Ohio Car Accident Law Overview

Have you been involved in a car accident? If so, you are among the millions of Americans each year that have been affected by careless or negligent drivers. According to the National Highway Safety Administration, every ten seconds someone in the United States is involved in an automobile accident. You are not alone. Of the estimated 6,279,000 police reported traffic accidents in 2000, 41,611 people were killed and 3,236,000 were injured. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of injury-related death for people between the ages of 1 and 34 in the United States. More startling still, 38% of all traffic accidents reported in 1999 were alcohol related, and that number has steadily increased.

At The Plymale Partnership, LLP we will use our experience to investigate every possible contributing cause of an accident to determine responsibility and negligence and ensure that you receive not only medical attention for your injuries, but full compensation for your suffering. Leave it to us to make arrangements with your medical care providers to defer payment until your case is resolved, through either settlement or trial, so that you can concentrate on healing.

Do I have a case?

Car accidents are generally decided using the law of negligence. A person who negligently operates a motor vehicle may be required to pay damages caused by their negligence, either to persons or property. Generally, people who operate motor vehicles must exercise “reasonable care under the circumstances.” Failure to do so is the basis of most lawsuits for damages caused by a car accident.

Some, but not all, of the factors courts look to in determining negligence are:

• Speeding, or driving too slow
• Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
• Failing to signal while turning
• Disregarding weather or traffic conditions
• Disobeying traffic signs or signals
• Failing to drive on the right side of the road
• Intentional or reckless conduct

In certain cases, accidents are caused by factors unrelated to the conduct of any particular driver.

Under the law of product liability, an automobile manufacturer or supplier may be held responsible for injuries caused by a defect in the automobile or a component of the automobile, as in the Firestone tire litigation.

Similarly, failure to properly repair vehicles, maintain roads, keep highways clear of obstructions, and repair defective traffic control signals can lead to collisions and cause serious injury. If these factors have contributed to your loss, you may be entitled to compensation.

What can I do?

As you can see, there are many factors that may contribute to traffic accidents. As in all car accident cases, it is essential that measures be taken to promptly preserve evidence to help investigators determine negligence and responsibility. The best way to achieve this goal is to have photographs taken of all visible injuries and damage to vehicles at the scene of the accident. If you have sustained injuries, physicians and other experts can utilize this information to thoroughly evaluate your medical condition and these visual documents can help investigators determine the cause of the collision.

If you, or a loved one have been the victim of a car accident, please contact The Plymale Partnership, LLP at (614) LAW-8000 / (800) 221-6675. Our initial consultation is free of charge, and if we agree to accept your case, we will work on a contingent fee basis, which means we get paid for our services only if there is a monetary award or recovery of funds on your behalf. You may have a valid claim and be entitled to compensation for your injuries, but a lawsuit must be filed before the statute of limitations expires.

To see if you have a valid claim for an Automobile Accident and to have a qualified attorney set up a private consultation to review the circumstances of your case, click on the button below.