Monday, November 26, 2018

What Clients are Saying November 2018


My case was handled by Attorney Jonathan Portner and his staff, Grace. They provided personal attention and prompt responses throughout the whole process. They were professional and knowledgeable. I was pleased with the outcome. I would highly recommend the attorneys of Portner and Shure, and Grace.

This case was handled our Paralegal, Mrs. Grace Chung, out of our Columbia, MD office.

Litigation News November 2018


In October of last year one of our clients was involved in a rear end accident while yielding for an oncoming vehicle. The person behind him failed to pay proper time and attention to the ahead traffic conditions, leaving him with a sore neck and back. Although the property damage to his vehicle was not extensive, he still sustained injuries as people often do after their bodies have been unexpectedly jolted. Although the liable insurance carrier accepted responsibility for the accident and was willing to pay for the damage done to his vehicle, they were not willing to accept liability for the injuries sustained. Therefore, once our client was through with treatment, his case was transferred to our litigation department and he was prepped for court. After our attorney, Ms. Theresa Teixeira, presented the case to Prince George’s County District Court, she received a verdict of nearly $12,000.00 plus court costs. Our client was very pleased with his final result and was thankful he had Portner & Shure as an advocate.

Recent Case Results November 2018

In early March of this year, one of our clients was involved in a very serious accident involving another vehicle and a snowplow. She sustained intensive injuries, but luckily she was alive. Due to the severity of her injuries, she received consecutive medical treatment for almost four months and accrued about $45k in medical expenses. Once she was feeling well enough again, and her doctors agreed she was okay to be cleared from treatment, it was time to have her case evaluated for settlement. Our Sr. Claims Paralegal, Mrs. Christine Airey, was able to obtain policy limits of $100k for our client’s recovery. Although this accident was the scariest experience of her life, our client was happy she had Portner & Shure to guide her through it.

Have a Safe Holiday Season

The beginning of our holiday season has officially started, bringing together family and friends to celebrate. Statistically, Thanksgiving holds the highest traffic rates, and DUI arrests are the highest through Thanksgiving weekend to the end of New Year’s weekend. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration warns no other holiday leads to more fatal accidents than Thanksgiving week. Be smart and stay safe this holiday season. If you’re going to be traveling, keep a fair distance between you and the vehicle ahead, try to keep away from distracted or aggressive drivers, and never attempt to drive after you’ve been drinking. If you or someone you love has been injured in an accident, or have been charged with a DUI this winter, call the top rated attorneys of Portner & Shure.

Friday, October 26, 2018

Litigation News October 2018


In March of this year one of our clients was involved in a Baltimore rear-end accident. Although there was not significant damage to the vehicles, our client still experienced a decent jolt. Human bodies are not meant to withhold the same impact as a vehicle. The other party’s insurance company did accept liability, however they only accepted liability for the vehicle damage; not our clients injury. After she was finished with the treatment her doctor recommended, it was time to put her demand in for settlement. However, because her bodily injury claim was denied, Geico wasn’t willing to make an offer. Our attorney, Mr. Simran Rahi, took the case to Baltimore City’s District court and obtained a verdict of $12,423.10 plus court costs. At first our client was afraid she wouldn’t receive any compensation after the accident, now she’s grateful she chose Portner & Shure for her accident case.

Employee Spotlight October 2018


Please join us in putting the spotlight on our lead receptionist, Ms. Ana Alvarenga! Before coming to Portner & Shure Ana lived in Canada where she obtained her nursing degree from the College of Ontario. Ana has been with us for a little less than a year and has already proven to be a great asset to our team. During her time with us she has grown from being a new receptionist, to now training our new front desk staff, and even assisting several paralegals on claims work. The fact that she’s bilingual is just an additional plus! While she’s not conquering new tasks at Portner & Shure, she is a devoted mother to her two girls- ages four and six, cares for her many animals, and likes to create pottery. Needless to say, we’re thrilled Ana found her way to our firm and can’t wait to see what else she’s capable of!


