Columbus Personal Injury Attorneys Columbus Ohio Car Accident Attorneys

Columbus Ohio Car Accident Attorneys

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A car accident can change your life in an instant. No matter the cause, if you’re involved in a car accident in Columbus, you could find yourself suffering serious injuries and facing tens of thousands of dollars in repair and medical bills. Luckily, the car accident lawyers at Colombo Law are here to help you recover the compensation you deserve after a car accident in Columbus.

What Does a Car Accident Lawyer Do?

As car accident lawyers, our job is to guide you through your car accident claim. We have years of experience helping victims get the compensation they deserve after they have been wronged by a negligent driver.

Our personal injury attorneys in Columbus will take the burden of this difficult time off of your shoulders and fight to help you recover compensation for your expenses, medical bills, and emotional suffering. It’s our goal to make this process as simple and stress-free for you as possible, so you can focus on what is most important – your health.

While it is possible to settle without a car accident lawyer, it can be very difficult. You will have to handle everything yourself, from paying court fees to gathering evidence to making your argument before a judge. When you hire a car accident attorney at Colombo Law, you can trust that we will handle your case properly, from the smallest detail to the largest. Our auto accident lawyers will handle all aspects of your case including:

Gathering police reports
Collecting medical records and bills
Obtaining items like CCTV footage and phone call recordings
Talking to insurance adjusters
Gathering witnesses
Obtaining expert witness to testify in your favor
Checking for automobile defects or recalls that may have caused your accident

Top Reasons to Hire a Car Accident Lawyer

You Might Get More Money

As Columbus car accident lawyers, it’s our job to do everything we can to get our clients the largest possible financial recovery.

While there are many reasons our clients turn to us after a car accident — and while there’s a lot we may be able to do for you — we understand that your top concern is how you’re going to pay for the cost of the crash.

Hiring a car accident lawyer in Columbus, OH might make you more likely to recover a larger amount of money. In fact, studies have shown that personal injury victims tend to recover greater amounts of compensation when represented by a lawyer.

For starters, your attorney might know of legal damages that you aren’t aware of but which are nevertheless available to you. Indeed, we have often found that our clients are entitled to more money than they initially realize.

Additionally, an experienced attorney can navigate negotiations adeptly, pursuing effective strategies and putting your best foot forward at every turn. Skillful negotiation may lead to a larger financial recovery than you would have gotten otherwise.

Doing It On Your Own Is a Pain

Handling a legal claim by yourself can be emotionally taxing, time-consuming, and even frightening.

In addition to the back-and-forth with the insurance company and/or the defendant(s), you might also find yourself fighting off creditors and bill collectors. There are court clerks and deadlines to be mindful of too.

Your lawyer can do all that work for you.

Hiring a Car Accident Lawyer Can Help You Avoid Mistakes

Mistakes are easy to make. That’s especially true if you’re attempting to navigate the complex legal system for the very first time. Small errors can prove costly.

Making a mistake might mean you recover less money than you deserve. Some mistakes can even keep you from recovering at all.

Indeed, it is even possible to get yourself in legal trouble by making a careless or untrue statement in an official court filing or in front of a judge.

Hiring an attorney is choosing to let an experienced professional protect you.

Legal Procedures (and Timelines) Are More Complex Than You Might Realize

While you are certainly allowed to handle your legal claim yourself, doing so puts you at a disadvantage.

The law is complex. Its procedural requirements can be labrinth. Statutes of limitations and other filing deadlines can be challenging too. Merely calculating a court due date can be much more complicated than it seems.

If you wait too long to file your claim, for example, you can permanently lose your right to seek financial justice for your accident. Don’t risk making those kinds of mistakes.

Insurance Companies Tend to Negotiate Differently When an Attorney’s Involved

In a perfect world, insurance companies would take your claims seriously, and they’d treat you with the respect you deserve.

Reality, however, is different. In the real world, insurance companies assess claims in light of their relative litigation risks. If they believe a trial and/or adverse judgment is likely, they typically become much more interested in negotiating a claim fairly.

At Colombo Law, we pride ourselves on being a law firm that insurance companies take seriously. We make it clear that we mean business and are prepared to battle aggressively to get our clients the robust justice they deserve.

Hire a Car Accident Lawyer in Columbus, OH to Fight a Claim Denial

Too often, insurance companies take a “deny first, defend later” approach to incoming auto accident claims.

If your claim has been denied unfairly, you may have grounds for legal recourse. Indeed, you might even have a case against the insurance company itself for handling your claim in bad faith (in violation of state and/or federal law). An experienced Columbus auto accidents lawyer can help you assess your options and fight back against an unfair claim denial.

