Accident Settlement Calculator

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Ohio Car Accident Settlement Calculator

In Ohio, you generally have 2 years to file an injury lawsuit, you recover nothing if more than 50% at fault, and drivers must carry at least $25,000/$50,000 in injury liability. Enter your numbers below to see what a Ohio claim may be worth and what you would actually take home.

1

Your accident

How serious is the injury?
2

Your costs so far

That's all you need for a first estimate. Rough numbers are fine.

Optional: make the estimate more accurate fault, insurance, lawyer fee
3

Fault and future costs

4

Insurance

5

What comes out of it

Ohio rules in 30 seconds

If you were partly at faultYou get nothing if you are more than 50% at fault
Details & exceptions

Ohio uses modified comparative fault: an injured person can recover as long as their fault is not greater than the combined fault of all other persons (so 50 percent or less), and damages are reduced by their percentage of fault. At 51 percent or more, they recover nothing.

Compare fault rules in all states →
Deadline to file a lawsuit2 years from the accident
Details & exceptions

R.C. 2305.10(A): actions for bodily injury or injuring personal property must be brought within 2 years after the cause of action accrues. Wrongful death: 2 years after the decedent's death (R.C. 2125.02(F)(1)). Claims against political subdivisions (cities, counties, etc.): 2 years after accrual, or any shorter applicable period (R.C. 2744.04(A)). Claims against the State in the Court of Claims: no later than 2 years after accrual, or any shorter period applicable to similar suits between private parties (R.C. 2743.16(A)). Statute text read from FindLaw mirrors (current as of 2026-01-01) because the official codes.ohio.gov site was unreachable.

Compare deadlines in all states →
Other driver's minimum insurance$25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident
Details & exceptions

Property damage minimum: $25,000. R.C. 4509.51(B): $25,000 bodily injury/death of one person, $50,000 for two or more persons, $25,000 property damage per accident. Confirmed by Ohio BMV form BMV 3135 (rev. 4/25). The 2013-12-22 effective date (HB 278, raised from 12.5/25/7.5) comes from secondary reporting (Insurance Journal, citing the Ohio Insurance Institute), not an official source. HB 596 (136th General Assembly) would raise bodily injury minimums to 50/100 and require UM coverage, but as of the latest sources found it was still in the House Insurance Committee and has not been enacted.

Compare minimums in all states →
Who pays your medical billsThe at-fault driver's insuranceSee all no-fault states →
Cap on pain and sufferingYes, in most cases
Details & exceptions

Greater of $250,000 or 3× economic damages, up to $350,000 (no cap for catastrophic injuries). R.C. 2315.18 applies to any 'tort action' for injury to person or property; it excludes only medical, dental, optometric and chiropractic claims and contract claims, so it covers auto injury cases. Noneconomic damages are capped at the greater of $250,000 or 3x economic loss, up to $350,000 per plaintiff or $500,000 per occurrence; the 'amount' field shows the $250,000 floor only. Economic damages are not capped (B)(1). No cap applies (B)(3) for (a) permanent and substantial physical deformity, loss of use of a limb, or loss of a bodily organ system, or (b) a permanent physical functional injury that prevents the person from caring for themselves and performing life-sustaining activities. The section does not apply to wrongful death actions (Ch. 2125), suits against the State in the Court of Claims, or suits against political subdivisions (H). Political subdivisions have their own $250,000 per person cap on non-compensatory damages, which does not apply to wrongful death (R.C. 2744.05(C)). Arbino v. Johnson & Johnson (2007) upheld the cap against a facial challenge (from secondary reporting). Brandt v. Pompa, 2022-Ohio-4525, held it unconstitutional as applied to a child sexual-abuse victim with catastrophic psychological injury. Commentators read that holding narrowly.

Uninsured motorist coverageOptional
Details & exceptions

R.C. 3937.18(A): a motor vehicle policy 'may, but is not required to,' include uninsured and/or underinsured motorist coverage. Insurers are not required to offer it. HB 596 (pending, not enacted) would make UM coverage mandatory.

Worked example: a typical Ohio car accident claim

Another driver turned left into you at an intersection in Ohio: $15,000 in medical bills, $5,000 in lost wages and a moderate injury that healed in a few months. The insurer says you were 20% at fault for speeding slightly, the other driver has a $100,000 policy, and your lawyer takes 33%.

  1. Economic damages$20,000Medical bills + expected future treatment + lost wages.
  2. Pain and suffering$20,000 – $40,000Multiplier method: economic damages × 2–3 for a moderate injury, minus the economic part itself.
  3. Total claim value$40,000 – $60,000Economic + pain and suffering.
  4. After your share of fault$32,000 – $48,000Ohio uses modified comparative negligence (51% bar): you recover nothing if you are 51% or more at fault; otherwise recovery is reduced by your 20%.
  5. Limited by available insurance$32,000 – $48,000At-fault policy limit $100,000 + your UM/UIM $0.
  6. Estimated take-home$20,440 – $31,160Minus attorney fee (33%), case costs and medical liens.

You would take home about $25,800 ($20,440 – $31,160), after the 33% fee and $1,000 in case costs.

Typical figures (midpoint of a moderate injury multiplier), no medical liens. Run your own numbersor see the same crash in every state.

How much time do you have to file?

