Located in both Butler and Hamilton counties, Fairfield is home to many crowded roads, including parts of Route 127 and Route 4. Fairfield is in southern Butler County, where minor injury accidents over the past three years averaged 996. Crash stats show a rise in accidents like Mary’s, which is a failure-to-yield incident because Mary had the right-of-way to continue straight when the other driver turned left into her vehicle.
Crashes similar to this are up from 1,178 in 2020 to 1,415 in 2022.
Additional stats for the county include:
2,806 youth-related accidents
1,306 teen-related accidents
661 speed-related accidents
34 fatal accidents
310 distracted driving accidents
What to Do After a Car Accident
If you have been involved in a car accident, there are several steps you should take:
Call for help. Your health is the top priority. Call 911 as soon as possible, even if you have no apparent injuries.
Move your vehicle to a safe location (if possible). Moving your vehicle can help reduce the risk of further accidents. Depending on the severity of the accident, you may not be able to move your vehicle.
Do not negotiate with the other driver. Exchange important contact information with the driver, but avoid negotiations or confrontation. If there are witnesses nearby, obtain their contact information as well.
File a police report. Even if there are no apparent injuries, file a police report. Your report can serve as evidence in court if necessary.
Document evidence. Gather as much evidence as you safely can (provided you are not injured), including photos or videos of the scene, damage to your vehicle and the surrounding conditions.
Call a lawyer. Before you contact your insurance company, call a lawyer.
The steps you take following a car accident can have a significant impact on your case. As your Fairfield car accident attorneys, we encourage you to avoid talking to the opposing driver’s insurance company.
Insurers will attempt to make you say just one wrong thing that they can use against you to prove some fault.
If you hire us as your attorney, insurers will need to contact us to discuss the accident and will allow you to rest while you recover from the accident. We’ll handle the scary and complex conversations on your behalf and fight for the compensation that you deserve.
It can be a challenge to stay safe on Ohio’s roads because accidents can occur in countless ways. Some of the most common types of accidents that our clients encounter include:
Child pedestrian accidents, which often occur because children are small and can easily disappear in a motorist’s blindspot
Distracted driving accidents, which occur when a driver’s attention is momentarily taken away from the road by texting, eating, playing with the radio, putting on makeup, or consulting a navigation device
Drowsy driving accidents, which involve drivers who do not have adequate sleep and risk falling asleep at the wheel
Drunk driving accidents, as well as drugged driving accidents, are often deadly because these motorists fail to obey road regulations
Failure to maintain lane accidents, which occurs when drivers suddenly drift into other lanes of traffic
Head-on collisions, which are one of the deadliest types of accidents due to the substantial force and speed involved
Hit-and-run accidents, which often involve bicyclists or pedestrians and occur when the party who causes the accident fails to stop at the scene to provide assistance
Intersection accidents, which can occur when motorists who run stop signs and collisions while drivers are making left turns
Multiple vehicle accidents or “pile-ups” which are a common result when motorists fail to stop in time behind other vehicles on the road
Rear-end collisions, which happen when the front of a vehicle collides with the rear-end of another vehicle
Reckless driving, which occurs when motorists speed, fail to yield, unexpectedly switch between lanes, or perform any other type of driving pattern that fails to take road regulations into consideration
Rollover accidents, which often involve vehicles that are speeding or turning too quickly around tight curves and commonly involve sports utility vehicles and other cars with a high center of gravity
Sideswipe or t-bone collisions, which occur when the side of one vehicle is struck by the front end of another vehicle
Common Injuries Caused by Fairfield Car Accidents
Even car accidents that first appear minor sometimes result in life-changing injuries as well as anguish and pain. Some of the most common injuries that car accident victims suffer include:
Broken bones. An extremely common result of car accidents, broken bones can range from minor to serious. When a person’s bones fracture and break through the skin, substantial medical assistance is often necessary and victims often can endure large medical bills, lost wages, and extensive rehabilitation.
Facial injuries. If a person’s face comes into contact with an airbag, broken glass, dashboard, steering wheel, or other parts of a vehicle, lacerations, as well as dental injuries and other facial injuries, are common.
Spinal cord injuries. The spinal cord performs vital tasks for the human body. Following a spinal cord injury, victims often left either partially or permanently paralyzed. People with spinal cord injuries often need assistive devices and extensive surgeries. The quality of life of victims with spinal cord injuries also often declines substantially.
Traumatic brain injuries. Many car accidents result in victims being thrown from vehicles with a substantial amount of force. Victims who are ejected from vehicles often strike their heads on windows or other surfaces either inside or outside of vehicles. Even in cases in which a person’s head does not collide with a surface, contra-coup injuries can still occur when that person’s brain collides with the skull.
Besides these complications, some other common injuries known to result from car accidents include internal organ injuries, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression. The Ohio State Highway Patrol also reports that in 2019, 1,041 deadly car accidents occurred in the state, which marked an increase from 2015 when 1,029 deadly car crashes occurred.
Hypothetical Case Illustration of Car Accident Claim in Fairfield, OH
Mary is driving along Pleasant Ave. She is approaching the Rolling Hills Baptist Church, and a driver takes a left turn right into the side of her Honda Civic. The accident causes the driver’s side door to cave in and the airbags to go off, causing facial fractures but no serious injuries.
Due to the low speed of the accident, Mary may not be in critical condition, but she still has to deal with:
Car repairs, if the insurance adjuster doesn’t view the vehicle as a total loss
Hospital visits to perform X-rays and learn the extent of the facial damage
A few weeks of missing work, depending on her diagnosis
Mary may be one of the 1,006 accident victims to walk away without any “serious” or life-threatening injuries, but she still has a road of recovery ahead of her. She will need to have her car repaired, rent a vehicle, go to the doctor and miss work.
Insurance companies may cover all of these costs, but many don’t want to pay out fair claims. As Fairfield car accident attorneys, we know how to negotiate with insurers to make you whole again and consider every life-changing effect of the accident.
How to Choose the Best Car Accident Lawyer for My Claim
Car accident injuries can have lifelong consequences. For this reason, it is crucial to work with a lawyer who will tirelessly advocate for your rights and fight for the compensation you deserve.
Medical bills, lost income, and rehabilitation are just a few of the challenges you may face on your road to recovery.
Fairfield car accident attorneys can help you determine the best course of action for your case and walk you through the claims process.
How do you choose the right lawyer for your claim? Here are some important points to consider:
Qualifications: Does the lawyer have experience handling car accident cases? Have they handled cases involving your type of injury? An attorney with experience with your injuries will help you achieve the best possible results for your case. Cases involving severe injuries require an attorney to ensure that you receive the care and rehabilitation you need.
Reputation: Does the lawyer have a good reputation with clients and colleagues? Take the time to research client reviews and ask for references.
Caseload: What is the lawyer’s caseload? Will they be able to give your case the time and attention it deserves?
Fee transparency: Inquire about the lawyer’s fee structure and how payments are handled. Financial transparency will help you avoid surprise fees and allow you to focus on the most important thing: healing.
Speak with an Experienced Car Accident Attorney
No matter how it happens, if you or a loved one has been involved in a Fairfield car accident, you can quickly face serious hardships. It can help to speak with a knowledgeable attorney at Kruger & Hodges today.
