While mishaps and tragedies are bound to occur, some incidents could be prevented if not for the careless actions of others. In situations like these, where a negligent party is responsible for causing emotional or physical pain, our law allows you to pursue compensation through the filing of a personal injury claim.

Defining the Term

Legally, the term “personal injury” describes an area of law that focuses on assisting plaintiffs in receiving compensation for injuries caused by a negligent party. This area of law does not only cover physical suffering, but emotional injury and damage to one’s property as well.

Some Personal Injury Scenarios

There are a large number of circumstances in which an injury suffered by an individual justifies the filing of a personal injury claim. These include negligent injuries suffered in the workplace; from a dog bite; during a slip and fall; or in accidents involving a motorized vehicle.

A personal injury can also come about from more complex situations such as medical malpractice; an airplane or train accident; or when an injury occurs from the use of a product. Individuals who have experienced pharmaceutical malpractice or have been harmed from exposure to dangerous substances such as toxic waste might also be eligible to pursue a personal injury claim.

Satisfying the Qualifications for Personal Injury

Two conditions must be met in order for a personal injury claim to stand up in a court of law. First, it must be proven the injury suffered by the plaintiff was caused by the defendant’s negligent actions. Second, it must be proven the plaintiff’s suffering is a direct result of the negligent actions in question.

If you are experiencing distress from an injury believed to be caused by another party’s negligence, it is wise to consult an attorney to determine whether you have any legal options available to pursue compensation for your medical bills, wage loss, pain and suffering, and other damages.

Auto Accidents & Other Accidents

If someone’s poor judgment is responsible for an injury you suffer in an accident involving a car, truck, motorcycle or any other type of motorized vehicle, then it might be time to contact a personal injury attorney. This also includes accidents on a bus, boat, train, bicycle or any other form of transportation where an accident might have occurred. Even if a loved one has recently lost their life due to a car accident, a personal injury lawyer can assist your family in receiving financial compensation for your tremendous loss in the form of a wrongful death claim.

Medical Malpractice

If you have experienced psychological or physical harm because of the negligence of a healthcare professional, then it is time to contact a personal injury lawyer. A few of the many examples include an error in anesthesia, mistakes during childbirth, undiagnosed heart disease or failure to treat an illness.

Dangerous Products & Substances

Sometimes individuals will get hurt while using consumer products such as medical devices or prescription drugs. Often times we hear about products that are pulled off the shelf or “recalled” due to harmful side effects experienced among several people. There have also been many cases of individuals suffering maladies due to exposure from toxic material or conditions such as oil spills, mold, asbestos and benzene among others. If you feel you have experienced harm from exposure to toxic material or from the use of dangerous products or services, you should contact a personal injury attorney.

Other Circumstances

There are many other instances where a personal injury attorney should be contacted. These include injuries experienced from slip and falls, skiing or snowboarding, defective property, assault and battery claims and workplace accidents among many other situations.

By law, individuals are entitled to receive compensation for the damage brought on by negligent behavior. If you or a loved one have endured physical or emotional harm in scenarios such as those described above, don’t hesitate to contact a personal injury attorney for more information on receiving compensation for your suffering.

At this critical, intensely stressful time, you will be approached by insurance company adjusters. They may pressure you to sign medical releases that you don’t fully understand. They will ask for recorded statements. They may instill fear that if you don’t cooperate with them, you will not receive needed payment for damages to your car in the automobile accident, or for necessary medical treatments needed due to personal injury.  Don’t succumb to those pressures or listen to those fears. It’s vital that you talk to an attorney first before signing anything or making any recorded statement.

For all these reasons, you should look for an attorney with solid, wide-ranging knowledge of accident law. Someone who can make those calm, clear decisions for you, at this traumatic moment in your life. Contacting experienced personal injury attorneys that offer a free initial consultation is a good place to start.

You want to find an attorney who will act rapidly on your behalf, who will accomplish the following tasks for you in the first days after the automobile accident: take photos of your vehicle, talk to any witnesses and record their statements, obtain accident reports, resolve property damage claims and any potential rental car issues, facilitate payment of your medical bills through your automobile insurance and be your representative with the insurance companies to deal with all their questions and paperwork.

