Experienced representation. Direct attorney access.
Personal injury representation focused on evidence, recovery and direct access
A personal injury claim is about more than medical bills. I want to understand how the incident happened, what treatment and future care may be needed, how the injury affects work and family, and what evidence must be preserved. Photographs, video, witness information, police or incident reports, medical records, wage documentation, damaged property and insurance materials can all become important.
My practice focuses on motor-vehicle accidents—including car, commercial-truck, delivery-vehicle, motorcycle and pedestrian collisions—along with dog bites and other animal injuries, medical malpractice, serious and catastrophic injuries, wrongful death and carefully screened premises-liability claims. Each claim requires its own analysis of responsibility, causation, damages, insurance coverage and filing deadlines.
My earlier work with State Farm Claims Litigation Counsel gave me experience with defense-side civil litigation and how insurers investigate, value and prepare injury claims. I use that perspective when developing evidence, responding to disputed fault or causation, evaluating coverage and preparing a client’s claim for negotiation or litigation.
When you hire Godinsky Law, you work directly with me rather than an intake department or rotating case manager. From my Strongsville office, I serve injured clients in Strongsville, North Royalton, Brunswick, Berea, Middleburg Heights, Brook Park, Olmsted Falls, North Olmsted, Parma, Broadview Heights, Lakewood, Medina, Elyria, Avon Lake and other nearby communities in Cuyahoga, Medina and Lorain counties.
Car accidents and motor-vehicle injury claims
I represent drivers, passengers and families after rear-end collisions, intersection crashes, distracted-driving accidents, impaired-driving collisions, uninsured or underinsured motorist incidents and other serious wrecks. I review fault, traffic controls, police records, photographs, video, witnesses, vehicle damage, medical evidence and every potentially applicable insurance policy.
Truck, commercial-vehicle and delivery-driver accidents
A commercial crash may involve the driver, employer, motor carrier, vehicle owner, maintenance provider or another company. Electronic data, dispatch records, driver qualifications, hours, inspection and maintenance records, cargo information and company policies may need to be identified and preserved quickly.
Motorcycle and pedestrian accidents
Motorcyclists and pedestrians can suffer severe injuries even when the impact occurs at a lower speed. Sight lines, right of way, road design, lighting, driver distraction, speed, video and physical evidence can be central to proving what happened.
Dog bites and other animal injuries
Ohio dog-bite claims can involve the dog’s owner, keeper or harborer, the location of the attack, statutory exceptions, witness accounts, animal-control records, medical treatment, scarring and available homeowners or renters insurance. ORC 955.28 provides a statutory basis for damages caused by a dog when its requirements are met.
Medical malpractice and preventable medical injury
A poor medical outcome alone does not prove malpractice. These claims require careful review of the records, the applicable professional standard, causation, damages, qualified expert evidence and specialized procedural requirements. ORC 2305.113 generally imposes a one-year period for medical claims, subject to the statute’s notice provision, repose period and limited exceptions, so early review is important.
Wrongful death and a family’s losses
Under ORC 2125.02, an Ohio wrongful-death action is brought by the personal representative for qualifying beneficiaries. Recoverable losses can include support, services, companionship and society, prospective inheritance, mental anguish, and reasonable funeral and burial expenses. The civil claim, estate and probate issues must be coordinated.
Premises-liability claims require careful screening
Unsafe-property claims are highly fact-specific. The precise condition, how long it existed, notice, inspection practices, lighting, warnings, photographs, surveillance and the injured person’s knowledge or conduct must be evaluated before deciding whether the evidence supports a claim.
Talk with the attorney who will handle your case
Experienced, personal help after a serious injury
I have experience representing people injured by negligence in Strongsville and surrounding Northeast Ohio communities. Call me to discuss what happened. If you retain Godinsky Law, I personally review the evidence, communicate with you and handle your claim.
What compensation may be available
Depending on the facts and governing law, a claim may seek medical expenses, future care, lost wages, diminished earning ability, pain and suffering, disability, disfigurement, property damage and other legally recoverable losses. Every category must be supported by evidence.
When fault is disputed
Ohio’s comparative-fault statute, ORC 2315.33, may permit recovery when an injured person’s fault is not greater than the combined fault of the other responsible persons, while reducing compensation by the injured person’s percentage of fault. Early preservation of photographs, video, witnesses and physical evidence can be critical.
Ohio deadlines and early investigation
ORC 2305.10 generally provides two years for bodily-injury claims, but medical claims, wrongful-death claims, governmental parties, minors and other circumstances may involve different rules, notice requirements or deadlines. Evidence can disappear long before a filing period expires, so the correct deadline and preservation steps should be evaluated promptly.
Dealing with insurance companies
An insurer may request a recorded statement, medical authorization or early settlement before the injuries and coverage are fully understood. I identify which insurer is asking, the applicable policy and the client’s obligations before advising how to respond.
Contingency-fee representation for accepted claims
For an accepted personal injury matter, the attorney fee is tied to the recovery rather than billed hourly. The written representation agreement explains the percentage, responsibility for case expenses and every other fee term before representation begins.
Local service throughout Northeast Ohio
I represent injured people from a Strongsville office serving western Cuyahoga County and nearby parts of Medina and Lorain counties. The accident location, responsible parties, insurance policies and claim type can affect venue and procedure, so I evaluate those questions from the actual facts.
Direct representation by Chris Godinsky
If I accept the matter and you retain Godinsky Law, I personally review the evidence, communicate with you and the insurance companies, explain meaningful developments and remain responsible for the claim through resolution.