Rittgers Rittgers & Nakajima Rittgers Rittgers & Nakajima 2026-10-02T15:55:32Z https://www.rittgers.com/feed/atom/ WordPress /wp-content/uploads/sites/1104373/2023/01/cropped-favicon-32x32.jpg by Charles Rittgers <![CDATA[$25,000.00 in coverage is not enough for Ohio injury victims in 2026]]> https://www.rittgers.com/?p=83675 2026-09-23T16:30:14Z 2026-09-23T16:30:14Z injured in a car accident in Ohio today, the driver who hit you is only required to carry $25,000 in bodily injury coverage per person ($50,000 per accident) and $25,000 in property damage coverage. That's the law under Ohio Revised Code 4509.51. It's also, in 2026, nowhere close to enough.

The math hasn't kept up with the medicine

Twenty-five thousand dollars sounds like real money until you see what a single trip through the emergency room and follow-up care costs after a moderate collision. A basic ER visit with imaging can run several thousand dollars before a patient sees a specialist. Add an MRI, a round of physical therapy, and a single outpatient procedure, nothing exotic. Just the standard course of treatment for a disc injury, a fracture, or a torn ligament. It is routine for medical bills alone to clear $25,000 before lost wages, pain and suffering, or property damage are even factored in. Every personal injury attorney in this state has had the same conversation with a client: "This is a clear liability case, but the other driver only carried the state minimum, and your medical bills already exceed their entire policy." The at-fault driver did nothing legally wrong by carrying the minimum — the minimum is exactly what Ohio law tells them is enough. The problem is that the number was never actually calibrated to what injuries cost, it was calibrated to what regulators believed the insurance market could bear.

Settlement and verdict data

Look at the range of outcomes in Ohio personal injury claims involving real, documented injuries. Not fender benders with a stiff neck that resolves in a week, but cases with objective diagnostic findings, real treatment, and real time away from work:
  • Soft-tissue injury claims with ongoing physical therapy commonly settle in the $20,000–$40,000 range once treatment concludes.
  • Cases involving a herniated disc, a fracture requiring hardware, or a surgery frequently settle well into six figures, often $75,000 to $250,000 or more, depending on the surgery, recovery, and residual impairment.
  • Even "moderate" claims, the ones that don't make headlines, regularly land in the $40,000–$60,000 range once we account for medical specials, wage loss, and general damages.
The state minimum sits at the very bottom of this distribution, or below it. That means in a large share of Ohio crashes involving real injuries, the at-fault driver's insurance simply runs out before the case is anywhere close to fairly valued, regardless of how clear liability is or how legitimate the injury is.

Underinsured means uncompensated

This is where Ohio's minimum coverage requirement becomes more than an abstract policy debate, but instead the reason an injured person isn’t made whole. When the at-fault driver's policy is exhausted:
  • The injured party can turn to their own underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage, IF they can afford to carry it themselves.
  • If they didn't purchase UIM coverage, often because no one explained why it mattered, or because it wasn't required. The gap between what they're owed, and what they can collect simply disappears.
  • Providers still expect to be paid. Lost wages still have to be absorbed. The injured party, not the at-fault driver, ends up carrying the financial consequences of someone else's negligence.
In other words, the state's minimum requirement doesn't just fail to fully compensate victims, it quietly shifts the risk of underinsurance onto the very people the tort system is supposed to protect.

Shifting toward $50,000 - $75,000 minimums

Raising Ohio's minimum bodily injury requirement to somewhere in the $50,000–$75,000 per-person range wouldn't fully cover every serious injury case. Nothing short of much higher limits would do that. Nevertheless, it would meaningfully close the gap for the broad middle of cases: disc injuries, fractures, surgeries, that don't make the news but make up the bulk of what plaintiff’s firms see every day. This specific range makes sense as a legislative target:
  1. It tracks actual treatment costs. $50,000–$75,000 floor would cover the typical cost of a single surgical intervention plus a reasonable course of conservative treatment, the actual, unremarkable reality of a serious-but-not-catastrophic injury.
  2. It reduces reliance on UIM as a backstop for basic adequacy. UIM coverage should protect against the truly catastrophic case, not function as a patch for a minimum that was set too low in the first place.
  3. Other states have already moved this direction. Several states have raised their minimums in the last decade specifically because legislators recognized that decades old limits no longer reflected the cost of modern medical care or vehicle repair.
  4. The cost to responsible drivers is modest. Raising minimum liability limits generally increases premiums by a relatively small amount compared to the increase in protection because most drivers who carry minimum limits never end up needing to pay out anywhere near a higher cap. The people who benefit most from the increase are the ones who unfortunately are seriously injured.
Ohio's $25,000 minimum was not designed with 2026 medical costs, 2026 vehicle repair costs, or 2026 verdict ranges in mind. It is a number that made sense years ago but was simply never revisited with the seriousness it deserves. Every year the legislature leaves it in place, more injured Ohioans are told that the driver who hit them was "fully insured," and then find out while trying to pay a hospital bill, that "fully insured" and "adequately insured" are not the same. Raising the minimum to $50,000–$75,000 wouldn't solve every problem in Ohio's auto insurance system. But it would bring the law into line with the basic, unglamorous reality of what it costs when someone is injured in a car accident today. That alone would be a meaningful step forward for accident victims across the state.]]> by Barbara Strady <![CDATA[Kentucky’s New Personal Injury Protection Laws: What Accident Victims Need to Know in 2026]]> https://www.rittgers.com/?p=83662 2026-09-21T19:46:21Z 2026-09-21T18:07:47Z Kentucky’s Personal Injury Protection (PIP) laws changed significantly in 2026. House Bill 627, which became law as Acts Chapter 149, effective July 15, 2026, changes several important provisions of Kentucky’s Motor Vehicle Reparations Act. The new law increases certain PIP benefits and creates new rules governing the payment and submission of medical expenses. For anyone injured in a Kentucky automobile accident, these changes can have a direct impact on medical bills, lost wages, household expenses, and the handling of a personal injury claim.

