Beachwood Ohio Personal Injury Law Firm

Receive Legal Guidance for Your Personal Injuries

Sustaining a personal injury can be a tough and stressful process, especially if it requires extensive and expensive medical treatment that keeps you out of work. It can also be overwhelming if you can’t afford to pay for your medical bills and other living expenses. However, you don’t have to face these challenges alone.

A personal injury attorney can help you navigate through the legal process. If someone else’s negligent or wrongful actions caused your personal injuries, you may be entitled to compensation from the responsible party. This compensation can cover your medical bills, pain and suffering, and any loss of quality of life you may have experienced.

If you or a loved one has suffered a personal injury due to someone else’s negligence, recklessness, or wrongful behavior, contact Karp Steiger Co., LPA today. You can speak with our Ohio personal injury lawyer about your legal rights and options, and learn how our Beachwood Ohio personal injury law firm can help you pursue financial recovery for your personal injuries and damages.

Why Do I Need a Personal Injury Lawyer in Ohio?

If you have suffered an injury in Ohio due to the negligence or recklessness of another person, you may be entitled to compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages. However, dealing with insurance companies and the legal system can be complex and challenging, especially if you’re not familiar with the laws and regulations in Ohio.

That’s where our personal injury lawyer can help. Our Ohio personal injury lawyer can provide you with legal guidance and support, negotiate with insurance companies on your behalf, and represent you in court if necessary. Here are some of the reasons why you may need a personal injury lawyer from our Beachwood Ohio personal injury law firm:

Legal Experience

We are well-versed in the laws and regulations that govern personal injury claims in the state. We can help you understand your legal rights and options, and advise you on the best course of action to take.

Negotiation Skills

Insurance companies are often more concerned with their bottom line than with fairly compensating injured individuals. Our Ohio personal injury lawyer can negotiate with insurance companies on your behalf to ensure that you receive a fair settlement.

Court Representation

If your case goes to court, our competent personal injury lawyer can represent you and advocate for your rights in front of a judge and jury.

 Evidence Gathering

We have the resources and experience to gather and present evidence that supports your claim, including medical records, witness statements, and expert testimony.

Timely Filing of Claims

Personal injury claims in Ohio are subject to a statute of limitations, which means that there is a deadline by which you must file your claim. We can help ensure that your claim is filed on time.

A personal injury lawyer from our Beachwood Ohio personal injury law firm can help you navigate the legal system, protect your rights, and pursue the compensation you deserve after suffering an injury.

What is a Personal Injury?

A personal injury is a legal term used to describe any injury to a person’s body, mind, or emotions caused by someone else’s negligence, recklessness, or intentional wrongdoing. Examples of personal injuries include car accidents, slip and fall accidents, medical malpractice, dog bites, and assault.

In such cases, the injured person may be entitled to compensation for their medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages resulting from the injury. Personal injury law is designed to protect the rights of individuals who have been injured due to someone else’s actions and to provide them with legal recourse to seek compensation for their losses.

What Are the Different Personal Injury Cases in Ohio?

Our Beachwood Ohio personal injury law firm assists clients in a broad range of personal injury cases including:

Car Accidents

If you were hit by a driver who was at fault, we can assist you in obtaining compensation from their insurance company for the damages caused to you and your vehicle.

Truck Accidents

We have the knowledge and the necessary resources to conduct a comprehensive investigation and analyze the intricate evidence related to your truck accident case.

Motorcycle Accidents

Our personal injury lawyers assist motorcyclists who have been injured in accidents in obtaining the compensation they are entitled to, even in situations where negligent drivers attempt to shift the blame onto the rider.

Slip and Fall Accidents

If you sustain injuries from a slip and fall accident on someone else’s property due to a hazardous or faulty condition, our Beachwood Ohio personal injury law firm can help you hold the property or business owner responsible for your injuries.

Dog Bites

Our team of personal injury lawyers can assist you or a family member in receiving compensation for any injuries sustained as a result of someone else’s dog or pet.

Nursing Home Abuse

Our goal is to secure financial compensation and justice for your loved one who has suffered from neglect or abuse while residing in a nursing home facility.

Wrongful Death

In the unfortunate event of losing a loved one as a result of someone else’s actions or inaction, our Beachwood Ohio personal injury law firm can assist you and your family in obtaining the compensation and justice you need to find closure.

What Are the Most Common Types of Catastrophic Injuries After an Accident in Ohio?

At Karp Steiger Co., LPA, we frequently represent clients who have sustained severe injuries due to another person’s careless or reckless behavior. These injuries can include:

• Broken bones
• Burns
• Organ damage
• Internal bleeding
• Head trauma
• Eye injury
• Neck and back injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Paralysis
• Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
• Amputation
• Other catastrophic injuries

Such injuries often require prolonged or extensive medical treatment and can lead to permanent disabilities or other physical and mental difficulties for the victim.

