Motor Vehicle Accident Attorney

Being involved in a motor vehicle accident can cause serious and sometimes permanent injuries. These can range from soft tissue injuries, referred to as “whiplash,” to cuts and bruises, broken bones, herniated discs, and traumatic brain injuries (TBI). The motor vehicle accidents attorneys at the law firm of Dross Berman LLC have handled thousands of motor vehicle accident cases and recovered millions from insurance companies.

Our motor vehicle accident injury attorneys have learned through handling thousands of motor vehicle collision cases that no car accident is the same, and not every car accident should be dealt with the same way. How an auto accident has impacted your life or the life of a loved one is a highly individualized matter, and each person has a unique set of circumstances or challenges following a collision. The car accident lawyers at Dross Berman LLC take the time to get to know you and your case because this preparation leads to better results.

Do I Need An Motor Vehicle Accident Attorney?

If you have been involved in a car accident, it is important that you speak with an attorney to protect your rights and maximize your recover.

Types of Motor Vehicle Accidents

There are various types of motor vehicle accidents that can occur – rear-end collisions, hit and runs, failing to yield when another driver has the right of way, trucking accidents, and many more. Each accident type can have different types of damages and injuries that can occur. An experienced motor vehicle accident attorney can navigate the claims process and help you recover for your losses and damages.

Common Causes of Motor Vehicle Accidents

Motor vehicle accidents can be triggered by a multitude of factors, each differing in their degree of predictability and preventability. One of the primary causes is human error, which includes distractions like mobile phone use, drowsy driving, speeding, reckless driving, or driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Environmental factors such as adverse weather conditions, including rain, snow, fog, or icy roads, can significantly increase the likelihood of an accident. Mechanical issues, such as brake failure, tire blowouts, or engine malfunctions, can also lead to accidents if a vehicle isn’t adequately maintained. Lastly, roadway issues such as inadequate signage, potholes, or poorly designed intersections can contribute to accidents. The risk of accidents is further compounded by factors like night driving, inexperience, and driving in unfamiliar areas.

¿Qué debo hacer después de un accidente de tráfico?

Estar en un accidente de coche es abrumador y estresante. Después de una colisión, debes tomar las siguientes medidas:

