What is the average car accident settlement in Ohio? The answer is more complicated than it may seem. While there is an average settlement amount, averages can be misleading because every case is different. Your personal losses, the severity of your injuries, and the strength of your claim will all help determine what your case is worth.
Lawrence & Associates Accident and Injury Lawyers, LLC can build a strong case to help maximize your Ohio personal injury settlement or court verdict. As you learn more about our team and our firm, you’ll see that we have been fighting for injured clients since 2005 and have recovered hundreds of millions in compensation.
We firmly believe in our guiding principle: Your case. Our cause. We bring that commitment to every claim we handle. We have served Cincinnati residents from our Sharonville location for decades, and we are ready to put our legal experience to work for you. Fill out our online contact form or call (513) 951-6723 today to schedule a free case evaluation and find out how much your Ohio car accident case may be worth.
Justin Lee Lawrence
Partner
“We’ve handled thousands of car accident cases in Ohio, and across all of them we see average settlements of about $28,000.”
What Factors Affect Car Accident Settlement Amounts in Ohio?
At Lawrence & Associates Accident and Injury Lawyers, LLC, we believe firmly in protecting our clients’ rights, including the right to understand what your case is worth. Here are some of the key factors that determine the amount of compensation you’re likely to collect:
- The severity of your car accident injuries: The more severe your car accident injuries are, the more compensation you can usually collect.
- How clear liability is: The chances of a denied car accident claim or lowball settlement are reduced if it is very clear based on all the car accident evidence that the other driver is at fault
- How well documented your losses are: If you have things like strong medical records, a pain journal showcasing how your injuries impacted you, and experts to testify about the extent of your loss, you should recover more compensation.
Having the right attorney also matters. Lawrence & Associates Accident and Injury Lawyers, LLC brings trial experience, and a long history of impressive results for our clients. We only get paid legal fees if we win, and our 10.0 Superb rating from Avvo, as well as our client testimonials, show that we are prepared to go the distance as a trusted partner for your family’s recovery journey.
Choosing The Right Doctor And Why It Affects Your Settlement
In the aftermath of a car accident, it’s important to see the right medical professionals. You need a licensed, well-qualified doctor who is familiar with injuries like yours.
This is important not just for your health, but also so your doctor can document your injuries. You want to make sure your medical records clearly show:
- The injuries were crash-related
- The impairments the injuries cause
- The costs of treatment
- The ongoing impact of the injuries including future care you need, and how they affect your ability to work
When a well-qualified medical professional provides a detailed report of your injuries, this strengthens your claim and helps you get a larger settlement or verdict.
How Ohio's Comparative Fault Law Impacts Your Settlement Value
Ohio is an at-fault state for car accidents, which means the driver who caused the crash can be held responsible for resulting losses. However, in some cases, more than one party may share blame. When that happens, Ohio’s comparative negligence laws apply.
Ohio Revised Code § 2315.33 allows an injured person to recover compensation as long as they are not more than 50% at fault. This is known as a modified comparative fault rule. If you are 51% or more at fault, you generally cannot recover compensation from the other party.
Under Ohio’s modified comparative fault rules, your compensation is reduced in proportion to your share of fault. For example, if you were 40% responsible for a car accident and suffered $100,000 in damages, your recovery would be reduced by 40%. That means you could recover the remaining 60%, or $60,000.
What Types Of Damages Are Included In An Ohio Car Accident Settlement
You should not accept a settlement until you understand the full extent of your losses and know whether the offer is fair. In most cases, the first settlement offer is not the best one. Instead, you may need to negotiate with the at-fault driver’s insurance company for a better amount.
A fair settlement should compensate you for both economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages are financial losses, such as medical bills, lost wages, future care costs, and reduced earning ability if your injuries affect your ability to work.
Non-economic damages are losses that do not have a clear dollar value. These may include pain and suffering, emotional distress, and diminished quality of life. Before settling, make sure the offer accounts for all the ways the accident has affected your life.
Examples of Results We Have Recovered For Our Car Accident Clients
At Lawrence & Associates Accident and Injury Lawyers, LLC, we are here for your family every step of the way. Our client stories show that we live up to our communication promise. We understand the laws and know how to read car accident reports to identify crash causes. We also know the law inside and out, are ready to build strong evidence, and can represent you in or out of court.
