Auto Injury / Car Accident

Washington DC, Northern Virginia & Maryland Car Accident Attorneys, Auto Injury Lawyers

Our car accident attorneys help clients with auto accident and auto injury issues in Maryland, Washington DC and Northern Virginia.

Sadly, car and motorcycle accidents are a part of daily life on the roadways. Cases arising out of automobile accidents are by far the most common type of personal injury case in our court system today.  There are almost six million motor vehicle accidents in the United States each year. Roughly one-third result in injury requiring medical attention and over 50,000 people are killed. Studies show that every 6 seconds someone in the United States is involved in a car accident and that every 11 minutes somebody is killed.

Speeding, driver fatigue, weather conditions, driver distraction, intoxication, youth and inexperience are among the many factors that can lead to a crash. Alcohol was involved in 40% of fatal auto accidents and 8% of all auto accidents. There were 16,653 lives lost due to alcohol-related auto accidents in 2000. That translates to an average of one alcohol-related fatality every 32 minutes.

A number of car accidents are also caused by defective auto parts or flaws in the design of the car that increase the exposure to dangers that passengers face. Defective steering systems, defective brakes, defective tires, defective air bags, defective seat belts, defective engine parts and systems that cause fire and explosions, defective helmets on motorcycles all contribute to the constant dangers on the road.

Our Maryland, Northern Virginia and Washington DC auto accident attorneys handle cases involving any of the following:

• All-terrain vehicle (ATV) accidents
• Car accidents, car wrecks, auto crashes and collisions
• Construction zone and highway accidents
• Driver and passenger injuries
• Drunk driving accidents and drug-related motor vehicle crashes
• Motorcycle accidents, motorcycle-truck crashes, and motorcycle-car collisions
• Rear end accidents, collisions, and crashes
• Rollover accidents involving ATVs, cars, motorcycles, semi-trucks, and SUVs
• Semi-truck accidents, eighteen wheeler collisions, and tractor trailer crashes
• Wrongful death lawsuits arising out of fatal motor vehicle accidents

Protecting Yourself after the Car Accident Occurs

An auto-accident can result in personal injury, financial loss and unfortunately in some cases the death of a driver, passenger, or a pedestrian. One usually has to deal with a loss of wages, medical bills, car repairs, and the suffering and inconvenience during the rehabilitation process can be physically, financially and emotionally draining. This experience is often further aggravated by having to deal with red-tape at hospitals, doctors’ offices, and as part of the insurance claim’s process.

The Insurance Factor

Typically, an insurance policy will cover the victim's damages. If the other driver has insufficient insurance or is not insured at all, the victim may be entitled to compensation from his or her own insurance company under an "uninsured" or "underinsured motorist" provision.

Do not jump at the insurance company's initial offer to settle your claim. In many cases it understands that the accident victim is in a difficult or distressed state and needs a quick financial settlement to cover bills and time missed from work. Also keep in mind that if you have been injured or suffered loss, it may take months for the full extent of your injuries and other losses to become fully known, so until you get the “okay” from your doctor, it is not a good idea to settle your case.

To protect yourself and your family in the event of a car accident, contact an experienced attorney to review your insurance policies and to inform you of your legal rights under your policies and most importantly to evaluate the true value of your case. Insurance companies have teams of attorneys and adjusters, along with years of experience in handling car wreck claims, and persons who try to go it alone, may face lengthy delays, confusing paperwork and procedures, unfulfilled obligations, and may not receive what their claim is worth.

Steps you can take after the auto accident which go a long way

After the accident there are important steps you can take in order to protect yourself legally. Below is a list of some of the things to do.

1. Get all information available about the other driver including name, address, phone number, date of birth, driver's license number, insurance company and insurance policy number.
2. Talk to as many witnesses as possible and get their names, addresses and phone numbers.
3. Talk to the police officer(s) and get his/her name(s) and when and where a police report will be available.
4. Seek medical attention right away. Symptoms may not show up for several days. Make sure the physician knows you have been in an accident.
5. Write down as many details about the accident you can remember right away. The longer you wait the less you will be likely to remember.
6. If possible, take your own pictures of the accident scene as soon as possible, especially if the cars have not been removed from the scene.
7. Take pictures of any damage done to your automobile.
8. Take pictures of any injuries to yourself, including bruises, cuts, etc.

Taking these actions immediately is the most important step, and will be very helpful in retaining as much evidence as possible to help protect your legal rights.

We offer FREE INITIAL CONSULTATIONS in personal injury, insurance and construction cases.