Findlay Car Accident Lawyer

A car accident is almost always a scary, unnerving event. Often, the days and months following the accident can be extremely stressful, especially if you or a member of your family have been injured, or your property has been significantly damaged.

Fortunately, Findlay car accident lawyers are here to help you during this difficult time and ensure that you are financially compensated for any losses you have incurred. To get started on your accident claim consult with an experienced accident lawyer today. Our dedicated legal team has the experience, practical skills, and knowledge to guide you through a legal claim.

Role of an Attorney

There are two situations in which a Findlay driver injured in an accident may need the help of a car accident attorney.

  • Assistance with insurance claims. In a perfect world, the at-fault driver’s car insurance company will quickly and efficiently cover all damages. Unfortunately, insurance companies often deny claims or refuse to pay the entire amount requested. Lawyers will communicate with the insurance company on clients’ behalf and advocate for the maximum payout.
  • Legal action against the at-fault driver. Under Ohio Revised Code Section 4509.101, Ohio drivers are required to carry car insurance that covers at least $25,000 for injury/death of one person, $50,000 for injury/death of two or more people, and $25,000 for property damage in an accident. However, drivers sometimes fail to carry insurance at all or do not carry an adequate amount. If damages exceed the other driver’s policy limits, people will need to file a lawsuit to recover the excess amount from that driver. Attorneys will prepare the necessary documents to get the case started and litigate the suit in court, if necessary.

Having an experienced attorney will surely make this process much smoother and less stressful while recovering both physically and emotionally from the accident.

Recoverable Damages After Car Crashes

Common damages a person injured in a car accident can recover with the help of a Findlay attorney are:

  • Medical expenses. Medical expenses can add up very quickly, and health insurance will not cover every penny. Depending on the extent of the injuries, people may have to pay for emergency room fees, hospitalization or surgery. At the very least, they will likely have to pay deductibles and copays out of pocket, which can add up significantly if they need repeat medical care. Lawyers will work to ensure that clients are reimbursed for such out-of-pocket expenses, as well as those that exceed the insurance policy maximum. Some people experience severe injuries that will require extensive medical treatments and assistive care in the future. A qualified legal team could consult with an injured person’s doctors to learn about the precise details of their injuries. They could also consult with medical experts to learn how the injury could impact their future needs. For instance, some people require wheelchairs, walkers, or other assistive devices. Other people might need to move to a new building with elevators, ramps, and other handicapped-accessible components. Some people require round-the-clock assistance with their daily needs, such as an at-home nurse or other caregiver. Our Findlay car accident attorneys could fight to ensure that you get compensation for all of your past, current, and future medical expenses related to the accident.
  • Car repairs. Vehicle repairs after a car accident can be quite costly. While car insurance may help cover some of the costs, people will likely have to pay a deductible, plus any amount over their policy limit. Accident victims also might have to pay for a rental car while their vehicle is being fixed. Attorneys will fight to get these costs reimbursed to their clients. If their car is too damaged to be successfully repaired, attorneys might be able to get someone enough money to be able to buy a new replacement vehicle.
  • Lost wages. If someone is unable to work due to a physical injury, or because they no longer can use their vehicle, they may experience lost wages. It could be that, given the employment situation, the person does not get paid if they do not work. Or, they could run out of paid sick and personal time after an extended leave. Attorneys know that lost wages can have a devastating impact on a client’s financial situation, and will help recover as much income as possible. In addition to lost wages, some people lose out on other earning expenses, such as tips or other benefits. If the injury prevents the injured person from ever returning to work, an experienced legal professional could help them fight to recover everything that they could have earned if they could continue working for the rest of their life, or to a reasonable retirement age. By reviewing pay stubs and an injured party’s employment and educational history, they could calculate a fair value for their future lost earnings and benefits.
  • Pain and Suffering. Injured people can also seek recovery of their non-economic damages, which are the types of losses that are not directly quantifiable in precise dollar figures. Non-economic losses have different values for different people, depending on the individual case. Even people who are in the same accident can emerge from that accident with very different circumstances. Some people can walk away with no injuries, while others will struggle for years with nightmares and post-traumatic stress that keep them from getting behind the wheel of a car. Examples of non-economic losses that could be recovered include someone’s pain and suffering due to the accident, as well as their mental anguish, disfiguring scarring, loss of consortium, and diminished quality of life.
  • Punitive Damages. In limited circumstances, you might also be able to recover punitive damages. Courts award punitive damages to punish the defendant (the person responsible for causing the accident) to deter other individuals from committing similar actions. Courts only award punitive damages in particularly egregious circumstances, such as when a driver exhibits road rage and pushes someone out of their lane, drives drunk, or flees the scene of a hit-and-run.

Ohio courts might limit the amount of damages because of the state’s modified contributory fault system. Ohio Revised Code Section 2315.33 states that someone cannot seek damages if they are more than 50 percent to blame for an accident. They can still pursue damages if they are less than 50 percent at fault. However, a court could reduce their damages award in proportion to this percentage. Trying to understand contributory fault is difficult, which is why working with an experienced legal team who knows how to advocate for you is critical.

Types of Car Accidents We Handle

A wide range of motor vehicle accidents occur in Findlay.

One-Car Collisions

Sometimes, one vehicle crashes into a fixed object, such as a guardrail or fence. If you were the person behind the wheel or if your deceased loved one was driving, you might assume that you have no grounds for filing a lawsuit. However, depending on the facts, you might not be entirely to blame for the accident. For instance, if you crashed because the roads had uncleared snow or ice on them, you might be able to sue the municipal authority in charge of the road where your accident occurred. If the roads remained dangerous for an unreasonable amount of time, you could have a legal claim. Similarly, if your car crashes because of a dangerous road design, such as an on-ramp built to go along with a construction detour, you might have grounds to seek damages. However, you would need to prove that the other party, such as the municipal authority who repairs or designed the roads, was more at fault for the accident than you were.

