Car accidents can cause victims to suffer from serious or even catastrophic injuries, and these injuries may keep them working temporarily or long-term.
In addition to physical harm, car accident victims may develop post-traumatic stress disorder, an incredibly serious mental health condition that requires treatment.
The sad reality is that injury victims in Waldorf, MD, often struggle to recoup fair financial compensation for their medical expenses and other damages. If you’ve suffered from an auto accident, you shouldn’t be expected to pay out-of-pocket expenses if another driver caused your accident.
Have you experienced a crash with car accident injuries in Waldorf or another part of Charles County? Contact the Maryland personal injury attorneys at Zirkin & Schmerling by calling 410-753-4611.
The Importance of Hiring a Waldorf Car Accident Lawyer
Your accident will almost inevitably have serious financial consequences, and you must do everything possible to recuperate the full compensation you deserve. Fortunately, an experienced attorney can help ensure you recoup the most money possible.
Car accident victims often struggle with personal injury claims because of stingy and unscrupulous insurance companies. If your accident was someone else’s fault, their insurance company will do everything they can to avoid paying the full extent of your damages.
The insurer may argue that you were partially at fault for the accident, meaning you can’t recover compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and other losses.
Personal injury attorneys help their clients prove negligence after car crashes and other types of accidents. Your lawyer will assist you in gathering evidence to build an incontrovertible personal injury claim.
A knowledgeable attorney will also ensure that you pursue the most compensation possible.
If a negligent driver caused your accident, their insurance company may reach out and proactively offer a settlement for your troubles. Their offer may sound generous, but in reality, they’re attempting to undercut what you deserve. They want you to accept their cheap offer before you consult with an attorney.
If you agree to their offer, you won’t be able to pursue subsequent damages. For this reason, you must consult with a car accident attorney before accepting a settlement.
Finally, your injury lawyer will negotiate with the other driver’s insurance company so that you receive the most money possible. If you can’t reach a favorable settlement with the insurer, your attorney can help you sue them. Fortunately, most car accident cases settle out of the courtroom.
Contact a Waldorf Car Accident Lawyer today at 410-753-4611 to get started on your case.
Maryland Car Accident Laws
Car accident and traffic laws differ from state to state, and these varying laws have a significant impact on auto accident claims. You need to know the following laws if you drive in Waldorf, MD.
You’re Not Always Obligated to Report Your Accident
Unlike many states, Maryland does not always require drivers to report their accidents, but you must call the police in some situations:
- A motorist operated their vehicle under the influence of alcohol
- The crash damaged public property
- A driver fled the scene
- One of the drivers can’t move their vehicle safely
- A driver doesn’t have a valid driver’s license
- The accident injured someone
While you don’t always have a legal obligation to contact road authorities after an auto accident, you should still contact the police. The responding officer will create an accident report, which includes the events leading up to the crash and who the officer believes was at fault.
Victims can use police reports to prove who was the negligent driver and recover fair compensation with the help of a Waldorf car accident lawyer.
Maryland Is an At-Fault State
Maryland’s at-fault system means you have every right to pursue compensation if someone else causes your traffic accident. Depending on your case, you can receive compensation for vehicle damages, medical bills, lost income, loss of future earnings, and non-economic damages.
For instance, suppose a driver T-bones your vehicle after running a red light, leaving you with a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Your personal injury claim would include all of your medical bills related to the TBI, including doctor’s appointments, surgeries, prescriptions, physical therapy, and any other medical expenses.
In this situation, the TBI injury would likely impact you in other ways. The injury could keep you from working while you recover, or the injury could cause permanent limitations that keep you from returning to your job. The at-fault motorist caused you to suffer these losses, so they or their insurance company would be financially responsible for your lost wages.
Further, the accident and the resulting TBI injury could cause you emotional and mental harm. You could suffer from PTSD or anxiety from the traumatic event, and your TBI could reduce your quality of life.
In this scenario, you could seek compensation for non-economic losses. These damages would likely include pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life.
Car Accident Statute of Limitations in Maryland
Maryland drivers have three years to file an injury claim or lawsuit after a motor vehicle accident. If you wait more than three years, you will not be able to recover compensation for your car accident or resulting personal injuries.