Just check out our past results and see why you should consider us a trusted partner for your family’s recovery journey. While past results aren’t a guarantee of future outcomes and the facts of your case will determine your compensation, our legal advocacy helps maximize the chances of a favorable outcome.
Why Insurance Companies Often Undervalue Claims
Insurance companies are businesses, so they often try to limit how much they pay on claims. They may make quick lowball offers, dispute the severity of your injuries, or delay the claims process to pressure you into accepting less than your case is worth.
You should not have to deal with these tactics alone. However, it is important to understand that insurers generally will not pay more than the available policy limits. For example, if the at-fault driver has $25,000 in bodily injury liability coverage per person and your damages total $70,000, the insurer typically will not pay more than $25,000.
You may be able to pursue compensation directly from the at-fault driver, but many people do not have enough personal assets to pay a large judgment. That can limit your ability to recover full compensation.
Justin Lee Lawrence
Partner
“How do the at fault driver’s insurance policy limits affect your settlement? Think of the policy limits as the amount of money in a jar. Then think of your damages as permission to take money from the jar. What if you get permission to take $30,000 from the jar but the jar only has $25,000 in it? Unfortunately, you lose the ability to take that $5,000. There is no other jar. This is why it is very important to have good Underinsured Motorist Coverage. UIM coverage on your auto policy gives you a second jar to take money from when you’re hurt really badly.”
How Long Does It Take to Receive a Car Accident Settlement in Ohio?
Under Ohio Revised Code § 2305.10, you generally have two years from the date of the accident to file a car accident lawsuit in Ohio. Because missing this deadline can affect your right to recover compensation, it is important not to wait too long to take action.
Once you begin the claims process, the timeline for resolving your case can vary. If the insurance company makes a fair settlement offer early, your case may resolve in a matter of weeks, especially if you have completed medical treatment or have a reliable estimate of your future care needs.
However, some claims take longer. If there is a dispute over fault, the full extent of your injuries or treatment needs is unclear, or settlement negotiations fail and litigation becomes necessary, your case could take months or even years to resolve.
Lawrence & Associates Accident and Injury Lawyers, LLC will be here to guide you every step of the way.
Should You Accept the First Settlement Offer?
In most cases, you should not accept the first settlement offer.
Before agreeing to a settlement, you need to understand the full extent of your damages. This includes whether you are expected to fully recover, whether you may have lasting limitations, and how much your future medical care and lost income may cost. Once you accept a settlement, you generally give up the right to seek additional compensation for the same accident.
Insurance companies often make low initial offers to see whether you will accept less than your claim is worth. Without the right legal guidance, you could leave money on the table that you may need for future treatment, lost wages, and other accident-related losses.
How a Car Accident Lawyer Can Increase Your Settlement Value in Ohio
A car accident lawyer can work to increase your Ohio car accident settlement amounts by providing important services during the claim process. This can include:
- Gathering evidence to build the strongest claim possible
- Negotiating with insurers. Insurers who know you have a trial-ready attorney who won’t back down are more likely to make a fair settlement offer.
- Helping you to accurately calculate damages. You don’t want to accept less than your case is worth.
- Going to court on your behalf. If no settlement is reached, you need a lawyer who knows the rules of evidence and understands how to make solid arguments.
Justin Lee Lawrence
Partner
“Your lawyer’s job is to build a wall. The better the wall, the more money you get for it. But your lawyer can’t make bricks. Your doctor makes bricks. The police make bricks. You make bricks. The better the bricks, the better the wall. If you call us, we’ll tell you how to make bricks. We just can’t do it for you.”
Talk to an Ohio Car Accident Attorney Today
At Lawrence & Associates Accident and Injury Lawyers, LLC, we understand the challenges you’re facing, and we’re here to protect your rights every step of the way. Our experienced Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky personal injury attorneys can guide you on what to do—and what to avoid—so you don’t unintentionally harm your case.
We can also help you figure out how much is my car accident worth in Ohio so you’ll have realistic expectations for your Ohio personal injury settlement or court verdict. Call us today at (513) 951-6723 for a free, confidential consultation or fill out our online form to get started. Let us fight for the compensation you deserve while you focus on healing.
