What Clients Are Saying March 2017

“After being in a four car collision and getting the run around from the insurance company I decided to contact Portner & Shure. My case was assigned to Ms. Christine Airey. Things improved immediately when Christine requested for another insurance adjuster to be assigned to my claim. She also saved me from paying a five hundred dollar deductible. I received a rental car at no cost and my car was completely repaired. I worked really hard to repair my credit and my medical bills were almost three thousand dollars. Christine made sure these medical bills were paid by following up several times with three different medical billing departments. I am a very active person, because of this accident I was not able to play racquetball, lift weights or go to the golf range. Christine worked really hard to make sure I received the compensation that I deserved. If you're ever in the need of a really Professional Law Firm, contact Portner & Shure. They will take care of you like they did for me!”

This case was handled by our Paralegal, Christine Airey, who works out of our Columbia, MD Office.

Injured in an Auto Accident? Don't Miss Your Chance to File a Claim

Every state has a time limit or statute of limitations that prevents someone from being able to file a claim after a certain period of time has passed. In Maryland, there is a 3 year statute of limitations for auto accident claims, and the clock starts ticking from the date of the accident. There is also a 1 year time limit for being able to file a Personal Injury Protection (PIP) claim. PIP claims are important because that money can be used to pay for some, if not all, of your medical bills. That means that, when a settlement is reached or a verdict in court is awarded, that money can be given to you (after attorneys' fees are distributed). In other words, your settlement money will not have to be used to pay back medical bills because PIP already paid them.

Sometimes we have people who will call our office and tell us they were injured in an auto accident, they have been treating their injuries, and now they are ready to file a claim to collect compensation. Then, they will tell us that their accident happened 5 years ago. Unfortunately, there is nothing that can be done because they are well past the 3 year statute of limitations period in Maryland to be able to file a claim.

We always recommend to anyone calling our office for car accident injury consultations that it is very important to hire an attorney soon after an accident has occurred. We always want our clients to have plenty of time to file the necessary claims that can help maximize their compensation.

If you've been injured in an auto accident in Maryland, seek medical attention for your injuries and hire an attorney to represent you. Don't miss out on your chance to be compensated for injures suffered in a car accident. Call us today for a free consultation: (301) 854-9000, (410) 995-1515.

How Does a Contingency Fee Work?

Common practice in all personal injury cases is for an attorney to do work based on a contingency fee. Many people are usually confused as to what a contingency fee means. They immediately hear the word fee and worry that they are required to pay something, even if their case is lost. That is NOT the case at all. A contingency fee means that there is NO attorney's fee UNLESS you win your case. In other words, if we do NOT win your case, there is NO attorney's fee. There is absolutely no risk in hiring an attorney to represent you in a personal injury case, but much to gain.

The standard contingency fee rate is 33.3%. That means that your attorney's fee will be 33.3% of any recovery you get in your case, whether it be a settlement or trial verdict.

If you've been injured in an auto accident, call Portner & Shure for a free consultation and let us get you the compensation you deserve: (301) 854-9000, (410) 995-1515.

Litigation News February 2017

On January 20, 2016, our client was involved in an accident that occurred in the snow on the Capital Beltway in Prince George’s County, Maryland.  Liability was denied in this case because the defendant alleged that our client slid on the snowy road and slid into him. However, Portner & Shure attorney, Christina Ruhl, successfully argued that the property damage to our client’s vehicle did not support the defendant’s version of the accident. Our client’s version of the accident was that the defendant attempted to pass him and in the process, he clipped the side of his vehicle, causing the collision.  The Court awarded our client $15,000.00, based on more than $7,000.00 in property damage and more than $7,000.00 in medical expenses. Our client was extremely happy with the result in his case.

What Happens if the Liability Insurance Company Refuses to Make a Settlement Offer?

Not all car accidents are created equal. Some accidents result in minimal property damage to your car. The important thing to remember is that injuries suffered by drivers or occupants of a vehicle do not always correspond to the vehicle damage. Some accident victims suffer serious injuries in accidents where there is very little property damage. And sometimes accident victims suffer minimal injuries when there is significant property damage.

Over the years, many insurance companies have implemented policies where they will deny liability or refuse to make an offer of settlement in cases where there is minimal property damage. In other words, insurance companies seem to believe that in accidents with very little property damage, it it impossible for someone to suffer significant injuries. This can be very frustrating to work with because property damage does not always correlate to injuries. Unfortunately, in these types of cases, it does take a bit longer to resolve the case because, ultimately, suit must be filed in order to get an offer of settlement from the insurance company. We are never afraid to file suit and battle the insurance carrier in court. If you choose us as your attorneys, it will not matter that there was minimal property damage because as long as you have documented injuries related to the accident, it is very difficult for the insurance company to make a counterargument.

If you've been injured in an accident with low property damage, contact us today for a free consultation and rest assured that we will fight for the compensation you deserve. (301) 854-9000, (410) 995-1515.