General personal injury deadline only. It can be shorter for claims against a city, county or state agency (often a written notice within months), and longer for minors. Check with a lawyer before relying on it.

Deadline traps in Ohio

The 2-year lawsuit deadline is not the only clock. These are the ones people miss:

Crash with a government vehicle or on a public road2 years (no separate notice)

Ohio has no special notice-of-claim deadline. Sue a city, county or other political subdivision within 2 years, and file against the State in the Court of Claims within 2 years (or any shorter period that would apply between private parties).

Ohio Rev. Code 2744.04, Limitation of actions against political subdivisionsOhio Rev. Code 2743.16, Court of Claims time limits

If the injured person is a child

The 2-year clock usually starts when the child turns 18, so a child generally has until age 20 to sue.

Ohio Rev. Code 2305.16, Tolling for minors and persons of unsound mind

How fast a Ohio insurer must respond

Ohio's claim rule requires insurers to acknowledge a claim within 15 days and accept or deny within 21 days of proof of loss (or explain the delay, with updates every 45 days). The 10-day payment deadline protects only the insurer's own policyholders.

Ohio Admin. Code 3901-1-54, Unfair property/casualty claims settlement practices

If an insurer misses these deadlines, you can file a complaint with the state insurance department. Compare all states:insurance claim deadlines by state.

Next steps after a Ohio crash

Frequently asked questions

What is a typical car accident settlement in Ohio?
It depends on the bills, the injury and fault. Worked example: with $15,000 in medical bills, $5,000 in lost wages and a moderate injury, 20% of the fault, a Ohio claim against the other driver is worth about $40,000, and the injured person takes home about $25,800 after a 33% attorney fee and costs. At 51% fault, the same claim pays nothing in Ohio.
Is Ohio an at-fault or no-fault state for car accidents?
Ohio's car insurance system: At-fault (tort).
Is there a cap on pain and suffering in Ohio car accident cases?
Greater of $250,000 or 3× economic damages, up to $350,000 (no cap for catastrophic injuries). R.C. 2315.18 applies to any 'tort action' for injury to person or property; it excludes only medical, dental, optometric and chiropractic claims and contract claims, so it covers auto injury cases. Noneconomic damages are capped at the greater of $250,000 or 3x economic loss, up to $350,000 per plaintiff or $500,000 per occurrence; the 'amount' field shows the $250,000 floor only. Economic damages are not capped (B)(1). No cap applies (B)(3) for (a) permanent and substantial physical deformity, loss of use of a limb, or loss of a bodily organ system, or (b) a permanent physical functional injury that prevents the person from caring for themselves and performing life-sustaining activities. The section does not apply to wrongful death actions (Ch. 2125), suits against the State in the Court of Claims, or suits against political subdivisions (H). Political subdivisions have their own $250,000 per person cap on non-compensatory damages, which does not apply to wrongful death (R.C. 2744.05(C)). Arbino v. Johnson & Johnson (2007) upheld the cap against a facial challenge (from secondary reporting). Brandt v. Pompa, 2022-Ohio-4525, held it unconstitutional as applied to a child sexual-abuse victim with catastrophic psychological injury. Commentators read that holding narrowly.
What happens if I was partly at fault for an accident in Ohio?
Ohio follows modified comparative negligence with a 51% bar: you recover nothing if you are 51% or more at fault, and otherwise your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault.
How long do I have to file a car accident lawsuit in Ohio?
Generally 2 years for personal injury and 2 years for property damage. R.C. 2305.10(A): actions for bodily injury or injuring personal property must be brought within 2 years after the cause of action accrues. Wrongful death: 2 years after the decedent's death (R.C. 2125.02(F)(1)). Claims against political subdivisions (cities, counties, etc.): 2 years after accrual, or any shorter applicable period (R.C. 2744.04(A)). Claims against the State in the Court of Claims: no later than 2 years after accrual, or any shorter period applicable to similar suits between private parties (R.C. 2743.16(A)). Statute text read from FindLaw mirrors (current as of 2026-01-01) because the official codes.ohio.gov site was unreachable.
What is the minimum car insurance in Ohio?
$25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, and $25,000 for property damage. R.C. 4509.51(B): $25,000 bodily injury/death of one person, $50,000 for two or more persons, $25,000 property damage per accident. Confirmed by Ohio BMV form BMV 3135 (rev. 4/25). The 2013-12-22 effective date (HB 278, raised from 12.5/25/7.5) comes from secondary reporting (Insurance Journal, citing the Ohio Insurance Institute), not an official source. HB 596 (136th General Assembly) would raise bodily injury minimums to 50/100 and require UM coverage, but as of the latest sources found it was still in the House Insurance Committee and has not been enacted.
What is the deadline to file a claim against the government in Ohio?
2 years (no separate notice). Ohio has no special notice-of-claim deadline. Sue a city, county or other political subdivision within 2 years, and file against the State in the Court of Claims within 2 years (or any shorter period that would apply between private parties).
How long does an insurance company have to respond to a claim in Ohio?
Ohio's claim rule requires insurers to acknowledge a claim within 15 days and accept or deny within 21 days of proof of loss (or explain the delay, with updates every 45 days). The 10-day payment deadline protects only the insurer's own policyholders.

Related

Official sources