As discussed in last week’s post, determining fault in a car accident is one of the first steps that need to be taken after the injuries have been assessed. As mentioned previously, simply knowing or pointing the finger at someone is not enough — evidence in the form of eyewitness statements or police reports may be required in order to demonstrate actionable fault. But several factors can complicate determining fault and therefore settlement offers, such as if there were multiple vehicles involved in the crash or if the injured Ohio driver filing the claim also contributed to the crash.
Accident victims may hesitate before filing a claim in these circumstances, because they may assume they are not entitled to compensation if there were many drivers involved or if they were partially to blame. But this is not always the case. Though the compensation that can be received through a personal injury claim may be reduced by the percentage of which the injured driver contributed, it is still possible to pursue a claim. When multiple drivers are involved, either the cost of the settlement may be divided amongst them or if someone at fault is not able to pay, the settlement amount may decrease accordingly.
Many factors affect the amount of compensation an injured accident victim can receive and lawyers at our firm are experienced in trying to get a fair settlement offer, given the victim’s individual case. We use investigators, accident reconstructionists and a number of other professionals to help determine fault, so that our clients can focus on recuperating rather than investigating.
We assess each case on its individual merit to determine the appropriate course of action, and we may find that the case can be settled before ever reaching the trial stage, as many cases are. Whatever the case, we fight to protect our client’s interests. For more on settlement offers in car accidents, visit our page.