Thursday, October 25, 2018

Your Cell Phone Can Help or Hurt your Accident Case


If you are injured in an auto accident that wasn’t your fault, and the other driver was using their cell phone at the time, evidence of that driver’s phone use can be used to hold them and their insurance company accountable for all damages. However, if you are the injured plaintiff in the case and the defendant is able to produces evidence that you were using your cell phone at the time of the accident, you could be held contributory to the accident and will not be awarded any compensation. Most states have laws in place that forbid cell phone use while in the car. Don’t risk being held partially liable in an accident- put the cell phone down while driving. If you’ve been injured in a Maryland car accident, call Portner & Shure today.


Tuesday, September 25, 2018

Employee Spotlight September 2018


Please join us in welcoming one of our newest team members, Diane Lazo. She was born in Manila Philippines and came to the United States when she was six years old. She is fluent in Tagalog, which is the universal Filipino language. She worked with another firm handling personal injury and workers compensation for five years before coming to Portner & Shure. In her spare time she volunteers with various non-profit dog rescues to assure all dogs find a forever home. Other than that, she can typically be found spending time with her two daughters, husband, and Toby- her 95 pound pitbull fur baby. With Portner & Shure, she hopes to continuously expand her knowledge on workers compensation throughout Maryland and Virginia. We’re very excited to have her a part of our team and to watch her knowledge grow.


Monday, September 24, 2018

Dashcams in Maryland


If you’ve ever been involved in an accident, you know there is always the possibility of liability being disputed between parties involved. Dashcams have become more and more popular as a means to protect oneself against false statements. If you choose to install a dashcam, here are a couple things you should know.  
One, it’s 100% legal to record public video of people, including police officers. If your dashcam is recording video outside of your vehicle, on the highway or in a parking lot for example, it doesn’t matter if the parties being recorded are aware of it.
Two, if your dashcam records audio inside of your vehicle, this is considered a private place and your passengers should be made aware of the recording. Otherwise you could be charged on the grounds of Maryland’s wiretapping laws.
If you’ve been injured in an accident you need a top rated attorney regardless of if you have a dashcam or not. Give Portner & Shure a call today.


Recent Case Results September 2018


In December of 2015, our client was involved in an accident where she was rear-ended while sitting in traffic on Rt. 50. The defendant had claimed that she, herself, was rear-ended and the person fled the scene, which forced her into the back of our client’s vehicle. However, our client stated she saw no one drive off in an aggressive manner. Also after Maryland State Police examined the defendant’s vehicle at the scene, a minor scratch was noted, but nothing that would have resulted in her being pushed into another vehicle. Liability was accepted by the defendant’s insurance company, unfortunately there was only $30k available on the policy. After our client was through with treatment she had incurred almost $90k in medical expenses. Luckily, the assigned paralegal, Mrs. Christine Airey, is highly experienced and knew she could find additional coverage for her client. After accepting the $30K from the defendant’s insurance carrier, Mrs. Airey was able to obtain an additional offer of $188k from the client’s underinsured motorist coverage. Needless to say our client was very pleased with her final result and was thankful for all the hard work Mrs. Christine Airey put into her case.   

Monday, August 27, 2018

Recent Case Results August 2018


A while back, one of our clients was injured in an accident where she was riding as a passenger on a golf cart, the driver was being reckless, flipped the cart, and caused her to fracture her femur.  After multiple surgeries, two years of physical therapy, and an accrued amount of $60,000.00 in medical expenses, it was time for her claim to be settled. Travelers insurance company was willing to offer $75,000.00 for our clients injury and medical expenses. Our attorneys did not see that figure as a fair settlement amount and continued to negotiate. By the end of our negotiations, we had doubled their offer and obtained a final recovery amount of $150,000.00. Our client was highly appreciative of the time Portner & Shure had dedicated to her case and very satisfied with her final result.