After those first difficult days, you want an attorney experienced in accident law who will also assist with all your medical care, working to obtain the maximum legal recovery for your injuries.  It’s key that you are not pressured to agree to any settlement until you’ve secured that maximum medical benefit.

So in the immediate aftermath of your automobile accident, despite the pain and stress you may be suffering, take a moment to focus on finding someone to help you find your way out of that difficult storm of emotions.  You need an attorney with the accident law expertise to stave off the pressures from insurance company adjusters, someone who can ease your anxiety by answering all your questions about short-term medical payments and any potential long-term concerns. Contact several personal injury attorneys who offer a free initial consultation, and of course, ask trusted friends and family for recommendations of firms with accident law experience.

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Mark Godbey of Mark Godbey & Associates a full service general practice law firm specializing in bankruptcy, debt consolidation, divorce and other kinds of family law, auto accidents, personal injury claims, probate and estate planning, criminal defense and traffic cases, and small business representation.  Mr. Godbey has been focusing his practice in the area of Personal Injury Law for over 22 years.  Mark Godbey is a lifetime member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, a group of attorneys recognized for having achieved verdicts or settlements for an amount of at least One Million Dollars.

It is certainly possible for you to negotiate with an insurance company yourself; however, an experienced personal injury lawyer will know how to build your case, negotiate it with an insurance company, and if necessary, litigate the issues at trial. A lawyer is in a good position to help obtain a favorable settlement that will greatly exceed what you could achieve on your own.

If you have been injured in an accident and wish to speak to an experienced personal injury attorney call Mark Godbey & Associates at (513)241-6650 to set up an appointment at our Downtown Cincinnati, West Chester, Ohio or Florence, Kentucky offices.

Mark E. Godbey, Attorney at Law
Mark E. Godbey & Associates
708 Walnut Street, Suite 600
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
(513) 241 – 6650 phone
(513) 241 – 6649 fax

This article was written by attorney Mark E. Godbey. For more information, please visit our web site at www.GodbeyLaw.com or call our office at 513-241-6650.

At Mark Godbey & Associates, our personal injury attorneys are frequently asked this question. Imagine you have just been injured in a serious automobile accident.  As soon as you are released from the hospital, the insurance company of the person who caused the crash is knocking at your door or calling you. The adjuster wants information, including a recorded statement, and also wants you to sign medical releases. It is easy to feel pressured by the insurance company for fear that your car damage or medical bills will not be paid unless you cooperate.

This is absolutely false. There is no requirement that you give a recorded statement or sign medical releases as a condition of getting your car damage or medical bills paid for by the other driver’s insurance company. Before you consider giving such a statement, you should contact an attorney to discuss your legal rights. At Mark Godbey & Associates, we have skilled personal injury attorneys who can assist you in this process.  We offer FREE consultations over the phone or in person. Call us at 513-241-6650 to schedule a time to speak with one of our attorneys, or visit our web site at: www.GodbeyInjuryLaw.com for more information.

Generally, when the other driver was clearly at fault for the crash, there is no reason to give a recorded statement.  There is no question about who is at fault and you cannot yet know the full extent of your injuries only a few hours after the accident.

Insurance companies train their adjusters to get these recorded statements, sometimes twisting your words and tricking you into saying something which they or their attorneys can use against you later. We all tend to say: “Oh, I’m not hurt that bad. I’ll be okay.”  Then later, if you need physical therapy or more treatment than you anticipated, the insurance company can refuse to cover it. In certain situations, it is necessary to give a recorded statement, but our experienced attorneys at Mark Godbey & Associates can help you make that determination. Call us at 513-241-6650 to speak with an attorney. There is no charge for the phone call or office visit.

Insurance adjusters also try to get you to sign medical releases. Beware that this gives them access to ALL of you medical records, not just those related to your car crash. The adjuster can go back years to find medical records related to an old neck or back injury. Although you may have recovered from this previous injury, the insurance company will certainly use it against you in the evaluation of your claim by claiming that “you already had a bad neck or back”.

Before you sign any documents or make any statements to an insurance adjuster, call one of our experienced personal injury attorneys for some advice. We have three office locations to serve you: Cincinnati, West Chester and Florence. For more information, please visit our web site at: www.GodbeyInjuryLaw.com or call 513-241-6650 to schedule a free office visit.

