Personal Injury Settlements in Ohio
About 96% of personal injury cases result in a settlement before ever going to trial. The whole process from injury to receiving a conclusion in the form of a settlement can sometimes take as long as a few years. The time it takes depends on a number of factors, such as the severity of your injury, complexity of the accident, and whether you go to trial or not. The most complicated of cases could take years to come to a conclusion, while the simplest of cases could take a few months. The long amount of time that it takes personal injury cases to settle actually offers you some built in protections.
For many injuries, especially soft tissue injuries, they take many months or even years before the full extent of the injury is realized. If you were to settle quickly after the injury, you would not be fully compensated for your damages. However, the dark side of this is that you most likely are in the greatest need of settlement money right after your injuries or property damage has occurred, and you may have to wait a few years to get it. Although it makes for a difficult period of time between the point of injury and point of settlement, you will ultimately be compensated for the hardships you underwent during that time. It is important to hire an attorney to ensure that you are fully compensated for your injuries.
The personal injury attorneys at Harris & Engler help their clients in Ohio obtain the maximum settlement possible. The law firm of Harris & Engler is located in Columbus, Ohio, and its personal injury lawyers help clients across Central Ohio, including greater Franklin County, Delaware County, Licking County, Union County, and Fairfield County. The personal injury attorneys at Harris & Engler have the singular goal to help their clients recover fully from their injuries and receive the best settlement possible under the circumstances for their injuries.
Your Personal Injury Settlement Will Depend On A Few Factors
The amount you could receive in a settlement depends on a wide range of factors, some of which are listed below.
Liability
Your ability to collect anything in a settlement will first depend on finding the other party to be liable, or at fault, for causing your injuries.
Type of Injury
The severity of your injury will be one of the biggest factors in determining how much of a settlement you will be eligible for. Courts will look at how much pain and suffering the injuries cost you, how much time and expense you expended receiving medical treatment, how long the injury is likely to affect you, and what aspects of your life the injury has affected.
Your Position in Life and the Community
Your position in life will affect how much of a settlement you are entitled to receive. If suffer a personal injury as a result of an accident and you are a Surgeon, then you will receive quite a bit more settlement money for lost wages than a college student with very little income. If you have a criminal past, then this may affect the amount of settlement that you would be entitled to. If you have ever been convicted of a crime that reflects negatively on your honesty, then this will be brought up in court if your case goes to trial and have a negative impact on your credibility, and thus it would affect whether the jury would believe your claims.
Damages in Personal Injury Case
The costs that you had to incur as a result of your injury and the costs likely to be incurred in the future will have a tremendous impact on the amount of money that you could possibly receive in a settlement.
Ohio Personal Injury Settlement Attorneys
If you've been injured in an accident by the fault of another, you may need a personal injury attorney. The law firm of Harris & Engler has attorneys practicing in the area of personal injury all over Ohio; however, the law firm is situated in Columbus, Ohio, and predominantly serves clients in Franklin, Delaware, Licking, and Union Counties. You can talk to an attorney at Harris & Engler today by calling (614) 610-9988.