Friday, August 24, 2018

Employee Spotlight August 2018


Please help us put the spotlight one of our newest paralegals, Ms. Erica Cedillos. She has been with Portner & Shure for three years as a legal assistant and has recently been promoted to paralegal. Erica has lived in Maryland her entire life.  Her parents moved to America from El Salvador to achieve a better life for their children. Now as a mother of two, she understands the drive it takes to care for her children, and strives to give them their best life.
Erica has been in the personal injury industry for five years and has prior clerical experience working in medical offices for 10 years.  She is very detailed oriented and organized. When Erica was an assistant, she helped the paralegal she was working with become a member of the “Million Dollar Plus Paralegal Forum” she also assisted her in receiving recognition as a “2016 Top Paralegal in Maryland”. We are very proud of her accomplishments thus far and are eager to see what else she can achieve as a paralegal.


Wednesday, August 22, 2018

What to Know Before your Personal Injury Case Goes to Trial


When it comes to personal injury cases, 95% of all cases will settle before court, and for the 5% that do end up going to trial, it’s usually because an insurance carrier has either made a low offer or they have disputed liability
Once the litigation process begins, we file a complaint, the defendant will then have to answer our complaint, discovery is conducted to get all the information about the accident, and we will proceed to prepare our client for court. Our preparation process is very thorough. In fact, most clients find our conference room preparation is more difficult than the court appearance.
When our attorneys enter the court room, commonly the verdicts won are much greater than the insurance carrier’s highest settlement offer. Give Portner & Shure a call today if you or a loved one have suffered a personal injury.

What Clients are Saying August 2018


Love this law firm. Lupe and Melanie were my paralegals. They were friendly, efficient, and kept me updated the whole time unlike most law firms. Great experience! Thank you Portner and Shure!

This case was handled by our Paralegal, Mrs. Lupe Miranda and her assistant, Ms. Melanie Alvarado, out of our Columbia, MD office.

Monday, July 30, 2018

Injured in an Auto Accident? Why Communication with you Attorney is Vital!


At Portner & Shure, we know that communication is the key to a successful attorney-client relationship and to the success of your case. It is our policy that all client phone calls and emails will be returned the same day in addition to providing a separate monthly update on your case.
Constant communication means that we understand everything you are going through in the case. As a result, we can properly convey all your pain and suffering and inconvenience to the adjuster. Further, our communication practice ensures that your case is running smoothly, no deadlines are missed, and offers come timely. If you’ve been injured in an auto accident, call Portner & Shure today. We’ll give your case the attention it deserves.



Litigation News July 2018


One of our clients was rear ended on an access lane while waiting to merge onto a busy road. She had immediate pain but waited to go to the doctor as she thought the pain would go away. The insurance company for the driver who hit her refused to admit fault or pay damages because she allegedly stopped two times on the access lane and she waited several days before obtaining medical treatment. However, when we went to trial, the judge agreed that it doesn’t matter how many times you stop on an access lane, there is a duty for a travelling vehicle to maintain a safe distance behind the vehicle in front of it. As to damages, the judge found our client extremely credible. The court agreed with our attorney, Ms. Molly Cross, and awarded our client full reimbursement for medical expenses as well as a large amount for pain and suffering, an amount that was triple her medical costs.

Wednesday, July 25, 2018

What Clients are Saying July 2018


Referred by a friend who used them before, called them a few days after my accident and they set up an appointment right away. Within that same day Christine was assigned to handle my case she called and got me a rental and therapy set up. Christine stayed in constant contact, even checked up on me and answered all my questions. This was my first accident and I was unaware of my rights and what to even do, I’m glad I was referred to them and everything was handled efficiently. I will definitely let family and friends know to use them.

This case was handled by our paralegal, Mrs. Christine Airey, out of our Columbia, MD office.

