File a civil complaint within 2 years of the crash in Ohio, under Ohio Revised Code 2305.10. Yes - if your injuries reduce what you can earn going forward, Ohio law can let you recover diminished earning capacity, not just the paycheck you already missed.

That matters if you are back at work but not back to normal. Insurers love to argue, "You returned, so there's no wage loss." That is not the whole story. If a crash on I-75, I-71, or a Cincinnati nursing home transport van wreck leaves you unable to work overtime, lift, drive, stand long shifts, or keep the same production pace, your claim can include the difference between what you likely would have earned and what you can earn now.

This is separate from ordinary lost wages. Lost wages cover time already missed. Loss of earning capacity covers the future hit to your ability to make a living. For a sole income parent, that can be one of the biggest parts of the case.

Insurers rush hard near year-end renewals because they want a fast release before the full work impact is documented. Once you sign a settlement release, that future-income claim is usually gone.

What helps prove it in Ohio:

• Pay stubs, W-2s, overtime history, union scale or shift differential records
• Work restrictions from your doctor
• Evidence you had to move to lighter duty or fewer hours
• Medical opinions about permanent limits
• Vocational or economic analysis in larger cases

If the crash involved a work vehicle or happened on the job, you may also have a workers' compensation claim through the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation, but that does not automatically wipe out a claim against the at-fault driver or company. That trap matters around Cincinnati warehouses, delivery fleets, and plants tied to the Marysville and East Liberty Honda supply chain, where physical restrictions can slash earnings long before a person is fully out of work.