Should I Get an Attorney After a Car Accident?

If you've been injured in an auto accident due to someone else's negligence, you may think that it is not a big deal and you can resolve any issues on your own. That is not always the case, however. You may think it is a straightforward process, but it can be quite complex. Dealing with insurance companies after an accident can be frustrating, and oftentimes, insurance companies will not make fair settlement offers when they know someone is not represented by an attorney. In fact, insurance adjusters will try to pay you as little as little as they can to make your case go away.

If you've been injured in a car accident, you absolutely need to get an attorney. Once you hire an attorney, the attorney will deal with the insurance company and work to get a top offer. Insurance companies tend to make higher offers when attorneys are involved than when people are unrepresented. When you have an attorney, they will work with you to strategically handle your medical expenses to maximize the amount you will actually get in your pocket after settlement. And most importantly, if the insurance company denies fault, our attorneys can file suit for you to have your case heard in court.

As you can see, there is quite a difference in handling an accident case without representation than handling a case with an attorney. If you've been injured in an accident, call the attorneys at Portner & Shure today for a free consultation to discuss your case: (301) 854-9000, (410) 995-1515.

Case Result September 2016

             This month, Portner & Shure won yet another case against Geico where there was no settlement offer made. In fact, Geico denied all liability because they alleged there was a phantom vehicle that caused the accident. Our client suffered shoulder pain and a thumb injury in this crash that happened when the Defendant failed to yield to our client’s vehicle while merging onto I-295. In Court, the Judge determined that there was no phantom vehicle and it was the Defendant that caused the accident because of a failure to yield. The Court awarded our client $12,000 plus court costs. Attorney, Kevin Ruby, successfully argued this case in Court. 

Use of Dashcams in Maryland To Protect Your Rights

There is a new trend among drivers today: dashcams.  In motor vehicle accidents and in criminal cases, the facts of the event are often disputed between the parties involved.  The use of dashcams by civilians has been increasing as a means to avoid being caught in a he said/she said situation.  If you choose to protect yourself by installing a dashcam in your car you need to know some important facts about the law.

o   (1) It’s 100% legal to record video of people, including the police, in public.  If your dashcam is recording video outside of your car, on the highway for instance, it doesn’t matter if the parties being recorded are aware of it.

o   (2) If your dashcam is recording audio inside the car, this is considered a private place, so be careful of running afoul of Maryland’s wiretapping law and be sure your passengers are aware of the recording.

If you’ve been injured in an accident or were pulled over by the police, the attorneys at Portner & Shure can help you prove your version of the events, whether it was recorded or not.  Call us today for a free consultation.

Maryland Car Accident Lawyer: How Much Money Should I File for in my Lawsuit?

·         When you file a lawsuit for personal injuries, you have to make a decision about how much money you are going to request in your lawsuit.

o   There are two different trial courts in Maryland – the district court and the circuit court.

o   The amount of money that you sue for will determine which court to put the case in, and what types of evidentiary and procedural requirements will apply to your case.

·         The quantity of your medical bills and the severity or permanent nature of your injury are obviously the foremost considerations when deciding how much to file for in your lawsuit.

o   If you have a very serious injury, for example, a tear in a tendon in your shoulder or knee, or a herniation in your spine that required surgery, the decision is easy – it’s a circuit court case.

o   But if you had an injury which you were able to recover from and your bills are not astronomical, filing suit in the district court may make more sense for you.

·         Circuit Court

o   When you file suit in the circuit court you’re suing for $75,000 and above

o   While circuit court cases allow you to request the highest compensation for your case, circuit court cases are also more expensive to litigate and much more time consuming.

§  (1) The filing fees are higher – difference is 100’s of dollars

§  (2) In the Circuit Court, you must ask your doctors to testify on your behalf at trial, and you must pay them for their time.  This can range from $2,500 to $5,000 or more.

§  (3) The opposing attorney will be entitled to take your deposition and ask you questions about your prior medical condition or other accidents.  There are also fees associated with depositions.