Monday, June 25, 2018

Three Reasons You Must First Seek an Attorney Before Calling a Chiropractor After an Accident


Chiropractic treatment can be an enormous benefit to accident victims, but to think that the chiropractor should be your first call is a serious and often costly mistake. When an unrepresented accident victim begins treating with a chiropractor who wants to treat first, and then recommend an attorney later, three unfortunate things can occur.
First, a chiropractor may have you to sign an “A&A”, which is a document that guarantees full payment of all bills out of your settlement.  An attorney will advise you that you don’t need to sign this document. You are actually only responsible for bills that are considered fair and reasonable under the law. Judges routinely cut healthcare bills.
Second, a chiropractor may submit bills to your PIP insurance before you can use this limited amount of insurance to pay for the bills of your choice strategically. For example, hospital bills that quickly go into collections and affect your credit should be paid first. Further, often hospitals don’t reduce their bills. So, in this fashion you are paying the provider who could reduce, instead of the one that never will.
Third, some chiropractors even contact the other driver’s insurance for payment, leading to unwanted phone calls to you from the insurance company. If you’re represented, the insurance company can’t call you. The smallest seemingly harmless comments to an adjuster, often lays the ground work for a reduced recovery. 
If you’ve been injured in an auto accident, you need a top rated personal injury lawyer to immediately protect your interest and guide you in the best direction. Call Portner & Shure today.



What Clients are Saying June 2018


Wonderful experience with Portner & Shure!
Especially Grace, she was such a good communicator with an understanding and warm heart. Due to her hard work and caring nature, we were comfortable throughout the process. Also, we really appreciate Jonathan Portner for bringing the best result. If anyone asks us to recommend a law firm, we would definitely recommend Portner & Shure!

This case was handled by Mr. Portner and our Paralegal, Mrs. Grace Chung, out of our Columbia, MD office.

