The amount and types of compensation you can expect from a car accident claim in Columbus depend on the unique circumstances surrounding the accident and your injuries. However, common damages include:
- Current and future medical bills
- Property damage
- Current and future lost income
- Pain and suffering and other non-economic damages
A Columbus car accident lawyer can help you identify all your losses and determine an appropriate value for each to ensure you seek a fair settlement.
Common Damages in Columbus Car Accidents
While each car accident victim’s damages are unique, common types include:
Medical Bills
Especially if you suffered catastrophic injuries, a car accident can generate a staggering pile of medical bills, all of which may be compensable. These costs may include but aren’t limited to:
- Ambulance
- Emergency room
- Hospital stays
- Surgery
- Specialist care
- Labs and other tests
- Rehabilitation
- Physical therapy
- Medical equipment and devices
- Medications
- At-home care
- Adaptation of your home or car to meet new physical needs, such as a wheelchair
- Assisted living
- Transportation to and from medical appointments
- Out-of-pocket expenses during recovery for help with tasks such as childcare or home maintenance
- Future medical expenses based on your medical team’s judgment and your prognosis
How much you are compensated for in medical costs ultimately depends on the seriousness of your injuries.
Property Damage
Your vehicle was likely damaged during the collision and must be repaired or replaced. You may also find that personal property, such as your phone, laptop, tablet, or other items in the car, was damaged. Your compensation for your property losses is directly related to the costs of repairs or replacements.
Income Losses
Your injuries may prevent you from working during your recovery. If so, this loss of income is compensable, as is the difference in income if your injury forces you to take a lower-paying job.
You may also receive compensation for loss of benefits, overtime, commissions, paid time off, and potential raises or opportunities, such as a promotion.
Your injury may affect your future earnings if you are unable to return to work at the same financial level or cannot return at all.
Pain and Suffering
You may deserve compensation for the pain and suffering associated with your car accident. There is no specific dollar amount tied to non-economic damages.
Per Ohio Revised Code § 2315.18, Ohio does not cap pain and suffering damages if you suffered a severe injury, such as loss of a limb or permanent disability. However, there are caps for victims who experience less severe injuries.
Your personal injury attorney will explain how much compensation may be available to you for your non-economic damages. Damages that fall under the category of pain and suffering may include a variety of mental and emotional effects, such as:
- Disability or disfigurement
- Pain experienced during the accident and recovery period, as well as long-term
- Anxiety and depression
- Mental anguish
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Loss of enjoyment in life
- Loss of quality of life
- Change in or loss of relationships with friends, family, or your partner
Determining Liability for a Columbus Car Accident
In most cases, the at-fault party’s insurance company will compensate you for your losses in a Columbus car accident. However, you first must prove the responsible party’s negligence, which involves investigating the accident and collecting evidence. Your car accident attorney can handle this process for you from start to finish.
Comparative Negligence in Ohio
Per Ohio Revised Code § 2315.33, Ohio follows a comparative negligence rule when assigning liability for a car accident. This means if you were partially at fault for the accident, your compensation will be reduced by your percentage of fault.
In other words, if your damages total $100,000, but you are determined to be 20 percent at fault for the accident, you can only receive 80 percent of your compensation, or $80,000. You cannot collect any compensation if you are more than 50 percent at fault for an accident.
If the at-fault driver or their insurance company accuses you of bearing partially or completely at fault for the accident, your lawyer can gather evidence to prove your innocence and fight for the full amount of compensation you deserve.
How to Recover Compensation from an Uninsured or Underinsured Driver
According to the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles, all drivers in the state must have insurance policies covering at least:
- $25,000 for the injury or death of one individual
- $50,000 for the injury or death of more than one individual in a single accident
- $25,000 for property damage
However, some drivers don’t follow the rules. If the driver liable for your accident is uninsured, you may be able to recover compensation by turning to your insurance company or filing a personal injury lawsuit against the driver.
Likewise, if the liable driver is insured, but your losses exceed the driver’s insurance policy limits, you may be able to recover additional compensation from your insurance company and/or take legal action against the driver.
If you’re unsure where to get the compensation you need, your car accident attorney can explain all your legal options.
How to Receive Your Compensation Settlement or Judgment After a Columbus Car Accident
At The Fitch Law Firm LLC, our personal injury lawyers work on a contingency basis, meaning you pay no fees unless we recover compensation for you. After you receive your settlement or judgment, we will accept a portion to cover our attorney’s fees, and then you will receive the rest.
If we fail to recover compensation for you, you will owe us nothing.
Contact Our Columbus Car Accident Legal Team Today
Our legal team is available for free consultations whenever you need us. We know that the days after a car accident can be traumatic and full of chaos, and we offer our more than 30 years of experience to help you through this difficult time.
Contact us today for compassionate service and aggressive legal representation.