From the moment you or someone you love is injured in a nursing home, the clock starts running on how long you have to file a claim. In Ohio, the Statute of Limitations for a nursing home negligence or injury claim is generally 2 years. If you fail to file suit within that time frame, the defendant (the person you’re trying to sue) will almost certainly file a “motion to dismiss”, and the Court will reject your case on statutory grounds.
Even if you or your loved one was horribly injured due to nursing home negligence or neglect, and they were clearly in the wrong; after two years, they can no longer be held responsiblethrough a personal injury claim.
With a few exceptions:
In cases where the victim was ‘of unsound mind’, the time limit in which their next of kin can file a personal injury claim is lifted. Common diagnoses such as Alzheimer’s and dementia could extend the statute of limitations beyond two years. An experienced personal injury attorney will be able to tell you whether the statute of limitations applies in your case.
If the defendant “departs from the state” or absconds, or conceals” him or herself within the state of Ohio, the time limit in which to file a personal injury claim does not start again until the person can be located. In other words, if the defendant skips town for a couple of years to avoid taking responsibility for their actions, you have 2 years from the date of their return in which to file a lawsuit.
If your Ohio nursing home negligence or injury claim stems from injuries caused by a defective product, a special filing timeline may apply to your case, especially if consumer fraud or a product warranty is involved.
Putting a family member into a nursing home can be extremely difficult. You are trusting strangers with the care, health and happiness of your loved one, which makes it especially upsetting if they are injured or even killed by negligence or neglect.
After a nursing home negligence or neglect injury, it is extremely important to get an experienced, aggressive attorney fighting in your corner. Due to the advanced age and frailty of most nursing home residents, care facilities will often try to explain away or pass off their responsibility as just a natural consequence of being old and frail. “These things just happen sometimes”, they will say. If you suspect negligence or abuse may have contributed to the injury or death of your loved on while in the care of a nursing home, call the experienced nursing home negligence attorneys at Cowan & Hilgeman.
At Cowan & Hilgeman, we have successfully handled countless nursing home negligence cases, including cases that other law firms have rejected. To schedule your FREE consultation with our Dayton Personal Injury Attorney, call (937) 222-2030.
At Cowan & Hilgeman, we routinely hear from people who have been treated poorly by other firms. We treat every potential client as someone who deserves care, attention, compassion and frequent communication. If your Ohio personal injury lawyer does not make you feel as though your case is important to them, or if they aren’t devoting enough time and resources to helping you – or worse, they are acting unethically – you are perfectly within your rights to fire them.
Before acting rashly, however, you should consider the following:
1 – Where your case stands with the court
If your case is currently pending with the Court, you may have to receive permission from the Court before you can fire your Ohio personal injury lawyer. If your case is NOT currently pending with the Court, you may terminate your relationship with your attorney at any time.
2 – Firing your attorney can be costly
You must still pay your attorney for the work they did up to the point of termination, even if you feel it was substandard. You will also have to retain another attorney, which can be expensive. At Cowan & Hilgeman, you will not pay a penny unless we win your case, so this is less of a concern if you work with us.
3 – Have you tried to talk to your attorney?
Sometimes, attorneys take on a few too many clients, which can leave some feeling less than well-cared for. Talk to your attorney about your concerns. If they care at all about their clients, they will apologize and try to fix their mistakes. If they brush off your concerns or try to persuade you that this is just how these things go, consider speaking to an attorney who will take you seriously. There is an ebb and flow to all cases – times when it feels as though nothing is happening. It is important to speak with your lawyer to determine whether your working relationship has truly deteriorated to the point where it cannot be saved.
4 – Terminate your relationship properly.