Remembering Kevin Ruby


The following is the eulogy given by Mr. Portner, in remembrance of our partner and friend, Mr. Kevin Ruby:           
I am Kevin’s law partner.  I hired him 19 years ago when our firm was in a very different place.  We are now one of the more successful personal injury firms in both Maryland and Virginia.  Kevin Ruby, as the head of the litigation department, had a lot to do with our success, as well as the respect we have obtained with the defense law firms. 
          The letters and calls our firm has received from our colleagues over the last several weeks makes you feel a little better about humanity.  Lora kept a file folder of them from the different firms.  They read like this: GEICO Staff Counsel - I am very sorry to hear about Kevin, he was highly respected by all in our office.  He will be missed.  Such a worthy adversary.  State Farm Staff Counsel - He was always a pleasure to work with and a great contribution to the legal community. Co-Counsel for our D.C. Cases - Kevin was always a gentleman to work with and an excellent litigator.  Finally, Allstate Staff Counsel sent a card - one attorney wrote, Kevin was my scuba advisor anywhere in the world I wanted to dive, there was a good chance he had already done it and knew all the secrets.   He loved Cozumel.  He introduced me to Bonaire.  I always smiled when we had a case together.  Another attorney wrote, when I started working for State Farm, the first trial I saw was between my co-worker and Kevin.  Everyone knew of him and the firm of Portner & Shure.  I was impressed by their legal skills, even more so impressed with how both of them were so professional throughout the trial, and could talk as friends outside of the presence of the jury.  Kevin was always a gentleman. P.S. He won that trial. 
            Kevin didn’t start out as a terrific litigator.  He had only a year of experience when I met him.  I was handling Circuit Court felony criminal cases and had civil jury trials every 2 weeks. I told him all of this, told him I would train him, and it would be trial by fire.
            He answered that all he ever wanted to do was be in court. Now when a young attorney tells you that, you doubt he understands what that means.  I needed Kevin to take some of these cases, even though he was only 26 or 27 years old.  Based on what he said, I hired Kevin and another young litigator.  Those 2 became my young army and the 3 of us were in court constantly. Our styles were different, but we played off each other. They advised on strategy in the larger cases, and were taught the rules of the game. They learned to be result oriented and at all times focus on making the Judge or Jury cry.
            Kevin loved to deliberate about the pros and cons of all of our cases.  Every stone was turned over in these discussions.  That’s how he was for the past 19 years.  He would walk through my office, on purpose, under the guise of getting a drink from the fridge in the conference room, always after lunch when he knew I would talk.  Then I would routinely be asked what I thought about this argument, or this legal position.  When he did this, he had already run the arguments through many people in every corner of the building.  I told him long ago, I ran cases by the office cleaning lady, my wife’s mom, my tennis partners, secretaries and paralegals.  Kevin, with his slow, deliberate way of bringing in all of us, did the same.  I am going to miss that.
            During this process we would invariably drift to conversations about ourselves, and our families. I heard about dance recitals, driving lessons and of course the problems with young girls with cell phones.  I also learned a little about shark cages, what it’s like to hike with your dad, the streets of Cuba and the loyalty of Cleveland Browns fans.  Recently, after we talked for awhile, he said - you know there are side effects from what we do.  He said our kids, friends, etc. say we talk too much or are annoying.  I said I get that. My family even has a name for it. Then I said, and this was just a month ago, something else that I had never told him before.  It was that he needs to keep in mind that of course there are side effects of what we do, but his results show that he is one of the top litigators in the region, and in my eyes there could never be another one like him. 
            He was brilliant, he was respected inside the firm and out; he was humble, ethical and his results closing 5 cases at over a million dollars, were statistically better than 1% of all of USA injury attorneys.  Kevin, of course, was invited to join the elite group of attorneys in The Million Dollar Advocacy Club. He refused because that required him to fill out a 3 page application.
            His habit of marching to his own tune, working towards crazy vacations, and bucking bureaucracy worked to my advantage.  Years ago, Piper and Marbury, currently one of the largest law firms in the nation asked Kevin to join their D.C. office.  I told him I’ve worked for a large firm, my wife still was, and that it was a place for people who bill by the hour and worry every month about making those hours — not people who are willing to bet on themselves to knock out tremendous awards.   He stayed with me, and like me, bet on himself. We both benefitted.
            You can’t pick the family you are born into.  Yet you can pick the family you choose to work with.  Inside of a firm that has 50 people lives a small family.  We play off each other.   In that role, Kevin had independent relationships with all of the family members.  He was our ethical advisor.  What Kevin said, I listened to.  He was a mediator and go to person with difficult clients. He was a teacher and a friend to many.
            Someone called me the other day and said I’m sorry to hear about Kevin, he was like your little brother. That is true.  Fortunately, not long ago, I learned that when someone is extremely close to you, you taught or they taught you, befriended, respected and you battled with, that they are never really gone.  They are part of you.  As I said, my job early on was to teach Kevin how to make others cry.  He learned that and did a fine job of doing that to all of us here.  But also, he made us smile, made us think, made us deliberate and see more sides of different personal and case issues.  He changed me, he’s a part of me, and I will continue to ask him, outside of other’s ear shot, what he thinks about certain issues.  And I believe he will continue to give me answers.

Monday, May 21, 2018

Litigation News May 2018


A client sustained injuries in Baltimore City after a City truck, carrying a large tractor trailer, backed up into our client’s vehicle while he was stopped at a red traffic light. At trial, City argued that our client had ample time to back up once he saw the trick begin to back up. However, when one of our attorney’s, Ms. Molly Cross, cross examined the driver of the City truck, the testimony revealed that there were other people in his vehicle that could have helped, he required a special license to operate that vehicle, and was unable to see through his rear view mirror. A Baltimore City Judge agreed with our position that the Baltimore City Driver had a responsibility and in a case where they weren’t offering any recovery, $7,200.00 was awarded.

