Build Your Case With an Elyria Personal Injury Lawyer
Whether you were diagnosed with a broken bone, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, third-degree burn, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or another type of debilitating injury, when someone else is at fault, they should be responsible to cover your costs in full.
Start working on your insurance and civil claims when you contact an Elyria personal injury lawyer at Isaacs & Isaacs Personal Injury Lawyers. You can receive a free consultation when you contact our office.
Get Started Building Your Case With Our Personal Injury Law Firm
Isaacs & Isaacs Personal Injury Lawyers is a law firm proudly serving the Elyria and surrounding area, providing legal representation in the areas of automotive, bad drugs, wrongful death, abuse, and other accidents and injuries.
As seen on television and local billboards, Darryl Isaacs has been called “The Hammer,” winning settlements for Elyria residents in Ohio who have been in an accident and seek compensation for their injuries.
Common Types of Accidents that Result in Personal Injury Claims
Personal injury claims can take many forms. If you were seriously injured in any of the following types of accidents or incidents, our Elyria personal injury attorneys might be able to help you hold the liable party accountable:
- Car accidents
- Truck accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Bus accidents
- Premises liability claims
- Slip and fall accidents
- Dog bite claims
- Defective product claims
- Medical malpractice
- Nursing home abuse
These are just a few of the more common types of personal injury claims seen in the Elyria civil court system. If you have been injured in another type of accident and you believe someone else could be responsible for your injuries, contact our office to discuss the details of your case.
Important Ohio Personal Injury Laws You Need to Know
Multiple Ohio personal injury laws could significantly impact your ability to recover maximum compensation for your suffering. Some of the more important include:
- Fault: Ohio is an at-fault state for car accidents and insurance purposes under Ohio Revised Code Chapter 3937. This means when you are in an accident, you will file a claim with the liable party’s auto insurer.
- Negligence: Ohio follows a modified comparative negligence system under Ohio Revised Code Section 2315.33. This means if you share liability for your injuries, you can still collect compensation for your damages as long as your portion of fault does not exceed 50%.
- Time limits: Under Ohio Revised Code Section 2305.10, the statute of limitations for personal injury claims is generally two years. This is the amount of time you will have to get your lawsuit filed before the civil court system bars you from financial recovery.
Compensation for Victims of Personal Injuries
When you have been seriously injured due to someone else’s negligence, you have the right to be paid for every loss. This includes economic and non-economic damages. Some of the more commonly awarded types of damages in Elyria personal injury claims include:
- Diminished quality of life
- Loss of potential future earnings
- Disfigurement and skin scarring
- Property damages
- Loss of income
- Emotional distress
- Physical pain and suffering
- Loss of consortium
What Percentage Do Most Personal Injury Lawyers Take?
Personal injury lawyers work on a contingency fee basis. Essentially, that means they only get paid if they win your case. If you lose your case, they get paid nothing. Personal injury attorneys take a percentage of your settlement or court award, which is typically 33%. However, it can sometimes be up to 40%.
The contingency fee structure should be outlined in your contract details, and you should always ask your lawyer about this payment method for clarification. This contingency fee agreement gives more incentive to accident victims to hire a lawyer they wouldn’t otherwise normally be able to afford, and it gives lawyers more incentive to fight hard for maximum compensation.
Typically, the fee structure will change should your case go to court. The cost of litigation is much higher, and your attorney will discuss these fees with you should you decide to take your case to trial. Each attorney’s fee will differ, so get clarification by speaking with your lawyer.
What Is a Good Settlement Offer?
Each case is different and results in different types of damages. So, it’s extremely difficult to determine what a “good” settlement offer is, as there are numerous variables that will play roles in determining that amount.
Accident victims want to know that they won’t need to incur costs related to their accident if they weren’t at fault. So, they want reassurance that a settlement offer will be fair, appropriate, and cover their accident-related expenses.
Your Elyria personal injury attorney will sit down with you to calculate your economic losses and put a value on your non-economic losses. If it winds up being much more than what the insurance company wants to offer, you might not consider it a good settlement offer.
Ultimately, you will decide if a settlement offer makes enough sense to you and accurately reflects the extent of your damages. If it does not, your lawyer can renegotiate with the insurer, or you can opt to take your case to trial in pursuit of a higher payout.
Is It Better to Settle or Go to Court for a Personal Injury Case?
There are pros and cons to settling your personal injury case, much as there are in deciding to go to court. Settlements often happen much quicker than trials. They’re more efficient and cost much less as well.
You also have a hand in play during settlement negotiations, whereas going to trial means having to accept a judge or jury’s final word. Once you accept a settlement, the matter is considered closed, and the agreement is final.
Should you decide to go to court for your personal injury case, you might stand to win much more than what the insurance company is offering. However, you might also incur court and legal costs associated with litigation. And you must be prepared for the ordeal to last much, much longer. Trials can go on for a year or longer before a case is settled.
The decision to accept a settlement or take your case to court is yours and yours alone. But your personal injury lawyer in Elyria is your best resource for guidance, and you should heed their knowledge and experience before deciding on the best course of action in your case.
Contact a Personal Injury Attorney Serving Elyria for Help Today
If you are feeling overwhelmed at the thought of bringing your case to court or going up against a large insurance company, you are not alone.
With the legal support and advice of a personal injury lawyer serving Elyria from Isaacs & Isaacs Personal Injury Lawyers, you will have a team of advocates fighting for maximum compensation in your case. Receive your no-cost, risk-free consultation today when you contact our office.