If you do decide to fire your lawyer, you should send him or her a certified letter stating plainly that you are terminating your relationship and that the attorney should cease working on your case. Request your files back or ask that they are sent to your new lawyer; you are entitled to the work product you and your lawyer have created up to the point your relationship is terminated. Be professional and courteous. You do not need to explain your reasons for firing your Ohio personal injury lawyer. Ask for an itemized bill listing all pending fees and expenses. If yours is a contingency case, your new attorney will pay your old attorney from any money that you ultimately recover.
The process of changing attorneys can be stressful, but ultimately important if you feel that your needs are not being adequately met. Before taking any action, you should always speak with an impartial attorney who will advise you on the best course of action. Call Cowan & Hilgemanat (937) 222-2030 for a free consultation.
From the moment you are injured in a truck accident, the clock starts running on how long you have to file a claim. In Ohio, the Statute of Limitations for a motorcycle accident claim is generally 2 years. If you fail to file suit within that time frame, the defendant (the person you’re trying to sue) will almost certainly file a “motion to dismiss”, and the Court will reject your case on statutory grounds.
Even if you are horribly injured by a person who was clearly in the wrong; after two years, they can no longer be held responsiblethrough a truck accident claim.
With a few exceptions:
In cases where the victim was under 18 years old or ‘of unsound mind’, the time limit in which they can file a motorcycle accident claim is lifted. The two year time limit starts again, however, once the injured party reaches 18 years old, or is deemed to be sane and responsible.
If the defendant “departs from the state” or absconds, or conceals” him or herself within the state of Ohio, the time limit in which to file a motorcycle accident claim does not start again until the person can be located. In other words, if the defendant skips town for a couple of years to avoid taking responsibility for their actions, you have 2 years from the date of their return in which to file a lawsuit.
If your Ohio truck accident claim stems from injuries caused by a defective product, a special filing timeline may apply to your case, especially if consumer fraud or a product warranty is involved.
Truck accidents are usually very serious. Due to the massive size and weight of an average truck, accidents can be life-changing. If the victim was lucky enough to survive someone else’s mistake on the road, the injuries, pain, loss of livelihood, potential surgeries and rehabilitation can have ripple-effects throughout their entire life.
After a commercial trucking accident, it is extremely important to get an experienced, aggressive attorney fighting in your corner. Truck Insurance companies will try to persuade you to settle for a much lower amount than your case is worth – 100% of the time. Their responsibility is to share holders, not to make sure that you receive the medical care and support you need.
At Cowan & Hilgeman, we have successfully handled countless truck accident claims, including cases that other law firms have rejected. To schedule your FREE consultation with our Dayton Personal Injury Attorney, call (937) 222-2030.
In an article dated January 17, 2020, the Daily Court Reporter stated that Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced recently that fatalities on Ohio’s roads this year have increased over 2018, making 2019 one of the deadliest years on Ohio roads during this decade.
There have been a total of 1,119 fatalities on Ohio roads this year to date, as compared to 1,068 traffic deaths during the entire year of 2018. Overall, traffic fatalities have increased in five of the past six years.
“Distracted driving involving smartphones in, without a doubt, a major contributing factor to this increase in traffic fatalities, which is why I’ve asked the Ohio State Highway Patrol to increase enforcement of distracted driving violations over the holidays,” said Governor DeWine. “As we launch into one of the busiest travel times of the year, the way we drive will impact how many people are home for the holidays and how many people ring in the new year.”
According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, more than 91,000 distracted driving crashes occurred in Ohio from 2013 to today resulting in more that 47,000 injuries. A total of 305 people were killed in distracted driving crashes during the same period.
Because drivers don’t aways admit to distracted driving, the actual number of distracted driving crashes, injuries, and deaths are believed to be significantly higher.
“I’m challenging everyone to put your smartphones away while you drive over the holidays and to make it your New Year’s resolution to drive without distraction every day going forward,” said Governor DeWine. “If you have a passenger, ask them to read or write texts for you, or if you are the passenger, speak up if you see your driver reaching for the phone.”
Ohio law bans the use of any electronic wireless communication devices for drivers under 18. Texting while driving is illegal for all drivers but is a secondary offense for drivers 18 and above.
