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Flower Hill, MD Car Accident Lawyers

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    Car accidents are a leading cause of injury for almost all cross-sections of the population.  Although most crashes are thankfully damage-only crashes, many accidents still involve injuries that can be worth at least thousands of dollars in damages.

    For help pursuing damages in your case, you should always work with an experienced lawyer.  Our attorneys can help you gather evidence, determine damages, and file your claim to maximize the compensation you receive.

    For a free case evaluation, call Rice, Murtha & Psoras’ car accident lawyers at (410) 694-7291 today.

    Types of Car Accident Cases Our Attorneys Handle in Flower Hill, MD

    Our lawyers represent victims and their families in all types of accident cases.  Depending on how the accident happened, there might be a few different legal issues to consider, and there might be different general ways to go about proving fault.

    Rear-End Collisions

    Rear-end crashes are often the rear driver’s fault, given that it is hard to hit someone from behind unless you were following too closely.  Following too closely is, itself, a traffic violation, and so if a driver causes a crash while committing a traffic violation, that driver is usually at fault.

    However, there is always the complication that the driver in front might have hit the brakes intentionally in an attempt to cause a crash.  When drivers “brake check” the driver behind them for following too closely, that action can be deemed reckless, and recklessness always trumps the mere negligence of following too closely.

    If the front driver was legally and appropriately stopped at a red light or a stop sign and the rear driver hit them anyway, the case is much simpler: the rear driver is almost definitely at fault.

    In any case, our car accident lawyers have to look at the specific facts to determine which kind of category this case falls into.

    Front-End Collisions

    Head-on crashes typically do not happen, given that cars drive in different lanes specifically so that they cannot crash into each other head-on.  When a driver goes the wrong way down a one-way street, crosses the line into opposing traffic, or turns across a lane of oncoming traffic without yielding, this is usually when these crashes happen.  And that usually makes the crash the wrong-way driver’s or the driver who failed to yield’s fault.

    In these cases, the victims often face very serious injuries, given that the speed of the crash is essentially doubled when two cars drive towards each other.  Because of this, there is also a higher rate of ejection from the vehicle, which automatically results in more serious injuries across the board.

    Running Red Lights and Stop Signs

    When a driver enters an intersection illegally, they are responsible for the accident.  Drivers who have a green light or who have already waited for their turn at a stop sign typically do not have the time to yield, and they should not typically be liable for a crash that happens in an intersection.

    If a driver runs a red light or a stop sign and T-bones another driver, they are usually at fault for having run the light or sign.  However, if they run a red light or stop sign, then hesitate and stop in the intersection, there may be time for another driver coming from the side to stop, slow down, or change lanes to avoid hitting them, and only in that sort of situation might the case turn out differently.

    Lane Changing/Merging Crashes

    When a driver is changing lanes, they have to yield to the drivers already in that lane.  Obviously, this does not give the drivers in that lane the right to close in, pressure them, or speed up to close the gap.  Drawing another car into an accident by doing that might be reckless.  Otherwise, if a driver does not properly check their blind spot/mirrors and properly signal before moving over, they could be liable for a crash while changing lanes or merging.

    Drunk Driving

    If someone was driving under the influence when the crash occurred, they are typically blamed for the crash.  Their reaction times are slowed, their judgment is impaired, and their ability to physically operate the vehicle is reduced.  This is why drunk driving is illegal and why police so heavily enforce drunk driving laws.  If you were hit by a driver who ultimately was arrested and convicted of a drunk driving offense, we can use that conviction against them as proof that they caused the crash.

    Distracted and Tired Driving Crashes

    While drunk driving is very serious, people often underestimate the fact that distracted driving and tired driving can be just as bad or even worse.  A distracted driver literally does not see the road in front of them and cannot react to it.  A driver who is too tired and passes out behind the wheel similarly lacks control of the vehicle.

    However, proving a driver was distracted or too tired to drive safely can be difficult.  We will have to look into the facts and evidence available, such as your testimony that they were looking down at their phone or that they were asleep behind the wheel.  We can also question them about what they were doing and, if we can seize phone records, potentially show texts were sent from their phone at the time of the crash.  Evidence about late nights or driving for a long time prior to the crash will also be good evidence to present.

    Damages for Car Accidents in Flower Hill, MD

    When you hold another driver liable for your accident, you can recover damages for all of the harms you faced from the crash.  This can include property damage/auto repair costs as well as medical bills, lost earnings, and pain and suffering damages.  These pain and suffering damages are based on your personal experience and must be calculated on a case-by-case basis.

    Call Our Car Accident Attorneys Today in Flower Hill, MD

    If you were hurt in a crash, call (410) 694-7291 today for a free case review with the car accident attorneys at Rice, Murtha & Psoras.