What to Do Following an Accident in Ohio?

If you’ve been injured in an accident caused by someone else, taking the following steps can be crucial if you plan to pursue a legal claim for compensation against those responsible for your injuries:

Report the Accident

The steps you need to take after your accident may vary depending on the type of accident you were involved in. For example, if you were injured in a car accident, it’s important to report the accident and your injuries to local law enforcement or state police. If you suffered a slip and fall accident, you should report it to the property or business owner.

Reporting the accident can help create a written record of what happened and establish that the accident occurred.

Document the Accident Site

If you can, it is recommended to take pictures or videos of the scene where the accident occurred. It is important to capture details of what may have caused the accident and any injuries you sustained. Make sure to include details about the lighting, weather conditions, and any other relevant information.

If your injuries are visible, take pictures of those as well. These photographs and videos can help establish the cause of the accident and determine who may be at fault.

Seek Medical Assistance

It’s important to visit your doctor or go to the hospital after an accident, even if you don’t feel injured. The shock of the accident may mask your pain and other symptoms that could appear later. It could take hours, days, or even weeks for symptoms to develop. A medical professional can examine you and diagnose any injuries.

Follow all the treatment instructions and recommendations provided by the doctor. If you don’t follow them, the at-fault party may argue that you were not injured as much as you claim.

Contact Our Beachwood Ohio Personal Injury Law Firm

It’s important to consult with our competent Ohio personal injury lawyer to gain a better understanding of your legal rights and options after an accident. This can help you pursue compensation for any injuries or damages you may have suffered.

Who Can Be Held Legally Liable for Your Personal Injury in Ohio?

In Ohio, several parties can be held legally liable for your personal injury, depending on the circumstances surrounding your injury. Here are some examples:

Negligent Individuals

If your injury was caused by the negligence or intentional actions of an individual, that person can be held liable for your damages. For example, if a driver causes a car accident that results in your injury, the driver can be held liable.

Business Owners

If your injury was caused by the negligence of a business or its employees, the business can be held liable. For example, if you slip and fall on a wet floor in a grocery store, the store owner may be held liable for your injury.

Property Owners

If your injury was caused by a dangerous condition on someone else’s property, the property owner may be held liable. For example, if you slip and fall on an icy sidewalk outside of someone’s home, the property owner may be held liable.

Manufacturers

If your injury was caused by a defective product, the manufacturer of the product may be held liable. For example, if you are injured by a faulty power tool, the manufacturer of the tool may be held liable.

Government Entities

If your injury was caused by the negligence of a government employee or agency, the government entity may be held liable. For example, if you are injured in a car accident caused by a negligent city bus driver, the city government may be held liable.

It’s important to note that determining liability in a personal injury case can be complex, and multiple parties may share responsibility for your injury. An accomplished personal injury lawyer from our Beachwood Ohio personal injury law firm can help you identify the liable parties and pursue the compensation you deserve.

How to Prove Negligence in a Personal Injury Case in Ohio?

To win an Ohio personal injury case, you will need to prove that the defendant acted negligently and caused the accident that resulted in your injuries. To prove negligence, your personal injury lawyer must demonstrate four elements:

Duty of Care

The first element of proving negligence in an Ohio personal injury case is showing that the defendant had a duty to act with reasonable care toward the plaintiff. For instance, a driver has the duty to operate their vehicle safely to prevent harm to other drivers.

Violation of Duty

The defendant failed to fulfill their duty to the plaintiff by either taking action or failing to take action. For instance, if a driver ran a red light and was driving recklessly, this would be a breach of their duty and put the plaintiff in danger.

Causation

The plaintiff’s injuries were caused directly by the defendant’s actions or inaction. For example, if the defendant ran a red light and hit the plaintiff’s car, it caused the plaintiff’s injuries.

Damages

In a personal injury case, the plaintiff must have suffered losses due to the accident and injuries caused by the defendant’s negligence. These losses may include medical expenses, property damage, lost wages, and physical and emotional pain and suffering.

Our knowledgeable Ohio personal injury attorney will carefully investigate your accident and construct a persuasive case demonstrating all four components of negligence.

What Are the Recoverable Damages in a Personal Injury Case?

When someone gets injured in an accident, they often ask how much their case is worth. It’s a difficult question to answer because each case is unique, and many factors can affect the compensation amount. However, in general, there are certain costs related to injuries that you may be able to receive payment for. These costs can include:

Healthcare Expenses

If you’ve been injured in an accident, you may be able to get compensation for the medical costs related to your injuries. This includes both the current treatment and any future treatments that are necessary because of the accident.