In addition to smartphone distractions, distracted driving includes any non-driving activity with the potential to distract a person from the primary task of driving and increase the risk of crashing. Distractions can be visual, taking eyes off of the road; manual, taking hands off of the wheel; or cognitive, taking the mind off of driving. Texting while driving is an example that results in all three types of distraction.
If you have lost someone in a car accident, the Ohio Wrongful Death Lawyers at Cowan & Hilgeman offer free case evaluations and only get paid an attorney fee if we win your case. You do not pay an attorney fee if we do not win your case. If you have questions regarding a potential wrongful death lawsuit, call the Ohio Wrongful Death Lawyers at Cowan & Hilgeman to speak with an attorney and schedule a free case evaluation.
From the moment you are injured in a motorcycle accident, the clock starts running on how long you have to file a claim. In Ohio, the Statute of Limitations for a motorcycle accident claim is generally 2 years. If you fail to file suit within that time frame, the defendant (the person you’re trying to sue) will almost certainly file a “motion to dismiss”, and the Court will reject your case on statutory grounds.
Even if you are horribly injured by a person who was clearly in the wrong; after two years, they can no longer be held responsiblethrough a motorcycle accident claim.
With a few exceptions:
In cases where the victim was under 18 years old or ‘of unsound mind’, the time limit in which they can file a motorcycle accident claim is lifted. The two year time limit starts again, however, once the injured party reaches 18 years old, or is deemed to be sane and responsible.
If the defendant “departs from the state” or absconds, or conceals” him or herself within the state of Ohio, the time limit in which to file a motorcycle accident claim does not start again until the person can be located. In other words, if the defendant skips town for a couple of years to avoid taking responsibility for their actions, you have 2 years from the date of their return in which to file a lawsuit.
If your Ohio motorcycle accident claim stems from injuries caused by a defective product, a special filing timeline may apply to your case, especially if consumer fraud or a product warranty is involved.
Motorcycle accidents are usually very serious. Due to the lack of protection around a motorcycle rider, accidents can be life-changing. If the victim was lucky enough to survive someone else’s mistake on the road, the injuries, pain, loss of livelihood, potential surgeries and rehabilitation can have ripple-effects throughout their entire life.
After a motorcycle accident, it is extremely important to get an experienced, aggressive attorney fighting in your corner. Auto Insurance companies will try to persuade you to settle for a much lower amount than your case is worth – 100% of the time. Their responsibility is to share holders, not to make sure that you receive the medical care and support you need.
At Cowan & Hilgeman, we have successfully handled countless motorcycle accident claims, including cases that other law firms have rejected. To schedule your FREE consultation with our Dayton Personal Injury Attorney, call (937) 222-2030.
It is the responsibility of every landlord, tenant and property manager to ensure that their premises are free from hazardous conditions that may cause injury. When an injury does occur, however, a commonly used defense is that the hazard was blatant and unavoidable – open and obvious to all.
In other words, anyone who was paying attention would have been able to see an obvious danger in plain sight and taken steps to avoid it.
This argument takes blame away from the property owner and places it squarely on the injured victim, even if the property owner was clearly negligent.
To prove negligence in an Ohio Slip and Fall Case, the following conditions must be met:
The owner owed a ‘duty of care’ to the plaintiff – The legal obligation to prevent harm to their visitors and patrons.
They breached that duty – such as, forgetting to put out ‘wet floor’ signs after mopping.
An injury occurred as a direct result of that breach – for example, someone slipped on the wet floor.
Unfortunately, even when each element of negligence has been met, a legal case against the property owner may not exist because of the Open and Obvious defense.
Some examples of hazards that have been deemed by the courts to be open and obvious – and therefore not actionable – are:
Planters that are six feet in diameter
A sidewalk curb
A ladder on the selling floor of a store
Uneven concrete where there were no obstructions to the person’s view
Brick border around a tree
Raised joints where asphalt met concrete in a parking lot
Disassembled store shelving in an area that was clearly being redesigned.