Mark E. Godbey, Attorney at Law
Mark E. Godbey & Associates
708 Walnut Street, Suite 600
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
(513) 241 – 6650 phone
(513) 241 – 6649 fax

This article was written by attorney Mark E. Godbey. For more information, please visit our web site at www.GodbeyInjuryLaw.com or call our office at 513-241-6650.

Joseph H. Spring, Esq.
MARK E. GODBEY & ASSOCIATES
708 Walnut Street, Suite 600
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
(513) 241 – 6650 phone
(513)241 – 6649 fax

Este articulo fue escrito por abogado Joseph H. Spring. Para mas informacion, visite nuestra pagina del web a www.GodbeyLaw.com o llame nuestra oficina al 513-241-6650.

Joseph H. Spring, Esq.
MARK E. GODBEY & ASSOCIATES
708 Walnut Street, Suite 600
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
(513) 241 – 6650 phone
(513) 241 – 6649 fax

This article was written by attorney Joseph Spring. For more information, please visit our web site at www.GodbeyLaw.com or call our office at 513-241-6650.

After providing notice of the initial claim, you should keep accurate notes and copies of all correspondence you have with your insurance carrier.  Make sure to maintain accurate records of all your time and expenses associated with the triggering event and the processing of the claim. If you are unable to locate a copy of your policy, you should ask your claim adjuster for a
certified copy of policy.  Remember, regardless of the type of claim (personal injury, property damage, homeowner, health) you should not rush into a settlement or take the first offer from the insurance company.  Often times, you are simply not in a position to know all of your expenses associated with the claim or you may be able to negotiate to get a “fair” settlement.  If you have any questions regarding the fairness of your settlement, you should seek professional advice.

For more information regarding your rights when handling an insurance claim, you will find additional information provided by the Ohio Department of Insurance at www.ohioinsurance.gov.

Mark E. Godbey & Associates
708 Walnut Street, Suite 600
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
(513) 241 – 6650 phone
(513) 241 – 6649 fax

“Liability” insurance coverage is what protects us in case we are at fault for causing an accident. If you do not have enough insurance to cover someone’s damages, they could sue and o after your personal assets. Every state has a law setting the minimum amount of Liability insurance a driver must carry. In order to be “legal” in the State of Ohio, you must have at least $12,500 in Liability coverage.

“Medical Payments” or “Personal Injury Protection” (PIP) coverage is what we can use to pay medical bills for ourselves or anyone else inside our vehicle who may be injured in an auto accident, regardless of who was at fault for causing the wreck.  This is especially important if you do not have health insurance, or have a high deductible or co-pay on your health insurance.

“Collision” and “Comprehensive” coverages will pay for damage to our vehicle if it is damaged in a crash, whether it is due our own fault or by someone else who has no insurance. Typically, this type of coverage carries a deductible, which varies from $250 to $1,000.

“Uninsured Motorist” and “Underinsured Motorist” coverages allow us to make a claim with our own company if we are injured by someone else’s negligence, and the at-fault driver  has no insurance or very little insurance. This type of coverage is very important, but often overlooked. Ohio law no longer requires an insurance agent to sell it to you, or even tell you about it. Yet, Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist coverage is crucial to have and in the right amount.

Only three states in the county have lower Liability limits than Ohio’s $12,500. Most states require at least $25,000 to be “legal”. The minimum Liability limits for every state can be found at:  http://personalinsure.about.com/cs/vehicleratings/a/blautominimum.htm.

Regrettably, many drivers on the road carry only the bare minimum of $12,500, and some none at all.  This is a stark reminder of why you need good Uninsured and Underinsured coverage on your own policy. You would be surprised to find how inexpensive it is. Read your policy carefully and call your agent to make sure you have the right amount of coverage.
At Mark Godbey & Associates, we help people with these kind of insurance issues every day.

For more information, please visit our web site: www.GodbeyInjuryLaw.com or feel free to call our office 513-241-6650 to speak with one of our attorneys.

Mark E. Godbey, Attorney at Law
Mark E. Godbey & Associates
708 Walnut Street, Suite 600
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
(513) 241 – 6650 phone
(513) 241 – 6649 fax