Columbus Personal Injury Lawyer

A “personal injury” occurs when one party’s actions harm another party. The injured victim has the right to claim compensation for the losses they suffered, but they will need legal counsel to guide them through this case. If you believe you have been injured by another party’s actions, a Columbus personal injury lawyer at Spangenberg Shibley & Liber can help you build a personal injury case and pursue accountability.

Experienced Personal Injury Representation in Columbus, OH

Spangenberg Shibley & Liber has been representing injured clients in Columbus and throughout Ohio since 1946. We have more than 80 years of experience handling some of the most challenging personal injury cases and have successfully recovered more than $1 billion in compensation for our clients. * We are confident we possess the skills, resources, and experience you need on your side if you believe another party is responsible for causing an injury.

Most personal injury cases filed in Columbus arise from “negligence.” This term can define a failure to use reasonable care in a situation or a failure to uphold a specific duty of care. When you need to hire a personal injury lawyer to help with your case, it’s crucial to choose one who has proven experience handling cases similar to yours.

When you choose Spangenberg, Shibley & Liber to represent you, you will have access to an experienced and compassionate team of legal advocates ready to answer your questions and address your concerns as they arise throughout your proceedings. We approach every personal injury case we accept with the goal of guiding our client to a favorable outcome as efficiently as possible.

Building a Personal Injury Case in Columbus

Spangenberg Shibley & Liber has an extensive record of successful representation in many types of personal injury cases in Columbus, including:

• Vehicle accident claims. Vehicle crashes are a leading cause of personal injuries in Ohio each year, and the Ohio State Highway Patrol recorded 264,532 accidents statewide in 2025. Of these accidents, 25,050 occurred in Franklin County. Most vehicle accidents happen because of driver negligence, but they may also result from illegal misconduct like drinking and driving.
• Premises liability claims. If you were injured because of a private property owner’s failure to maintain reasonably safe premises, ensure appropriate security, or address a known safety issue on their property, this can form the basis for a personal injury claim under Ohio’s premises liability laws.
• Workplace injuries. Injured workers are sometimes eligible to claim workers’ compensation benefits after they are injured on the job. However, some will have grounds for personal injury cases if specific parties are responsible for causing their injuries.
• Nursing home abuse and neglect. If you have paid a nursing home to care for an elderly family member and trusted them to discharge these responsibilities in good faith, only to discover they have abused or neglected your family member, we can help you pursue accountability.
• Medical malpractice claims. If you or a loved one suffered any injury due to negligence from a medical professional, you may have grounds to file a medical malpractice lawsuit. You need to hire a personal injury lawyer who has proven experience handling this type of case, as there are specific rules and procedures you must follow. There are also limits on the amount of compensation a plaintiff can claim for non-economic damages.
• Catastrophic injury claims. Some personal injuries are life-changing, causing permanent disabilities that can diminish the victim’s ability to work as well as their enjoyment of life. Spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain damage, and severe burns are just a few examples of personal injuries that often qualify as catastrophic.

In any personal injury case, the injured victim must identify the party responsible for causing their damages, prove the full extent of those damages, and then show that they solely resulted from the defendant’s negligence or misconduct. Your Columbus personal injury lawyer will be an invaluable asset for gathering the evidence you will need to establish liability in your case.

When a personal injury results from negligence, proving negligence requires evidence that shows the defendant had a duty of care in the situation in question, breached that duty of care in some way, and that their breach directly resulted in the plaintiff’s claimed damages. When a defendant causes a personal injury through illegal misconduct, they still face civil liability for the damages they caused, but they are also likely to face criminal charges from the state.

Building your case is likely to require evidence that may be difficult for you to obtain without an attorney’s assistance, and some of this evidence may not be obtainable for very long. When you choose Spangenberg Shibley & Liber to represent you, we will immediately begin investigating your case, gathering and preserving the evidence you will need to firmly establish liability.

Claiming Compensation for Your Personal Injury in Columbus

The objective of a personal injury claim is to recover compensation for your damages. In Ohio, the plaintiff has the right to seek compensation for any financial losses they suffered because of the defendant’s negligence or misconduct. In many personal injury cases, these economic damages include:

• Medical treatment costs. When a plaintiff suffers physical harm because of a defendant’s actions, the plaintiff has the right to claim compensation for the cost of any medical treatment they require to reach maximum medical improvement. This can include both immediate and future treatment costs if they suffered a serious injury that demands ongoing care.
• Lost income. A plaintiff may be unable to work while they recover from their injury. If so, the defendant is responsible for repaying the income the plaintiff is unable to earn during this period.
• Lost earning capacity. When a personal injury leaves the victim unable to return to work in the future, they have the right to claim compensation for the future income they are no longer able to earn. If this applies to your personal injury case, your Columbus personal injury lawyer can calculate an appropriate amount to reflect these projected losses.
• Property damage. When the defendant’s actions also damaged your personal property, repair or replacement costs can be included as economic damages.

