auto wreck could affect your chances of getting full and fair compensation. It could also leave you with a lifetime of chronic pain.
Common car accident injuries include:
Head and brain injuries can adversely impact a person’s communication abilities and memory and make them more irritable. Severe traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) can limit a person’s use of their arms and legs.
While there are varying types of spinal cord injuries, many can result in permanent consequences such as limited mobility or paralysis.
Sudden stopping can make someone’s neck rapidly jerk back and forth, leaving the person with symptoms like dizziness, headaches, a stiff neck, and more.
A vehicle collision’s impact can be strong enough to shatter bones.
Car wrecks can cause major cuts and bruises, some of which may result in amputation.
Motorists often wrongfully assume that they’re uninjured because they feel okay when they’re actually hurt. Adrenaline and other shock-related hormones can mask injury symptoms, causing them to take time to become noticeable to you.
Car crash injuries may send you to the hospital, where you’ll have to undergo tests and procedures or take prescription medicine. Injuries can also leave individuals with chronic pain or a permanent disability to adjust to. It can be frustrating relearning everyday tasks or not being able to do things you once enjoyed—especially if someone else’s negligence caused these issues.
Although seldom spoken about, a car accident can also adversely impact your emotional state. Mental illnesses like depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are common after crashes. Seek guidance from a mental health professional if you experience the following symptoms post-crash:
Accident-related expenses can be difficult to manage, depending on the severity of the crash. Medical bills can quickly pile up, plus there are costs to repair or replace your vehicle and lost wages.
Steps you take after a crash can impact your claim. Taking the right ones protects your rights and gives insurance companies few reasons to deny you fair compensation.
After an auto collision, you should:
Maximizing your compensation should be your goal when filing a car accident claim. Doing this without a Cincinnati attorney from Thomas Law Offices by your side can be challenging. Insurance companies often try to get claimants to settle for less than they deserve.
Consider the following when seeking a fair settlement in your case:
Your Thomas Law Offices attorney can guide you through the claims process to obtain compensation for financial damages. Knowing Ohio car insurance laws will help protect your best interests.
Ohio is an at-fault state, meaning you can hold other motorists financially liable for any suffered injuries or car crash damages if it wasn’t your fault. Minimum coverage amounts are:
Another important factor is the comparative negligence rule. It allows the motorist who was less at fault to seek compensation for damages from the driver with greater responsibility for the crash. The compensation that any one party is eligible for would be reduced by their percentage of fault for the crash. For example, if one motorist is deemed 80% at fault and the other 20% and damages are $100,000, then the latter party’s settlement would be reduced by 20% and thus be $80,000.
At-fault motorists often try to shift some liability for the car crash to others to avoid having to compensate others. Our Cincinnati car accident lawyers will use compiled evidence to deny liability to ensure you get the compensation you deserve.
Another way your claim could also be reduced is if insurance companies send out adjusters to speak with you about your accident. They do this to get an official statement and persuade you to settle your case early, saving them money.
If an adjuster asks you about the severity of your car wreck injuries, giving them accurate information about what’s wrong can be challenging. You may ultimately find your injuries are worse than when initially speaking with the insurance company. Adjusters may use this information in denying your claim. Insurance companies could even take your “I’m okay” response to the question “How are you feeling today?” to discount the severity of your injuries.
Dealing with insurance companies can be stressful. Our Cincinnati auto accident lawyers here at Thomas Law Offices can handle harassing phone calls from insurers on your behalf so you don’t have to worry what you say to them.
Auto accident attorneys advocate for those hurt by others’ negligent actions. Healing from your injury, visiting doctors, and dealing with the expenses can be a lot to handle by yourself. Our auto accident attorneys can help you get your life back on track.
Our personal injury attorneys are ready to fight for your rights, even if it means representing you in court. Our Cincinnati car accident attorneys will highlight case facts showing the other party caused your injuries.
The quicker you file your claim, the sooner you’ll receive the relief you need. Schedule a free consultation with a Cincinnati car accident attorney from our law firm to discuss your case. Contact Thomas Law Offices today for a free case evaluation to protect your best interests.
Having insurance is supposed to bring peace of mind. You know that if you get into a car accident, you’ll be covered for any financial loss. At least, that is the theory. In practice, insurance companies will do whatever they can to minimize your injury claim. These tactics often involve the three Ds: Delay Deny...
It’s often difficult for family members to decide to send their elderly loved ones to a nursing home. For many, it’s especially difficult to trust that nursing home professionals will truly take care of their elderly loved ones. That is why it’s so disheartening when people find out that their loved ones in nursing homes...
Medical negligence can cause cerebral palsy in some situations, particularly when mistakes during labor or delivery deprive a baby’s brain of oxygen and lead to birth injuries. That’s the connection many families spend years trying to understand. Cerebral palsy isn’t always caused by malpractice, but certain cases are directly tied to preventable medical errors during...
Have You Been Injured? We're Ready to Fight for You.