§  (4) All circuit court cases are heard before a jury, not a judge.

§  (5) You must attend pretrial conferences, and court ordered mediations.

§  (6) The entire process can take 18 months to two years.

·         District Court

o   In the district court you are limited to asking for a maximum of $30,000.

o   Filing suit in the district court has a number of advantages, despite the cap on recovery.

§  You will save time, money, and aggravation.

§  (1) In the district court, you can simply submit your medical records and bills to the judge.  You don’t have to ask your doctors to testify or pay the costs associated with their testimony.  This will save you $1,000s of dollars.

§  (2) The trial will be streamlined in front of a judge.  You won’t have to go through a jury trial. 

§  (3) You won’t have to attend a deposition or any pretrial conferences.

§  (4) You can expect the entire process to wrap up much more quickly and with a lot less of your personal involvement.

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 Frederick or throughout Maryland or visit us online at http://www.portnerandshure.com/Personal-Injury/

Maryland Car Accident Lawyer: Route 175 Gets Approval to Widen Lanes to Improve Traffic and Safety Concerns

            Governor Hogan just announced that he has approved funding for a new transportation project.  The section of highway Route 175 near Fort Meade has always been a high-traffic area and frequently has significant bottlenecking problems.  The section of 175 between Route 295 and Mapes Road will increase from two lanes to six lanes. 

The Governor acknowledged that this section of highway has been plaguing Anne Arundel County for a long time.  As Fort Meade continues to grow, the thousands of employees who rely on 175 to get to work every day deserve better infrastructure.  With so many additional lanes, safety on 175 will greatly improve for drivers, and likely result in fewer accidents.  However, during the time of construction, it will be a tricky travel environment for drivers with construction zones.  Work on this project is not scheduled to begin until Fall 2018.

Other sections of 175 are also expected to see expansion in the coming years to improve the traffic flow and continue to make it safer for drivers.

Always remember, when driving in construction zones to remain vigilant.  Although construction workers on the side of highways appear safe standing behind concrete barriers, sometimes it is only cones that stand between the worker and speeding vehicles.  Numerous road work signs alert drivers to be cautious and slow down when driving through construction zones.  Oftentimes, speed cameras are set up in work zones to catch drivers disobeying the speed limit, however, some drivers disregard the warnings and continue to drive fast and recklessly through these work zones.  Construction workers on the side of the highways should be able to feel safe while they do their job, and should never have to worry about watching out for cars crashing into them.  But unfortunately these types of tragic accidents happen every day. 

Construction zones and work zones on highways usually bring new traffic patterns, including numerous lane shifts and closures.  Drivers must be even more cautious and aware of where they are going in order to avoid accidents involving other vehicles or construction workers. 

   ·         Stay alert and look out for construction workers

   ·         Drive slow and obey the speed limit

   ·         Pay attention to road signs and message boards

   ·         Avoid distractions (i.e. cell phones)

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 Auto Accident Lawyer: Employee Spotlight March 2016

Portner & Shure’s Firm Operations Manager and Director of Internet Marketing, Sarah Sadler, recently celebrated her 21^st anniversary with the firm. Sarah has been a fixture here for more than two decades. She has been responsible for helping the firm remain as one of the most highly-regarded car accident law firms in Maryland and Virginia. This firm would not be what it is without the hard work and dedication that Sarah has contributed over these last 21 years. Congratulations Sarah and here's to 21 more years with Portner & Shure!

Maryland Accident Lawyer: Litigation News March 2016

Recently, our litigation department settled a slip and fall case that occurred in Seacrets in Ocean City, Maryland.  Anyone that has visited Seacrets knows that the floor can get very wet and slippery as people are coming in and out of the bay and drinks are spilling all over the floor.  Our client was at Seacrets one evening when she slipped and fell on wet pieces of confetti that were scattered all over the floor.  She injured her ankle and required numerous medical treatments, which totaled about $30,000.  Settlement negotiations with the insurance adjuster started with an offer of only $2,500.  Eventually, our litigation claims manager, Lora Hatton, managed to get the adjuster up to $36,000 to settle the case.  Our client was extremely pleased with the offer and accepted it. 