Deep Knowledge, Experience, and Trial Experience

There is simply no substitute for experience. When you hire a personal injury lawyer at Colombo Law, you put years of hands-on insight in your corner.

From the initial investigation or a demand letter to in-depth negotiations and/or formal trial, we have the substantive knowledge and legal command you expect from your legal team.

By Hiring a Lawyer, You Shift the Financial Risk to Someone Else

At Colombo Law, we:

Offer no-cost, no-obligation case consultations to auto accident victims in Ohio
Do not charge auto accident clients a fee for our services unless and until we get them money
Limit our fee to a percentage of your overall recovery
Advance the costs of investigation and litigation in most cases
Take the risk (if we aren’t successful with your claim, you don’t have to pay a thing)

In other words, when you call our office, you have nothing to lose. We take the risk so you don’t have to. And because we only get paid if we succeed, you can rest assured that we have an incentive for your success.

The Insurance Company Has a Lawyer. Shouldn’t You?

Don’t make the mistake of taking on an insurance company (or any other corporation) by yourself. They have extensive financial resources and an army of lawyers by their side. Shouldn’t you have an experienced legal professional representing your interests?

Hiring a car accident lawyer in Columbus, OH can help you level the playing field.

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Top Reasons Car Accidents Happen in Columbus?

Each car accident is different, and yet, seemingly all of them can be traced back to one or more of the same common causes. The main reasons that car accidents happen in Columbus include but are not limited to:

Driving Under the Influence in Ohio

Everyone is aware of how dangerous, and illegal drunk driving is. Even so, drunk driving accidents still occur across the state of Ohio and in Columbus regularly. According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, in 2016, there were a total of 4,269 OVI arrests in District 6 (Columbus) alone. Under Ohio law, if you are hurt in an accident involving an intoxicated driver, you are entitled to seek damages from them through a car accident claim. The injury attorneys at Colombo Law are experienced in litigating complex car accident cases in Columbus and will do all they can to see that you obtain compensation for your damages.

Speeding Continues to be a Problem

Despite all of the signs and laws that denounce the practice of speeding, it is still a daily occurrence in Columbus. In fact, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, in 2016, there were 357,052 speeding citations issued. Even more astonishing, there was a five year total of 1,865,888 speeding tickets issued in Ohio. Accidents caused by speeding can lead to serious injuries and death. It can also be extremely dangerous in situations where the weather is inclement. Rain, sleet, and snow can all pose serious threats to vehicles traveling over the speed limit.

Reckless Driving Numbers Are on The Rise

Tailgating, weaving in and out of lanes, cutting off other vehicles, and road rage are all examples of reckless driving that could lead to serious car accidents. In 2016, there were over 27,000 aggressive driving citations handed out by the Ohio State Highway Patrol. It is important that you get the help of our car accident lawyers after being involved in an accident with a reckless driver. Together, we can send a clear message that reckless driving in Ohio will not be tolerated.

Distracted Driving Statistics

In the new age of technology, distracted driving has become a major cause of car accidents in Ohio, as well as the rest of the United States. Texting and driving isn’t the only form of distraction that could cause a car accident, however. Actions such as applying makeup, tuning the radio, eating, and back seat distractions are also elements that could lead to accidents. Distracted driving accidents are very common in Ohio as the Dayton Daily News reported that in 2016, nearly 14,000 accidents were caused by a distracted driver.

Drowsy Driving Is More of a Problem Than You May Think

Each year, over 100,000 motor vehicle accidents happen due to people driving tired. What most don’t know about drowsy driving is that it has been found to be just as dangerous as drunk driving. In fact, someone who has been awake for 18 hours or more experiences the same impairment levels as a person who has a BAC of .05. Drivers who fall asleep at the wheel often lose complete control of their vehicles and cause catastrophic accidents. Believe it or not, according to NBC4i in Columbus, AAA reports that drowsy driving is a factor in 10 percent of car accidents. If you have been involved in a car accident involving a driver who fell asleep at the wheel, contact us.

Common Injuries in Car Accidents

Even car accidents that seem minor at first can end up causing someone tremendous pain and anguish. Additionally, serious car accidents often cause life-altering injuries to their victims. As car accident lawyers, we see countless people suffer from injuries in car accidents. Some people we have helped make a full recovery and others are left with lifelong disabilities. Some of the most common injuries we see include:

Traumatic Brain Injuries

Car accidents are one of the major causes of traumatic brain injuries. Nearly 18 percent of TBIs that occur in the United States are caused by motor vehicle accidents. Car accidents often throw their victims around with great force that the human body is not meant to endure. During the process of an accident, a victim can hit their head on windows and other places inside and outside of the vehicle. However, even in accidents in which people do not hit their head, the brain can still experience trauma when it collides with the skull. This is also known as a contra-coup injury. People who experience a traumatic brain injury can be left with swelling, bleeding, concussions, skull fractures, and other permanent injuries. Often, victims of brain injuries experience symptoms for months, and in serious cases, for the rest of their lives.

