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.

Employee Spotlight November 2016

Join us in welcoming back our Spanish Department Paralegal, Diana Ramirez, who returned to work this month after giving birth to a healthy baby boy, Nathan Alexander. Diana gave birth to Nathan on September 30^th.  Diana enjoyed all the time she spent with her son during her time off. Some of her favorite things she did with Nathan included watching movies and taking him out for walks in the park. Big sister, Isabella, loves having a little brother to play with. Isabella also loves to help her mom prepare Nathan’s bottles. Portner & Shure is very happy to have Diana back in the office and she is happy to be back at work with all of her co-workers. Let’s congratulate Diana on the birth of her beautiful son, Nathan!

Recent Case Result November 2016

Recently, Portner & Shure attorney, Kevin Ruby, obtained an excellent result in a serious rear-end accident caused by a drunk driver. Our client was a passenger in a vehicle that was rear-ended by a drunk driver while stopped at a red light at the intersection of Route 40 and Ridge Road.  Our client suffered more than $25,000 in medical expenses, as well as a significant amount of lost wages. He endured nearly four years of treatment for his injuries in the accident. The liability insurance company did not make an offer to settle the case. We proceeded with trial in the Howard County Circuit Court. The jury awarded our client $260,000.00. 

Employee Spotlight October 2016

Join us in welcoming Alma to the Portner & Shure family. She recently joined us as a Spanish-speaking receptionist and legal assistant. Alma’s family is from El Salvador, however, she was born in Washington, D.C. Alma has three children, David, Joel, and Sarah. She also has a three year old Maltese/Yorkie mix named Baby. Outside of work, Alma loves to go hiking with her kids, watch movies, and listen to music. Alma is enjoying her time here at the firm so far and is excited to learn a lot. 

Case Result October 2016

             This month, Portner & Shure went up against Geico in a disputed lane change auto accident case. Our client suffered soft tissue injuries to his lower back, right shoulder, right leg, and numbness in his right arm. Geico denied all liability in the accident, and we were forced to file suit. The Court awarded $14, 940.94 plus court costs. Attorney, Kevin Ruby, successfully argued this case in Court. 

Portner & Shure Awarded Innovation in Client Services 2016 Award

Portner & Shure has been selected by Corporate America as winner of the Innovation in Client Services 2016 Award.  This award we are extremely proud of because our selection was dependent on our client testimonials and recommendations.  We strive to make sure our clients are extremely satisfied with the services we provide them.  With numerous 5.0 star reviews on Google+ and Facebook, our reputation speaks for itself.  We know that quick and easy communication is one of the most important things a client requests from their attorney.  Therefore, we pride ourselves on making sure there is effective and immediate communication with all of our clients so that no question goes unanswered.

Corporate America even acknowledges that Portner & Shure excels beyond its competitors in regards to business acumen, team approachability, and innovation when approaching client services.  As a successful Maryland, DC, and Virginia auto accident law firm, we are very proud to be recognized for an award based solely on outstanding client testimonials. Portner & Shure would not be the firm it is today, with over 25 years of service and $200 million recovered for injured accident clients, without the numerous positive client reviews we receive every day.

If you have been injured in an auto accident in Maryland, call us today for a free consultation. 

Employee Spotlight September 2016

Join us in welcoming Cindy to the Portner & Shure family. She has been with us for one month now and works as a receptionist and legal assistant. Cindy was born in the United States, but her family is from El Salvador. Cindy is fluent in Spanish and works with our Spanish department. She currently attends Bowie State University and is finishing up her last year. Cindy has a younger brother and a dog named Prince that she likes to spend time with. Outside of work, Cindy is a diehard Redskins fan and a Barcelona soccer fan. She also enjoys cooking and travelling.

Fatal Accident in Clarksburg, Maryland

            Early this morning on I-270 in Clarksburg, a fatal car accident occurred.  There was a disabled vehicle stopped in the lanes of travel on the highway.  Another car hit the disabled vehicle from behind, which resulted in the death of the disabled vehicle’s driver.  The driver of other vehicle was injured in the collision, but suffered non-life threatening injuries.  Police investigation into the exact cause of the crash continues.  At this point, alcohol does not appear to be factor in the accident.

