All drivers owe a duty of care to others while operating their vehicles. When a motorist breaches this duty of care, the results are often automobile collisions of varying intensity. Victims of car accidents often suffer severe and painful injuries that require extensive medical treatments.
Serious injuries require serious compensation, which is why you should retain legal representation by an experienced Bel Air, Maryland car accident lawyer from Portner & Shure, P.A. Our award-winning attorneys have been successfully representing car accident victims in Harford County and throughout the State of Maryland for more than 30 years. When it comes to taking on car insurance companies, we know what it takes!
Call (410) 995-1515 or contact us online to get started.
What to Do Following a Car Accident
A car accident is a jarring experience. Obviously, your health is paramount, which is why you should seek medical treatment for your injuries immediately after a collision. Along with this, you should contact the police so that the accident can be documented with a formal crash report. If anybody witnessed the collision, you should obtain their name and contact information.
Do not forget that you should photograph the vehicles along with the scene of the accident. Finally, you should obtain the other driver’s name, contact information, and insurance information. Following an accident, it is not unusual for the other driver’s insurance company to attempt to contact you. Do not talk to them until you have first spoken with your car accident lawyer.
Injuries as a Result of a Bad Car Accident
People often suffer serious injuries due to automobile collisions. The severity of these injuries depends on the severity of the collision, but even low-speed crashes can cause injuries that require immediate medical attention.
Common injuries reported in car accidents include:
- Contusions
- Concussions
- Muscle sprains
- Neck injuries
- Broken bones
- Brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
Immediate medical treatment for severe injuries can be obtained at a hospital. Less severe injuries can usually be treated with a visit to a primary care provider or an urgent care center. Some people often forgo any type of treatment due to lack of health insurance, though. Many people are unaware they might have Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance coverage through their own car insurance policy, which can be used to pay for medical treatment regardless of who is the liable driver. This insurance type can also help pay for follow-up physical therapy appointments.
Some victims find themselves unable to work following a car collision due to their injuries. Medical documentation such as a sick slip should be obtained to prove that shifts and wages are being lost due to the accident.
How Portner & Shure, P.A. Can Help you
A Bel Air, Maryland car accident lawyer from our firm can help you build a successful case. Upon being retained, our attorneys can immediately begin investigating the facts surrounding your collision in order to obtain evidence such as photographs, witness statements, and police reports. Additionally, we can obtain copies of your medical records and bills to prepare a settlement demand for the other driver’s insurance carrier. Afterward, we begin settlement negotiations.
Damages, Denials & Defenses
Insurance companies often deny claims simply because they do not want to pay for the economic and noneconomic damages their policyholder has caused to another driver. A denial will force you to file a lawsuit to obtain compensation. To win a lawsuit in Maryland, you must prove all the elements of your case by a preponderance of the evidence, i.e., 51%.
The most commonly asserted defense in Maryland is contributory negligence. Under this defense, the insurance company will argue that you should be precluded from recovering anything if any evidence is presented that shows that you acted negligently and that your negligence contributed to the accident. Another common defense used by insurance companies is disputing your injuries. Insurance companies routinely argue that no injuries occurred because the claimant’s car appears to be mostly undamaged.
Contact a Bel Air, Maryland Car Accident Lawyer
Our attorneys at Portner & Shure, P.A. have been practicing law in Maryland for more than 30 years. This has allowed us to build a reputation for excellence among our clients and peers. As experienced litigators, we are not afraid to fight for our clients in and out of courts. Thanks to our efforts, we have earned numerous awards and five-star reviews written by prior clients.
