Car Accident Attorneys in Cleveland, Ohio

1. Elk & Elk

Practice Focus: Car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, catastrophic injuries, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, medical malpractice, nursing home abuse, wrongful death, hit-and-run accidents.

Case Types Handled: Rear-end collisions, head-on collisions, T-bone accidents, multi-vehicle pileups, drunk driving accidents, distracted driving accidents, commercial vehicle accidents, uninsured/underinsured motorist accidents, catastrophic injury cases, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries.

Legal Services: Insurance claim negotiation, litigation, trial representation, settlement negotiations, medical lien resolution, property damage claims, lost wage recovery, pain and suffering claims, wrongful death claims, uninsured motorist claims, hospital and home visits during recovery.

Background: Elk & Elk has operated for over 50 years representing accident victims throughout Ohio. Attorney Jay M. Kelley III serves as a medical malpractice attorney with over 25 years of experience and has achieved $200 million in verdicts and settlements. He leads the firm’s litigation strategy in state and federal courts and previously worked as a felony prosecutor and hospital defense lawyer. Recognized by Best Lawyers and ranked among Super Lawyers Top 10 in Ohio. The firm offers offices throughout Ohio and handles cases on a contingency fee basis.

Location: Cleveland, Ohio (multiple Ohio locations)

Contact: (216) 313-9774 | 1-800-ELK-OHIO | https://www.elkandelk.com

Consultation: Free consultation available, contingency fee arrangement (no fees unless case is won), house calls and hospital visits offered.

2. Friedman, Domiano & Smith

Practice Focus: Car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, workplace injuries, workers’ compensation, medical malpractice, nursing home abuse, wrongful death, premises liability.

Case Types Handled: Automobile collisions, commercial truck wrecks, motorcycle crashes, rear-end accidents, rollover accidents, pedestrian accidents, workplace accidents, occupational injuries, herniated disc injuries, catastrophic injury cases.

Legal Services: Insurance claim negotiation, litigation, trial representation, settlement negotiations, workers’ compensation claims, medical malpractice claims, wrongful death claims, evidence gathering, expert witness coordination.

Background: Friedman, Domiano & Smith is recognized as one of Ohio’s established personal injury law firms with years of experience handling serious and complex cases. Attorney Jeff Friedman founded the firm with a commitment to fighting for injured clients. The firm employs a team approach where each client receives an attorney, case manager, and paralegal. Notable settlements include $210,000 for a rear-end automobile accident and $600,000 for a wrongful death medical negligence case.

Location: Cleveland, Ohio (address available on website)

Contact: Phone available via website | https://www.fdslaw.com

Consultation: Free case evaluation, contingency fee basis.

3. Rumizen Weisman Attorneys

Practice Focus: Car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, nursing home neglect, elder abuse, workplace injuries, wrongful death, dog bite injuries, motor vehicle accidents.

Case Types Handled: Automobile collisions, commercial truck wrecks, multi-vehicle accidents, rear-end collisions, intersection accidents, pedestrian accidents, catastrophic injury cases, delayed delivery birth injuries.

Background: The attorneys at Rumizen Weisman have over 100 years of combined first-chair trial experience. The firm has handled over 250 jury trials and 1,000 arbitrations and has settled more than 10,000 claims. Every attorney in the firm has been recognized by the legal community as preeminent in the field of personal injury. Notable settlements include $900,000 for a client injured in an automobile collision and recovery for parents of a baby injured during a delayed delivery.

Location: Cleveland and Beachwood offices serving all of Ohio

Contact: Phone available via website | https://www.ohio-injury.com

Consultation: Free consultation, no fee unless case is won.

4. Paulozzi, Alkire & Condeni

Practice Focus: Car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, slip and fall injuries, medical malpractice, wrongful death, premises liability, catastrophic injuries.

Case Types Handled: Motor vehicle collisions, commercial truck accidents, motorcycle crashes, rear-end accidents, intersection collisions, parking lot accidents, pedestrian accidents, catastrophic injury cases including traumatic brain injuries and spinal cord injuries.

Background: Paulozzi, Alkire & Condeni serves all of Ohio including Cleveland, Columbus, Akron, Toledo, and Cincinnati. The firm offers house calls throughout the state. Lead attorney Joe Paulozzi and attorney Amy Higgins handle personal injury cases with a focus on client communication and involvement throughout the legal process. The firm regularly donates to Ohio charities including the JCH Foundation (mental health assistance for youth) and RePlay for Kids (educational toys for disabled children). Practice operates on contingency fee basis with no upfront costs.