            

            Disabled vehicles always pose a danger on the road to themselves and to other drivers.  It does not matter whether the vehicle has made it to the shoulder or is stopped in a lane of travel; it is still dangerous.  Darkness at night and inclement weather make it even more dangerous if your vehicle becomes disabled on a highway because other drivers might not see you or will not be able to stop to avoid a crash.  If your vehicle becomes disabled, you should always make sure your lights are on and your hazard lights are flashing so that other cars can see you and avoid an accident. 

            

            Remember, if you are injured in an accident, you should seek medical attention immediately to treat the injuries you sustained.  It is also important to call the police to the scene to document that the other driver was at fault and to collect information on all parties involved and any witnesses to the crash.  Finally, it is important to hire an accident injury attorney to get involved and fight for the compensation you deserve.

If you or a family member have been injured or killed in a Maryland car accident and would like to consult an experienced personal injury attorney for free, contact our office at (301) 854-9000 to schedule an appointment at one of our office locations in Columbia or throughout Maryland or visit us online at http://www.portnerandshure.com/Personal-Injury/

Maryland Car Accident Attorney – How to Maximize the Value in Your Pocket

   1.       It’s not just about the total amount of medical bills and expenses you incur.

a.       It’s about the strategies you can use to maximize the take home value of your case, meaning the amount that you get in your pocket after all bills, fees and expenses are paid out of settlement.

b.      That being said, your case is really about getting better and getting the medical treatment that you need.  You should always follow your doctor’s recommendations. 

c.       But don’t make the mistake of thinking that overtreatment is going to improve the value of your case, because it won’t.  It just creates more expenses that you have to pay out of your settlement.

   2.       So, what can you do to get the most value out of your case?

   3.       Using your own insurance to pay medical bills will increase the amount of money you will end up with in your pocket.  There are two ways to do this – health insurance, and personal injury protection, or PIP coverage.

a.       If you have health insurance, never make the mistake of failing to give your insurance information to every medical provider you see.

                                                               i.      Health insurance carriers pay the provider a mere fraction of the actual amount that’s billed.  If the provider is in network, they have to accept that payment as payment in full.

                                                             ii.      When it comes time to settle your case, you can claim the full amount of what the provider billed, but you only have to pay back the insurance carrier what they paid.  You get to keep the difference.

b.      Most people have $2,500 worth of medical payments coverage on their auto policy, commonly referred to as PIP or personal injury protection.  You can use this coverage to pay medical bills as well. 

                                                               i.      The best part about PIP is that you don’t have to pay it back out of settlement.  Every dollar worth of PIP that you use is a dollar that goes directly in your pocket at the time of settlement.

                                                             ii.      There is no downside to using your PIP coverage.  Under Maryland law, your auto insurance carrier is not allowed to raise your rates for using PIP.

Maryland Car Accident Lawyer: Litigation News January 2016

            On December 5, 2014, our client was involved in an accident where the Defendant driver attempted to make a left turn onto Annapolis Road in Prince George’s County, Maryland.  The Defendant struck our client in the rear driver side corner while it was idle at the light.  Our client suffered head, neck, and back pain as a result of the action and required treatment.  The Defendant’s insurance carrier denied liability, thus, our litigation team filed suit.  Our paralegal Lora Hatton was able to negotiate a very favorable settlement for our client in which he got top dollar offers for his injuries and property damage to his vehicle. Our client was extremely happy with the result in his case.

Litigation News: February 2015

             Recently, Portner & Shure attorney Kevin Ruby settled an auto accident case for $90,000 for his client.  Our client was rear ended while driving in Montgomery County, Maryland, resulting in $2000 in property damage to the car.  Our client was driving a small sedan and the defendant was driving a large SUV.  The total cost of medical bills came to $29,000.  In addition, doctors recommended possible future surgery.  Insurance companies often do not consider the cost of potential surgeries.  However, in this case, the carrier considered the surgery cost when making an offer for $90,000 to settle the case.  Mr. Ruby managed to avoid litigation and receive a very favorable award for his client.