Spinal Cord Injuries

The spinal cord is essential for bodily function, and when it is injured, a person could be left partially or permanently paralyzed. Spinal cord injuries are one of the most expensive car accident injuries to treat because they require surgeries, assistive devices, and continuous rehabilitation. If you or someone close to you has sustained a serious spinal cord injury as a result of a car accident, contact us so we can discuss providing legal representation.

Broken Bones

Broken bones are extremely common in car accidents. They can range from somewhat minor to severe. When bones fracture and break the skin, they will often require surgical intervention and titanium rods and screws to heal. A person who experiences a serious bone break will need to miss time from work, pay expensive medical bills and attend rehabilitation to heal their injuries.

Facial Injuries

Facial injuries can occur in car accidents when the face makes forceful contact with the steering wheel, airbag, windshield, dashboard, and broken glass. While minor facial injuries could include bruises and scrapes, more serious injuries like fractures, lacerations, dental injuries and broken jaws can also occur.

Other physical and mental injuries that occur in car accidents include:

Internal injuries
PTSD
Anxiety
Guilt
Depression

Death

According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, in 2016, there were a total of 511 fatal car accidents in Ohio. This number was up from the year before which totaled 506 deaths. The five year total alone for Ohio is 2,472 deaths in car accidents. According to the 2016 Ohio Highway State Patrol Final Report, 1,133 people died in traffic-related accidents on Ohio Roadways.

Compensation for Car Accident Injuries

Ohio is an at-fault insurance state, which means the person who causes the accident is responsible for any and all expenses that arise after the accident. If you were the victim of an accident caused by someone else, the at-fault party’s insurance company is responsible for paying your compensation.

To start the process of receiving payment, you will have to file a claim directly with the at-fault party’s insurer. If your expenses are greater than the limits of the at-fault party’s insurance coverage, the individual or party that caused the accident becomes responsible for paying you. You may also have your own insurance coverage that will supplement an underinsured at-fault driver and may even provide you with compensation if you are hit by an uninsured driver. Call Colombo Law to make sure that you are aware of all sources of compensation.

Columbus Car Accident Claims

You can file a claim and seek compensation privately but, without a car accident lawyer, it is unlikely you will get the compensation you deserve. The insurance company will do everything they can to entice you to settle for much less than you’re entitled. Importantly, if the at-fault driver does not have enough insurance coverage, you may jeopardize additional coverage to which you would otherwise be entitled if you settle with the at-fault party. Seeking compensation from an individual is extremely difficult without the help of an attorney.

When you’re in a car accident, you can incur a number of expenses. Not only can these be challenging to handle from an emotional standpoint, but they can also cause tremendous financial difficulties. If you’ve been a victim of a car accident in Columbus, you could get compensation for the following:

Physical injuries
Medical bills/equipment
Lost income
Lost earning capacity
Pain and suffering
Emotional anguish
Property damage
Disfigurement
Loss of companionship
Wrongful death

Steps to Take After a Car Accident in Columbus

The first few moments after a car crash can be scary. It can be hard to stay calm and focused after your accident, but it is important that you try your best to do so. To take care of yourself and give your case the best chance of success, keep the following in mind after your car accident:

Call 9-1-1 to request emergency assistance. The Columbus Police Department or the Ohio State Patrol will likely respond to your accident.
Check yourself and others for injuries.
If it is safe to do so, move vehicles and debris out of the road.
Exchange insurance information with any drivers, pedestrians, or cyclists involved.
Take notes on how and where the car accident occurred.
Take photos of damages and injuries.
Notify your insurance company about the accident.
Get in touch with an Ohio car accident lawyer.

Even though you’re likely to be upset after your accident, it’s important to remember to keep your opinions about who caused the accident to yourself. After you speak with the police and give them the details of your accident, your next step should be to speak to the car accident attorneys at Colombo Law. Remember that discussing the incident with the other parties involved or insurance adjusters is never recommended and can negatively affect the outcome of your case.

Colombo Law Has Your Back After a Car Accident in Columbus

If you were involved in a car accident in Columbus, We suggest you speak to a personal injury attorney right away. The injury lawyers at Colombo Law have years of experience helping accident victims throughout the Greater Columbus, Ohio Area.

