Maryland Car Accident LawyerIf you or a family member has been seriously injured in a car accident or other motor vehicle accident, you should know that the system is designed to take care of situations just like yours, where one party negligently causes harm to another. A skilled personal injury attorney at the Law Office of Steven Michael Selzer in Rockville, Maryland, can help you to assert your rights following a personal injury accident. We want our clients to get well and to be fairly compensated for their damages. A Rockville, Maryland, personal injury attorney at The Law Office of Steven Michael Selzer can help individuals in Montgomery County and throughout Maryland who have suffered serious personal injury as a result of negligence. Clients who retain our services will quickly learn that our primary goal, always, is to help people. Have you been injured in an auto accident as a result of someone else's negligence? Talk with a lawyer who understands that your health is your most important asset. Call the Rockville, Maryland, Law Office of Steven Michael Selzer at (301) 251-1590. You may wish to Contact Us on-line. Law Office of Steven Michael Selzer, Rockville, Maryland, serves clients throughout Maryland including: Rockville, Gaithersburg, Bethesda, Germantown, Silver Spring, Wheaton, Chevy Chase, Potomac, and counties including Montgomery County, Howard County, Frederick County, and Prince George's County.Evening Hours by Appointment ● Payment Plans Available Law Office of Steven Michael Selzer Motor Vehicle Accidents - An OverviewCases arising out of automobile accidents are by far the most common type of personal injury case in our court system today. This is not surprising, given that every 10 seconds, someone in the United States is involved in a car accident, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Except in those states where "no-fault" legislation has been passed, these cases are typically governed by the law of negligence. Generally, people who operate automobiles must exercise "reasonable care under the circumstances." A failure to use reasonable care is considered negligence. A person who negligently operates a vehicle may be required to pay for harm to a person or property, caused by his or her negligence. The injured party, known as the plaintiff, is required to prove that the defendant was negligent, that the negligence caused the accident, and that the accident caused the plaintiff's injuries. If you have been involved in a motor vehicle accident, do not hesitate to seek legal counsel from a personal injury attorney experienced in automobile accident cases in order to best protect your interests. In 2000, there were a total of 17,663 crashes caused by drivers with these aggressive driving behaviors. If you have been a victim of aggressive driving, click here to tell us about your case. Every 30 minutes, someone in this country dies in an alcohol-related automobile crash. If you have been affected by an alcohol-related accident, click here for an evaluation of your case. Improper design, maintenance, construction, signage, lighting or other highway defects, including poorly placed trees and utility poles, can also cause serious accidents. If you haven't brought a personal injury claim because you didn't think another driver was to blame, contact us to evaluate other potential defendants. Road rage is defined as "an assault with a motor vehicle or other dangerous weapon by the operator or passenger(s) of another motor vehicle or an assault precipitated by an incident that occurred on a roadway." If you have suffered as a result of someone else's road rage, contact us! Injuries and CompensationGenerally, an individual injured in an automobile accident may bring a claim or lawsuit to recover the actual expenses associated with property damage and medical costs, economic damages, and emotional and physical pain and suffering. Litigation involving motor vehicle accidents can be extremely complicated. Retaining an experienced lawyer familiar with motor vehicle accident damages will place you in the best position to receive the recovery that you deserve. Insurance Claims Dos & Don'tsDo call your agent as soon as a covered event takes place. As soon as you get home from the car accident, or even before you go to the doctor, call your agent. Do review and understand your coverage before talking to your insurer or your agent. Read the "Coverage" and "Exclusion" sections of your policy in particular. Uninsured or Underinsured MotoristsMany drivers ignore motor vehicle insurance requirements, cannot afford to purchase insurance, or carry insufficient insurance. Uninsured motorist coverage is a form of insurance that pays compensation for bodily injury that results from an accident with a driver who is legally responsible for the injuries, but has no liability coverage. Underinsured motorist coverage pays compensation for bodily injury that results from an accident with a driver who has liability insurance with limits that are lower than the injured party's underinsured motorist coverage limits. If you have been involved in an accident with an uninsured or underinsured driver, it is important that you contact an attorney at an experienced personal injury law firm immediately so you do not waive valuable legal rights. No-Fault InsuranceThe laws of the state in which the accident occurs determine who pays for the damages from an automobile accident. Basically, in a "no-fault" insurance state, fault is not placed on either party, and each driver generally submits a claim to his or her own insurance company instead of establishing blame. Many states, including Florida, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and others, have some form of no-fault insurance laws. No-fault auto insurance law is widely misunderstood, and is applied differently in every state that offers it. If you are in an automobile accident, you should contact an experienced personal injury firm to discuss how the relevant state law views fault and to determine how fault or no-fault laws may affect your right to recover damages for injuries. What to do if you are in an accidentIf you are involved in an automobile collision, stop. Most states require an individual not to leave the scene of an accident, even a minor one, without first stopping to see whether there are damages or injuries. A person may be criminally prosecuted for leaving the scene of an automobile accident. Motor Vehicle Accidents Resource Links
Federal Trade Commission
Insurance Information Institute
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety / Highway Loss Data Institute
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Call us nowor use the form below.Frequently Asked Questions about Motor Vehicle Accidents
Q: Can I recover even if the accident was my fault? A: Whether you can recover if the accident was your fault depends on the laws of your state. Some states do not consider fault with regards to some damages, and in those states some of your economic losses may be paid by your own no-fault policy. Other states consider fault, but you may still be able to recover for your injuries, even if the accident was partially your fault. However, in that case, you may be required to prove that the other party's fault was greater than yours, or to reduce the amount of your compensation by your percentage of fault. Q: Who can I sue to recover my damages? A: In some cases, an accident victim may be able to sue parties other than the at-fault driver. For example, if the at-fault driver did not own the car, the car's owner may also be liable for your damages. If the at-fault driver was impaired from consuming too much alcohol, you may be able to bring a "dram shop" complaint against a business that served alcohol to the driver even though he was visibly impaired. In some cases, you may be able to bring an action against another party, such as an automobile manufacturer or construction company, if a defect in the vehicle or the roadway caused the accident. If the accident involved a tractor-trailer, the driver's violation of rules and regulations may be the basis for a lawsuit against the driver or his or her employer. |