What Is PIP in Kentucky?

Kentucky is a no-fault automobile insurance state. In general, Kentucky automobile insurance policies provide basic reparation benefits, commonly called PIP, to cover certain economic losses resulting from an automobile accident. Kentucky's basic PIP benefit remains $10,000 per person, per accident. The new law does not change that overall limit.  PIP may cover certain medical expenses, lost income, replacement services, and, when an accident is fatal, certain survivor losses. Importantly, PIP is a no-fault benefit. That means an injured person may be entitled to PIP benefits even when determining who caused the accident has not yet been resolved.

The Biggest Change: Work Loss Benefits Increase From $200 to $500 Per Week

One of the most significant changes under the new law is the increase in the weekly PIP limit. Previously, Kentucky law limited basic reparation benefits for work loss and certain other losses to $200 per week. Under the new law, that limit increases to $500 per week. This can make a substantial difference for someone who is unable to work after a collision. For example, suppose an injured person earns $1,000 per week but is medically unable to work for four weeks. The new PIP law does not mean the insurance company must pay the person's entire $4,000 wage loss. Instead, the PIP benefit is subject to the statutory weekly limit of $500.

Replacement Services Are Also Subject to the $500 Weekly Limit, if not used for work loss.

PIP does not only address lost wages. Kentucky law also recognizes replacement services loss. This involves reasonable expenses incurred for ordinary and necessary services that an injured person would have performed for themselves or their family if they had not been injured. For example, an injured person may normally:
  • mow the lawn;
  • clean the house;
  • perform household maintenance;
  • care for children; or
  • perform other ordinary household tasks.
If an injury prevents the person from performing those tasks and reasonable expenses are incurred to replace those services, PIP may provide coverage. The new law establishes a $500-per-week limit collectively for the covered categories of work loss, replacement services loss, and certain survivor losses. The $500 limit is not $500 for each category separately.

Funeral and Burial Benefits Increase to $5,000

Another meaningful change involves funeral, cremation, and burial expenses. The new law increases the amount that can qualify as a medical expense for these purposes from $1,000 to $5,000 per person. This change is especially important when an automobile accident is fatal. It is important to remember, however, that the increase to $5,000 does not create an additional $5,000 on top of the $10,000 basic PIP limit. 

New Rules Affecting Medical Bills

The 2026 legislation makes major changes concerning medical expenses submitted for PIP payment. Under the new law, medical expenses paid through PIP cannot exceed the maximum fee permitted under the applicable fee schedule established under Kentucky workers' compensation law. The law also provides that a submitted medical expense is presumed reasonable for purposes of basic and added reparation benefits when it is submitted in accordance with the statute. This is an important change for both accident victims and medical providers. The legislation also establishes a 180-day deadline for a provider to submit a statement of charge for a medical expense, subject to the statutory exception identified in the law. Additionally, a medical provider may not knowingly attempt to collect from an insured a medical charge covered by PIP that exceeds the maximum amount permitted under the new statute.

When Do the New PIP Rules Apply?

The legislation specifically provides that certain provisions apply to basic and added reparation benefits issued or renewed on or after the effective date of the Act, July 15, 2026. The law became effective in 2026, and Kentucky's Department of Insurance has issued guidance concerning the legislation and the state's no-fault system. Because the applicability of the new provisions can depend upon the policy and when it was issued or renewed, accident victims should not automatically assume that every accident occurring around the effective date will be treated identically.

PIP Is Different from the Personal Injury Claim Against the At-Fault Driver

It is also important not to confuse PIP benefits with the injured person's liability claim against the driver who caused the accident. PIP is designed to provide certain economic-loss benefits without regard to fault. A separate personal injury claim may seek damages from the at-fault driver for losses that are not fully compensated through PIP, including applicable medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and other legally recoverable damages. The fact that an insurance company pays PIP benefits does not necessarily mean that the injured person's personal injury claim has been resolved.

