Ohio's rule: barred only when you exceed everyone else combined
Under ORC § 2315.33, the contributory fault of a plaintiff does not bar recovery as long as it was not greater than the combined tortious conduct of all other persons from whom the plaintiff seeks recovery, and of all other persons from whom the plaintiff does not seek recovery in the action. Damages are reduced in proportion to the plaintiff's own fault — but only once that fault actually exceeds 50% of the total does recovery get barred entirely.
A genuinely distinctive detail: non-parties count too
Ohio's statute explicitly includes the fault of people the plaintiff isn't even suing in the comparison. This means a plaintiff's own fault percentage is weighed against literally everyone who contributed to the injury — named defendants and unnamed, un-sued parties alike — not simply against whichever specific individuals happen to be named in the lawsuit.
The 50/51 distinction, precisely
A claimant found exactly 50% at fault still recovers half of their damages under Ohio's rule, because their fault was not greater than everyone else's combined. A claimant found 51% at fault recovers nothing at all.
Worked example
Someone with $100,000 in damages, found 20% at fault, recovers $80,000. That same person, found 50% at fault instead, still recovers $50,000. Found at 51%, that same person recovers nothing at all.
A separate damages cap worth knowing
Beyond the fault-percentage bar itself, Ohio generally applies a statutory cap on non-economic damages (pain and suffering) in most personal injury cases, under ORC § 2315.18 — a distinct limitation from the comparative fault analysis, but one that can affect the total recovery in a given case regardless of fault percentage.