Maryland Auto Accident Attorney: Recent Case Result February 2016

A case that began about one year ago finally settled this month.  In February last year, our client was crossing Lost Knife Road in Gaithersburg, Montgomery County, Maryland.  She was in a well-established crosswalk when the Defendant driver failed to pay proper time and attention and struck our client.  With the force of the impact, she fell to the ground and began experiencing intense excruciating pain throughout her whole body.  As a result of her injuries, she was rushed to the hospital and quickly transferred to Shock Trauma due to the severity of her injuries.

            

            Preliminary examination revealed numerous fractures.  Our client endured surgical procedures to repair her injuries, and was forced to stay at Shock Trauma in recovery. 

            

            With well over $100,000 in medical expenses and substantial pain and suffering, Mr. Portner and our paralegal on the case, Christine Airey, worked tirelessly in negotiations with the insurance company.  Ultimately, typical crosswalk liability issues were resolved, and the carrier offered the amount of the policy: $250,000.

           

             Ms. Airey spent weeks going back and forth with doctors and hospitals to try and reduce the medical bills for our client.  After a tremendous amount of work negotiating, Ms. Airey lowered our client’s medical expenses by more than $50,000.  In other words, in addition to any recovery from the $250,000 settlement, our firm was able to net our client an additional $50,000 from bill reductions.  Mr. Portner notes, “Oftentimes, this part of the case is the most difficult and is overlooked by less experienced personal injury lawyers.”        

Maryland Car Accident Attorney: What Clients Are Saying February 2016

“Thank you so very much Mr. Portner and Mrs. Ruhl....not to mention Rebecca Dean. I got more than I ever thought possible when I stepped into their firm they told me I would be taken care of and they followed through with that. My company I was working for was covering up the fact they had put a claim out and made my own insurance company pay for the accident I had while working for them. Portner and Shure got me the income I needed for my family and so I can start a life again. Thank you so very much.”

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

Maryland Car Accident Lawyer: MD State Plow Driver Seriously Injured in Accident with SUV

           Last night, a Maryland State Highway Administration snow plow driver was standing outside his truck at Ridge Road and Hoffman Drive.  An SUV was driving by and hit the plow driver, resulting in life threatening injuries.  Police are still investigating the cause of the accident to determine who was at fault and if any charges need to be filed against the SUV driver.

           

           It is unclear where exactly the plow driver was standing when he was hit—was he standing on the side of the road, was he standing in the middle of the road.  These types of accidents happen far too frequently on highways when drivers are pulled over on the shoulder, get outside of their car, and another driver hits them.  Even when something like this occurs on a main road as opposed to a highway, the effects are just as bad.  A driver standing outside of his or her vehicle is never safe and should always stand as far away from travel lanes as possible.

            

          It is also unknown whether the SUV driver was distracted while driving, under the influence of alcohol, or simply just did not see the truck driver.  The police investigation will make these determinations.

If you or a family member have been injured or killed in a Maryland pedestrian 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/

Greenbelt Auto Accident Attorney: Litigation News December 2015

                Recently, Portner & Shure attorney, Kevin Ruby and paralegal, Amy Patton, settled a Virginia auto accident case for $112,000 just before trial was set to begin.  This accident occurred on Duke Street in Alexandria, Virginia in the midst of stop and go traffic.  The Defendant admitted to not paying attention and rear-ended our client.  Since the Defendant driver was not paying attention while driving in heavy traffic, he hit our client’s vehicle with great force because he did not apply the brakes.  The insurance company involved in the case refused to make any settlement offers initially because they were arguing that a majority of our client’s injuries were pre-existing.  Injuries to our client resulting from the accident included injuries to her head, neck, hip and knee. We filed suit in this case, which likely prompted the insurance company to begin settlement negotiations in order to avoid going to trial.  Eventually, the insurance company made a very favorable offer of $112,000 that our client was more than happy to accept.