The Cleveland Car Accident Attorneys You Can Count On
You deserve compensation. We can help.
Car accidents in Ohio can happen fast. Whether you’re involved in a rear-end accident on Interstate 271 or a texting while driving crash on Chester Avenue in Cleveland, your life can change forever in an instant.
Many people enter an unfamiliar and frightening world after being injured and have trouble knowing what to do to protect their rights. Insurance company red tape, police reports, medical forms and other paperwork can become overwhelming. Even if your accident is “straightforward” and the other driver admits wrongdoing, you may feel like the insurance company is taking advantage of you during a stressful time. (And you are not wrong to feel that way.)
We can help you resolve your problems. Make sure you have an experienced lawyer from Merriman Legal, LLC in Cleveland on your side, looking out for your best interests. Contact us today for a free consultation. Our experienced and dedicated attorneys aggressively fight for the rights of victims and families who lost loved ones in car wrecks.
What should I do after a car accident?
You’ve just been in a collision. What should you do? The attorneys at Merriman Legal, LLC have compiled a list of steps you can take immediately following your accident to protect your health and your rights.
Call the police. Tell them what happened and answer their questions. Be honest and factual; however, do not accept any blame or suggest it was your fault. Stick to the facts of what happened. At this point, you may not even know exactly what caused the crash. The investigating officer will fill out an accident report that will provide valuable information for your claim.
Collect evidence. Take pictures of the crash scene, including any property damage, visible injuries, skid marks, traffic signals, signs, and so on. And while your memory of events is still fresh, write down what happened in your own words.
Look for surveillance cameras. Many businesses (and some homeowners) have exterior surveillance cameras which may have captured the crash on tape. Look for cameras in the area of the collision and ask the property owner if they would be willing to provide you with any video of the accident. Surveillance video is often recorded over within several days. Do NOT wait to ask for video!
Talk to witnesses. Get their full names, addresses and phone numbers. Witness statements can provide critical evidence that shows you were not to blame for what happened.
Exchange contact and insurance information with the other driver. You need to do this to move your claim forward. However, don’t say anything about fault, and don’t apologize – an insurance company can construe the words “I’m sorry” as an admission that you caused the accident. You don’t want to say anything that will compromise your rights.
Get medical attention, even if you feel fine. You may feel you don’t need to see a doctor because your injuries are not severe, but it is important to get medical attention regardless of how slight your injury. Many minor injuries or serious internal injuries that can only be found by a medical exam, and some take time to show up. You need to get checked out by a doctor to get diagnostic tests done and protect your health. Getting medical attention will also provide essential documentation that proves you were injured during the accident.
Call your insurance company. Report that you have been involved in a car accident but stick to the basic facts. Don’t give your opinion about what caused it. Don’t comment on your injuries, either; just say you are getting medical treatment and leave it at that. Statements you give to the insurance company—even to your own insurance company—could hurt your claim.
Don’t talk to the other driver’s insurance company. If you are contacted by the other driver’s insurance company, do not give them a statement. They are only looking for information to use against you. Tell them you are going to speak to a lawyer first.
Call a Cleveland car accident lawyer IMMEDIATELY. An experienced attorney can act quickly to preserve evidence and protect your rights. We can investigate and look for evidence that proves you were not at fault. We can also determine the amount of damages you can seek and fight to get you compensation from the insurance company.
How much is my car accident claim worth?
Every situation is unique. The value of your claim will depend heavily on the specific details of your crash, including the severity of your injuries your lost income from missing work. If you were injured in a crash that wasn’t your fault, you may be able to get compensated for medical care, lost wages, pain and suffering, and maybe even more.
The best way to get an idea of what your claim might be worth is to schedule a free consultation with an attorney. We can assess the strength of your case and the impact your injuries have had on your life.
Why do I need a car accident lawyer?
An attorney can thoroughly investigate your crash, gather evidence to build a strong case on your behalf, determine liability, make sure you get proper medical care, and fight to make sure your needs are met now and into the future. An experienced lawyer will know how to deal with the insurance company and either reach a settlement or fight for you in court.
The insurance companies do this every day. You need to put experience on your side to level the playing field. It’s always in your interest to at least talk to a lawyer after a crash – there’s no cost for the consultation and no obligation to hire us.
At Merriman Legal, LLC, we work hard every day on behalf of crash victims. This is because we strongly believe that they should not have to pay a cent when injured by another’s negligence. And we provide aggressive representation to keep it that way. If you’ve been injured, we will stand by you every step of the way. Call 866-823-3332 to schedule your no cost consultation.
Were you injured as a passenger?
Nothing compares to the loss of control you might feel after being hurt as a passenger. You weren’t driving, and there was nothing you could do. Now, you’re trying to get compensation for your injuries, and you’re totally on your own. What’s even worse is that the at-fault driver might also be the person whose car you were riding in – often a friend, coworker, or even a family member.