• Salga de la carretera. Si es posible, no te quedes en la carretera, ya que esto podría provocar una segunda colisión; sal al arcén o a una zona segura y bien iluminada. Asegúrate de poner las luces de emergencia para ser visible al tráfico.
• Evaluate injuries. If you or a passenger in your vehicle is injured in a car crash, call 911 immediately. Understandably, people avoid a hospital trip, but even slight dizziness can be a symptom of a severe closed head injury such as a concussion. It is better to be safe than sorry. Document and create a record of all your injuries as early as possible by reporting all symptoms to the attending physician, no matter how minor it may seem at the time. Even if you do not feel injured, do not admit to feeling “fine” or “alright” at the scene of an accident. If you start to feel pain after leaving the scene, the insurance company will use this previous statement to claim that you weren’t injured in the crash. Some injuries, especially injuries to the neck and back, will sometimes not become symptomatic (i.e., pain and stiffness) until days after an accident.
• Diga lo menos posible. Independientemente de las circunstancias de la colisión, incluso si usted cree que es el conductor culpable, no se disculpe ni hable de cómo ocurrió el accidente. Maryland, el Distrito de Columbia y Virginia tienen una ley llamada "Negligencia Contribuyente", un viejo concepto legal que sólo unos pocos estados siguen. Si usted tuvo incluso un 1% de culpa en la colisión, está completamente excluido de la recuperación. La compañía de seguros utilizará cualquier comentario o disculpa que haga en el lugar de los hechos en su contra y denegará una reclamación al seguro. Una de las primeras cosas que hace la compañía de seguros es tratar de encontrar una manera de establecer ese "1%".
• Call the police and file a report. Regardless of the extent of the collision, call the police to exchange information and write a report. With a police officer present, you can rest assured that you will obtain all the necessary information from the other driver. Also, the officer will create an accident report that will serve as a record of the crash and may help establish fault if there is a dispute as to responsibility. Get the law enforcement officer’s information, such as their badge number, and ask for a police report number.
• Exchange personal and insurance information. If it is impractical for a police officer to arrive at the scene, do your best to gather as much information as possible from the other motorist. This information is critical. Request to see a copy of their driver’s license and insurance card and take down the information or photograph the cards if possible. Obtain information such as the driver’s full name, their address and phone number, their drivers license number and license plate number, the make, model, and color of their car, their insurance information, the date and time of the accident, weather conditions, the location of the accident, the nearest intersection/mile marker, and whether there were other passengers in the vehicle.
• Toma fotografías del lugar del accidente y de los daños materiales de ambos coches. Utilice la cámara de su teléfono móvil para tomar fotos de ambos vehículos, de las intersecciones principales y de otros factores en el lugar del accidente que puedan haber sido un factor en el mismo. Esto puede ayudar a su compañía de seguros de coche en el proceso de reclamación.
• ¿Puede conducir su coche con seguridad? Si puedes conducir tu coche con seguridad, no pasa nada por llevarlo a casa. Si tu vehículo no funciona o es inseguro de alguna manera (incluso si los faros están apagados), ponte en contacto con la policía local, que puede ayudarte a llevar tu coche a un aparcamiento. Si no estás seguro, peca de precavido y haz que lo remolquen. Si la grúa se lleva el coche a un aparcamiento, asegúrate de informar del siniestro lo antes posible, para que la compañía de seguros pueda trasladarlo. De lo contrario, podría tener que pagar una cuantiosa factura de la grúa.
• Seek legal advice immediately, or report the claim. If you think you may need a motor vehicle accidents attorney, it is best to contact one as soon as possible. This will allow the attorney to handle the claim from the beginning and ensure that it is being properly handled. If you decide not to retain a motor vehicle accident attorney or personal injury attorney, report the claim to both your insurance company and the other driver’s insurance company. Ensure you receive a claim number, name, and contact information for the adjuster handling your claim. See our article about what an insurance policy must pay for following a collision.
• DO NOT GIVE A RECORDED STATEMENT OR ACCEPT AN INITIAL OFFER. The other driver’s insurance company will almost always immediately request that you provide a recorded statement. You have no legal obligation to comply with their request, and the recorded statement is simply being taken to gather evidence to be used against you to deny your claim. Politely decline the request. In addition, the other driver’s insurance company might make you a token settlement offer, such as $2,000.00 “for the inconvenience.” Do not accept any offers until you have taken the time to assess your losses with a personal injury attorney. Once you accept any offer, you may lose any rights you may have had under the law.

Dealing With Auto Insurance Companies After a Motor Vehicle Accident

Insurance companies are constantly working to minimize what is paid out for a claim. It is important that you avoid the many pitfalls that can arise when dealing with insurance companies. Do not give recorded statements, do not admit any fault, and do speak with an attorney before speaking with an insurance company!

¿Qué debo hacer con mis daños materiales?

After a collision, getting your vehicle repaired can be very stressful. If your vehicle has been taken to a tow lot, moving it to a repair shop as quickly as possible is vital. Otherwise, you risk the insurance company denying payment of the storage fees at the tow facility.

Si su póliza de seguro tiene cobertura por colisión, conseguir que su vehículo sea reparado a través de su compañía de seguros es la forma más rápida y fácil de gestionar los daños materiales. Esto se debe a que la compañía de seguros de la persona responsable puede tardar algún tiempo en investigar el incidente antes de aceptar pagar los daños materiales. Incluso en los casos en los que es evidente que la otra persona es responsable de causar la colisión, la aseguradora puede tardar semanas en determinar la responsabilidad.

