Car accidents are the most common personal injury cases filed in Ohio. At The Law Offices of Warner Mendenhall, we fight for our clients to maximize their recovery. In a car accident, liability is usually easy to determine. If the accident is between just two parties, one will usually be cited by the police. This fault is usually negligence.
If you are involved in an auto accident, you should get medical treatment. The effects of whiplash may take days or weeks to appear. Your medical bill will most likely be the basis for your recovery. Other factors, such as lost wages, may also be included in the calculation of your damages.
Our initial client meetings are always free. If you decide to retain our firm, we will sign a fee agreement. Our agreement will spell out what form of payment will be rendered. Most cases will be on a contingency fee that is based upon the outcome of your case. After retaining our firm, we will collect your medical records and send a demand letter to the other party.
If we cannot negotiate a settlement with the other party after writing the demand letter, we will draft a complaint and file the lawsuit for you. After the initial filing, the discovery stage will begin. Both parties will share any relevant information with the other party. Most courts will set a pretrial mediation. In normal times, the mediations would take place at the courthouse or the mediator’s office. However, since the Covid-19 outbreak, most mediations are now taking place remotely over zoom.
During the mediation, the mediator will likely caucus with both parties individually and relate the opposing parties’ offer to the other side. These mediations could be very short if the parties are far apart or take hours if the parties are close to reaching a deal.
If we can not negotiate a deal during mediation and all settlement talks fail before the trial date, we will try the case before a jury. If you or someone you know has been in an auto accident, please reach out to us here.
