Home › Personal Injury Laws by State › Ohio Personal Injury Laws

Ohio generally requires most personal injury lawsuits based on negligence to be filed within two years after the claim accrues. Different rules, exceptions, tolling provisions, and requirements for claims against governmental entities may apply depending on the claim and the parties involved. This page cannot determine which deadline applies to any particular situation; only a licensed Ohio attorney reviewing the facts can do that.

Ohio generally follows an at-fault system for motor-vehicle injury claims. Liability ordinarily depends on who caused the collision. The compensation available in any particular matter generally depends on the injuries or losses involved and the insurance coverage that applies. How these rules apply in any individual situation depends on its facts, and if the parties involved cannot agree on liability, the court process may be necessary to resolve it.

Ohio follows a modified comparative-fault rule. In general terms, compensation may be reduced according to an injured person's share of fault, and recovery is generally barred when that person's share of the fault is greater than half of the total fault involved. Whether and how fault is attributed in any particular matter depends on its facts and may have to be determined by a court of law.

Ohio generally requires vehicle owners to maintain liability insurance that meets minimum requirements established by state law. Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage is generally an optional coverage in Ohio. The coverage available in any particular situation depends on the policies involved and current law.

Ohio law limits certain categories of damages in civil cases, including limits on non-economic damages that apply in many personal injury actions, with statutory exceptions for certain severe and permanent injuries, and limits on punitive damages. Special rules also apply to claims involving governmental entities. Because these provisions and amounts may change and remain subject to court interpretation, this page does not state a dollar figure or determine whether any limit applies to a particular matter.

Ohio personal injury lawsuits may be filed in the state's courts of common pleas, which have general civil jurisdiction, with municipal and county courts handling some more limited civil matters. Many injury claims are resolved through insurance processes or negotiation without a lawsuit being filed. Which court, if any, would be appropriate depends on the nature of the claim, the relief involved, and other facts that a licensed Ohio attorney can evaluate.

A licensed Ohio attorney can explain how rules involving deadlines, fault, insurance, damages, and procedure may apply to a specific situation—something a general reference page cannot do. This platform helps injured people seek connections with participating local personal injury attorney offices in the Ohio communities listed below, based on availability. Requesting a connection is free and carries no obligation to hire an attorney.