While you technically have three years, it’s important to get started with your car accident claim as soon as possible after your accident. This is especially important if you suffer from injuries.
It often takes a great deal of time and energy to build personal injury cases, so you need to contact an attorney as soon as possible after your auto accident. Additionally, valuable evidence may no longer be available if you delay, such as witness testimony and skid marks.
You can get a free consultation with a Zirkin & Schmerling Waldorf Car Accident Lawyer to get started with your accident case. Schedule your free consultation online here or call 410-753-4611.
Contributory Negligence Car Accident Cases
Unlike most states, Maryland is what’s known as a contributory negligence state. This legal doctrine means that an injured person who was partially at fault for their damages cannot recover compensation from the other party.
For example, picture a driver who approaches a four-way stop sign. After stopping, they look at their phone to read a text message. They resumed driving while distracted, only to collide with another driver who ran through the adjacent stop sign without stopping.
In this scenario, the driver who had the right of way could still be considered partially at fault. They may have been able to prevent the crash if they hadn’t driven while distracted. The at-fault parties will not be able to recover compensation from one another.
Even if you’re considered just 1% responsible for your collision, you cannot recover compensation from the other driver or their insurance company.
Steps to Take When Involved in a Car Accident
Move Your Vehicle to a Safe Spot
If you’re able, move your vehicle away from the road so that you don’t congest traffic. Relocate your car to the road’s shoulder or another nearby location if your vehicle is still operational.
Seek Emergency Medical Attention
Accidents often cause serious injuries, especially in motorcycle accidents and collisions that occur at high speeds. If you or anyone else in the crash is injured, call 911. Wait for paramedics to arrive on the scene and receive medical treatment if necessary.
If no one is injured, call the police. Wait for them to respond to your accident and answer their questions honestly.
Exchange Information with the Other Driver
You’ll need to write down the other driver’s information to file an auto accident insurance claim.
Make sure to record their:
- Full legal name
- Phone number
- License plate number
- Address
- Insurance information
It’s critical to remember that you should NOT apologize while speaking with the other driver. Your apology can be used as an admission of fault even if you weren’t responsible.
Collect Evidence
Collecting photographic evidence while you’re still at the scene of the accident can help you build a successful claim. You should take photos and videos of the vehicle wreckage and other evidence, such as skid marks and relevant signage.
Another invaluable form of evidence is witness testimony. Ensure you speak with anyone who saw the crash occur. You should write down their first-hand accounts as well as their names and contact information.
Go to a Doctor
After you exit the scene of the accident, you should see a doctor as soon as possible. You may have suffered from delayed onset car accident injuries, and a doctor can diagnose the extent of your damage.
Make sure to retain all the medical records and bills, as this will help with your financial recovery.
Communicate with A Waldorf Car Accident Lawyer
You need to get in touch with a law firm that has extensive experience handling auto accident cases. Waldorf car accident lawyers can help you gather evidence and ensure you file correctly.
The law office will also negotiate with the at-fault driver’s insurer so that you recoup fair compensation.
Don’t Speak with Other Driver’s Insurance Company
It’s imperative that you only communicate with the at-fault driver’s insurance company through your car accident attorney. An insurance adjuster may contact you and request to record your account of the crash. The insurance company wants you to unintentionally admit that you were liable for your accident in some way.
You should leave all communication and negotiations to your car accident lawyer in their law office.
Tips for Avoiding Car Accidents in Waldorf
Traffic accidents can have devastating consequences, so it’s important to mitigate your risk of crashing. Additionally, as we’ve discussed, those who are even partially responsible for their accidents cannot recoup compensation from other drivers. This is all the more reason to drive with the utmost caution.
Some driving safety tips you should follow include:
- Drive defensively
- Follow the speed limit and other traffic laws
- Don’t drive while distracted
- Use traffic signals
- Never drive while under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Keep a safe stopping distance between yourself and the car in front of you
- Never drive while fatigued
- Slow down in adverse weather conditions
- Check your blind spot
- Be especially careful around pedestrians and cyclists
- Perform routine maintenance on your car, such as oil changes and tire rotations
Contact our Waldorf Car Accident Lawyers today at 410-753-4611 or schedule a free case evaluation.
