Hundreds of people lose their lives on Maryland roads every year, and thousands more suffer crash-related injuries. For a small state, that is far too many. Most crashes are preventable, but unfortunately occur due to another driver’s negligence. If a collision happens to you, it can derail your life without warning. A Greenbelt car accident lawyer can help you return to normal life as soon as possible.
Car accidents come with many questions: Should I talk to the insurance company? Do I really need all these medical treatments? When is a lawsuit in order? Contact an experienced personal injury attorney at Price Benowitz for a free consultation and answers to all your questions and concerns. If you have a claim, they could handle every step of the process.
Negligence
Negligence is the legal basis for most car accident claims. Successful car accident claims in Greenbelt involve proving the defendant was negligent in some way and their negligence resulted in the injury of the other party. A negligent driver is a person who fails to operate a vehicle with reasonable care. If another person’s negligence harms you in some way, such as causing you to suffer broken bones or bruises, they are liable to you for your injuries from the collision.
Examples of negligence include the following:
- Failing to use reasonable care. Reasonable care is the amount of care that a reasonably prudent person would use while driving.
- Failing to obey posted traffic signs. Failing to maintain a proper lookout.
- Failing to keep a safe distance between vehicles. Sometimes weather conditions, such as ice or snow, make it unsafe to drive at the posted speed limit. Reasonable care requires drivers to go slower than the posted speed limit when conditions require it.
- Failing to pay attention to the road.
Proof of negligence is sometimes difficult to establish. Often there are no witnesses to an accident besides those involved, who can be biased. Sometimes after an accident, drivers will blame each other for causing the accident. A car accident lawyer in Maryland can help you present evidence to a jury or judge in Greenbelt, to show the other driver caused your injuries. While it is a daunting task to face alone, an attorney can help you prove the other party’s negligence.
Damages in Greenbelt Car Accident Cases
If a negligent driver collides with your vehicle or body, that driver is liable to you for damages. Damages include any physical, emotional, or financial harm caused to you by the collision. For example, the money you pay to the doctors and hospitals that provide care and treatment for your injuries is one type of damage. Lost wages or loss of sick leave and vacation time are also forms of damages. Most people aren’t used to putting a value on a person’s pain and suffering after a car accident collision. An accident attorney can help you accurately assess your damages and make sure that you are compensated for all of your losses.
What Is the Role of Each Party’s Insurance After a Car Accident?
In Maryland, the at-fault driver is legally responsible for paying for the accident’s aftermath, so their insurance pays for your medical bills, vehicle repairs, and any other losses. If the other driver doesn’t have insurance or enough coverage, your uninsured or underinsured motorist policy takes effect. Some drivers also carry optional personal injury protection, which covers medical expenses and lost wages no matter who caused the accident.
If you were at fault, your liability insurance pays for the other driver’s damages. Your collision coverage may help fix your car, but it is not a legal requirement. Both insurance companies typically investigate the crash, and each usually tries to limit what they pay. That is why it is important to document everything, get a police report, and be extremely cautious when talking to both your and the other party’s insurance company. A seasoned Greenbelt attorney could help you collect and present evidence effectively in your car crash case.
Where Do Car Accidents Tend To Happen?
Local vehicle accidents often occur on the Baltimore-Washington Parkway (MD-295), which runs directly through the city. Greenbelt Road (MD-193), especially near Beltway Plaza Mall and the I-495 interchange, also sees a high volume of accidents due to congestion and lane changes. Intersections such as Greenbelt Road and Kenilworth Avenue are common sites for T-bone and turning accidents.
Experienced Greenbelt auto accident lawyers say that lower-speed crashes often occur in residential neighborhoods and apartment-complex parking lots. These wrecks are more likely to involve pedestrians or cyclists.
Types of Car Collisions
In Greenbelt, our car wreck attorneys see many:
- T-bone crashes: typically happen when a driver fails to obey traffic signals or turns without yielding
- Intersection accidents: common at busy junctions such as Greenbelt Road and Kenilworth Avenue, where drivers may run red lights or fail to yield
- Sideswipe collisions: occur when vehicles drift out of their lanes, particularly on multi-lane roads such as MD-193
- Rear-end crashes: often the result of distracted driving or sudden stops, especially on congested roads such as the Baltimore-Washington Parkway
If someone else caused your car accident, Maryland law expects their auto insurance to cover the losses you have suffered.
To find out more, reach out to a local car accident attorney with your questions. It is free to ask a lawyer at our firm preliminary questions—this allows them to evaluate the strength of your case while helping you to learn your rights and formulate a plan.
When To File a Car Accident Lawsuit
A proactive lawyer might file a car accident lawsuit in Greenbelt when the at-fault driver’s insurance company denies the claim or offers an unfair settlement. Filing a lawsuit is also common when the crash causes serious injuries, long-term medical bills, or lost income. It may also be appropriate if the at-fault driver was uninsured or fled the scene.
Consult a Greenbelt Car Accident Attorney Now
After a traffic collision, you may be able to obtain financial relief with the right legal representation. From investigating your crash to negotiating with insurers, attorneys are here to protect your rights every step of the way. Call and see if compensation is possible in your case.
Reach out to a dedicated Greenbelt car accident lawyer from Price Benowitz now for a free, no-obligation consultation, and get the legal help you deserve.