Monday, May 14, 2018

What Clients are Saying May 2018

My experiences with Ms Sauer and Portner and Shure were nothing short of professional. Everything was clearly explained and all communication was great!

This case was handled by our Paralegal, Ms. Jennifer Sauer out of our Frederick, MD office.

Tuesday, April 17, 2018

Recent Case Results April 2018


Back in March of 2016, one of our clients was involved in a horrific rear-end accident. The van that struck him had an impact so great that Jaws of Life were required to free him from the vehicle. The accident left him with a back that was broken in two places, internal bleeding, and a collapsed lung. Needless to say, our client needed extensive medical attention. After a significant amount of treatment, our client was starting to feel considerably normal. It was then that our Senior Claims Paralegal, Amy Greenwood, was able to settle this claim by obtaining the defendants policy limit. Our client was more than appreciative for the work and time that Amy and Portner & Shure had put into his case.

Monday, April 9, 2018

Employee Spotlight April 2018


Maria Lizarzaburu, works in the Frederick office. She has been with Portner & Shure since October 2016. Born in Peru where she lived for 10 years then moved to Maryland. Her family means everything to her, has a 10 year old son and recently married her childhood friend from Peru.
She loves helping people which makes her great with our clients. She is a paralegal assistant to Mrs. Jennifer Sauer. She enjoys the simple things in life and seeing other people happy. It’s been a pleasure having her as a part of our team.


Wednesday, April 4, 2018

DKA Signs and Symptoms Related to Invokana


People with type II diabetes are often prescribed a common drug called Invokana.

However, the FDA has warned that drugs like Invokana can have harmful side effects, such as amputations and diabetic ketoacidosis, in other words a serious condition that can lead to diabetic coma or even death.

Ketoacidosis usually develops slowly, but when vomiting occurs, this life-threatening condition can develop in a matter of hours. Other symptoms of ketoacidosis includes dry mouth, hyperglycemia, constantly feeling of tiredness, difficulty breathing, confusion, and several others.

Many patients who have suffered from taking Invokana have now filed lawsuits.  The lawsuits state that Invokana’s manufacturer, Johnson and Johnson, failed to warn patients about the side effects and misrepresented the risks.

Are you taking Invokana?  Have you suffered an injury?  You may be entitled to compensation.  Call the attorneys here at Portner & Shure today for a free case evaluation.


Beware of Nursing Home Negligence


New studies show that the number of nursing home injuries based on negligence, mistreatment and neglect increases every year. Check carefully the past incident reports and claims against any facility you plan to use for a family member. Beware that your grandparent’s health could take a rapid decline due to neglect. For example, the bed sore on your grandmother’s back that caused her to die from sepsis, may have been the result of a nursing home employee’s failure to move her body and do proper inspections.


Thursday, March 22, 2018

Litigation News March 2018


This month in litigation news, our Attorney, Mr. Kevin Ruby, tried a case where liability was not being accepted and the defendant was a judge for the State of Maryland Court of Special Appeals. The case ended up in litigation because the defendant was stating our client had caused to the accident. Our firm tried several times to set a court date for our client, however other judges in the state would not hear the case due to conflict of interest, stating they knew the defendant and therefore, would not hear the case. It was not until we made a request to specifically set our client’s case to be heard before a visiting judge. That judge found in our clients favor, and ruled the defendant 100% at fault for the accident. This just proves that Portner & Shure is willing to litigate any case, no matter who may be involved.

What Clients are Saying March 2018


Excellent service! Honestly if I ever get into an accident again they will be the first to call! My paralegal, Christine Airey helped me with everything I needed and answered my million questions! In busy times it's nice to know this was something I didn't have to stress to dearly in my recovery. Everything was handled and I am able to recover without the hassle of the messy details! I highly recommend the law firm I used!