Al pasar por su propia compañía de seguros, su vehículo será reparado mucho más rápido que esperar a que la aseguradora de la parte responsable acepte la responsabilidad, pero usted tendrá que pagar su deducible. Una vez que la otra parte acepte la responsabilidad, su compañía de seguros le reembolsará la franquicia. Si tu vehículo ha sufrido un accidente y todavía se puede conducir, puede ser más fácil esperar a que la otra compañía de seguros concluya su investigación antes de repararlo.

If your vehicle is considered a “total loss,” meaning that it is unrepairable or that the cost of repairs exceeds a certain percentage of your vehicle’s value, the insurance adjusters will offer you the fair market value for your car. This amount may be negotiable, and you shouldn’t necessarily accept the amount they are offering. Researching the value of your car at these sites can assist in negotiating with the insurance companies:

Kelley Blue Book: www.kbb.com

Asociación Nacional de Concesionarios de Automóviles: www.nada.com

In addition to being compensated for the repairs to your vehicle, you are entitled to a comparable rental car during the repairs as the collision victim. Frequently, a vehicle will sustain a loss in value due to the damage. The responsible person’s insurance company will pay for the “diminution in value” to your vehicle. Unless you specifically ask for this, they will not offer it.

Los abogados de Dross Berman LLC proporcionan rutinariamente la dirección y la ayuda en la navegación con conseguir su vehículo reparado como parte de nuestro servicio a nuestros clientes.

¿Qué pasa si no hay muchos daños en mi vehículo, pero me duele?

Today, automobile manufacturers design vehicles to withstand large impacts without significant damage, but people’s bodies have not changed. The insurance companies will sometimes try to argue that accident victims cannot be injured if there is not much visible damage to their vehicle. This assertion could not be further from the truth – no one should not let the amount of damage to their vehicle prevent them from seeking the appropriate medical care for their injuries after a collision.

En Dross Berman LLC, hemos visto a nuestros clientes sufrir lesiones graves y daños corporales permanentes en una colisión en la que había daños menores visibles en el vehículo. Si usted está experimentando dolor, usted debe buscar atención médica tan pronto como sea posible y hablar con un abogado de lesiones personales que está bien versado en el manejo de los casos de accidentes de tráfico y las reclamaciones de accidentes de tráfico.

What Kind of Compensation Can I Get From A Motor Vehicle Accident Claim?

La ley obliga a la compañía de seguros del responsable a indemnizar equitativamente a la víctima por los siguientes conceptos

• Daños a la propiedad
• Facturas y gastos médicos, incluso los cubiertos por el seguro médico
• Lost income or lost wages
• Gastos médicos futuros si hay una lesión permanente
• Future lost income or diminished earning capacity if there is a permanent injury
• Pérdida de consorcio (si está casado y la lesión afecta a la relación con su cónyuge)
• Dolor, sufrimiento y molestias
• In some states, including Virginia, car accident victims can seek punitive damages under certain circumstances if a drunk driver is an at-fault party in an automobile accident

¿Cuál es el valor de mi reclamación por accidente de tráfico?

No two claims are the same. Any attorney who places a dollar value on your claim immediately after an accident is either guessing or dishonest.

Why choose Dross Berman for your motor vehicle accident claim?

The attorneys at Dross Berman LLC take a highly-individualized approach to maximize the value of your claim. We believe that if we take the time to prepare your case individually, we will show the results in the compensation you receive.

La compañía de seguros de la persona responsable es probablemente un negocio multimillonario. Ellos hacen su dinero encontrando maneras de negar su dolor o minimizar su sufrimiento. Deje que los abogados de Dross Berman LLC luchen por usted. Si desea saber más, por favor llámenos al 240-403-7200 para una consulta gratuita y revisión del caso. Trabajamos con los clientes en una base de honorarios de contingencia para reducir la cantidad de dinero que tiene que gastar de su bolsillo.

Visite nuestro blog para obtener información adicional sobre otras cuestiones que pueden surgir tras una colisión de vehículos de motor.