The Bottom Line

If you have been injured in a Kentucky automobile accident, the 2026 PIP changes may affect how your medical expenses, lost wages, replacement services, and other economic losses are paid. The most notable changes include:
  • Weekly work loss/replacement services limit: increased from $200 to $500.
  • Funeral, cremation, and burial expenses: increased from $1,000 to $5,000 as a qualifying medical expense.
  • Basic PIP maximum: remains $10,000 per person per accident.
  • Medical-billing rules: new limits and requirements apply to PIP medical expenses.
  • Medical bill submission: providers generally have 180 days to submit charges, subject to statutory exceptions.
  • Policy applicability: certain changes apply to basic and added reparation benefits issued or renewed after the law's effective date.
Because the interaction between PIP, liability insurance, health insurance, and an injured person's underlying tort claim can be complicated, anyone seriously injured in a Kentucky collision should have the insurance policies and PIP benefits reviewed carefully before settling the claim. Contact the attorneys at [nap_names id="FIRM-NAME-1"] for assistance with your case.]]> by Steve Kilburn <![CDATA[Falsely Accused of a Crime? Why Hiring a Criminal Defense Lawyer Early Matters]]> https://www.rittgers.com/?p=83658 2026-09-22T13:49:24Z 2026-09-21T15:41:17Z How Could I Possibly Be Charged With a Crime If I Did Nothing Illegal? Unfortunately, people are accused of crimes every day based on incomplete information, misunderstandings, or malicious motives. These unfortunate situations have one thing in common: allegations that are not supported by the evidence. When police want to “just get your side of the story,” people understandably believe speaking immediately without first consulting with an experienced criminal defense lawyer will simply help clear everything up. Sometimes your lawyer may decide that providing a statement is appropriate. But often, an unrepresented statement creates risks rather than solving problems—especially when the individual has already clearly denied engaging in criminal conduct. A person who is shocked, frightened, or emotionally overwhelmed by an allegation reported against them may struggle to recall details quickly or may describe events imperfectly. Later, ordinary memory gaps or minor inconsistencies can be portrayed as credibility problems—even when the person is completely innocent. The problem becomes even more serious in a case with limited corroborating evidence, where credibility may become the central issue. For instance, in a he-said/she-said case (with no physical evidence or independent witnesses), whether somebody is charged or convicted may come down to credibility of the accused versus the credibility of the alleged victim. The government bears the burden of proving a criminal charge. The Constitution also protects an accused’s right to remain silent. A person should not decide whether to speak with police without first consulting an experienced criminal defense lawyer. That is why early representation matters. Before charges are filed, an experienced criminal defense attorney can:
  • Insulate the client from police questioning and communicate with investigators on the client’s behalf;
  • Gather available documents, witness accounts, audio, video, or any other available evidence before charges are filed;
  • Identify the applicable law and factual weaknesses in the accusation;
  • Present the defense directly to police and prosecutors in an effort to prevent charges; and
  • Help avoid unnecessary arrest warrants, protect constitutional rights, and develop a defense strategy early in the process.
Court-appointed counsel is generally not available during an investigation before someone is formally charged in court. By then, important opportunities may have already passed.

The Best Criminal Case Is the One That Is Never Filed

If you are being investigated for a crime you did not commit, do not assume the truth will automatically speak for itself. Speak with an experienced criminal defense lawyer as early as possible. If you or someone you know needs to speak with an experienced criminal defense lawyer, contact the team at [nap_names id="FIRM-NAME-1"] to schedule a free consultation at [nap_phone id="LOCAL-REGULAR-NUMBER-1"].]]> On Behalf of Rittgers Rittgers & Nakajima <![CDATA[How Do Truck Accident Investigations Work?]]> https://www.rittgers.com/?p=83637 2026-09-08T17:16:13Z 2026-09-08T17:16:13Z truck accident lawyers at Rittgers Rittgers & Nakajima, have been handling cases for people who have had family members tragically killed in preventable truck crashes for more than three decades. They understand what you are going through and will do everything they can to allow you to focus on being with your family in your time of grief. Their job is to see that those who caused the loss of your loved one are held accountable. The tens of millions of dollars that our attorneys have recovered for other truck crash victims and their families are proof of their experience aggressively pursuing unsafe trucking companies on behalf of survivors and victims. In these cases, the highway patrol is often brought in to conduct a far more detailed investigation than that which would take place in a nonfatal truck accident. However, an experienced lawyer will use experts and additional methods to collect evidence and dig deeper to gather all the necessary facts surrounding a fatal crash. Our attorneys look for patterns of negligence on the part of the trucking company which are sadly too prevalent. They will also investigate the background of the truck driver, something that the trucking company should have done prior to hiring the driver. Over the years, they have gained access to top experts throughout the country who help them understand technical aspects of what happened by conducting physical examinations, downloading electronic data, and reconstructing crash scenes. You can be confident that our team will cut no corners when it comes to building a legal strategy designed to get justice in your case.

Factors To Investigate In Fatal Truck Crashes

There are several factors that should be investigated. These include:
  • What type of safety training did the trucking company provide for its driver?
  • What is the trucking company’s safety record for its other drivers?
  • What safety policies did the trucking company have in place to prevent truck crashes?
  • Were the truck’s headlights in working order and, if so, were they on?
  • Was the driver distracted at the time of the deadly crash or immediately before it? (A check of cellphone records can help determine this.)
  • Did the driver receive the mandatory amount of rest before the shift they were on at the time of the deadly crash? (Checking the driver’s log can help determine this.)
  • Were the 18-wheeler’s brakes in working condition? Were they applied?
  • What, if any, evasive action was taken by the driver? Was the truck properly loaded, allowing the driver to properly brake and conduct evasive actions?
  • Were the emergency lights flashing on the woman’s vehicle? Did the truck driver notice them?
Through our lawyers’ time-tested and effective investigatory methods, they have successfully determined the sources of many complex semi-truck accidents.

Examining The Causes Of A Deadly Ohio Truck Accident

After a motor vehicle crash, police officers usually fill out an accident report to record details from the scene of the wreck as well as witness accounts. The accident report provides basic information that can be used to determine which driver or drivers were at fault. Law enforcement officers, however, do not have the resources or time to conduct intensive investigations. Personal injury lawyers who understand crash investigation and accident reconstruction are often able to uncover critical pieces of evidence pertaining to the liability and damages resulting from a crash.

