As a small village in Preble County, West Alexandria is one of the best communities to raise a family. West Alexandria is a friendly place to live and is part of the Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area. While our village is idyllic, we are not completely sheltered from car accidents in West Alexandria, Ohio. When a car accident happens, it can turn your life upside down. You are likely suffering from painful injuries and are also feeling stress and trauma. If you are not able to return to work you are fearful of how you will pay your bills. The negligent driver must be held accountable for your injuries and should pay you for your damages.
What Causes Car Accidents in West Alexandria, Ohio?
Car accidents can be caused by many different factors. The most common causes are driver mistakes. Some common driver errors that could lead to an accident include:
Some car accidents are caused by more than one factor. For example, speeding on its own is a serious offense, but a distracted driver who is speeding might be more likely to cause a crash due to negligent actions. There are many types of accidents such as rear-end collisions, side-impact accidents, T-bone crashes, head-on accidents, and more. The speed of the vehicles and the area of impact are some of the issues that will determine how serious the injuries will be.
Damages and Injuries
The medical costs and other damages associated with a car accident can add up quickly. You may incur the costs of emergency room care, hospitalization, x-rays, surgery, ongoing treatment, and rehabilitation costs. The negligent party should pay your medical expenses, along with other costs. Common types of damages are monetary and non-monetary. Damages often include these types of things:
Medical bills
Pain and suffering
Lost wages
Emotional trauma
Future medical expenses
Depending on the severity of the injuries, expenses associated with car accidents in West Alexandria can be astronomical. You should not have to worry about paying for these expenses when you are not to blame for the accident. The negligent driver is liable for paying the damages they caused in the accident. A knowledgeable car accident attorney in West Alexandria will help you get the money you deserve after a serious accident.
Negligence and Comparative Negligence
Drivers have a duty to drive safely. Negligence is the failure to exercise reasonable care that results in an injury to another. When you get behind the wheel, you have a responsibility to perform properly. When you do something that is dangerous, it may be negligent. Negligence may be speeding, driving while distracted, failure to obey traffic signals, driving while intoxicated, and more. After an accident, the insurance company generally evaluates the accident and assigns a portion of negligence to each driver. The negligent driver is responsible for the damages that he or she caused.
More than one driver may have played a role in causing the accident. Ohio uses the comparative negligence law which means that you may collect compensation for your injuries as long as your portion of negligence is less than 50%. You and your attorney will need to show that the driver was negligent and therefore should pay for your damages due to the crash.
Compensation for Car Accident Injuries
The negligent driver must be held responsible for paying for your medical costs and other damages that you suffered as a result of the crash. In order to collect compensation, you must prove that the other driver was negligent. Negligence includes four main elements:
Duty of care
Breach of duty
Causation
Damages
Generally, you and your attorney will work with the insurance company to resolve the settlement. Your attorney has quite a bit of experience handling these issues and in many cases, the insurance company offer will be less than adequate if you try to handle the claim on your own. If you do receive a settlement offer, do not accept it and do not cash the check until you speak with an attorney. The initial offer may be inadequate and if you accept payment you will waive your right to seek further damages.
If you or a loved one was hurt in a car accident, you deserve compensation from the negligent party. Our legal team is here to help you get justice for your injuries. Contact our lawyers at Kruger & Hodges at (937) 733-6079 for a free initial consultation.
