Every city has a dangerous area where more accidents happen than in other parts. Columbus is no different. Traffic congestion around attractions like LegoLand, Ohio Stadium, and Huntington Park is a contributing factor.
Drunk driving, distracted driving, and wrong-way accidents are also contributing factors to the number of accidents in Columbus, Ohio. Regardless of the cause, accident survivors face tremendous pain and suffering in the aftermath.
Hiring an experienced, empathetic Columbus car accident lawyer increases your chances of a fair settlement in a car accident claim.
Columbus car accidents happen all over the city, but a few areas see more accidents than others. Typically, those roads are also the busiest, or the layout is not ideal.
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Where are the Busiest Roads in Columbus?
Columbus, Ohio, boasts an extensive network of roads, some of which have garnered notoriety for their elevated accident rates and associated hazards.
Interstate 71:
This significant north-south highway features multiple lanes and high-speed limits, making it susceptible to rear-end collisions, lane departures, and rollovers. Common contributing factors to accidents on I-71 include distracted driving, speeding, and adverse weather conditions.
Interstate 70:
As another vital east-west highway, I-70 frequently encounters traffic congestion and a high incidence of accidents, particularly rear-end collisions and incidents involving large trucks. Primary causes include speeding, reckless driving, and inadequate following distances.
U.S. Route 33:
The Riverside Drive section of U.S. Route 33 is renowned for its narrow, winding lanes. Accidents primarily involve lane departures, head-on collisions, and sideswipes, often stemming from excessive speed, impaired driving, and the road’s challenging layout.
Interstate 270:
Known as the Columbus Outerbelt, I-270 is a circular highway encircling the city. It experiences various accidents, including multi-vehicle collisions and rollovers, with contributing factors such as speeding, distracted driving, and aggressive maneuvers in heavy traffic.
Broad Street:
A major east-west thoroughfare, Broad Street presents diverse traffic conditions and accident-prone intersections. Accidents typically involve pedestrians, cyclists, and vehicles, with common causes including failure to yield, red-light running, and driver inattention.
Cleveland Avenue:
U.S. Route 23, also called Cleveland Avenue, is infamous for its high traffic volume and frequent accidents. Rear-end collisions, intersection crashes, and pedestrian accidents are common, with speeding, failure to yield, and impaired driving as significant contributing factors.
North High Street:
North High Street witnesses many accidents, especially in the downtown area. Intersection collisions, bicycle accidents, and rear-end crashes are typical, attributed to driver distractions, red-light running, and the presence of pedestrians.
What Causes Most Car Accidents in Columbus, Ohio?
Car accidents are a harsh reality of modern life, causing physical, emotional, and financial distress.
Understanding common contributing factors is crucial for promoting safer roads.
- Distracted Driving: Texting, adjusting radios, or daydreaming divert attention, increasing accident risk.
- Speeding: Exceeding speed limits reduces reaction time, magnifying accident severity.
- Impaired Driving: Alcohol, drugs, or medications impair coordination, judgment, and reaction times.
- Reckless Maneuvers: Erratic lane changes, tailgating, or running red lights heighten collision risks.
- Adverse Weather Conditions: Rain, snow, and fog reduce visibility and traction, leading to accidents.
Addressing distracted driving, speeding, impaired driving, reckless maneuvers, and weather conditions is vital for safer roads.
Standard Costs Associated with Car Accident Injuries
Being injured in a car accident has significant financial consequences beyond just the initial medical bills. If you or a loved one were in a crash caused by someone else’s negligence, it’s essential to understand the full range of costs you may face.
Here are some of the most common costs associated with car accident injuries:
Medical Costs
The medical bills quickly pile up. You may need emergency transportation and treatment, hospitalization, surgery, medication, rehabilitation, assistive devices like crutches or a wheelchair, and future therapies.
Even with health insurance, your out-of-pocket costs for deductibles, co-pays, and non-covered services can be exorbitant.
Lost Income
Depending on the severity of your injuries, you may be unable to work for days, weeks, months, or longer while you recover. This lost income from missed work can deal a serious blow to your finances, especially if you don’t have disability insurance or paid time off benefits.
The total lost income can be substantial if your injuries result in a permanent disability that prevents you from returning to your previous job.
Future Loss of Earning Capacity
Some injuries diminish your future earning potential even after recovering enough to return to work.
Property Damage
There are likely costs to repair or replace your vehicle. If it was totaled, you might need to cover the costs of a replacement car, along with rental car fees while you secure new transportation.
Household Services
When you’re seriously injured, even basic daily tasks like cleaning, cooking, yard work, and caring for children or pets may become difficult or impossible during recovery. You may need to pay for services to handle these household needs until you’ve sufficiently healed.
Home & Vehicle Modifications
For some severe injuries, modifications to your home or vehicle may be required to accommodate a disability and allow you to remain mobile and independent. These could include ramps, handrails, lift systems, and other potentially expensive alterations.