Waldorf Car Accident FAQs
How Is Fault Determined for Driverless Cars?
Even the best driverless vehicles can malfunction and cause accidents. In standard car accidents, the driver who caused the accident is liable for damages. But what about when there is no driver?
While more and more auto manufacturers are boasting their driverless car technology, drivers are still required to sit in the cockpit. If the driverless car malfunctions, the person sitting behind the wheel still has a responsibility to prevent collisions.
If the “driver” of the autonomous vehicle could have prevented the driverless car accident, they’ll likely be liable for damages. For instance, if the driver was distracted or under the influence of alcohol, they’ll likely still be considered at fault if their car malfunctions and causes a crash.
Sometimes, driverless car accidents are unavoidable even when the person sitting behind the wheel is alert. The car’s wheel may lock up or its sensor may abruptly steer the vehicle into another car. In some cases involving car glitches and malfunctions, the driverless car manufacturer or designer may be liable.
Liability in these cases is complex, so it’s best to speak with an accident lawyer, as they can help you identify all parties who could be at fault for the collision.
How Does Sleep Deprivation Affect Drivers?
Did you know that driving while fatigued can be just as dangerous as driving under the influence of alcohol? Sleep deprivation limits a driver’s reaction time and motor skills similarly. This is incredibly common in truck accidents.
When a motorist has been awake for 18 hours, their reaction time and motor skills are similar to driving while having a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.05%. Once a driver has been awake for 20 hours, their body has similar impairments as driving with a BAC of 0.08%. Finally, being awake for 24 hours impairs the body similarly to a BAC level of 0.10%.
As you may already know, it’s illegal to drive with a BAC of 0.08% or more, and the reason why is because the impairment poses a serious threat to others on the road.
While far more common than drunk driving, fatigued driving is exceptionally dangerous and needlessly risks the safety of others.
How Do You Deal with PTSD After a Car Accident?
The physical effects of motor vehicle accidents are often obvious, such as broken bones, back injuries, and blunt force trauma. The sad reality is that car accidents frequently result in invisible emotional injuries, including anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
These emotional injuries are harder to detect than physical ones, but they can be just as detrimental to a person’s well-being, especially PTSD. Some of the symptoms of PTSD include sleep disturbances, intrusive memories, irritability, social withdrawal, and difficulty with memory as well as concentration.
If you suspect that you’re struggling with PTSD, you should see a qualified mental health professional. If you developed PTSD due to an at-fault driver, you have every right to pursue compensation. You may be able to recover damages for your medical treatment, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life.
What Are the Best Car Seats to Protect Your Child?
Modern vehicles offer critical safety features to protect drivers, such as airbags, anti lock braking systems, and seatbelt pretensioners. If you’re a parent, you need more than just vehicle safety features — you need a high-quality car seat to protect your child.
Children are highly vulnerable in the event of an accident, so it’s important to invest in a proven car seat that will mitigate their chances of suffering harm.
When choosing a car seat, you need to ensure it complies with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations. The seat should also include a 5-point harness to keep your child as secure as possible. If your child is younger than two, you should get a rear-facing car seat. Some of the best brands of car seats include Graco, Britax, Chicco, and Mesa Max.
Once you purchase a car seat, you must install it correctly. When in doubt, consult with a Kids in Safety Seats (KISS) technician. They can guide you through the entire process of installation.
Contact a Waldorf Car Accident Lawyer at Zirkin & Schmerling Law
If you need assistance filing a Maryland car accident claim or suffered from an auto accident injury, contact the law office of Zirkin & Schmerling. Our Waldorf car accident lawyers are experts in personal injury law, and they represent victims in Charles County and other local court systems of Southern Maryland.
An experienced Waldorf car accident lawyer in our law office will ensure you receive the most compensation possible for your personal injury case due to someone else’s negligence.
You can get a free consultation today with our car accident lawyers by calling us at 410-753-4611, or schedule your appointment online with an awesome attorney here.