Motor vehicle accidents are inconvenient, expensive, and can cause severe injury. However, the experience can also lead to lifelong physical, financial, and emotional harm.
Consulting a Lakewood car accident lawyer after a wreck may be beneficial to you while you recover. A hardworking injury attorney can advise you of your options, fight on your behalf, and guide you toward a solution that could provide the much-needed compensation for your losses.
Proof of Financial Responsibility in Lakewood
Everyone who registers a motor vehicle in Ohio must establish that they have the means to pay damages if they cause an accident. Most drivers carry liability insurance, but some may instead choose to buy a bond.
The minimum required coverage in the state is $25,000 for injury to a single person, $50,000 for injuries to multiple people, and $25,000 for property damage. Importantly, however, individuals might be personally liable if they are at fault in an accident and their coverage is inadequate to cover others’ losses.
When the at-fault driver’s insurance is inadequate to cover an injured person’s losses, the injured person’s insurance might provide coverage if he or she bought optional uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage. In the absence of this coverage, his or her best option is to work with a skilled auto wreck attorney in Lakewood to investigate whether the at-fault driver has assets sufficient to cover the damages.
Responsible Parties Must Pay in Automobile Wrecks
According to the state’s fault system for vehicle accidents, the party who caused the wreck is responsible for paying the other parties’ damages. Unfortunately, determining who is at fault often becomes a contentious issue. To avoid this, it could be helpful to a driver who might bear some responsibility for a car crash to have a Lakewood attorney representing his or her interests.
It is common for multiple parties to bear at least some responsibility for a vehicle accident. In that case, state law makes each party liable for the result of his or her actions.
For example, an injured person who is 20 percent at fault for a crash could collect only 80 percent of the damages from other negligent parties. However, if an injured person is more than 50 percent responsible, he or she cannot collect damages for the accident.
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Statute of Limitations for Car Wrecks
All states have laws limiting the time for an accident victim to file a lawsuit seeking compensation. Ohio Revised Code § 2305.10 states in most cases, an injured person and his or her local lawyer have two years from the date of an accident to file a lawsuit seeking damages. Courts can refuse to hear any lawsuit filed after the statutory limit.
Consult a Capable Lakewood Car Accident Attorney
The laws governing car accidents, insurance coverage, and liability are complex. Trying to handle a claim without professional representation could be costly both financially and emotionally—fighting with insurance companies can be stressful and overwhelming.
Trust the pursuit of your claim to a diligent Lakewood car accident lawyer at Tittle & Perlmuter. Reach out as soon as possible after your crash to get a strong advocate on your side.