Get Help Today From An Ohio Personal Injury Lawyer

The sooner you consult one of our knowledgeable attorneys, the sooner they can visit the accident scene, gather evidence and start their investigation. Please contact [nap_names id="FIRM-NAME-1"] at [nap_phone id="LOCAL-REGULAR-NUMBER-1"] or send us an email to schedule a consultation.]]> On Behalf of Rittgers Rittgers & Nakajima <![CDATA[Where do most Ohio motorcycle accidents occur?]]> https://www.rittgers.com/?p=83353 2026-09-08T16:11:26Z 2026-09-08T16:11:26Z rides across Ohio can offer scenic routes, city streets and open highways. Still, every type of roadway brings different risks. According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Ohio recorded 216 motorcycles involved in fatal crashes that resulted in 220 fatalities during 2024. While crashes can happen anywhere, long term crash data shows they occur more often in certain traffic environments and on specific roadway types.  Knowing where these crashes happen may help you recognize situations that deserve extra caution and make more informed decisions each time you ride.

Why do urban roads create greater risks?

Many fatal motorcycle crashes happen in urban areas, where traffic stays busy throughout the day. National data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) shows that about two thirds of fatal motorcycle crashes occur in urban areas. At the same time, Ohio's 2024 fatal crash data showed an even split between urban and rural fatal crashes, highlighting that serious collisions can happen in either setting. Several factors may increase your risk in busy areas:
  • Drivers may fail to notice motorcycles before changing lanes.
  • Left turning vehicles may misjudge a motorcycle's speed.
  • Heavy traffic may leave less room to react.
  • Distracted drivers may overlook motorcycles in nearby lanes.
Keeping a safe following distance and staying visible could help reduce some of these risks, although every situation differs.

Which roads and intersections deserve extra attention?

Many motorcycle crashes occur on non interstate roads, including arterial and collector roads that connect neighborhoods, businesses and local communities. Intersections remain one of the most common crash locations. National crash data shows that more than one third of fatal motorcycle crashes occur at intersections, often when a driver turns left in front of an approaching motorcycle after misjudging its speed or distance. Ohio law also requires drivers to yield the right of way in certain situations. Even so, drivers may fail to notice an approaching motorcycle or incorrectly judge its distance. You may benefit from paying closer attention when you notice:
  • Vehicles preparing to turn left across your lane.
  • Drivers entering traffic from side streets.
  • Cars changing lanes near traffic signals.
  • Areas with limited visibility from parked vehicles or roadside objects.
Staying alert in these situations could give you more time to react to potential hazards.

How do rural roads present different hazards?

Rural roads usually carry fewer vehicles, yet they bring different challenges. Curves, narrow shoulders, changing pavement conditions and unexpected wildlife may leave little room for error. Ohio's 2024 crash report also found that half of all fatal motorcycle crashes occurred in rural areas, showing that quieter roads still deserve careful attention. Adjusting your speed before entering curves and scanning farther ahead could provide additional time to react when road conditions change.

Every road deserves your attention

Motorcycle crashes can happen on city streets, rural highways and neighborhood roads across Ohio. Paying close attention to traffic patterns, roadway conditions and nearby vehicles may help you recognize hazards sooner.  If a motorcycle accident occurs, learning about your legal rights and available options may help you make informed decisions based on your circumstances.]]> On Behalf of Rittgers Rittgers & Nakajima <![CDATA[Can you legally refuse field sobriety tests in Ohio?]]> https://www.rittgers.com/?p=83572 2026-09-08T16:10:50Z 2026-09-08T16:10:50Z Knowing the right to decline Ohio drivers may decline field sobriety tests, including the walk-and-turn, one-leg stand and eye test. Refusing these roadside tests does not automatically suspend your license. However, an officer may consider the refusal along with other signs of impairment when deciding whether to arrest you for operating a vehicle under the influence (OVI). That right to decline does not extend in the same way to chemical testing after an arrest. The state's implied consent law treats drivers as having agreed to a designated blood, breath, oral fluid or urine test. Refusing the required chemical test can result in an immediate administrative license suspension separate from the criminal OVI case.

Considering reasons to refuse

Field sobriety tests assess physical coordination, eye movement and the ability to follow instructions rather than directly measuring alcohol concentration. Other factors that may affect your performance include:
  • A health issue, injury or disability that affects balance or movement
  • Uneven pavement, poor lighting or passing traffic at the test site
  • Fatigue, age or footwear that can make steady walking more difficult
Those circumstances can become important if an officer relies on your performance as evidence of impairment. Ohio law allows the prosecution to introduce field sobriety test results when it proves by clear and convincing evidence that the officer administered them in substantial compliance with recognized testing standards.

Recognizing what refusal does not prevent

Refusing field sobriety tests does not prevent an officer from making an OVI arrest. Other observations, such as erratic driving, slurred speech or the odor of alcohol, may still provide enough evidence to establish probable cause. Ohio courts have also allowed prosecutors to use a driver's refusal as evidence at trial. Another practical concern is that officers do not have to tell you that you may decline field sobriety tests before requesting them. As a result, you may agree to participate without realizing that you have a choice.

