What You Should Know During and After an Auto Accident
With millions of people driving on the roads in this country daily, it isn’t a surprise that there would be a lot of auto accidents. In fact, the number of car accidents annually is somewhere around five million. Some car accidents cause more than just minor damage. Some can be so severe that they result in death or serious bodily injury and many of these are the result of one driver’s negligence, carelessness, or recklessness.
One of the first things you must do if you have been involved in a car accident is contact a skilled Maryland Personal Injury Lawyer. This is especially true if you have been seriously injured in a motor vehicle collision. It is important that you begin to preserve all of the necessary evidence to help you prove your case should it go to trial. If you were injured, seek medical attention for your injuries as soon as possible.
The local police will typically issue a police report when a person requires transportation from the accident scene by way of an ambulance, or if one of the involved vehicles needs to be towed from the accident scene. The police report will provide a summary of the way the accident occurred and will identify the parties and witnesses. It is also important that you gather your own information at the accident scene. If you can, you should take pictures. By law, you are required to exchange contact information with the driver of the other vehicle, which is another valuable piece of information.
Car accidents usually happen because one driver was at fault. The theory of fault is usually negligence, meaning that the driver failed to act reasonably in the operation of his or her vehicle. A driver is required to drive in the way that a reasonably prudent person would drive. A driver cannot drive in such a way as to needlessly endanger other motorists. In other words, drivers must drive at a safe speed. Any deviation from this can be considered negligence, negligence can be excessive speeding, failure to yield, failure to signal a turn or a lane change, running a stop sign, or any other traffic infractions. The burden of showing negligence is on the one who brings the case, or the plaintiff. The plaintiff must show that the driver of the other vehicle was not acting as a reasonably prudent driver would have acted and that the failure caused the party’s injuries.
Receiving compensation for the injured party’s medical expenses, lost wages and for the injury itself are some of the most important aspects of any person injury case, especially car accident claims. The injuries associated with car accidents can be severe, such as broken bones, torn ligaments, and soft-tissue injuries from whiplash. The attorneys at the Law Offices of Larry B. Litt work with the insurance companies to ensure that past, present and future medical expenses and lost wages will be covered. If you or a loved one has suffered an injury from an automobile accident, we strongly advise you to speak with a personal injury attorney who is experienced in handling personal injuries resulting from negligence in auto accidents. Our Law Firm has over four decades of experience in handling motor vehicle injuries and accidents, and we will be happy to speak with you. To schedule your free, no obligation consultation regarding your motor vehicle accident and injury, call toll-free at 443-844-1528 or email us at info@littaccidentlaw.com.