This case was handled out of our Columbia, MD office by our paralegal, Mrs. Christine Airey

Employee Spotlight March 2018


Please join us in welcoming one of our newest attorneys, Ms. Molly Cross. Ms. Cross graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Baltimore School of Law in 2016 with a concentration in Litigation and Advocacy. While attending law school, she was inducted into the Royal Graham Shannonhouse III Honor Society and served as a Rule 16 Student Attorney for the Saul Ewing Civil Advocacy Clinic, where she represented clients in administrative and district court proceedings. Ms. Cross was also a co-captain and competing member of the National Trial Competition team. Ms. Cross continues to volunteer her time as an assistant coach for the team.  Before law school, Ms. Cross graduated Cum Laude from Clemson University where she studied Political Science and Japanese.

Prior to joining Portner & Shure, Ms. Cross gained experience clerking at a law firm in Baltimore City focusing on civil rights litigation. She later served as a Judicial Law Clerk to the Hon. Cathleen M. Vitale of the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County. 

Ms. Cross is admitted to the Maryland State Bar and is a member of the American Inns of Court. Her areas of practice include personal injury and criminal defense. We are more than excited to have Ms. Cross as a part of our team.



Tuesday, March 20, 2018

Maryland has been Ranked Third WORST State to Drive in


Have you ever felt that some states are easier to drive in than others?
Well you may be right—a new study ranking states driving favorability from best to worst was just released, and Maryland was ranked third worst.  
Factors that the study considered included traffic congestion, number of accidents, drivers' aggressiveness, among others
More specifically, Maryland was found to have the second worst rush hour congestion and third worst overall traffic
With severe traffic congestion comes a higher risk of rear-end and lane change accidents as drivers become distracted when sitting in their car not moving
If driving through the state of Maryland, stay alert, keep a greater following distance, and always be aware of others on the road.


What Happens When You’re the Victim of a Hit-and-Run?



You are always told to get the information from the driver that hit us in an accident, which includes their name, address, insurance information, and driver’s license information. But in a hit-and-run, you are left with no information and no one to call.

Actually, in situations where you are injured in an accident and have no information for the driver responsible, you do have another option to recover compensation
Your own car insurance policy includes something called uninsured motorist coverage. First, the accident should be reported to the police so it can be verified that there was an accident and the other driver had no insurance.

Second, when the responsible party’s information is unknown, you have the recourse available to set up an uninsured motorist claim, or UM claim to recover compensation for your injuries.
Complicated accidents like hit-and-runs require you to have an experienced attorney like those at Portner & Shure, to help you get the compensation you deserve.

Monday, March 19, 2018

What makes a vehicle a lemon?


·         Maryland lemon law provides protection to consumers of brand new vehicles who spend more time in the repair shop than on the road.

·         Maryland Lemon Law applies to defective new or leased cars, light trucks, and motorcycles.

·         To qualify under the protection your vehicle must be registered in Maryland, have less than 18,000 miles and owned less than 2 years.

·         A dealer or manufacturer is required to correct the defect after they have notice of the problem.

·         If the dealer or manufacturer is unable to fix the problem, you may be entitled to a refund or replacement vehicle if your car has one of the following defects:

1.      A brake or steering failure that was not corrected after the first repair attempt and causes it to fail Maryland’s safety inspection.

2.      Any one problem that substantially impairs the use and market value of the vehicle that was not corrected in FOUR attempts

3.      Any number of problems that substantially impairs the use and market value of the vehicle that have caused it to be out of service for a cumulative total of 30 or more days.

·         When your dealer sells you a lemon, let Portner & Shure help you make lemonade. 

Monday, February 26, 2018

Recent Case Results February 2018

On April 19th, our client was involved in a hit and run accident where the defendant backed into his parked vehicle, then drove off. The impact left him with pain to his neck and back, and worsened a preexisting injury. After six months of physical therapy and other forms of medical treatment, we submitted our clients demand to Allstate for review. Once the claim was evaluated, our office was contacted with an offer that was far too low. After discussing the different options with our client, we agreed that pushing this case through to litigation would be for the best. Fortunately, the Judge agreed that our client did in fact deserve more compensation than what Allstate was offering, and awarded our client with a final verdict of $10,515.00.  