Building your defense afterward

After a refusal, the defense can review the stop, the officer's observations and the other evidence supporting the OVI charge. If the officer unlawfully stopped or detained you, the defense may seek to suppress evidence obtained as a result. Dashcam or body-camera footage can also show what happened during the encounter. Differences between the footage and the officer's report may help challenge claims of impairment. Without field sobriety test results, the prosecution must rely on the remaining evidence to prove the charge.]]> by Kristopher Burgess <![CDATA[Uber and Lyft Accidents in Ohio: How Insurance Coverage Works]]> https://www.rittgers.com/?p=83624 2026-09-01T18:17:24Z 2026-09-01T18:17:24Z Rideshare apps have become part of everyday life in Ohio. A ride home after a night out, a trip to the airport, a lift when the car is in the shop. When a rideshare trip ends in a crash, the scene looks like any other collision. Damaged vehicles, possible injuries, insurance information exchanged at the roadside. What happens next is where a rideshare crash stops being ordinary. Which policies apply, and how much coverage sits behind them, can turn on what the driver was doing in the app at the moment of impact. If you or a loved one has been hurt in a rideshare crash, here is what you should understand about how coverage works in Ohio.

Who Can Be Injured in a Rideshare Accident

Rideshare accidents affect more than the people in the back seat. Injured parties commonly include:
  • Passengers riding in the rideshare vehicle
  • Drivers and passengers of other vehicles struck by a rideshare driver
  • Pedestrians and cyclists hit by a rideshare vehicle
  • Rideshare drivers themselves, when another driver causes the crash
Each of these situations raises its own coverage questions. But in every one of them, the starting point is the same: what was the rideshare driver's app status at the moment of the crash?

How Rideshare Insurance Coverage Works in Ohio

Ohio's rideshare insurance law, in place since 2016, ties the required coverage to what the driver was doing in the app. In practice, that creates three distinct periods, and the available insurance changes as the driver moves from one period to the next. Period 1: The app is off. A driver who is not logged in to the app is simply a private driver. The rideshare company's coverage does not apply, and the driver's personal auto policy is what is left. Period 2: The app is on, and the driver is waiting for a ride request. Once the driver logs in and is available for rides, Ohio's rideshare coverage requirements apply. The coverage must provide at least $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident for bodily injury, plus $25,000 for property damage. In practice, that coverage usually comes from the rideshare company's own policy. It is meaningful coverage, but it can fall well short of what a serious injury actually costs. Period 3: The driver is on the way to a pickup, or a passenger is in the car. From the moment a driver accepts a ride request until the last passenger gets out of the car, the required coverage rises to at least $1 million, and the rideshare company's liability policy generally provides it. This is the broadest coverage in the rideshare framework. When the rideshare driver caused the crash, it is typically the coverage available to injured passengers and to people in other vehicles. One more piece of the framework matters. Many personal auto policies exclude coverage while a driver is logged in to a rideshare app, and Ohio law expressly allows that exclusion, including for the driver's own UM/UIM coverage. When the driver's personal policy does not provide the required coverage, the rideshare company's insurance must provide it from the first dollar of the claim, and it cannot require the personal insurer to deny the claim first. Seconds matter. Whether the driver had accepted a ride request before impact can be the difference between a $1 million policy and a policy with a $50,000 per-person limit. In a serious injury case, establishing the driver's app status at the moment of the crash is often one of the first and most important steps. Ohio law puts part of that burden on the driver. After a crash, a rideshare driver must provide proof of the rideshare coverage to everyone with a claim on it and, on request, must disclose whether they were logged in or on a trip at the time. If you are able to at the scene, ask, and write down the answer.

What Happens When the Driver Who Hit You Has No Insurance?

Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage ("UM/UIM") protects you when the at-fault driver has no insurance, or not enough insurance, to cover your losses. It is some of the most important coverage a person can carry. Here is what many people do not realize: since a 2001 change in Ohio law (Senate Bill 97), insurers are not required to offer UM/UIM coverage. It is optional for the insurer to offer and optional for the customer to buy. If you are not sure whether you have it, look for a UM/UIM line on the declarations page of your auto policy. Ohio's rideshare law does not require Uber, Lyft, or similar companies to carry UM/UIM coverage for their drivers or passengers either. As of this writing, Uber's own insurance page states that it maintains UM/UIM for rideshare in states where the law requires it, and that it does not maintain UM/UIM in every state. The same page points riders to their own insurance for UM/UIM benefits. Here is what that looks like in practice. Imagine you are a rideshare passenger and another driver runs a red light and causes the crash. If that driver is uninsured or carries only minimum limits, the rideshare company's $1 million liability policy may not help you, because your rideshare driver was not at fault. In that situation, your own UM/UIM coverage through your personal auto policy, or sometimes a household member's policy, may become the most important source of recovery. Identifying every policy that might apply, and in what order, is often a central part of the legal work in these cases.

