Personal Injury Law in Cincinnati, OH
Were you hurt due to another’s negligence in Cincinnati? If so, it may have far-reaching consequences such as a loss of wages or extensive medical treatment. Personal injury law allows an injured person to get damages if the responsible person acted recklessly. A personal injury attorney in Cincinnati, OH can help navigate the lawsuit to make sure you receive all of the compensation you deserve.
What Is Personal Injury Law?
Personal injury law in Cincinnati relates to the legal process of getting compensation for an injury caused by someone else’s negligent behavior. These cases involve one party, the plaintiff, trying to seek financial compensation for expenses incurred and money lost as a result of the defendant’s reckless behavior. These cases involve both parties’ insurance companies and may even settle before proceeding to litigation.
Examples of Personal Injury Claims in Cincinnati, OH
Some personal injury claims are more common than others. However, almost any incident that ends with a physical or mental injury could qualify, depending on the circumstances.
A few of the most common personal injury claims are:
- Car Accidents
- Slip and Fall
- Dog Bites
- Medical Malpractice
- Workplace Accidents
- Burn Injuries
Most Common Injuries in Cincinnati
According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, opioids were given or prescribed in almost one-quarter of emergency room visits for sports injuries for youths ages 5 to 24. While these numbers don’t alarm doctors, opioid use should always be critically analyzed as sports injuries are especially prevalent in Cincinnati. Particularly among young adults. Other leading causes of injuries in Ohio are motor vehicle accidents, and falls.
Steps in a Personal Injury Lawsuit in Cincinnati, OH
Once you determine that you wish to proceed forward with a personal injury action in Ohio
A lawsuit begins when a complaint is filed with the court and served on the defendant. The complaint alleges your assertion as the plaintiff that the defendant’s negligent behavior resulted in damage to your body or mental state. As the process proceeds forward, you may have to go through depositions, independent medical evaluations and document production. This discovery process is lengthy and ends in either settlement or a court appearance. When an Ohio personal injury lawsuit is filed in Cincinnati, the case goes through several phases before reaching trial. This includes the serving of the defendants, discovery, depositions, exchange of expert witnesses, and reports on depositions. After these processes, if no settlement can be reached, you may proceed to trial. With most personal injury cases, insurance companies and injured parties prefer settlement negotiations rather than going to court for a trial. You may wonder how much you should seek in your settlement and factors that impact the final amount. It is difficult to find a true average Cincinnati personal injury settlement amount. This is due to the fact there are so many variables like medical bills, severity of the injury, and pain and suffering damages, that can influence a total settlement amount. For reference, the Ohio Court of Claims has found only about 3% of Ohio personal injury verdicts exceed $1,000,000. In fact, most personal injury claims settle outside of court between $3,00-$75,000 on average. If the other party has insurance, the insurance company likely wants to settle out of court to avoid leaving the final settlement decision to a jury. Settlements benefit injured parties as much as they do insurance companies. This is because accepting a settlement means you receive compensation sooner rather than later. Also, by going to court in OH, that means you risk not receiving any compensation at all. If your Ohio personal injury lawsuit goes before a judge or jury, your legal team will be ready with a request for damages. In personal injury cases, there are three types of damage awards a court may order the defendant to pay. In order to compensate you for the damage he or she inflicted. Special compensatory damages reimburse you for things such as lost income, medical bills and insurance deductibles. You submit receipts proving these losses. General compensatory damages are subjective. If you receive special compensatory damages, you may also collect general damages. If your injury was particularly painful, you might request that the judge order the defendant compensate you for the pain and anguish. Punitive damages are the most rarely awarded and are up to the court. The judge or jury may determine that the defendant’s negligence was particularly heinous and the resulting injury to you was equally horrific. In Ohio, non-economic damages are capped at $250,000 or three times the economic damages, with a maximum of $350,000 per person and $500,000 per incident. In addition, there are caps on punitive damages in Ohio, but that does not affect most Cincinnati personal injury cases. The injured party may have a set amount of time to file suit for a personal injury case. State law establishes statutes of limitation. Commonly, the plaintiff’s injury or discovery of the injury begins the statute of limitations. However, the latter factor is trickier, as the plaintiff will have to prove when the injury was first realized. In Cincinnati, Ohio the statute of limitations gives an injured person two years from the date of their injury to file a lawsuit for personal injury. We recommend you speak with a personal injury lawyer for this matter. Don’t wait too long and miss out on receiving the compensation you deserve for your injury. Pursue a personal injury claim in Cincinnati against the responsible person if you are dealing with an injury caused by someone else. One of our experienced lawyers can help you navigate your personal injury claim. We can even help you connect with an attorney across Ohio state lines. Submit a request online or call us today at (866) 345-6784 to get in touch with an experienced lawyer in your area! Are you curious to learn about other areas of Cincinnati law? We can help.Ohio Personal Injury Settlement
Damage Awards in Ohio
Statute of Limitations in Cincinnati, OH Personal Injury Law?
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