Being involved in a car accident can be terrifying and painful. In the blink of an eye, your entire world, or that of your loved one, can completely change.
Now you may be facing insurance claims, medical bills, and potentially a permanent injury.
After a car accident, it can be very difficult to know which steps to take next. Emotional damage is to be expected. Physical trauma and a period of rehabilitation are also likely.
The very first step is to go to the hospital or a primary care physician to diagnose any non-apparent injuries. Some common injuries someone can sustain after a car accident include the following:
The next step is to receive all possible documentation, photograph the scene of the accident as much as possible, and obtain an official police report. It may even be helpful to keep a log of events, including time and location of the accident, who they spoke with, insurance and vehicle records, medical records, and any subsequent doctor or physical therapy visits.
In addition, you should contact an experienced car accident lawyer and schedule a consultation. Bring all of the documentation they have collected to this appointment. The attorney will review the documents, listen to their prospective client’s account of the accident, and create an action plan for reaching a settlement, or if necessary, going to court.
An appropriate car accident settlement will cover the cost of all medical treatment, past, current, and future. It will also provide compensation for non-economic damages – including pain and suffering, loss of quality of life, loss of consortium, and other personal and emotional impacts.
Car accidents can happen in many ways. Among them are rear-end collisions, distracted driving, drunk driving, failure to yield, and side-impact collisions. Below is a sample of other ways someone can be involved in a car accident.
When you are involved in a car accident, the last thing on your mind is worrying about how to proceed. You want someone who can take care of everything for you. Someone to make sure that all potential damages are accounted for so as not lose out any wages or other rights.
A good lawyer will devote their time towards securing compensation through expert advocacy while also making sure no unnecessary obstacles arise along this journey.
In some car accident cases involving serious or catastrophic injuries, the insurance company fails to offer a reasonable or fair settlement or attempts to claim that their client was not responsible. In these cases, it is imperative to file a lawsuit to seek justice and full compensation.
An experienced car accident lawyer will be able to determine what strategies to use when reaching a settlement or when going to court, as well as understand how to navigate insurance company policies and handle the intricacies of personal injury law.
First, make sure everyone is safe, then call 911. Even if the damage seems minor, a police report creates an official record that is important for insurance claims or lawsuits. Get medical help right away because some injuries, like whiplash, concussions, and internal damage, might not show symptoms right away but can get worse without treatment. Take photos of the scene, get the other driver’s insurance and contact details, and collect witness information. Do not admit fault or talk about the accident with the other driver’s insurance company before speaking to a car accident lawyer.
Washington D.C. uses contributory negligence, one of the strictest fault rules in the United States. This means if an injured person is even 1% responsible for the accident, they might not get any compensation. This makes proving who is clearly at fault very important.
Malloy Law handles all types of car accident cases in Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. This includes rear-end crashes, head-on crashes, T-bone crashes, distracted driving accidents, DUI accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, Uber and Lyft accidents, and multi-car pileups.
People hurt in car accidents may be able to get money for medical bills now and in the future, lost wages while recovering, loss of future earning ability, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and damage to their vehicle. In cases with especially reckless actions like drunk driving, extra punishment damages may also be possible.
In Washington D.C., you have three years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury claim. In Maryland and Virginia, the time limits are three years and two years, respectively. If you miss this deadline, you may lose the chance to get any compensation, no matter how strong your case is.
Getting hit by a driver without insurance or with not enough insurance happens more often than many think and does not mean you cannot get compensation. Depending on your own insurance, your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage might pay for your medical bills, lost wages, and other damages.
The most important types of evidence include the official police report, photos and videos of the scene and vehicle damage, surveillance or dashcam videos, medical records showing your injuries and treatment, witness statements, accident reconstruction reports, and proof of lost income.
Malloy Law has more than 15 years of experience representing car accident victims throughout Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. Their team of trial attorneys understands the nuances of D.C.’s contributory negligence standard and knows how to build compelling cases against well-funded insurance companies and defense teams.
At Malloy Law Offices, LLC, our team of trial lawyers focuses on cases of serious injury or wrongful death. Our scope of practice and experience has led to a reputation for excellence for our legal work in car accident cases. We represent the injured on a contingency fee basis. There is never a fee unless we win. With 15 years of professional experience, we are very familiar with complex car accident cases. If you have suffered serious injuries due to negligent driving conduct, we believe you deserve to recover the maximum possible compensation. Call us today to schedule a free consultation.
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