Ohio is a “tort liability” state, meaning that the at-fault driver in an accident is responsible for paying for the damages suffered by the victim. The victim can sue the at-fault driver without insurance to recover economic and non-economic damages, including medical expenses, loss of income, property damage, and pain and suffering. If you are an uninsured driver and are more than 50% at fault for the damages in a car accident, the other party can sue you for damages. You are also subject to penalties for driving without insurance.
In these cases, the victim of an accident or their insurance company can sue you to recover damages. Your car accident lawyer will handle all the legal details of your case, prove the other driver's negligence, negotiate on your behalf, and advocate vigorously to recover the compensation you deserve for your losses. Ohio requires that all drivers have insurance coverage, and if you are caught without it, the penalties are high. While you may fight to recover compensation from the at-fault driver after a car accident, you will still face penalties for driving without insurance.
You could face severe penalties if you've been involved in a car accident and didn't have insurance or financial liability coverage. If you can't present proof of insurance at a traffic stop or at the scene of an accident, the state will temporarily suspend your driver's license, license plates and vehicle registration. If you are convicted within five years of a second offense for driving without insurance (after having a car accident), your driver's license will be suspended for one year. If you are at fault for an accident but don't have car insurance, the other party can file a personal injury lawsuit against you.
This means that full insurance coverage is not mandatory and that the vehicle owner will only need to meet the minimum coverage requirements under the requirements of Ohio law. The Ohio BMV receives state accident reports that include who had a car accident, whether the drivers had insurance, and if the accident caused property damage or injuries. Unfortunately, if you are an at-fault uninsured driver who caused an accident, you will likely have a difficult time finding an attorney to represent you. Even so, many drivers use it to be able to file a claim with their own insurance, since the chances of having an accident with an uninsured driver are higher than you think.
Under Ohio law, the state will automatically suspend your driver's license, license plate and registration if you are caught driving without car insurance. Even if you don't have insurance, you shouldn't be responsible for damage caused by an accident that was someone else's fault.
