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If you or your loved one were injured in a car accident in Rockville, Maryland you have a right to compensation. A car accident can upend a victim’s life in a matter of seconds. In a single moment, you can go from living a normal life to having to deal with physical pain, emotional trauma, extensive property damage, and even grief.
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At Regan Zambri Long, our car accident lawyers have won millions for our clients in over two decades of service to the residents of Maryland. We are confident we can do the same for you. We offer a free consultation to new clients. You will speak with a compassionate Rockville car accident lawyer who will patiently listen to your story, assess your case, and go to work for you. Don’t hesitate – call today to get the process started.
Maryland is an at-fault state for car accidents. That means, if you are involved in a car accident with another driver, you can pursue a car accident claim against that driver if his or her negligence caused the car crash.
It is important to note that when you file a claim against another driver, you are technically filing the claim against the driver’s insurance company. In the aftermath of a car accident, when you’re dealing with physical pain, emotional trauma, and personal loss, going after a large insurance company can be intimidating and overwhelming. That’s where the car accident lawyers at Regan Zambri Long come in.
We strongly advise all our clients and all car accident victims to refrain from speaking to insurance companies, even your own insurance company, without an experienced legal advocate by your side. Insurance companies are known to lowball car accident victims. In fact, the job of an insurance adjuster is to do everything in his or her power to save money for the insurance company. A Regan Zambri Long car accident attorney will make sure the insurance company offers a fair settlement. If they do not, we will take them to court.
In the state of Maryland, a driver needs more than just a valid driver’s license to operate a motor vehicle. All drivers must obtain auto insurance coverage that meets the state’s minimum requirements. There are three different types of insurance policies a driver must carry:
Thankfully, the amount of uninsured and underinsured motorists has fallen in the last several years. Maryland falls in 16th place in the U.S. for uninsured motorists with 14.1% of drivers having too little or no coverage at all. If you are in an accident with an uninsured motorist, do not fret. With the help of a car accident lawyer, you can still secure fair compensation for your injuries and losses.
During your free case evaluation, one of our Rockville car accident attorneys will guide you through the process of filing an uninsured motorist claim through your own insurance company. We will make sure your car insurance company gives you the highest financial compensation possible and lowers your deductible to $250 (as per Maryland law). Trying to obtain a fair settlement from an insurance company, even your own, can be tricky. It is in your best interest to reach out to a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible.
A car accident claim is a type of personal injury claim. A car accident victim submits a formal claim to an insurance provider to obtain financial compensation to cover damages related to the accident. Since Maryland is an at-fault state, you can submit a claim to your insurance and the other driver’s insurance provider.
The first thing you should do is speak to a Rockville car accident lawyer. As we talked about before, insurance companies are not on your side. They will often use what you say against you in settlement negotiations. Let your lawyer do the talking.
When you partner with a car accident attorney, they will formally submit the claim to the insurance company and begin negotiations. In the state of Maryland, a car accident victim has three years from the date of the accident to open a car accident case. While this may seem like a long time, if the victim does not formally file a claim within that window, they will forfeit the right to collect compensation. The Rockville car accident lawyers at Regan Zambri Long will file your claim correctly and on time.
Rockville, Maryland is less than 25 miles from the busy metropolis, Washington DC. Major highways such as I-270 and I-355 run through the city. In fact, the only fatal car crash in Rockville in 2021 was on I-355. The heavy traffic of daily commuters and tourists in DC increases the risk of a car accident.
The five most common types of car accidents in Rockville, Maryland are:
A rear-end car crash is when a vehicle crashes into the car in front of it. In a rear-end collision, the passengers in the back are often at the most risk of injury.
A head-on collision is an accident involving two vehicles moving directly toward each other. These types of accidents are also known as frontal collisions. In 2020, head-on car accidents made up over 10% of the total car crash fatalities in the United States.
Otherwise known as broadside collisions. These accidents are when the front of one car hits another car on its side, forming the shape of the letter “T.” These accidents often happen at busy intersections and accounted for 23% of occupant deaths in 2020.
This type of accident is simply when more than two cars are involved in a car accident. They can happen when an drivers don’t stop in time or swerve into other lanes when trying to avoid a crash, a stopped car, or an erratically-moving car.
Sideswipe accidents are when two vehicles, traveling next to each other in the same direction, make contact with one another. Sideswipe crashes are particularly dangerous for the occupants inside the vehicles. Cars have protection in the front and back, but very little protection on the side, increasing the risk of serious injury for the passengers. Because of the lack of protection, sideswipe accidents account for over 2% of fatal car accidents in the U.S.
There are endless reasons for car accidents occurring in Rockville and across the United States. Many times, accidents are just that – accidents. However, at Regan Zambri Long, our law firm specializes in accidents resulting from negligence.
