An Overview
After an accident or injury caused by someone else’s negligence, Ohio Revised Code 2307 gives you the legal right to hold the responsible parties accountable and recover the necessary compensation to make you financially whole. Simply put, you have the right to receive payment for your losses after an injury in Franklin County.
Our Columbus car accident lawyers and personal injury attorneys will clarify Ohio personal injury law, review your options, and secure all the compensation you need – without the unnecessary stress or uncertainty. Our personal injury lawyers offer 100% free consultations, charge nothing up front, and will explain what to expect from a settlement or personal injury lawsuit.
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Columbus, OH 43229-1154
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Columbus, OH 43215-3556
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How KNR Helps
KNR is dedicated to making your physical and financial recovery as convenient and comfortable as possible. We know going through a severe personal injury isn’t easy, but working with KNR is.
Topics we’ll cover in the following video:
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Personal Injury: Eligibility & Examples
Personal injury laws or “tort laws” are designed to protect individuals if they are harmed by another’s act, failure to act, or negligence.
These laws help people recoup the various financial losses that come with an injury and return victims to the life they enjoyed before the accident. In a personal injury legal action, the one who caused the harm or their insurance carrier compensates the victim.
Negligence is what an “ordinary” or “reasonable person” would have done in similar circumstances. In a car accident, a driver would be negligent if their behavior differed from what an ordinary person would have done in similar circumstances. An example would be speeding or driving impaired.
While the facts are unique in every personal injury case, to be successful, you must prove fault, establish liability, and demonstrate the following:
The party at fault was expected to behave with reasonable care (follow traffic laws, provide suitable medical care, and keep an area safe).
You must establish that the party in question did not meet their obligation to you (a driver was speeding, a doctor failed to perform a standard exam, or an employee didn’t clean up a spill).
You must prove the breach of duty caused an incident in which you suffered harm. This could be a car crash, failure to treat an illness, or slip and fall at the root of your injury.
You’ll need to demonstrate that the accident or incident had a negative (financial and non-financial) impact on your life. Examples may include medical bills, diminished income, and your pain and suffering.
Meeting these legal criteria requires evidence. With help from a personal injury lawyer in Columbus, this can be accomplished through medical and financial records, witness statements, and expert testimony.
Personal injury is usually referenced in civil claims and covers the losses related to an accident, wrongful act, or wrongful death. On the other hand, a bodily injury is common in criminal legal matters and associated with the physical harm a victim suffers, like after an assault. Each injury type has a different standard of proof and legal liability. Where bodily injuries cover the specific harm done to the body, like bruises, broken bones, cuts, etc., personal injuries refer to the various damages caused by:
KNR Practice Areas
Kisling, Nestico & Redick have been fighting for injury victims in Franklin County for over 15 years. Our injury attorneys proudly assist people across the Columbus area with all manner of personal injury claims.
Recover from the Harm Done
While there is no way to precisely calculate the value of a personal injury claim in Columbus without knowing the details, the compensation you can expect will directly be related to:
Our Columbus injury lawyers, can help maximize & recover compensation for your:
Economic damages are the easily documented losses related to an injury and usually have exact dollar amounts. They are sometimes called special damages and may include:
Damages usually go further than lost wages, medical bills, and property losses. General damages account for the non-economic losses that an injury victim suffers. These are subjective but include:
Punitive damages are a third type of personal injury compensation, meant to punish the party at fault if their conduct is egregious. While not available in every situation, punitive damages are possible when someone was malicious, intentional, or grossly negligent.
Ohio limits certain personal injury damages. In most cases, non-economic damages are capped at $250,000 or three times the amount with an overall limit of $350,000. Punitive damages in Ohio also cannot rise above two times the economic damages.
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Hold The Right Party Accountable
After speaking with one of the best personal injury attorneys in Columbus, a lawyer may perform an investigation to determine if you have a viable personal injury case. Once the liable parties are identified, and sufficient evidence of fault is collected, you may decide to move forward and file a personal injury claim.
Most personal injury cases reach a negotiated settlement and can be agreed upon at any point before judgment or verdict. Personal injury settlement agreements should account for all your damages: now and in the future.
Remember that insurance companies have a vested interest in getting you to accept less. They do this by making low-ball offers, minimizing your injuries, and casting doubt on their degree of liability. Your personal injury attorney should be aware of their tactics and aggressively negotiate on your behalf.
Sometimes preparing a personal injury case for court is the best option. It shows the insurance company your claim can’t be ignored. It lets your Columbus injury attorneys use the discovery phase to collect evidence that they may not otherwise have access to. This can strengthen your claim and put you in a better position during negotiations.
In Franklin County, a civil tort begins in Franklin County Municipal Court by filing the appropriate complaint, petition, or appeal, along with the filing fee, on the third floor at 375 South High Street, Columbus, Ohio 43215, in person or by mail.
Read Ohio’s Local Rules for Civil Practice
More Personal Injury Resources
More than one party can share responsibility and financial liability in some personal cases. If you share a degree of fault for your injury, it can affect the total compensation you can receive.
Ohio follows a “modified comparative negligence rule.” This means that the amount you are entitled to will be reduced by an amount equal to your degree of fault. However, if you’re more than 50% to blame, you can’t collect anything.
More On Comparative Negligence in Ohio
There is a time limit for recovering personal injury compensation. Ohio Revised Code Section 2305.10 states that all lawsuits based on bodily injury, product liability, or damaged personal property must be brought within two years from the incident or discovery of the injury, with only a few exceptions.
Filing a personal injury lawsuit may be necessary because the longer you wait, the greater potential to lose crucial evidence. Plus, waiting too long could bar you from filing altogether.
Local Personal Injury Attorneys
As Ohio’s premier personal injury law firm, KNR serves the residents of Columbus and its surrounding communities, leveraging extensive resources and experience to deliver the legal care and results you deserve.
Outside of Franklin County, we also represent the injured in the nearby counties of Pickaway, Fairfield, Delaware, and more. If you or a loved one are hurting, KNR can help. Contact us today for a free, no-risk consultation.
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Learn More
Proving another party’s negligence caused your injuries and establishing liability for your losses requires evidence. The most common types of evidence in personal injury cases include:
If you or a loved one were harmed because of another’s negligence, the following could help your case and strengthen your compensation claim:
What Are You Dealing With?
Personal injury compensation varies based on the circumstances and the extent of your injuries. While there is no typical settlement, by speaking with a Columbus personal injury lawyer, you can better understand your case and what you can expect.
Wining can mean a lot of things based on the situation. And while there are no guarantees in a personal injury claim, you can do a few things to strengthen your case and improve your odds of success.
Most cases settle, and you can resolve a minor accident without an attorney. However, when your case involves significant medical bills and losses, issues regarding liability, or to ensure you recover maximum compensation, you should at least consult an experienced personal injury lawyer in Columbus. This provides an objective and professional opinion about your claim and how to proceed.
Most quality personal injury law firms in Columbus, including KNR, operate on a contingency basis. This means your personal injury lawyer does not get paid unless you obtain a jury award or financial settlement.