Drivers in Maryland and the District of Columbia are required to obey the rules of the road and drive safely to prevent crashes. When a person fails to follow traffic laws or is inattentive or otherwise negligent behind the wheel, the risk of a car accident increases significantly.
When a car accident is the result of failure to follow traffic laws or negligence behind the wheel, the at-fault driver is legally responsible for the injuries and property damage they cause. Anyone who suffers injury or property damage due to a driverās negligence should pursue compensation for their losses arising from the car accident.
If you have been injured in an accident that was not your fault, you need a compassionate, dedicated, experienced Waldorf car accident lawyer who will be by your side at every step in the process of pursuing compensation in a car accident claim.
Charles County car accident attorney Matt Trollinger has a proven record of obtaining favorable settlements and verdicts for clients pursuing compensation for car accidents. Contact our Maryland and D.C. car accident lawyer today to schedule a free consultation to discuss your options and learn more about your legal rights and options.
The insurance company did not offer reasonable compensation for my pain and suffering. Mr. Trollinger negotiated with the insurance adjuster. I received a very good settlement check.
ā Edward | From Our Avvo Reviews
Matthew and his office were understanding, respectful, communicative, and efficient. They were readily available to me by phone, e-mail, and face to face meetings. It is important to know that the workers compensation process takes time and there is a lot of waiting.
ā Antoinette | From Our Avvo Reviews
I cannot give enough positive praise for the care and attention afforded to me by Mr. Trollinger and his staff. They were incredibly responsive, empathetic, and produced positive results for me. The stress that was lifted from my shoulders through their care was immeasurable, and I am forever grateful. Thank you!
ā Catherine Sutton | From Our Google Reviews
You were understanding and very helpful and though I hope we are never in another situation like this again, you would be the one I called if I needed a lawyer.
How Our Traffic Collision Personal Injury Lawyer in Waldorf Can Help You
If you have been involved in a car accident, you may feel overwhelmed at the idea of trying to seek money to cover your losses, especially if you have been severely injured in the accident.
You may be feeling the financial pressures of medical bills that you cannot pay because you are out of work and not receiving any income. If you are severely injured, your time and energy are likely focused on your physical recovery.
You donāt have to do this alone. Get a personal injury attorney you can trust. A lawyer who will put you first.
Our Waldorf car accident lawyers can help you pursue compensation for losses that resulted from your car accident. Our car accident attorney is prepared to thoroughly investigate the accident to build a case with the details of how it occurred and identify which party or parties are responsible.
Our legal team can work with experts and accident reconstruction specialists, if necessary, to fully understand what caused the crash and who was at fault. Once the responsible parties are identified, our car accident attorney can begin negotiating with those parties and their insurers to try to obtain a fast and full settlement of your claim so that you receive the compensation you need as soon as possible.
We know that insurance companies try to settle claims for as little money as possible. We are ready to fight back against their tactics to aggressively pursue a settlement that is fair and covers all your losses.
If a settlement is not possible, our Trollinger Law LLC ā Charles County and motor vehicle accident lawyers in Frederick, MD have the experience to take your case to court. He will fight for you before the judge and jury to seek a verdict in your favor to provide you with all the compensation youāre entitled to.
Compensation in a Maryland Car Accident Claim
If youāve been involved in a car accident that was someone elseās fault, you may be entitled to several different kinds of compensation.
For your personal injuries, you may be entitled to two different types of compensation: economic damages and non-economic damages. Economic damages are intended to compensate an injured victim for a specific monetary loss that he or she has suffered. Non-economic damages are intended to compensate a victim for subjective losses that are not quantifiable by something like a invoice or a paycheck.
Examples of economic damages include:
Past and future medical expenses, including hospital bills, surgeries, prescription medication, doctorās office visits, medical equipment, and even renovations to your home to accommodate disabilities caused by injuries youāve suffered in the car accident
Past and future lost income, including lost income or wages due to work missed because of your injuries and compensation for any difference between your pre-accident and post-accident incomes caused by an inability to work due to your injuries
Examples of non-economic damages include:
Pain and suffering, which provides compensation for physical and emotional or mental distress caused by your accident and injuries
Loss of quality of life, which can represent your lack of ability to participate in activities you enjoyed prior to the accident or limited ability to perform tasks of daily living
Loss of companionship, which compensates your spouse or your family for the loss of your society and services to the family
In a car accident claim you may also be entitled to claim compensation for the damage to your vehicle, whether it is the cost to repair your vehicle or the value of the vehicle if it is deemed a total loss.
Maryland and the District of Columbia are two of a handful of jurisdictions in the country that still follow the contributory negligence doctrine in car crashes. This doctrine states that if you bear any share of responsibility for the car accident, you will be barred from seeking compensation from any party, even if that party was primarily responsible for the accident. This makes it critical to work with an attorney who can show that you were in no way to blame for the crash.