Location: Cleveland, Ohio (with service throughout Ohio)

Contact: Phone available via website | https://law-ohio.com

Consultation: Free consultations available 24/7, no fees or expenses unless recovery is obtained.

5. Merriman Legal, LLC

Practice Focus: Car accidents, motorcycle accidents, truck accidents, personal injury, complex business litigation, class action litigation.

Case Types Handled: Automobile collisions, motorcycle crashes, commercial truck accidents, multi-vehicle pileups, rear-end collisions, intersection accidents, hit-and-run accidents, catastrophic injury cases.

Legal Services: Insurance claim negotiation, litigation, trial representation, settlement negotiations, accident scene investigation through Rapid Response Team deployment, property damage claims, lost wage recovery, pain and suffering claims.

Background: Merriman Legal is led by Tom Merriman, an Emmy Award-winning legal analyst recognized for providing plain-spoken legal analysis to the public. The firm operates a Rapid Response Team that can be deployed to accident scenes within the first 24 hours after a collision to begin investigation and evidence gathering. Attorney Ladi Williams is also part of the legal team. The firm handles personal injury cases throughout Ohio with offices in Cleveland.

Location: Cleveland, Ohio

Contact: Phone available via website | https://www.teamlgm.com

Consultation: Free consultation available, contingency fee basis.

Hit-and-Run Duties, Unidentified Drivers and City Liability for Cleveland Car Crashes

A Cleveland car crash claim can raise what the other driver had to do at the scene, whether an uninsured motorist policy reaches a driver who was never identified, and how a driver’s own share of fault changes the recovery. A separate statute sets when the city is liable for its employee’s driving or its roads.

The Other Driver’s Duties at the Scene

Under Ohio Revised Code 4549.02(A)(1), a driver who knows of a crash must stop, remain at the scene and give name, address and vehicle registration number, and the owner’s name and address if different, to any injured person, the other operator or occupants and the police officer at the scene. Under (A)(2), if the injured person cannot comprehend and record the information, the driver must notify the nearest police authority and remain until an officer arrives. Under (B), failing to stop is a first-degree misdemeanor, a fifth-degree felony with serious physical harm and a third-degree felony with death, with higher degrees when the driver knew.

A Driver Who Was Never Identified

Under Ohio Revised Code 3937.18(A), uninsured motorist coverage is optional. Where a policy includes it, (B)(1)(c) treats an owner or operator as uninsured when the identity cannot be determined but independent corroborative evidence proves that the unidentified operator’s negligence or intentional actions proximately caused the insured’s injury or death.

Under Ohio Revised Code 2315.33, the injured driver’s contributory fault does not bar recovery if it was not greater than the combined tortious conduct of all other persons, including those not sued, and the court reduces the damages by that percentage. For example, imagine $85,000 in damages and 20 percent of the responsibility on the injured driver: the recovery would be $68,000.

A City Vehicle or a City Road

Under Ohio Revised Code 2744.02(B)(1), subject to 2744.03 and 2744.05, a political subdivision is liable for injury caused by an employee’s negligent operation of a motor vehicle within the scope of employment, with full defenses, under listed conditions, for police, fire and emergency medical drivers responding to emergencies. Under (B)(3), it is liable for negligent failure to keep public roads in repair and to remove obstructions from them.

Cleveland Car Accident Questions

How long do I have to sue the other driver?

Two years after the cause of action accrues for bodily injury or injury to personal property under Ohio Revised Code 2305.10(A), and two years after the death for wrongful death under 2125.02(F)(1), subject to the listed exceptions in each section.

Is there a cap on punitive damages?

Yes. Under Ohio Revised Code 2315.21(D)(2)(a), the court may not enter judgment for punitive damages above two times the compensatory damages awarded against that defendant, with a lower limit for a small employer or individual under (D)(2)(b).

Can a missing seat belt be used against me?

Yes, but in a claim against the other driver only to reduce noneconomic damages. Under Ohio Revised Code 4513.263(F)(1), the failure is not used as evidence of negligence or contributory negligence, but the trier of fact may find it contributed to the harm and reduce the damages for noneconomic loss.