Common Issues That Come Up in Rideshare Cases

Even when coverage exists, rideshare claims rarely resolve as smoothly as a standard car accident claim. Issues we commonly see include:
  • Disputes over which insurer is responsible: the driver's personal carrier, the rideshare company's insurer, or both
  • Delays while insurers point at each other, each waiting for the other to accept responsibility
  • Disagreement about the driver's app status at the moment of the crash, sometimes over a matter of seconds
  • Injuries that do not fully present themselves for days, such as concussions, soft tissue damage, or internal injuries
  • Requests for recorded statements from multiple insurance companies, each protecting its own interests
The rideshare company has records of the precise times the driver logged on and off the app, and of when a ride was accepted. In a claims investigation, Ohio law requires the company and its insurer to cooperate in sharing that information with the directly interested parties, including the exact log-on and log-off times for the 12 hours before and after the crash and a clear description of the coverage in place. In our experience, injured people rarely see any of it unless someone demands it for them. None of these issues means a claim cannot succeed. But each one is a place where an unrepresented injured person can lose ground without realizing it.

What This Means for You

A rideshare accident claim often involves more than one insurance policy, and the policies do not sort themselves out on their own. An injured passenger may have coverage available through the rideshare company's policy, the at-fault driver's policy, and their own UM/UIM coverage, all in the same case. Knowing which policies apply, in what order, and how to preserve each claim is not something most people should try to navigate alone while recovering from an injury. An experienced personal injury attorney can send preservation demands so trip data and vehicle records are not lost, obtain the records that establish the driver's app status, identify every layer of coverage, and handle the insurers so the focus stays where it belongs: on your recovery.

The Bottom Line

Rideshare travel is a normal part of daily life for many Ohioans, and that is not changing. But the convenience has a cost. A peer-reviewed study of ridehailing's arrival in U.S. cities, published in the Journal of Operations Management, found it was associated with roughly a 3% increase in fatal traffic accidents, for vehicle occupants and pedestrians alike. And when a rideshare crash does happen, the insurance picture is more complex than in a standard car accident. If you have been injured in a crash involving an Uber, Lyft, or other rideshare vehicle, do not assume the coverage picture is what it first appears to be. The personal injury team at [nap_names id="FIRM-NAME-1"] can help you identify every layer of coverage that applies to your situation and pursue the full value of your claim. Educational content, not legal advice. Every case turns on its facts.  ]]> by A. Paternostro <![CDATA[Economic vs. Noneconomic Damages in an Ohio Car Accident Case]]> https://www.rittgers.com/?p=83622 2026-09-01T18:13:45Z 2026-09-01T18:13:45Z Economic Damages: The Losses with a Paper Trail Under R.C. 2315.18(A)(2), economic loss covers lost wages and lost earning capacity, medical care and rehabilitation, vehicle damage, and any other expense the crash caused — home modifications, in-home help, paying someone to do the work you can no longer do. There is no cap on economic damages. R.C. 2315.18(B)(1). If your bills and lost income total $400,000, you can pursue all of it.

Noneconomic Damages: Everything the Receipts Don't Show

R.C. 2315.18(A)(4) defines noneconomic loss broadly — pain and suffering, mental anguish, disfigurement, loss of consortium and companionship, loss of care and guidance, and, in the statute's own words, "any other intangible loss." Loss of enjoyment of life falls squarely within that language. In a serious case, this is usually the larger and more valuable part of the claim. It is also the part the insurance company fights hardest, because there is no invoice to point to. What it actually means is concrete:
  • Sleeping in a recliner for eight months because you cannot lie flat
  • Being unable to lift your grandchild
  • Giving up the softball league, the garden, the motorcycle
  • The scar you see every morning
  • Needing your spouse to help you shower, and what that has done to your marriage
Consistent treatment, records that describe your limitations and not just your pain level, and witnesses who can say specifically what you used to do and no longer do are what turn that into a number a jury can award.

Ohio's Cap on Noneconomic Damages

R.C. 2315.18(B)(2) limits noneconomic damages in an ordinary injury case to the greater of $250,000 or three times your economic loss, up to $350,000 per plaintiff or $500,000 per occurrence.

The Cap Often Does Not Apply — But That Is Where the Real Fight Is

Under R.C. 2315.18(B)(3), there is no limit at all on noneconomic damages if the injury involves permanent and substantial physical deformity, loss of use of a limb, loss of a bodily organ system, or a permanent functional injury that prevents you from independently caring for yourself. The cap is removed, not raised. The jury's number stands. However, the statute does not define any of those phrases. Is a scar a "permanent and substantial physical deformity"? Is nerve damage a "loss of use of a limb"? Is a bowel or bladder injury the loss of a "bodily organ system"? Those questions get argued case by case. Judges answer them differently. Counties answer them differently. And the medical proof it takes to win the argument has to be built into your case from the start, not raised at the end. Insurance companies price cases assuming the cap applies. When it does not, the value changes completely. Whether you get there depends on your facts, your venue, your experts, and how the record was developed long before anyone sees a courtroom. The type of case matters too. There is no cap at all in wrongful death claims — R.C. 2315.18(H)(3) exempts them, and the Ohio Constitution provides that damages for death caused by another's wrongful act shall not be limited by law. Medical negligence claims run under a separate statute, R.C. 2323.43, with a different structure. The rules are not interchangeable. This is work that requires lawyers who try these cases and know how these arguments land. We do it. It is not something an adjuster is going to sort out for you in the first thirty days.

Why It Matters

A crash with modest bills but a permanent injury may be worth far more than the medical specials suggest. The mistake is accepting a number before anyone has determined which set of rules applies to you.

