New Paris, Ohio, is a small village located in Preble County. It is considered a suburb of Dayton. We have several highways nearby. Notably, Interstate 70 runs through New Paris and connects us directly to Dayton. Although we are a small community, car accidents are not uncommon in New Paris, Ohio. When you get hurt in a car accident, the negligent driver should be held responsible for your medical bills and for all other damages caused by the crash. An experienced New Paris car accident attorney will help you obtain the compensation you deserve for your injuries.
What Causes Car Accidents in New Paris, Ohio?
Car accidents happen are caused by many factors. Generally, one or more of the drivers did something wrong, or failed to take action and caused the crash. Car accidents are often due to human error. The driver may have been driving over the speed limit or too fast for conditions. Other times, the driver might not have been paying attention to the road. Here are some of the most common causes of car accidents:
Driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol
Disobeying traffic signals or signs
Failing to yield
Reckless driving
Poor weather conditions
Inexperience
Types of Accidents
There are different types of accidents depending on the area of a crash impact. Rear-end collisions are among the most common. They happen when one vehicle hits another from behind. Side impact accidents occur most often when a driver changes lanes or cuts someone off in traffic. These types of accidents are also sometimes called side-swipes.
T-bone accidents happen when one car hits another in the side, forming the letter T. This type of crash occurs most often in intersections when one driver fails to obey a traffic signal.
Head-on crashes are the most devastating. When two vehicles hit each other in front, they are often traveling at a high rate of speed. Head-on collisions can occur, for instance, when one driver goes into an oncoming lane of traffic. This can be due to passing or when someone drives the wrong way on a highway, for example.
Injuries Caused by Car Accidents in New Paris, Ohio
Injuries vary greatly in type and severity based on the individual factors of the crash. Common injuries due to car crashes are:
Head trauma
Whiplash
Back and spinal injuries
Broken bones
Internal organ damage
Burns
Lacerations and contusions
Many times, victims of car accidents require emergency treatment. The victim of a car crash may need to undergo a series of tests and scans to determine the extent of injuries. Then, they might require surgery and ongoing care. In some cases, injuries may be disabling, and full recovery may not be possible. The extent of injuries often depends on the type of crash and the speed of the vehicles at the time of impact.
What are Damages in Car Accidents?
When you are the victim of a car accident, the negligent driver should pay for your damages. Damages is a word that covers the totality of your losses due to an accident. The most common types of damages are medical expenses, however, there are many other types of damages that you may incur. The negligent driver should provide you payment to cover any and all costs that are attributed to the crash.
Damages that are monetary are those that have an actual value, such as hospital bills, surgery, medications, rehabilitation, and future medical costs. If you were unable to work while you are recovering, you are also owed money for lost wages. You may also incur other damages that may be non-monetary. Some of these are pain and suffering, and emotional trauma. The negligent party is responsible to provide payment for all your provable damages.
Negligence
The negligent party is the driver responsible for the accident. Negligence means that the driver knew or should have known that his actions could cause serious harm or death to another. The driver did something that a reasonable driver would not and it resulted in injuries and other damages. Negligence can be as simple as speeding, because the driver knew that traveling over the limit could be dangerous and could conceivably result in serious injuries or fatalities. Ohio provides for contributory negligence. A portion of negligence is assigned to each party. You can still collect damages even if you are partly responsible, as long as your portion is less than 50%.
A knowledgeable car accident attorney in New Paris, Ohio, will guide the legal process, gather information and evidence, and take charge of the process so you can concentrate on healing. If you were hurt in a car accident, do not delay. Reach out to our compassionate legal team at Kruger & Hodges at (937) 733-6079 to talk about your claim in a free consultation.
