If you are injured in an auto accident in Columbus, Ohio due to another driver’s negligence, you may be eligible to receive compensation for your injuries. The law defines negligence as the failure to use reasonable care, and there are countless ways an individual can be negligent while operating an automobile. For example, a driver is negligent if the driver fails to stop at a stop sign or uses excessive speeds in a school or construction zone. However, depending on the extent of your injuries you may be eligible to receive reimbursement for your medical care expenses, loss of wages and general pain and suffering damages. Do not delay in contacting an auto accident Columbus attorney following the accident to discuss your case.

If the auto accident caused you to seek medical care, an auto accident Columbus attorney may ask the court to reimburse you for your medical expenses. The medical expenses must be necessary because of the accident and not due to a pre-existing condition. In addition, the accident must also be because of the other driver’s negligence.  For example, depending on the extent of your injuries, you may have been taken to the hospital by an ambulance, or helicopter. In addition, you will receive reimbursement for any treatment that you received while at the hospital. If your injuries require physical therapy, your auto accident Columbus attorney will ask the court to award you future damages as well to compensate you for future medical care.

In addition, you may be unable to return to work immediately following an accident. If the accident causes you to miss work, you may be eligible to receive loss of wage damages for the difference in wages you experience because of the accident. However, your auto accident Columbus attorney will inform you that you will have to provide evidence that the accident was a direct cause of your inability to work. For example, you will have to show your injuries sustained in the accident resulted in your inability to return to work.

An auto accident Columbus attorney may also tell you that you are eligible to receive compensation for any pain and suffering you experience following the accident. Pain and suffering can be a direct result of injuries you sustained in the accident, or can include new limitations on your daily activities due to the accident resulting in emotional distress or depression. However, your auto accident Columbus attorney may warn you that damages for pain and suffering can be difficult to prove. For example, you may need to testify at your trial regarding your pain. In determining the amount of pain and suffering damages you are eligible to receive, the court will consider a number of factors including the severity of your injuries and your credibility. Your auto accident Columbus attorney will also ask the court to consider any future pain and suffering damages you are likely to experience because of the accident.

The time to file a lawsuit against the other driver following an accident is limited. Therefore, if you suffer an injury in an auto accident, do not delay in contacting an auto accident Columbus attorney. If you need help finding an auto accident Columbus attorney, contact the Columbus Bar Association’s website http://www.cbalaw.org/membership/services/lawyer-referral-service.php for information about the Lawyer Referral Service. In addition, you can visit the Franklin County Municipal Court’s website http://www.fcmcclerk.com/forms/civil.php to learn how to file a civil lawsuit in Columbus.