Talk to a Lawyer Before You Accept a Number

If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in an Ohio car accident, call [nap_names id="FIRM-NAME-1"] today for a case evaluation and make sure you pursue the full compensation you are owed.]]> by Justin Sanders <![CDATA[When a Work Injury Is More Than a Workers’ Compensation Claim: Understanding Ohio’s Exclusive Remedy Rule and Third-Party Liability]]> https://www.rittgers.com/?p=83392 2026-08-17T18:37:19Z 2026-08-17T18:37:19Z If you are injured at work in Ohio, your first thought may be that you should be able to sue the person or company responsible for your injuries. After all, if someone’s negligence caused you to suffer a serious injury, shouldn’t you be able to bring a personal injury lawsuit? Ohio law provides an important, and perhaps surprising, answer: when an employee is injured in the course of and arising out of employment, workers’ compensation generally provides the exclusive remedy against the employee’s employer. That does not necessarily mean, however, that a workplace injury is limited to a workers’ compensation claim. In many cases, an injured worker may have a viable personal-injury claim against someone other than the employer. Identifying those potential defendants can make an enormous difference in the amount of compensation available to an injured worker. This is one reason why work-injury cases require careful investigation at the outset. A careful attorney will ask: Who else may be legally responsible for causing this injury?

The Workers’ Compensation System and the “Exclusive Remedy” Rule

Ohio’s workers’ compensation system is based on a statutory compromise between employers and employees. In general terms, employees receive a system of benefits without having to prove that their employer was negligent. In exchange, employers receive protection from most negligence lawsuits arising from workplace injuries. Consequently, an employee generally cannot sue the employer merely by alleging that the employer:
  • Failed to provide a safe workplace;
  • Failed to properly train or supervise the employee;
  • Failed to follow an applicable safety rule;
  • Failed to maintain equipment properly;
  • Provided defective or unsafe equipment;
  • Failed to correct a hazardous condition; or
  • Otherwise acted negligently.
Those allegations ordinarily belong in the workers’ compensation system rather than a negligence lawsuit against the employer. In a typical negligence case, the injured person must establish the elements of negligence and prove that another party's conduct caused the injury. Workers’ compensation generally does not work that way. The system is designed to provide benefits for qualifying work injuries without requiring the employee to establish that the employer was negligent. The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation administers the workers’ compensation system and determines compensability and the allowed conditions of a claim.

What About an Employer That Did Something Really Bad?

This is where the law becomes more complicated. Ohio recognizes a narrow exception for an employer intentional tort. But it is important not to confuse “intentional tort” with ordinary negligence, recklessness, or even extremely bad safety practices. An employer generally cannot be held liable for an intentional tort unless the employee proves that the employer committed the tortious act with the intent to injure, or with the belief that injury was substantially certain to occur. That is an exceptionally high burden of proof the injured worker must meet to successfully sue the employer. In practical terms, the fact that an employer knew a condition was dangerous; violated OSHA requirements; ignored safety complaints; had previously experienced accidents; failed to correct a known hazard; or acted with serious negligence does not, in general, establish an employer intentional tort.

The safety-guard presumption

There is a particularly important Ohio statute regarding safety guards on work equipment. Under R.C. 2745.01(C), an employer’s deliberate removal of an equipment safety guard can create a rebuttable presumption that the employer intended to injure another person if the employee's injury occurs as a direct result of the removal. The statute also contains a similar provision concerning deliberate misrepresentation of a toxic or hazardous substance. These exceptions are narrowly construed and rarely keep workers comp rules from applying to a given case. The Ohio Supreme Court has explained that “deliberate removal” requires a deliberate decision to lift, push aside, take off, or otherwise eliminate the guard. The mere failure to require protective clothing, for example, does not constitute removal of an equipment safety guard. Accordingly, an injured employee should not assume that a particularly egregious safety violation automatically creates an intentional-tort claim against the employer.

The Most Important Question May Be: Who Else Caused the Injury?

The exclusive-remedy rule protects the employer. It does not automatically protect every other person or company that may have contributed to a workplace accident. This is where the investigation of a work injury can become substantially more important than the initial workers’ compensation claim. Consider a construction worker who is injured when a piece of equipment malfunctions. His employer may be immune from a negligence lawsuit because of workers’ compensation exclusivity. But that does not necessarily answer whether the equipment manufacturer, maintenance company, subcontractor, property owner, or another responsible entity may be liable. Likewise, consider an employee injured at a construction site because of an unsafe condition created by another contractor. The injured worker may have a workers’ compensation claim through his employer while also potentially having a tort claim against an unrelated third party whose negligence caused the accident. Potential third-party defendants can include:

General contractors

A general contractor may have responsibilities relating to site safety, construction operations, coordination of contractors, or dangerous conditions. However, certain self-insured construction projects operate under a workers’ compensation plan that extends coverage and immunity throughout the project. An attorney must determine the structure of the project and the applicable workers’ compensation arrangements before assuming a tort claim exists.

Subcontractors

A subcontractor may be responsible for creating or failing to correct a dangerous condition, improperly performing its work, negligently operating equipment, or otherwise causing an accident. But, again, the workers’ compensation status of the particular project and the relationship among the parties must be investigated.

Manufacturers and distributors of defective products

A workplace injury can also result from a defective machine, tool, component, vehicle, safety device, or other product, although, in Ohio, an injured person cannot sue a manufacturer if the product is more than 10 years old.

Property owners and other entities

Depending upon the circumstances, an injured worker may also have a claim against a property owner, premises operator, equipment owner, maintenance company, engineering firm, inspection company, or other entity. The key is not to assume that the employer is the only potentially responsible party.

