An accident can be very traumatic and leave victims with lasting psychological and financial consequences. Then comes the issue of getting accident-related compensation, which can be overwhelming for victims. They first need to understand the factors that affect their claim. For instance, the location of the collision and total damage incurred from the accident are some of the factors Ohio courts may consider when awarding damages.

The accident’s location can influence how claims are handled

The roads in Ohio are divided into specific jurisdictions like municipalities, counties, townships and state roads. Each jurisdiction utilizes different agencies to determine the applicable traffic code based on the filed accident report. It also determines the legal liabilities of involved parties.

The governing bodies and their respective governing areas are:

• The Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission maintains major corridors
• The Ohio Department of Transportation maintains interstate roads and routes outside municipal areas
• Local governments generally oversee municipal roads and city streets
• The board of commissioners manages county routes

Ohio being an at-fault state makes location of the accident very important. It means a claimant may have to prove how the physical condition of the road contributed to the mishap. This can help the victims solidify their claims. The court also looks at whether the victim was partially at fault or more.

Evidence from the scene can help determine who is at fault

If a person is found to be at fault for more than 51%, they might not receive any financial compensation. As the person with the highest fault percentage might have to pay the other victims. Even if someone is less than 50%, they may not receive full compensation. It means, the fault percentage is subtracted out of the total compensation, before the victims receive it.

To establish these critical percentages, investigators must look directly back at the accident scene. They will likely need to look at the layout of the road, its conditions or available signs. This makes the location even more crucial. Additionally, legal counsel can use physical evidence from the scene such as skid marks and impact points to bring forth the victim’s side of events.

Time limits make gathering location-based evidence critical

Ohio law gives everyone up to two years to file car accident-related claims. This may be a long period, but gathering location-based evidence as soon as possible is crucial. Time becomes of essence because such evidence may slowly deteriorate and become inadmissible in court.