Motor Vehicle Accident FAQs: 7 Important Answers

When you need a reliable motor vehicle accident lawyer Hillcrest Heights MD can trust, Cohen and Cohen, P.C. is here to help. Our team of dedicated attorneys has consistently been voted as one of the top motor vehicle accident lawyer Hillcrest Heights MD has to offer and we’re proud to provide such invaluable counsel to local accident victims.

Car accident injuries can be very traumatic and it can be essential for individuals to obtain a fair financial settlement. As any experienced motor vehicle accident lawyer Hillcrest Heights MD can provide might attest, medical bills can begin to pile up almost immediately after a person is involved in an accident and is seriously injured. To make matters worse, financial losses might be compounded by incurring lost wages. After a car accident, victims might need to take weeks — or even months — off from work in order to recover. It’s important for these motor vehicle accident victims to know that it may be possible to receive financial compensation after being injured.

As an experienced motor vehicle accident lawyer Hillcrest Heights MD residents trust might agree, it’s common for prospective clients to have many questions about accident claims and lawsuits. While it’s important to emphasize that each person’s case is unique, and each case can be substantially affected by various factors, here are some of the more common Q&As that accident victims want to know.

1. “What should I do if I’ve been injured in the accident?”

When an accident causes serious injuries, it is important to seek medical treatment immediately and to report the accident to local authorities. It is also important to document any evidence of the accident, if possible. This may include taking photos of the scene and/or collecting contact information for eyewitnesses. There will likely be a police report to document the accident as well, and this may suffice for evidence documentation if the accident victim is too badly injured.

2. “Is it necessary to see a doctor even if the injuries aren’t severe?”

It may not be necessary to seek medical treatment after a minor motor vehicle accident, but this documentation can be beneficial if you choose to file an injury claim later. It’s possible for injuries to take time to develop, and it’s possible for minor injuries to worsen with time. Whiplash, for example, is a common car accident injury that affects the head and neck. This injury can initially appear to be minor but in some cases it may fail to heal properly. Obtaining a medical professional’s diagnosis can be helpful if the individual chooses to file a claim later.

3. “Who pays for the damages after an accident?”

This depends on how your state assesses liability in a car accident. Some states operate based on “no fault” rules, which mean that injury claims are provided by the claimant’s own insurance policy — even when another driver was responsible for causing the accident. Other states require the injured person to file a claim with the insurer of the liable driver, and this requires the claimant to prove that the other driver was responsible for causing the crash.

4. “What if I was partly responsible for causing the accident?”

As an experienced motor vehicle accident lawyer Hillcrest Heights MD trusts might explain, individuals involved in an accident may not be in the best position to determine liability. Some insurance companies have been known to convince accident victims to admit liability in order to lower the settlement that the insurer will have to pay. Many lawyers recommend seeking legal counsel before admitting blame. Resources such as CCTV footage or eyewitness testimonies may help determine who was responsible for the accident.

In certain cases it may be difficult for an accident victim to claim compensation if he/she possesses any amount of liability. Maryland is one of a few states that maintain contributory negligence laws. These laws state that if a claimant is even responsible for causing 1% of the accident, he/she can be denied financial compensation. Other states operate based on comparative negligence laws, which allow injured claimants to request compensation even when they are partially responsible for an accident.

5. “How can I recover financial losses if the other driver doesn’t have insurance?”

It is generally a state requirement for auto insurance policies to cover uninsured drivers. If the state operates based on “fault” guidelines, uninsured motorist coverage means that the injured claimant can request financial compensation from his/her own insurer when the driver responsible for the accident does not have insurance.

6. “Will I have to go to court if a file an injury claim?”

Not necessarily. Many injured accident victims pursue compensation through an insurance claim, and this claim does not require legal actions in court. If the insurer disputes a claim, the injured victim might choose to file a civil court complaint against the insurer.

Even when an official court complaint is filed, it still may be possible to avoid a lawsuit in the courtroom. This may be especially true when an injured claimant receives counsel and representation from a skilled motor vehicle accident lawyer in Hillcrest Heights MD. Informal negotiations often occur as both sides prepare for court, and if a settlement can be reached, the case can be dropped.

7. “When should I contact a local motor vehicle accident lawyer Hillcrest Heights MD can provide?”

There is no particular point after an accident where it is essential to contact a lawyer. Each individual’s case will be different and there will likely be many factors at play. When an injured accident victim knows that he/she will want — or need — to seek financial damages through a lawsuit, it may be beneficial to contact a lawyer immediately after the accident. If it is not immediately clear which party will be held liable for the accident, it may also be very helpful to seek legal counsel from a lawyer as soon as possible.

Contact a Local Motor Vehicle Accident Lawyer Hillcrest Heights MD Residents Depend On

If you need a top Hillcrest Heights MD motor vehicle accident lawyer to provide legal counsel after an injury, Cohen and Cohen, P.C. should be your first call. Our legal team knows how complicated and overwhelming a motor vehicle accident can be. For more information about our law firm, contact us today by phone or online. At Cohen and Cohen, P.C. we provide each of our clients with a motor vehicle accident lawyer Hillcrest Heights MD residents can trust.