Aside from economic losses, many personal injuries cause tremendous physical pain, emotional distress, and psychological trauma. The victim of a personal injury can also seek compensation for these intangible losses, but Ohio law limits pain and suffering compensation in most personal injury cases. However, these limits are typically lifted when plaintiffs have suffered catastrophic injuries, except in medical malpractice cases.

To successfully recover compensation for your damages, you must show proof that your claimed damages directly resulted from the defendant’s actions and not some other cause.

Some personal injury cases may also raise additional questions, such as whether the defendant must pay punitive damages to reflect the severity of their actions. Punitive damages may be awarded when a defendant has broken the law, or if their actions exceeded the scope of typical negligence. Your Columbus personal injury attorney can explain any such details in your case and how they may influence your total recovery.

Resolving Your Personal Injury Claim in Columbus

Ultimately, any personal injury case can raise complex legal questions and present unpredictable challenges as it unfolds. You have limited time to build and file this case, so it’s important to consult an experienced Columbus personal injury lawyer at your first opportunity. Once you have hired a legal representative, they can begin gathering the evidence you need to build your case, accurately calculating your damages, and preparing you for the proceedings ahead.

Many personal injury cases filed in Ohio and throughout the US are not resolved through litigation. While litigation is sometimes required, many cases are instead resolved through a private settlement negotiation process. During settlement negotiations, the plaintiff and defendant meet privately with their respective attorneys to negotiate mutually acceptable terms for resolving the case.

Spangenberg Shibley & Liber has decades of experience negotiating settlements for our clients in Franklin County and throughout Ohio, and we are also seasoned trial attorneys. You can rely on our team to negotiate a settlement if this is your optimal path to recovery, and we are fully prepared to represent you in litigation if your case requires it. We adjust our strategy to suit each individual client’s needs and goals.

Benefits of Hiring a Columbus Personal Injury Lawyer

Your personal injury case may appear straightforward at first. You may believe that the defendant is clearly responsible for causing your injury, and you may have a confident understanding of the extent of the damages you are eligible to claim in your case. However, the formal legal process of holding a defendant accountable for the damages they have caused is likely to be far more difficult than you are prepared to face alone.

When you hire a personal injury lawyer at Spangenberg Shibley & Liber to represent you, your legal advocate can provide ongoing support through every step of your case, from gathering crucial evidence and meeting filing deadlines with the court to accurately uncovering every form of compensation you are eligible to claim.

You need legal counsel you can trust to build and file your case, accurately determine the damages you are eligible to recover from the defendant, and guide you through the proceedings necessary for resolving your claim. Many cases can be resolved through settlement negotiations, but litigation is sometimes unavoidable. Whatever your case requires, you need to hire a personal injury lawyer you can trust to adapt accordingly.

Spangenberg Shibley & Liber is responsible for recovering more than 25% of the seven-figure-plus settlements secured throughout Ohio over the past two years. With more than $1 billion in compensation recovered for our clients, we have a strong record showing our firm’s commitment to our clients’ recoveries, and we are ready to leverage this experience for you in your case. Reach out to our firm as soon as possible to learn more about our legal services.

FAQs

Q: How Much Compensation Can I Claim for a Personal Injury in Columbus?

A: In Columbus, the amount of compensation you can claim for a personal injury typically depends on the severity of your injury and whether you have suffered any level of permanent harm. A Columbus personal injury attorney can accurately assess all of your economic damages, and they can also help you determine a suitable amount of compensation to claim for your pain and suffering.

Q: How Is Pain and Suffering Compensation Calculated in Ohio Personal Injury Cases?

A: In Ohio personal injury cases, pain and suffering compensation can be calculated based on the total of the plaintiff’s economic damages, their anticipated recovery time, and the scope of the injury’s long-term or permanent effects. Generally, pain and suffering compensation is proportionate to the severity of the victim’s condition and may form the bulk of their total recovery if they suffered any type of permanently disabling injury.

Q: How Long Do I Have to File a Personal Injury Claim in Ohio?

A: In Ohio, you typically have two years to file a personal injury claim. The statute of limitations starts on the date your injury occurred. If you fail to file your claim with the court within the statute of limitations, then your case will be dismissed regardless of merit. Two years may sound like more than enough time, but it could take longer than you expect to compile evidence and build your case. Hire a personal injury lawyer to help you as soon as possible.

Q: What Happens if a Plaintiff Shares Fault for Their Personal Injury in Columbus?

A: In Columbus, if a plaintiff shares fault for their personal injury, this will typically result in a diminished recovery under Ohio’s modified comparative negligence law. The plaintiff will be assigned a fault percentage and then lose this percentage of their total compensation, but only if they are found less at fault than the defendant. If the plaintiff’s fault percentage exceeds the defendant’s, then the plaintiff is barred from claiming compensation.

You should hire a personal injury lawyer in Columbus to have a better chance of not only winning your case but also of securing as much compensation as state law allows for your damages. A skilled local attorney at Spangenberg Shibley & Liber can provide the compassionate, results-driven legal counsel you need in this situation. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation with an experienced Columbus personal injury lawyer.

*Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every case is different and must be evaluated on its own merits.