By working with a car accident attorney, you give yourself the best chance of maximizing your settlement. The car accident lawyers at Colombo Law work on a contingency fee basis, meaning if we don’t win your case, you don’t owe us a thing. Contact us today.

Our lawyers are experienced, aggressive and compassionate. We will fight for your rights and do the best we can to see you made whole again. If you’d like to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation to find out what your case could be worth, contact us or give us a call at 614-362-7000.

Frequently Asked Questions About Car Accidents in Columbus, Ohio

How do I file a car accident claim in Columbus, Ohio?

The most important thing to do after a car accident in Ohio is call 911 and get medical attention for your injuries, and your accident investigated. Once you are treated for your injuries, the next thing you should do is call the experienced Ohio car accident lawyers at Colombo Law. We will assist you throughout your car accident case and work to ensure that you get the compensation that you deserve for your damaged property and injuries. You don’t have to go through this process alone, call us now so your main focus can be healing. Our car accident lawyers are experienced in negotiating with insurance companies to get full and fair settlements for your claim. However, if the insurance company will not pay voluntarily, our lawyers will file a Complaint to initiate a lawsuit on your behalf in the Court of Common Pleas (or in some rare instances, in Federal District Court) in order to obtain a full and fair compensation for your injuries and other damages.

Who will pay my compensation in a car accident claim in Columbus, Ohio?

If you are the victim in a car accident caused by another person in Ohio, your compensation will likely be paid by the at-fault driver’s insurance company. Opposing insurance companies look after themselves first and consequently, will offer car accident victims much less than they need for compensation. This is the exact reason why it is imperative that you put your case in the hands of an experienced car accident lawyer from Colombo Law. We will take your case and and put our experience to work for your to ensure that the insurance company pays you full compensation for your injuries and other losses. It is the insurance companies job to pay you as little as possible; it is our job force them to pay full compensation.

How much compensation am I entitled to in a car accident claim in Columbus, Ohio?

The amount of compensation you could be entitled to in your Ohio car accident claim is determined by the specifics of your case. The seriousness of your injuries, the cost of rehab and medical treatment, and the amount of your lost wages, all have to do with the final amount of compensation you are entitled to in your case. The only way to recover compensation for all of your damages is through the help of an experienced car accident lawyer at Colombo Law. We will sift through every part of your case and work to get you every bit of the compensation that you deserve.

How long will my car accident claim take to complete?

There is no way to guarantee the length of a car accident case. All car accidents are different and happen under varying circumstances which is why they could take months, or in some cases, years to complete. Factors that can affect the length of your car accident case include:

The number of drivers in your accident
Negotiations with insurance companies
The severity of your injuries, including the length of recovery time
Identifying and speaking with witnesses
Whether the insurance company will agree to a fair settlement, or will force us to file a lawsuit in order to get payment for your losses.

The list above is simply to give you an idea of what factors can prolong a car accident case in Columbus, Ohio, and it is not exhaustive. Car accident cases require careful investigation by an experienced car accident lawyer and should never be rushed. Speeding through a case is not how we believe things should be approached. We believe that turning over every possible rock and investigating your case to the fullest will allow you to receive the proper amount of compensation at the end of your case.

Should I accept an insurance settlement for my car accident?

At Colombo Law, we advise against speaking to any insurance company until you have first spoken with a car accident lawyer. Insurance companies are often out for their own good when dealing with settlements and as a result, will offer you much less money than you are entitled to. Anything that you say to an insurance adjuster can be used against you in court, so it is important that you never speak about the specifics of your case with anyone other than the car accident lawyers at Colombo Law.

How long do I have to file a car accident claim in Columbus, Ohio?

The state of Ohio allows a victim of a car accident two years from the date of the injury to file a lawsuit. While this may seem like a long time, it is important that you act quickly, so you don’t lose out on your chance at compensation. After this two year period is up, you will not be able to make a claim for compensation. Contact the car accident lawyers at Colombo Law right away so we can begin your case right away.

Do I have a case if I was partly at-fault in my car accident?

Ohio uses a “Comparative Negligence” rule to assign fault in a car accident. Based on this rule, you can be partially (less than 50%) at fault in your accident and still receive compensation. However, if it is determined that you are more than 50% responsible for causing your car accident, you will not be eligible to receive compensation.

The comparative negligence system that is utilized in Ohio to assign fault in an accident can be difficult to interpret and requires careful navigation by an experienced Ohio car accident lawyer from Colombo Law. We will fight for you and work tirelessly to get you the compensation that your car accident case deserves.

What if the accident was minor and no one was injured?

A non-injury case is often a very good candidate for a claim you can handle on your own.

