Comparative Negligence
Even If You Are Found Partially Responsible For A Car Accident, You May Still Be Able To Recover Damages
Car accidents can be complex. In many cases, one party was clearly negligent and found to be completely at fault for what happened. But in some cases, that fault is shared. The car accident attorneys at Merriman Legal, LLC know the laws in Ohio and can help you seek compensation for your injuries, even if you are found partially to blame for your accident.
Comparative negligence in a car accident means that more than one driver acted negligently. After an assessment, a percentage of fault is then assigned to each driver.
If you are injured in a car accident, and the other driver is found to be more than 50 percent at fault, you are still eligible to seek compensation. However, that compensation would be reduced by the percentage of fault assigned to you. For example, if you are awarded $10,000 for damages suffered in a car accident, but you were found to be 40 percent at fault. That $10,000 award would be reduced by 40 percent, leaving you with only $6,000.
When you are found partially at fault for a car accident, having an experienced attorney on your side is more important than ever. The other driver’s insurance company will try to exaggerate your responsibility, claiming that you were more than 50% to blame for what happened. If successful, this would leave you unable to recover financial compensation for your injuries.
Our attorneys know the tactics insurance companies use, and we know how to fight back to prove that any responsibility you share for the accident was limited.
We help accident victims get justice.
When the amount of negligence is contested, it’s important to have all the facts. That’s why our attorneys start with a thorough investigation of your car accident. Our legal team thoroughly examines every piece of evidence. Where warranted, we visit the scene to examine road conditions, skid marks, property damage and any traffic signs or signals. We pore through all related documents, including accident reports and medical records. We’ll talk to witnesses. If necessary, we’ll bring in skilled outside help, such as accident reconstruction experts.
Our investigation will tell us which driver was most at fault for the accident. When we find evidence that the other driver’s negligence was mostly at fault for what happened, we can build a strong case. Our attorneys will aggressively fight any attempts by the insurance company to assign most of the blame to you.
We’ll try to negotiate a settlement with the insurance company that limits your fault for what happened and provides you with the maximum compensation possible. If the insurance company is not willing to negotiate, we will fight them in court and present our strong case to a jury.
Merriman Legal, LLC is committed to helping car accident victims recover compensation for their injuries. We work on a contingency fee basis. That means if we don’t recover financial compensation for you, we don’t get paid.
If you’ve been injured in a car accident, call 866-823-3332 today to schedule a no cost consultation. It’s important to get started on your case as soon as possible, in order to preserve evidence and talk to witnesses while their memories of the accident are fresh.