Types of Auto Accidents

Auto accidents involve thousands of variables, making them never simple for the victims. Nurenberg, Paris, Heller & McCarthy has been representing the rights of the injured in Ohio and across the nation for over 90 years. Our auto accident attorneys and team have valuable insight into the regulations and laws and investigate to identify the factors that caused your accident.  

Types of Auto Accidents

When you’re in an auto accident all victims face the same thing – outstanding bills and stress. There are many different types of auto accidents:

• Car vs. Car
• Car vs. Motorcycle
• Car vs. Pedestrian
• Car vs. Truck
• Passenger vs. Driver

If you get into a car accident, what should you do first?

This may sound self-serving, but, in truth, it is important to get the advice of your lawyer early on. There are so many moving parts right after an accident that it can be overwhelming. Immediately you are confronted by things such as police reports; making statements to police; insurance companies wanting statements; conflicting accounts of how the accident occurred; hospitals wanting access to your auto insurance coverage; and making sure your medical bills are paid by your health insurance so you don't get turned over to collection.  It is also important for an accident investigation to get started soon after the accident occurs.  This includes things such as taking photos of the scene and of the damage to the vehicles, identifying witnesses, and obtaining written or recorded statements from them for use in the future. Making missteps early on or getting a slow start can put you at a disadvantage.

Are there benefits to dragging out a settlement vs. rushing to settle?

There is never a benefit to “rushing to settle.” The prudent thing to do is to hold off on negotiations with the insurance company until the full extent of your injury is known.  This occurs in one of two scenarios.  In the first scenario, we wait until you have made a full recovery and your doctors have stated there will be no permanent injury.  At that point, there are finite amounts of medical bills, lost earnings, and pain and suffering, making it possible to engage in well-informed settlement negotiations. The second scenario occurs when, after all the doctors' treatments, you have not made a full recovery and your doctors opine you have a “permanent injury” that will affect the quality of your life into the future.  This, obviously, changes the negotiation paradigm dramatically. So, rushing to settle before the treating doctors express an opinion about the future outlook is not a wise thing to do.

How long do settlements usually take, or does that depend on the case? Do they ever make it to court?

The answer to these questions really depends on the nature and extent of the injury. While most auto accident cases settle without a trial, it is not unusual to try cases, even when fault is not at issue.  Why?  Because we don’t agree with the insurance company’s offer of settlement. So, we put it in the hands of eight jurors and ask them to decide the amount of money that represents fair compensation for your injuries. Recently, the COVID-19 virus has significantly affected the timeline of trials. Since March of 2020, most courthouses have been unable to open at full capacity, let alone assemble a pool of jurors whose safety can be ensured while performing their public duty.  Still, preparing the case for trial, and trying it if necessary, is an important part of the system that helps get you the compensation you deserve.  We trust that our courthouses will soon be back in business with the appropriate safeguards for all participants.

Meet One of Our Auto Accident Attorneys

Dana M. Paris, a partner at Nurenberg Paris, started with the firm as a law clerk while attending Cleveland Marshall College of Law. She has successfully represented clients in a wide variety of complex injury and wrongful death cases, including auto accidents, trucking accidents, medical malpractice, and premises liability cases. She is an officer of the Cleveland Academy of Trial Attorneys.

 Contact Our Cleveland Auto Accident Attorneys

Don’t let an auto accident consume your life, let our Cleveland auto accident attorneys do the heavy lifting and pursue the compensation you are owed for your injuries. Call us today at (216) 230 – 6352 or complete a free initial consultation form.

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