Typically, to recover any significant financial compensation, you will need to be able to show that you suffered damages. Examples of damages include physical injuries, medical bills, lost wages, and accompanying emotional distress.

So unless there was substantial property damage or unusual circumstances resulting in other significant damages, there might not be a lot a lawyer can do for you in a non-injury case.

But before you assume your accident was minor, make sure you’re right about that. We have seen too many auto accident victims sign away their rights to an insurance company only to learn later that they were injured after all.

Some injuries develop slowly; symptoms aren’t always apparent right away.

Even seemingly “minor” injuries such as whiplash, lacerations, contusions, or soft tissue injuries might warrant a greater financial recovery than you think.

So what can you do to ensure you’re making the right call? See a doctor as soon as possible. Or, if you have any legal questions whatsoever, pick up the phone and call our office (or drop by the firm). We’re here to help.

What if the insurance company has already offered me a settlement?

Insurance companies like to advertise themselves as friendly and neighborly, but here’s the truth: they work for themselves. They’re a lot more interested in their wallet than yours. So when they make a settlement offer, you need to ask yourself: who will benefit from this the most?

Sometimes, insurers make relatively fair settlement offers right away. More often, however, the early settlement offers represent a much smaller amount of money than the insurance company is truly willing to pay.

Unfortunately, in most cases, once you accept an insurance company’s settlement offer after an auto accident, you can’t come back for more money later. That’s why you must be extremely careful in all your interactions with an insurer.

Don’t make the mistake of accepting an insurance settlement too soon. Even if it seems fair to you, take the time to call our office and set up a no-cost, no-obligation consultation. We’ll let you know if we think you might be entitled to more.

What if the insurance company has denied my claim?

The insurance company doesn’t have the final say on its legal obligations. If you were injured in an Ohio auto accident and someone else’s carelessness is to blame, chances are good that you’re entitled to compensation under the laws of this state.

You should know that insurance companies are inundated with incoming claims, and their adjustors are constantly looking for ways to save the company money. Accordingly, adjustors sometimes deny a new claim almost automatically. They know that a certain percentage of people will simply accept the denial at face value — even if they have a legitimate claim.

Don’t fall for that trick. While some auto accident claim denials are fair and appropriate, many are not. If your claim has been denied, please call our office to talk it over.

An experienced Columbus auto accident lawyer at Colombo Law may be able to help you fight back against an unfairly denied claim.

What if I wasn’t at fault for the accident?

Lawyers aren’t just for legal defense. In fact, as Columbus auto accident attorneys, most of our work is on behalf of people who were not at fault for their accident.

You might assume that an insurance company will simply pay you the money you deserve. You might even believe that the insurer is required to pay exactly what you’re owed. Unfortunately, the system doesn’t always work that way.

Insurance companies are very good at finding ways to avoid paying car crash victims the money they deserve. By hiring a lawyer, you can fight back against those tactics and hold them accountable to the law.

What if I was at fault for the accident?

First, you should never assume you are entirely at fault for a car wreck. Sometimes, more than one person can share in the liability for an auto accident. And police reports aren’t always the final say in the matter.

Ohio follows a rule of call called comparative negligence. Essentially, it means that even if you were up to 50% at fault for your accident, you can still recover for your damages.

Who determines what percentage of fault is yours? And how can you get an insurance company to offer you a fair settlement if you were partially at fault (especially in light of a police report assigning fault to you)? A lawyer may be able to help.

A good rule of thumb is this: if you suffer any significant injury in an auto accident in Ohio, it’s worth at least having a conversation with an experienced Columbus personal injury lawyer, regardless of who you think is at fault.

What if the car crash was a long time ago?

The statute of limitations for most auto injury claims in Ohio is two years from the date of the injury. In other words, you have two whole years to file a claim in court.

Should you wait that long? Ideally, no. Auto accident claims take some time to prepare, and negotiations can often lead to a favorable outcome without going to court. Moreover, many insurance policies require timely notice of a claim.

But if you find yourself toward the end of a statute of limitations — or if your statute of limitations has passed but your injury did not become apparent until after the time window expired — please don’t hesitate to give our office a call right away.

What if I can’t afford a lawyer?

At Colombo Law, we do not charge attorney fees unless and until we recover compensation for our clients. If we don’t succeed, you don’t pay a thing.

We also offer a free, no-obligation consultation at the outset. It’s your chance to talk about your situation with an experienced legal professional before deciding “do I need a lawyer for an auto accident?”

It is a common myth that lawyers are unaffordable. But when it comes to auto accidents (and other personal injury claims), you really have nothing to lose. The risk of losing is all on us.

You don’t have to pay anything upfront, and if we do succeed, our attorney fee is only a portion of your recovery.