Defendants in these cases have successfully argued that they are not responsible for injuries that occurred due to lack of proper care and attention, or the plaintiff underestimating the danger presented by a hazard.
How is the “Open and Obvious” Rule Treated in Ohio?
There are numerous ways that the open and obvious rule can be used as a defense for property owners, but it doesn’t always end in their favor. To get a better understanding of how it works, here is an actual example from Ohio courts:
In a case in which the plaintiff tripped over some exposed computer cables and fell, no obstacles were blocking her view of the cables and no previous incidents involving similar circumstances ever occurred. When you consider the facts, it is clearly apparent that the cables presented an obvious hazard for tripping.
Nonetheless, the court found that, although the cables qualified as an “open and obvious” condition and discharged the duty to warn, it did not discharge the property owner’s duty to maintain the property in a reasonably safe condition. In conclusion, the plaintiff still had a valid claim even though the danger was glaringly obvious.
Determining whether the open and obvious rule will apply to your case is a question that only an experienced premises liability attorney can answer. Premises liability law is often complicated and hiring a lawyer who is familiar with it is always in your best interest.
To find out whether your Ohio premises liability claim has merit, or whether an ‘Open and Obvious‘ defense can successfully be used by the defendant, call to schedule a free consultation with our Personal Injury attorney. Cowan & Hilgeman frequently takes cases that other law firms reject. Call (937) 222-2030 today.
Starting at noon on December 31st and continuing to 6am on January 2nd, ArriveSafe will be offering FREE cab rides to all residents of Montgomery County, Ohio.
There is absolutely no excuse to drive while under the influence!
The U.S. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) reports that 40% of traffic-related deaths during Christmas and New Year’s involve drunk drivers — a 12% increase over the rest of the month of December. According to the NHTSA, 2,597 people lost their lives due to motor vehicle traffic crashes during December 2010. The NHTSA also found that an average of 36 fatalities occurred each day in the U.S. 2001 and 2005 as a result of crashes involving an alcohol impaired driver. That number increased to 45 per day during the 3-day Christmas period and jumped to 54 per day over New Year’s holiday period.
Call 937-449-9999 to get a free cab ride for up to a $50 fare.
Cowan & Hilgeman is not affiliated with ArriveSafe, but we feel strongly about protecting the lives and health of our neighbors. Free cab rides remove the economic barrier to safety. Stay safe this holiday season; Stay sober if you choose to drive.
If you are unfortunate enough to get into an accident with an impaired person, call us as soon as you are in a safe location – (937) 222-2030. There is no fee and no obligation.
Ohio statute of limitations are laws passed by legislative bodies to set the maximum time after an event within which legal proceedings may be initiated.
When the period of time specified in a statute of limitations passes, a claim may no longer be filed. Or, if filed, may be thrown out of court.
For example, if you are involved in an auto accident caused by someone else, you have only 2 years to file suit in Ohio. If you fail to do so within that time frame, you lose your right to pursue a claim, which is why it is vital you speak with an experienced personal injury attorney as soon as possible after an injury or accident. Certain exceptions do exist, such as whether the claimant was a minor when the accident happened, but the two year limit for personal injury claims generally encompasses the vast majority of cases.
The Statutes of Limitations Relevant to Personal Injury Cases in Ohio.
When filing a personal injury claim, prompt action is of the utmost importance. Evidence that can support your side of the story can and is frequently lost, deleted or mishandled. Ohio statute of limitations are short and pass by quickly. Witnesses find their memories grow increasingly vague and may be harder to locate as more time passes.
Don’t risk losing your opportunity to reclaim just compensation for your injuries – contact the experienced personal injury attorneys at Cowan & Hilgeman Law today at (937) 222 2030 to schedule your FREE consultation.