Friday, February 23, 2018

The Importance of Gap Insurance After a Car Accident

When a person gets a new vehicle, the majority of us want that car to run us as long as possible, the last thing we think of is the possibility of that car being totaled before it is even paid off. Unfortunately, accidents do happen, and that’s where the importance of gap insurance comes into play.
If you’re in an accident where your vehicle is totaled and it is not yet paid off, you could still owe thousands of dollars to the lien holder even after the total loss check has been cashed. Insurance companies usually offer the minimum amount of your vehicles value, which is often far less than what you actually paid for the car. This means that not only do you no longer have a vehicle, but you also still have to pay off that car.
However, if you have gap insurance, it will likely pay the difference between whatever the insurance company paid to the lien holder and what you still owe, in order to pay the vehicle off. If you have been injured in an auto accident, call the top rated attorneys of Portner & Shure so we can properly guide you through all the necessary steps and help you fully utilize all coverage that is available.


Monday, January 22, 2018

Litigation News January 2018

This month in litigation news at Portner & Shure, we have an accident case where our client had the right-of-way and the defendant made a left turn into our client's vehicle. The impact left our client with significant pain to his shoulder, back, neck, and left leg. As liability was never accepted by the defendant's insurance company, we had no choice but to put the case into litigation. Before going to trial, there were no settlement offers on the case, after going to trial we received a verdict of $5,338.00 plus court costs. Needless to say, our client was very pleased that he had Portner & Shure on his side.

Employee Spotlight January 2018

Destiny Moore, works in the Columbia Maryland office. She has been with Portner & Shure since September 2017. Born in Chicago; raised in Maryland since the age of 3. She has 8 years of customer service experience so she is great with our clients at the front desk. Along with helping to operate the front desk efficiently, she is a paralegal assistant for Ms. Rachel Dawes. Outside of work she loves to do photoshoots, hang out with friends, travel, and exercise.

What Clients are Saying January 2018

I am very pleased with the work Portner and Shure did for my husband's case. I especially loved how Ms. Jung was very attentive and precise at handling our case throughout this whole process. I will definitely come back to portner and shure for sure!!


This case was handled out of our Columbia, MD office by our Paralegal, Ms. Heather Jung

Not Paying Attention May Forfeit Your Right to Recovery

In Maryland, Virginia, and Washington DC, unlike some other states, you have to prove that you had no responsibility for being injured. If a Judge or Jury is able to look at the facts of how you were injured, and establish that something you were doing may have contributed to the accident, they may not find in your favor.

With the prevalence of handheld devices and the use of headphones on the rise, these items increase your chances of being injured while out for a walk or a bike ride because they diminish your senses to your surroundings.You may not hear that vehicle approaching you, or someone honking their horn, you may have also forfeit your right to recovery because you weren’t paying attention. If you’ve been involved in an accident as a pedestrian or a cyclist you need an experienced attorney to prove you had no contribution to your accident. 

Tailgating 18-Wheelers—A Cause for Concern for Drivers

                        A new phenomenon on the highway—Tractor trailers, tailgating other tractor trailers. Experts say this “platooning” phenomenon for 18-wheelers saves trucking companies millions, but at what cost to other drivers on the road? 18-wheelers already account for a large percentage of fatal accidents due to their size, blind spots, and inability to stop quickly. 
             What happens when 18-wheelers tailgate one another back to back—we believe other drivers on the road won’t have space to maneuver on the highway, and cars will be trapped and will miss their exit. Platooning 18-wheelers may increase the risks for serious accidents on highways. Rear-end accidents happen every single day and the most common cause of those accidents is tailgating.18-wheelers that intentionally tailgate one another can only be a cause for concern. If you've been involved in an accident caused by a tractor trailer truck, you need a top rated attorney on your side.