Lost Earnings

If you had to take time off work due to your injuries, you may be able to receive payment for lost income during that period. This can also apply to any future lost income if you are unable to work as a result of your injuries.

Pain and Suffering

If you have suffered emotional distress or prolonged pain because of an accident, you may be eligible to receive compensation.

Loss of Companionship

If your injuries from an accident have affected your relationship with your spouse, you may be eligible to receive compensation for this. For example, if you are no longer able to be intimate with your spouse due to your injuries, you may be able to receive compensation for this loss of companionship.

Disfigurement

If you suffered any changes to your physical appearance as a result of your injuries, such as scars on your face, you may be eligible to receive compensation for disfigurement.

Punitive Damages

Punitive damages are intended to discourage others from engaging in similar negligent or reckless behavior that caused your injuries. They are usually awarded when the defendant’s actions were so egregious that a court believes that punishment is appropriate. Punitive damages are not very common, and in Ohio, they cannot exceed twice the amount of compensatory damages.

Certain things could prevent you from getting a lot of money as payment for your injuries. These things may include:

The Ohio Comparative Negligence Rule

Ohio follows the comparative negligence rule. If a jury decides that you were also at fault for your injury, your compensation might be lessened. For example, if they think you are 20 percent to blame, an award of $100,000 would go down by 20 percent to $80,000. If you are found to be more than 50 percent at fault, you might not get any compensation at all.

Every case is unique. When an insurance company or jury decides how much money you should get, they will look at a lot of different things. A skilled personal injury lawyer from our Beachwood Ohio personal injury law firm can tell you what your choices are and what you might be able to get from your claim.

What is Ohio’s Statute of Limitations for Personal Injury Claims?

In Ohio, there is a time limit for when you can file a personal injury lawsuit, and it’s called the “statute of limitations.” You have two years from the date of your injury to file the lawsuit. Usually, the date of your injury is when the time starts.

But if you were hurt by a faulty medical device, dangerous drugs, or toxic chemicals, the time starts from when you found out or should have found out about your injury. If you don’t file your lawsuit before the time runs out, the court can dismiss your case permanently. This means you won’t be able to get money from the people responsible for your injury.

History of Beachwood

Beachwood’s history goes back to the establishment of Ohio and the formation of townships. One of the original townships was Warrensville, which lost land to seven cities and villages over the years, including Beachwood. In 1915, Beachwood seceded from Warrensville Township following a decision to close a school in that area.

A petition signed by 57 residents was filed with the trustees, and on June 26, 1915, the trustees ordered the incorporation of Beachwood Village. Council meetings were initially held in the old red brick schoolhouse until a new school building was erected, which later became the first permanent Village Hall of Beachwood.

Things to Do in Beachwood

Although not as popular as other areas in Ohio, Beachwood has plenty of exciting vacation destinations and activities for tourists. As a suburb of Cleveland, the area offers a serene atmosphere, allowing visitors to take their time exploring and experiencing the different sights and activities available.

From museums to specialty restaurants, there are plenty of things to see and do in Beachwood. Here are some of the best things to do in this lovely city:

 Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage

The Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage in Beachwood is a place that celebrates Jewish culture and history. The museum is committed to educating people about Jewish traditions, religion, and history to help foster better relationships between communities. It also serves as a valuable learning resource for Ohio’s diverse communities.

David Berger National Memorial

David Berger was a talented athlete who represented the United States in the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, Germany. Unfortunately, he, along with other athletes, lost his life in a tragedy. To honor his memory and the other athletes who died, a memorial was built.

Preston’s H.O.P.E. Playground Park

Preston Park is an inclusive park that welcomes children of all abilities, providing a safe and enjoyable environment for them to play and have fun. The park offers an Imagination Village where kids can explore interconnected houses and engage in various games, a Play Theater to enhance their creativity, and a Sand Area for them to play and build sandcastles. It’s the perfect place to take your kid for a day of play and fun.

Personalized Legal Representation From Our Beachwood Ohio Personal Injury Law Firm

Karp Steiger Co., LPA is a law firm that is dedicated to helping people who have suffered an injury or loss. We understand that dealing with insurance companies can be challenging, and our Ohio personal injury attorneys have the experience to negotiate fair settlements on behalf of their clients.

If a settlement cannot be reached, we are also prepared to take cases to court and fight for our clients. With our knowledge of the courts, opposing lawyers, and judges, we can provide strong advocacy and support for those who need it. If you have been injured, our Beachwood Ohio personal injury law firm offers a risk-free consultation to discuss your case.

We are also capable of advising you legally about Nursing Home Abuse, Workers’ Compensation, and Sex Abuse.