The maximum amount of compensation available after a motor vehicle accident varies considerably in Ohio, depending on the nature of the claim.
First, the court will calculate the Economic Damages caused by the accident. That will usually include medical bills, damage to property and vehicles, lost wages and rehabilitation costs. There is no set limit to the maximum amount of compensation awarded to the injured parties for Economic Damages.
Non-economic damages, on the other hand, are capped by Ohio law. Non-economic damages are defined as “pain and suffering, loss of society, consortium, companionship, care, assistance, attention, protection, advice, guidance, counsel, instruction, training, or education, disfigurement, mental anguish, and any other intangible loss.”
Unlike medical bills or vehicle repair bills which have a fixed number that must be repaid, non-economic damages can be hard to monetarily value. So, Ohio statutes cap non-economic damages to $250,000 or three times your economic damages, which is subject to a maximum of $350,000 per person and $500,000 per accident.
This cap is removed, however, in Ohio Revised Code §2315.18(B)(3), for catastrophic cases where the injured party suffers from permanent and substantial physical deformity, loss of use of a limb, loss of a bodily organ system or permanent physical functional injury that permanently prevents the injured person from being able to independently care for themselves and perform life-sustaining activities. There is no limit to how much can be awarded in such cases.
No matter what kind of car accident you were in, or how badly you were injured as a result of someone else’s negligence, it is vital that you get an experienced and aggressive car accident attorneys, Cowan & Hilgeman on your side. We will work tirelessly to get you the maximum amount of compensation available for your specific economic and non-economic injuries. Call (937) 222-2030 today to schedule your FREE consultation.
We all dread getting into an accident, but with so many uninsured drivers on the road, a bad situation can get so much worse if you get into an accident and the other driver did not have auto insurance. In 2015, it was estimated that 12.4% of all Ohio drivers were uninsured. Thanks to recent improvements in law enforcement detection and strict penalties, that number has fallen from an average of 16% in the early ’90’s.
Ohio does not require uninsured motorist coverage as part of the State minimum insurance coverage, so many people are left footing the bill for medical expenses, lost wages, and other damages after getting into an accident with an uninsured or underinsured driver.
If you have Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist Coverage
If you do have Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage, your insurance company will pay your claims and then recover those costs from the at-fault driver. It is important to have experienced and aggressive representation during this negotiation, as with any settlement with an insurance company, to ensure that you are properly compensated for your injuries, property damage, lost wages, etc.
If you DO NOT have Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist Coverage
If you do not have Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist Coverage, however, things get more difficult to handle. The at-fault driver is still liable for any and all injuries caused by their negligence, regardless of their insurance status. The personal injury attorneys at Cowan & Hilgeman have successfully recovered compensation from uninsured and underinsured motorists countless times, and we will guide you through the process of filing a personal injury suit.
We will work tirelessly to get you reasonable compensation to cover: Medical bills Your pain and suffering Lost wages Disfigurement Consortium Property Damage
If you retain Cowan & Hilgeman as your legal representation, the uninsured driver will have to pay for an attorney to defend them in the lawsuit Cowan & Hilgeman will file on your behalf. If the at-fault driver does not defend themselves against our lawsuit, the court will grant a default judgement in our favor. The uninsured driver will probably lose their license, which they can work to re-earn after entering a payment plan or pay off the balance of their debt.
If the uninsured driver chooses not to work towards repaying the costs of repairing the other driver’s car, medical bills, etc., the judgement holder can ask the court to garnish the defendant’s wages or bank account until the judgement is paid. If the judgement is too large to reasonably be repaid via wage garnishment, the court can force the sale of the at-fault party’s personal assets.
If you find yourself in the unfortunate situation of having been in a car accident and the other driver did not have auto insurance, do not hesitate to call the experienced and aggressive car accident attorneys at Cowan & Hilgeman Law. Call (937) 222-2030 to schedule your free consultation.