Two-Car Collisions

Most automobile wrecks involve two-car accidents, where one car hits the other from behind, on the side, or from the front. Many times, liability can be hard to establish, particularly if both parties appear to have done something wrong, such as when one driver speeds through a stop sign and the other neglects to use their turn signal. Working with a seasoned Findlay car accident attorney is critical so that you have someone by your side who can help prove that the other driver was primarily responsible for causing the accident.

Multi-Vehicle Pileups

Some car crashes involve more than two vehicles. Multiple vehicle accidents often occur on highways where there is stop-and-go traffic. In these types of accidents, one car crashes into the car in front of them, resulting in a chain reaction, where each succeeding car hits the car in front of them. People who are stuck in the cars in the middle of these types of accidents are at risk of suffering extreme harm from being crushed in between two vehicles.

Our dedicated attorneys at Charles E. Boyk Law Offices have successfully handled all types of car accidents for our clients. We know how to investigate to build solid claims and negotiate for successful settlements.

Common Car Accident Injuries

Unfortunately, like most other busy cities, Findlay experiences a great deal of motor vehicle accidents. Luckily, most of these accidents are minor fender benders, which can be a hassle for the parties involved but not life-altering. Sadly, some people are not as fortunate. Some people experience injuries that can interfere with their everyday lives, such as:

  • Broken bones,
  • Internal injuries,
  • Spinal cord injuries, which can result in mobility problems, including paralysis,
  • Whiplash, which can linger and turn into chronic nerve damage and neck pain,
  • Soft tissue injuries,
  • Crush injuries,
  • Head injuries, such as fractured skulls and brain injuries,
  • Contusions and bruises, and
  • Cuts that turn into disfiguring scars.

People can also experience painful emotional injuries in automobile accidents. If they have scarring, they might not be comfortable going out into public. They might shut themselves off from even their friends and family. Their pain and suffering might interfere with their ability to go to work, play with their kids, clean their house, or take part in their favorite recreational activities. Not being able to engage in their everyday activities can lead to longstanding depression and anxiety.

Our caring legal team will give you and your family our full attention and take the time to learn about everything the accident has done to you and your life. We would learn about your physical limitations and your emotional pain in order to help you seek a damages award that fully compensates you for everything the accident has cost you.

If a car wreck claimed the life of your spouse, child, or parent, our compassionate legal team could help guide you through a wrongful death lawsuit to help you recover the money your family needs to rebuild your life without the support of your deceased loved one. While we cannot bring back the loved one that you lost in a preventable car crash, our legal team could help you obtain a sense of accountability and justice by holding the responsible parties at fault for their wrongful actions that caused your loved one to die.

Common Causes of Car Wrecks

Motor vehicle crashes occur for a wide range of reasons.

Driver Negligence

Most accidents happen because a motorist is somehow negligent. Drivers today are often in an unreasonable rush to get to where they need to be. Instead of obeying traffic laws and respecting the rights of other drivers, motorists are often worried about being on time. The most common types of driver errors that lead to crashes include:

  • Distracted driving,
  • Speeding,
  • Reckless driving, such as tailgating, illegal passing, or unsafe lane changes,
  • Drunk driving,
  • Fatigued driving, and
  • Road rage.

All motorists have a duty of care to everyone who shares the roads with them. When a motorist acts negligently or recklessly, they should be financially responsible for their wrongful actions.

Vehicle Malfunctioning

Some accidents occur because a car part malfunctions. Cars require regular servicing and maintenance. If a collision happened because a car’s owner did not have their car regularly inspected or repaired, that owner could be responsible if a part fails due to wear and tear. If a part malfunctions due to an inherent manufacturing defect, the car’s manufacturer could be to blame.

Roadway Conditions

Some accidents happen because of poor road conditions due to uncleared snow or ice, poor designs, or hazards in the road such as large potholes. A skilled car accident lawyer in Findlay could investigate the circumstances that led to the accident to see if the roadway conditions were unreasonable. For instance, if the pothole was on the road for a few days when the accident happened, the municipal authority in charge of roadway repairs would not likely be liable. However, if a pothole was on the road for several weeks, there could be a case.

Dealing With Insurance After a Car Crash

Most car accident settlements do not come directly from the at fault motorist’s checking account. Instead, they are handled by the at fault driver’s insurance company. Although injured people might want to talk directly to the insurance company themselves in order to get the matter resolved as quickly as possible, it is not usually in anyone’s best interests to try to deal with the insurance companies alone. Insurers might try to get injured people to quickly accept amounts that are not fair just so they can get some sort of money quickly to pay their mounting bills. An experienced Findlay car wreck lawyer from Charles E. Boyk Law offices knows how to handle insurance companies. They know the tactics that insurers take to deny liability or offer unreasonably low settlement figures and could work diligently to negotiate for a fair amount. They would also be willing to take the case to court. With their skills, they are not afraid to fight in a trial.

Talk to a Findlay Car Accident Attorney Today

If you have been injured in a car accident, you should contact our Findlay car accident lawyers right away. Ohio has a two-year statute of limitations for personal injury and property damage suits (see Ohio Revised Code Section 2305.10), and other legal restriction may apply.

Our attorneys will discuss these matters further with you and will help get you on track to move forward with your life and put your accident in your rear view mirror.

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