Deadline for Filing a Car Accident Lawsuit in Maryland and D.C.
The law imposes a time limit for filing a lawsuit for a car accident. This time limit is known as the statute of limitations. In both Maryland and the District of Columbia, the statute of limitations for filing a lawsuit for personal injury or property damage from a car accident is three years from the date of the accident.
A basis to extend the statute of limitations exists for minors. A minor has three years from their 18th birthday to pursue a claim arising from a car accident.
The statute of limitations is usually a strict bar to bringing a claim. This means you should contact a lawyer as soon as possible to get your case started.
What to Do If Youāve Been Hurt in a Waldorf Car Accident
If youāve been hurt in a car accident, there are steps you can take to begin to prepare your legal claim for compensation.
You should seek medical attention immediately after or as soon as possible after the accident, even if you do not think your injuries are very serious. Some potentially serious injuries may not show symptoms immediately, but the injury could be detected sooner during a medical examination.
Prompt medical attention means that you can start treatment more quickly, improving your medical outlook. Identifying injuries soon after your accident also means that you are better able to identify the accident as the cause of your injuries, rather than giving an opposing party a chance to claim that your injuries were unrelated to the crash.
At the scene, if youāre able, you should take photos. These photos should include the vehicles and their damage, any skid marks on the road, the conditions of the road (including potholes, black ice, etc.), the lighting and weather conditions at the time of the accident, and the traffic controls at the scene of the accident.
You should also begin collecting other evidence of your damages if you are able to. This includes collecting bills and invoices for your medical expenses and tracking the time you missed from work and the wages you lose. It may also be helpful to document how your injuries affect your life. Not only will it help bolster your credibility in regard to the severity of your injuries, but it will also provide evidentiary support if you make a claim for pain and suffering damages.
You should speak with experienced Waldorf car accident lawyers as soon as possible. You have a limited period by law in which to file a legal claim for your injuries. You will want to give yourself and your attorney as much time as possible to investigate your accident and prepare a case.
You may be contacted by insurance companies soon after the accident to give a recorded statement or accept a quick settlement. Remember that you do not need to say anything to or sign anything from the insurance company without having it first reviewed by an attorney.
Catastrophic Car Accident Injuries in Maryland and D.C.
Car accidents are capable of causing very serious and significant injuries. The law often refers to more serious injuries as ācatastrophicā injuries, defining them as injuries that are capable of keeping an injured person from working or completing the tasks associated with daily life.
Some common car accident injuries that are catastrophic in nature include:
Broken bones ā especially broken bones in the arms and legs, broken ribs, broken shoulder bones, and broken vertebrae
Soft tissue injuries ā injuries to the muscles, tendons, and ligaments of the joints, including strains and tears
Neck and back injuries ā injuries such as whiplash injuries and back muscle strains
Burns ā caused either by being thrown from a vehicle and sliding across the pavement, or burns caused by fires that occur immediately following an accident
Internal organ injuries ā including bruising and bleeding caused by blunt force trauma, or lacerations to organs caused by perforation injuries
Amputations of fingers, hands, arms, feet, and legs
Head injuries and traumatic brain injuries ā including fractured skulls, concussions, brain bleeds, and comas
The safety systems of modern vehicles have decreased the likelihood of catastrophic injuries in car accidents, but unfortunately, catastrophic injuries can still occur in car accidents at nearly any speed.
Common Causes of Car Accidents in Waldorf, MD
Car accidents often occur when one or more drivers become inattentive behind the wheel and or fail to follow the rules of the road. Although car accidents occur for any number of reasons, some of the more common causes of car accidents are:
If you have been involved in an accident that was caused by someone else, you must speak with experienced car accident lawyers as soon as possible. Donāt wait another day to pursue the financial recovery you deserve.
Yes, in some cases. You need to file a report to the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) within 15 days of the accident if anyone involved in an accident has been injured and no police officer was present.
Maryland is an āat-faultā state for determining who has financial liability for harm caused in a vehicle crash. Typically, the driver who authorities find legally to blame for an accident is responsible for the financial costs of injuries and other damage caused.
The statute of limitations for personal injury lawsuits is three years from the date of injury. In both Maryland and the District of Columbia, a minor has three years from the date he or she turns 18 to file their claims.
You should seek medical attention immediately. Prompt medical attention means that you can start treatment more quickly, improving your medical outlook.
At the scene, if youāre able, you should take photos. You should also begin collecting other evidence of your damages if you are able to.
Legal advice is recommended even when an insurance claim makes sense for your situation. Your case may seem simple on the surface, but a discussion with an experienced attorney can reveal potential complications that you may not consider.