Workers’ Compensation and a Third-Party Lawsuit Can Exist at the Same Time

Ohio law specifically recognizes claims against “third parties,” persons or entities that may be liable to an injured worker, independently of the workers’ compensation system. This means that workers’ compensation and a third-party personal-injury claim can operate together.

Why a Thorough Investigation Matters

The difference between a workers’ compensation-only case and a case involving a viable personal injury or defective product claim can be substantial. Workers’ compensation provides important benefits to injured workers, but it is not the same thing as a traditional tort recovery. A successful personal injury claim against a responsible third party can potentially provide damages that are not available through workers’ compensation in the same manner. At our firm, we look beyond the workers’ compensation claim to determine how the accident happened and who was responsible for creating the conditions that caused it. Depending on the circumstances, that investigation may involve:
  • Obtaining and preserving photographs and video from the accident scene;
  • Identifying every company and individual working at the location;
  • Determining the contractual relationships among the parties;
  • Investigating the general contractor and subcontractors;
  • Determining who owned, leased, maintained, inspected, or operated equipment;
  • Identifying the manufacturer and distributors of potentially defective products;
  • Examining equipment, machinery, tools, and safety devices;
  • Reviewing maintenance and inspection records;
  • Obtaining safety policies, training records, and incident reports;
  • Identifying witnesses and obtaining witness statements;
  • Reviewing OSHA records and investigative materials when applicable;
  • Examining contracts and indemnification provisions;
  • Determining the workers’ compensation status of the various entities;
  • Investigating whether a construction project was subject to a special workers’ compensation arrangement; and
  • Identifying applicable insurance coverage.

The Bottom Line

Ohio's workers’ compensation system is designed to provide injured employees with a remedy for workplace injuries while generally protecting employers from tort liability. That exclusive-remedy rule is broad, and the exception for employer intentional torts is narrow and difficult to establish. But a workplace accident may involve negligent or otherwise wrongful conduct by a general contractor, subcontractor, product manufacturer, property owner, equipment company, motorist, or another third party. If you or a family member has suffered a serious injury at work, or if you are an attorney who has encountered a work-injury case involving potentially responsible third parties, our firm can evaluate the circumstances, investigate the accident, and analyze the potential claims and workers’ compensation implications.]]> by Edward Perry <![CDATA[Arousal Mitigation and Defending CSAM Charges In A Digital Age]]> https://www.rittgers.com/?p=83355 2026-08-04T18:41:30Z 2026-08-04T18:41:30Z In our criminal defense practice, we frequently represent individuals who never imagined they would be facing a federal or state investigation. Many of these cases follow a strikingly similar pattern: a habit that began with legal, mainstream pornography that gradually spiraled into the possession of illegal child sexual abuse materials or CSAM. If you are currently under investigation or fear your digital trail has crossed a legal line, understanding the mechanics of escalation is vital—not just for your mental health, but for your legal defense.

The Phenomenon of "Arousal Migration"

The legal system often views the possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) as a black-and-white issue of intent. However, from a defense and clinical standpoint, it is often the result of habituation. As a person develops a compulsive relationship with pornography, the brain’s reward centers can become desensitized. What was once stimulating becomes mundane. This leads to a "search for novelty" where the user seeks out increasingly taboo or extreme content to achieve the same physiological response. In legal terms, we see this manifest as:
  • Decreased Shock Value: Material that was once repulsive becomes a curiosity.
  • The "Click-Hole" Effect: Algorithms and peer-to-peer sharing can push a user from legal sites to "darker" corners of the web in seconds.
  • Blurred Boundaries: The transition from extreme legal adult content to illegal material is often a blur rather than a conscious "jump."

The Legal Reality: Ignorance is No Defense

Both state and federal statutes prohibiting possession of child sexual abuse materials are incredibly strict. In many jurisdictions, "I didn't realize it was illegal" or "I was just looking for something more intense" does not provide a complete defense against charges of possession or distribution. However, understanding the psychology of addiction can be a critical component in mitigation. Demonstrating that a client was caught in a cycle of escalation rather than acting with predatory intent can sometimes influence sentencing or the direction of a case.

Supporting Research: The Evidence of Escalation

When building a defense strategy, we look to established studies to explain why a client’s behavior changed over time.
  • Tolerance/Escalation: Explains why a defendant moved from "mainstream" to "extreme" content over a specific timeline.
  • The Novelty Seeking Model: Provides context for the "accidental" discovery of illegal material through compulsive searching.
  • Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder (CSBD): Recognized by the World Health Organization’s classification of diseases as an impulse control disorder rather than an addiction, can be a key factor in seeking treatment-based alternatives to incarceration.

Why You Need Immediate Legal Counsel

If you suspect that you have downloaded illegal material, or if law enforcement has seized your devices, the time to act is now.
  • Do Not Delete Evidence: This can lead to additional charges of "Tampering with Evidence" or "Obstruction of Justice”.
  • Remain Silent: Anything you say to investigators—even if you are trying to explain the "escalation" mentioned above—can and will be used against you.
  • Hire a Criminal Defense Firm: You need an attorney who understands both digital forensics and the psychological nuances of these cases. Our firm provides a judgment-free environment to discuss your situation. We work with forensic experts and psychologists to build a comprehensive defense that accounts for the complexities of digital addiction and escalation.
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