Pain and Suffering
No amount of money can undo the physical and emotional trauma of being seriously injured through no fault of your own. The law allows you to pursue compensation for the pain and suffering due to negligence in a car accident.
Educating yourself on the vast array of costs and losses that can come from car accident injuries better prepares you to seek the total compensation you deserve through a car accident insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit.
An experienced car accident lawyer can assess the total economic and non-economic damages you have suffered.
What Are the Most Common Injuries from a Car Accident?
You can acquire all sorts of trauma in a car accident because your body goes through a variety of violent contortions and impacts.
Here are some of the most common:
Whiplash
This is a neck injury caused by the sudden back-and-forth whipping motion of the head during a rear-end collision. Whiplash causes neck pain, stiffness, and limited range of motion.
Head and Brain Injuries
The force of a collision can cause the head to strike the steering wheel, window, or other surface, resulting in concussions, skull fractures, traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), or other head trauma.
Back Injuries
The impact can compress or herniate spinal discs, causing back pain, sciatica, and other issues. In severe cases, the spinal cord itself may be injured, potentially causing paralysis.
Broken Bones
The force of a crash can fracture bones, especially in the arms, legs, ribs, pelvis, or other areas that strike the vehicle’s interior.
Internal Injuries
Abdominal trauma from the seatbelt or steering wheel can harm internal organs like the spleen, kidneys, liver, or intestines.
Facial Injuries
The steering wheel, dashboard, windows, or debris can cause facial fractures, dental injuries, lacerations, or eye injuries.
Chest Injuries
The force of the seatbelt or airbag can lead to bruised or broken ribs and other chest wall injuries.
Psychological Injuries
Car accidents are traumatic events that can cause psychological issues like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, or phobias.
The severity of these injuries often depends on vehicle speed, the impact angle, whether occupants wore seatbelts, and whether airbags were appropriately deployed.
Serious, life-threatening injuries are unfortunately common in high-speed or head-on collisions.
What Kind of Damages Can You Claim After a Car Accident?
After being injured in a car accident caused by another person, there are several types of damages you may be able to claim:
Medical Expenses
This includes costs for emergency treatment, hospitalization, surgery, doctor visits, medication, physical therapy, medical equipment like wheelchairs or crutches, and future anticipated medical costs related to the injuries.
Lost Wages
You can claim recovery for any missed work time and lost income due to the injuries, both earnings you’ve already lost and diminished future earning capacity if you cannot return to the same job.
Property Damage
This covers the costs of repairing or replacing your vehicle damaged in the accident and any other personal property damaged or destroyed.
Pain and Suffering
These are non-economic damages meant to compensate you for the physical and emotional distress caused by the accident and injuries, such as chronic pain, disability, disfigurement, and trauma.
Loss of Enjoyment of Life
Severe injuries can prevent you from participating in hobbies, activities, and experiences you previously enjoyed. You may be compensated for this loss.
Loss of Consortium
In some cases, the spouse of an injured person can claim loss of companionship, intimacy, affection, and other damages related to their marital relationship being impacted.
Punitive Damages
In egregious cases of willful misconduct or gross negligence, punitive damages may be awarded to punish the at-fault party and deter similar future behavior.
The specific damages you may be entitled to depend on the severity of your injuries, the degree of negligence or recklessness involved in causing the accident, and the impacts on your life, future, and relationships.
An experienced car accident lawyer can evaluate your case and fight for the full compensation you deserve.
What Can a Car Accident Lawyer Do for Me That I Can’t Do for Myself?
A skilled car accident lawyer can provide invaluable assistance in ways that may be difficult for an injured individual to manage independently.
Here are some key things a car accident lawyer can do:
Investigate the Accident Thoroughly
Lawyers have the resources to conduct a full investigation - interviewing witnesses, reviewing police reports, consulting accident reconstruction experts, and gathering evidence to build a strong case establishing liability.
Handle All Communications and Negotiations
Dealing with insurance companies and their tactics to minimize payouts can be highly challenging for an injured person. Lawyers communicate with all parties involved to protect your rights.
Determine the True Value of Your Claim
Lawyers understand how to calculate all damages you’ve suffered - medical costs, lost income, pain/suffering, future care costs, and more. They ensure your claim covers everything.
Meet Strict Deadlines
Personal injury claims require adhering to very specific time limitations for filing claims and lawsuits. Lawyers ensure you don’t miss any critical deadlines.
Represent You in Court if Needed
If insurance settlement negotiations break down, a lawyer will prepare your case and represent you skillfully at trial to pursue maximum compensation.
Have Contingency Fee Arrangements
Most car accident lawyers work on contingency - they only get paid if they win your case, motivating them to get you the best possible outcome.
Utilize Their Experience in the Law
The legal process is highly complex. Lawyers deeply understand personal injury law and court procedures in ways the average person simply cannot.
While self-representation is possible, having an experienced personal injury attorney advocate for your interests maximizes your chances of obtaining a full and fair recovery after a crash. Their services are invaluable.
Call O'Connor, Acciani & Levy to find out where you stand with a car accident claim in Columbus.