Negligence is the failure to take proper care in doing something. Every Maryland driver has a duty to other drivers on the road to remain focused on the task at hand – driving. If a driver takes his attention, eyes, or hands off the road in front of him, even for a moment, that can be considered negligent driving. The consequences can be disastrous.
At Regan Zambri Long, our car accident lawyers handle a variety of car accident cases based on negligent driving. The list below are the most common negligent behaviors, but they are not all negligent behaviors. Whether or not you see your particular situation on this list, call the Regan Zambri Long personal injury lawyers today for a free initial consultation. An experienced car accident attorney will listen to your story and provide a reasonable assessment of your case.
Distracted driving is when a driver operates a vehicle but is engaged in other activities at the same time. Distracted driving comes in 3 different types of forms:
Most drivers who disobey traffic laws, like running through red lights or stop signs, admit to being distracted at the time of the violation.
Not only are there strict criminal consequences for breaking speed laws, but there are also serious hazards to those who refuse to follow the speed limit. Speeding increases the risk of losing control of the vehicle, rolling over the car, reducing the reaction time of the driver, and incapability to stop short if necessary.
The Maryland State Highway Administration sets speed limits based on pedestrian and bicycle traffic, schools in the area, land use and road conditions, and frequent car crashes. Drivers who disobey the speed limit laws greatly increase their chance of a catastrophic car accident.
Drowsy Driving
Driving while fatigued can be deadly. Over 17% of drivers have admitted to falling asleep behind the wheel at some point in their lives. Interstates 270 and 355 run through the city of Rockville. Both highways allow commercial trucks.
Unfortunately, some of the biggest culprits of drowsy driving are truck drivers. Although the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration sets strict regulations about how many hours a truck driver can be behind the wheel, many trucking companies talk their drivers into ignoring those regulations in order to speed up delivery times. As a result, residents of Maryland often share the road with extremely tired truck drivers. What makes it even more dangerous is that these drivers are operating vehicles that can weigh 27 times more than a regular car.
Aggressive driving is any behind-the-wheel behavior that puts another person or someone else’s property in danger. Tailgating, cutting in front of another driver and slowing down, weaving in and out of traffic, blocking cars, and improper turns are all examples of aggressive driving.
Impatience, anger, and road rage can lead to erratic driving. That type of driving can cause needless accidents resulting in serious injuries and even death.
There is no set amount of damages you can receive from an auto accident case. The compensation largely depends on the severity of your injuries and the extent of the property damage. However, a Regan Zambri Long car accident lawyer will pursue the highest compensation possible.
There are three different types of damages you can recover in your claim:
Economic damages are objective monetary losses the victim sustains from a car accident. The different economic damages an accident lawyer will pursue are:
Non-economic damages are more subjective and therefore harder to quantify. In order to collect the maximum compensation for non-economic damages, it is essential to have an experienced car accident lawyer by your side. The non-economic damages your accident lawyer will work to secure are:
While economic and non-economic damages are meant to compensate the victim, punitive damages are meant to punish the offender. These damages exceed regular damages awarded in a personal injury lawsuit in order to deter the defendant from future harmful and reckless behavior.
In the most tragic circumstances, a victim will succumb to their injuries sustained by a car accident. In those cases, the family members have the right to pursue compensation on the victim’s behalf. The statute of limitations for a wrongful death claim is the same as a personal injury claim: the victim’s family has three years to file the wrongful death suit.
The damages the family members can recover from the claim are:
Contact a Regan Zambri Long personal injury lawyer if your loved one was tragically killed in a car accident. We will help your family navigate the claims process so you can focus on getting back on your feet.
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Maryland is one of the few states in the U.S. that still practices the contributory negligence doctrine. This regulation states that if the claimant is found to have any responsibility in the accident – even a small percentage – then he or she cannot pursue a personal injury lawsuit.
Maryland defense attorneys are quick to use contributory negligence to get their clients off the hook. However, our injury lawyers will not stand for it. We will make sure we build a rock solid case that includes medical records, police reports, eyewitness testimony, and photographic and video footage. Our attorneys will consult with accident reconstruction experts, medical professionals, expert witnesses, and other legal minds to make sure we secure a settlement or verdict in your favor.
During your free case evaluation, a Regan Zambri Long car accident attorney will walk you through the different obstacles that may arise during your case and how we will overcome each one.
At Regan Zambri Long, our accident lawyers know they are meeting their clients at some of the worst moments in their lives. You will not find a group of lawyers who are more understanding of the pain you’re in or of the stress you’re under. While we know we can’t change what happened to you, we hope to provide some relief in the form of justice and compensation.
Our accident lawyers practice in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington DC. We are regularly featured in Super Lawyers and are considered leaders in the legal community. Our client testimonials speak for themselves: when you partner with a Regan Zambri Long car accident lawyer, you have a fierce legal advocate by your side. We are compassionate in the conference room, but aggressive in the courtroom.
Call today for your free case evaluation. Let us bear the burden of the claims process while you and your family focus on a full and complete recovery.