We handle passenger injury cases with the care and discretion they deserve. Often, we can resolve these claims by dealing directly with the insurance company, so the at-fault driver can be kept at arm’s length. Our goal is to resolve your legal situation without damaging your relationships, and we are adept at walking that tightrope.
Our attorneys regularly deal with numerous car accident issues in Ohio
A motor vehicle crash in Cleveland, Columbus or another location in Ohio can result in significant losses. Your car may be totaled. You may be facing complicated injuries that have a ripple effect across your life. You may have to take time off from work to recover. Expenses can soar. A catastrophic injury, such as a brain injury or a spinal cord injury, can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars over the course of a lifetime.
Every type of car accident brings its own challenges. If a drunk driver or texting driver crashed into you, that negligent driver should be held accountable. Even if you were hit by a “hit and run” driver who can’t be found, you deserve justice. You shouldn’t have to go broke because you were hurt on the road through no fault of your own.
You have rights under Ohio law. You should be fully compensated for an accident that wasn’t your fault. In the midst of a challenging medical, financial, and legal situation, though, exercising those rights can be incredibly hard. That’s where we come in.
How a car accident attorney can help
With so much at stake, you will need an experienced legal professional to guide you every step of the way. We will work with you, answer your questions, and help you address every important aspect associated with your accident. We strongly urge everyone who has been hurt in a collision to at least talk to a lawyer before pursuing a claim. An experienced Cleveland car accident attorney can:
Deal with insurance companies
Insurance companies are only interested in making your claim go away as quickly and as cheaply as possible. They may contact you shortly after the accident and ask you to make a statement, but what they really want to do is try to get you to say something they can use against you. They may make you a settlement offer, but it won’t even come close to the true cost of your damages. An experienced lawyer knows how insurance companies operate and can protect your rights.
Find evidence of negligence
You’ve been hurt and it’s someone else’s fault. Regardless, the insurance company for the other driver may try to contest liability. They may even suggest you were at fault. We conduct our own investigation to identify the cause of your accident. We’ll carefully examine the accident report and medical records. We’ll visit the scene and talk to witnesses. If needed, we have access to experts. Our attorneys know how to build a strong case that proves you were not to blame for what happened.
Determine your damages
You know how much your injury is costing you in medical bills and time away from work. But the true cost of your damages is usually much higher than that. Your injuries may require future surgery, treatment, and medication. You may not be able to meet all your future job responsibilities because of your injury. In addition to compensation for physical injuries, you may also be eligible to seek damages for pain and suffering, emotional distress and loss of enjoyment of life. An experienced lawyer can help you determine the full amount of damages caused by your car accident.
Negotiate a favorable settlement
The insurance company may make an initial settlement offer and insist that it’s the best they can do. But our experienced attorneys know better. We take the time to build a strong case that proves you are not to blame for what happened. Insurance companies throughout Ohio know that we are thoroughly prepared to fight them in court. And they know our firm gets results. That’s why we are usually able to negotiate a settlement that meets our client’s needs.
Take your case to trial, if necessary
If the insurance company won’t make a fair offer, we are ready to take the next step. We have litigated many cases in Cleveland and throughout Ohio, and we know how to present your side of the story in a manner that a jury will find convincing. We are prepared to pursue your compensation to the fullest extent of the law.
Taking care of clients in Ohio
Our commitment to our clients never stops. We work tirelessly to alleviate any stress that impairs your recovery. Our first step is to launch a comprehensive investigation. That means preserving evidence, seeking out security video, identifying witnesses and carefully reviewing accident reports. Whether the defendant was texting while driving or driving while drunk, we know how to uncover the truth.
Next, we will build a wall of protection between you and the insurance company. They will use any means necessary to pay out as little as possible: tricking you into a quickie settlement for pennies on the dollar, pressuring you to sign a document releasing your private medical records, or wearing you down with seemingly endless delays.
Insurance companies don’t intimidate us. We know how to fight back against such tactics and get accident victims the money they rightfully deserve. While insurance companies act like bullies, we never lose sight of our fundamental mission – to protect the community by holding dangerous drivers accountable and to secure full car accident compensation for the people they hurt.
Make my team your team. Contact us today.
Helping car accident victims just like you drives us to work harder every day at Merriman Legal, LLC. We take this aggressive approach because we strongly believe injury victims should not have to pay for someone else’s carelessness or recklessness.
Accident victims only have one opportunity to demand the justice they rightfully deserve. Make sure you get experienced legal representation. Contact our law firm to schedule a no cost consultation. Call 866-823-3332.
We can meet you in our office in Cleveland, your home or your hospital room. You decide. What matters most is getting straight to work on your case. Merriman Legal, LLC – a name you can trust to make things right.