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.   

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.

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.

Litigation News December 2016

On June 24, 2016, our client was involved in a rear-end car accident in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Just this month, Portner & Shure attorney, Kevin Ruby, and our litigation department helped settle this case prior to trial. Initially, Geico denied liability as they typically do in a low-impact rear-end accident. We filed suit to argue this matter in court. With trial just a few weeks away, Geico made an offer to settle the case. After negotiations, a settlement was reached for $7,850.00. Our client was very happy with this result. 

What Clients Are Saying May 2016

“I was recommended by a friend to Portner & Shure and I will do the same. I have been very satisfied by the way Christine Airy has helped me though the process. Christine has done an excellent job communicating with me by email, text, calls to keep me informed about my case. I just want to say thank you again Christine for your professionalism and kindness.”

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

Montgomery County Police Increasing Patrols to Catch Marylanders Texting and Driving

         A Montgomery County police officer dressed up as a homeless man to try and catch drivers off guard.  The officer was holding a sign that read, “I am not homeless.  I am a Montgomery County police officer looking for cell phone texting violations.  There has been a dramatic increase in distracted-driving-related deaths in Maryland of late.  Police officers are trying to take steps to crack down on this major issue.

           

          A majority of the distracted driving related deaths can be attributed to cell phone use, especially texting while driving.  The “homeless” officer and eight other officers issued 56 tickets county-wide on Tuesday.  Of these, 31 tickets were for texting and driving, as well as 9 warnings being issued.

            

           Maryland State Highway Administration officials have made it very clear that their goal is to have zero deaths on Maryland’s highways.  One step toward achieving that goal is for police to crack down on one of the major causes of fatal accidents: distracted driving (i.e. talking on cell phones and texting while driving).

            

            If you or a family member has been injured or killed in an accident caused by another driver being distracted by their cell phone and would like to consult an experienced Maryland personal injury attorney for free, contact us at (301) 854-9000 to schedule an appointment at one of our office locations in Rockville or throughout Maryland or visit us online at http://www.portnerandshure.com/Auto-Accidents/Car-Accidents/Fatal-Car-Accidents.shtml