For more than 30 years, the Washington, DC car accident lawyers at Regan Zambri Long have recovered over $1 billion for car accident victims across the DC Metro Area. Our board-certified trial attorneys understand the complexities of Washington, DC law and are not afraid to fight for your compensation while you focus on recovery. As a result, Regan Zambri Long has been honored by Best Lawyers, Martindale-Hubbell, Super Lawyers, Lawdragon, and Best Law Firms for their commitment to accident victims.
Washington, DC sees more than 22,000 car accidents each year, according to the District Department of Transportation. Behind those numbers are families dealing with injuries, medical bills, lost income, and decisions they were never prepared to make. The decisions you make in the days and weeks after the crash will affect what you can recover. DC has specific laws — including a contributory negligence rule that can bar compensation entirely if you’re found even partially at fault — that make local, experienced representation critical.Â
That’s where our attorneys can help. Contact Regan Zambri Long today to speak with an experienced DC personal injury lawyer. The consultation is free, and there is no fee unless we win your case.
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Not every personal injury firm in Washington, DC, will take your case to trial. Most settle quickly because trials are expensive, time-consuming, and uncertain. Insurance companies know which firms go to court and which ones don’t, and they negotiate accordingly.
Regan Zambri Long is a trial law firm. Our attorneys have taken complex car accident cases to verdict in DC courts and have the results to show for it, including a $20 million jury verdict for a teenager struck by a bus that ran a red light, a $15 million settlement for a client who suffered paralysis after a car accident, and a $14 million settlement for car crash victims who suffered catastrophic injuries.Â
Our founding partners — Patrick Regan, Salvatore Zambri, and Victor Long — are all board-certified in Civil Trial Law and Civil Practice Advocacy. Patrick Regan holds fellowships with both the American College of Trial Lawyers and the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, distinctions held by fewer than 1% of attorneys nationwide. These are not credentials earned through years of practice — they are credentials earned through years of winning.
If you were seriously injured in a Washington, DC car accident, this is the level of representation your case deserves. Call now.
Negligence causes the vast majority of car accidents in Washington, DC. According to DC’s Vision Zero program, there were 5,866 car accident-related injuries in the District in 2025. Of that number, 302 victims suffered serious injuries, and 25 lost their lives.Â
The most common causes our attorneys see include:
The injuries our car accident attorneys see most often, and the ones that require experienced legal representation, are the serious ones: the injuries that change how someone lives, works, and functions long after the crash itself.
The steps you take immediately after a car accident in Washington, DC, can significantly affect your ability to recover compensation. Here is what to do:
When you contact Regan Zambri Long after a car accident, here is what happens:
There are no fees unless we win. We offer free consultations 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Washington, DC has several laws that directly affect what you can recover after a car accident — and how insurance companies will approach your claim. Understanding them before you talk to an insurer is critical.
DC gives drivers the option to elect Personal Injury Protection coverage, which covers medical expenses and lost wages regardless of who was at fault. What most people don’t know is that electing PIP may limit your right to sue the at-fault driver for additional compensation. This is a decision with real consequences, one worth discussing with an attorney before you make it.
DC law requires drivers to carry minimum liability coverage of $25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident, and $10,000 for property damage. In serious injury cases, these limits are often inadequate, which is why uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage matters.
If the at-fault driver carries no insurance or insufficient coverage to compensate your injuries, your own UM/UIM policy becomes your primary source of recovery. DC law requires insurers to offer UM/UIM coverage. Our attorneys handle UM/UIM claims regularly and know how to maximize recovery when the at-fault driver’s coverage falls short.
Washington, DC is one of only four jurisdictions in the United States that still follow pure contributory negligence. Under this rule, if an insurance company or jury finds you even 1% at fault for the accident, you may be barred from recovering any compensation — regardless of how seriously you were injured or how reckless the other driver was.
Insurance adjusters in DC know this rule and use it deliberately. They look for any evidence of shared fault — a lane change, a yellow light, a momentary distraction — to invoke the contributory negligence bar and deny your claim entirely. It is one of the primary tactics used to avoid paying what injured victims are owed.
Regan Zambri Long’s attorneys have litigated DC car accident cases under contributory negligence for more than 30 years. We know how adjusters build these arguments, and we counter them from the moment we take a case.
Under DC Code §12-301, you have three years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury claim in Washington, DC. Missing that deadline typically means losing your right to compensation entirely, regardless of how strong your case is.
There are important exceptions:
The safest approach is to contact an attorney as early as possible. Evidence disappears, witnesses become harder to locate, and surveillance footage is routinely deleted within 30 to 60 days.
Regan Zambri Long handles all types of car accident cases in Washington, DC, including:
The value of a car accident case depends on the severity of your injuries, the clarity of liability, the at-fault driver’s insurance limits, and the long-term impact on your health and earning capacity. Our attorneys calculate the full value of your claim before any settlement negotiations begin.
If the at-fault driver carries no insurance or insufficient coverage, your own uninsured or underinsured motorist policy becomes your primary source of recovery. DC law requires insurers to offer UM/UIM coverage. Our attorneys handle these claims regularly.
It depends on the complexity of the case and whether the insurance company negotiates in good faith. Straightforward claims can be resolved in a few months. Cases involving serious injuries, disputed liability, or uncooperative insurers can take longer, particularly if litigation becomes necessary. We move cases as efficiently as possible without settling for less than they are worth.
Not before speaking with an attorney. Insurance adjusters are trained to minimize payouts. Anything you say, including casual statements about how you feel or what happened, can be used against your claim. Contact Regan Zambri Long before giving any recorded statement.
Nothing unless we win. Regan Zambri Long works on a contingency fee basis — no hourly fees, no upfront costs. Our fee is a percentage of what we recover for you.
When you hire an experienced car accident attorney at Regan Zambri Long, you hire someone to be your advocate. With almost 30 years of experience in car accident litigation in Washington, DC, we have achieved multi-million dollar settlements and verdicts for our clients.
Remember, you have only three years to file a lawsuit in the District of Columbia; missing that deadline typically means losing your right to compensation entirely. We do not charge a fee unless your case is settled. Call today to learn how Regan Zambri Long can help.
Have you or your loved one sustained injuries in Washington DC, Maryland or Virginia? Regan Zambri Long PLLC has the best lawyers in the country to analyze your case and answer the questions you may have.