Fort Washington Car Accident Lawyer

Car accidents are sudden, jarring, and traumatic experiences. Nobody goes through their day thinking that another motorist is going to impact either their vehicle or their person and cause serious damage. Sadly, many victims of car collisions end up with grisly injuries that require a lot of medical care. Such care can get expensive very quickly, with medical costs easily reaching hundreds of thousands of dollars when one takes into account hospital stay as well as a potential long-term treatment. Worse still, victims may need to deal with a car accident’s effects for as long as they live.

When car accidents happen, you need effective legal counsel in your corner. That is where we come in. We have experienced personal injury attorneys who have represented countless plaintiffs, so rest assured that you will be in good hands when you have us handle your claim.

For a free case review, contact Rice Murtha & Psoras at (410) 694-7291 and talk to one of our car accident lawyers.

What Should You Do Right After a Car Crash in Fort Washington?

There are important steps you need to take right after a car crash happens that can both keep you safe and help any future car accident claims you may bring. Of course, the circumstances of your accident may prevent you from doing some or all of these things. That is ok. Our car accident lawyers will be able to effectively represent you in court either way.

Get Medical Aid

First, you need to get medical attention as soon as possible. Provided you are not immediately taken to a hospital for emergency treatment, you should let first responders take a look at you. Be sure to follow all their instructions. If they say you need to go to a hospital, then that is what you should do. However, if you are cleared to stay near the accident, you should proceed to the next course of action.

Gather Information

If you are able to stick around, you should try to gather as much information as you possibly can. Most importantly, you need the name, insurance information, and license plate number of any other drivers involved in the crash. You should also make an effort to get as many photos and videos as possible of the accident right after it happened and take the statement of anyone who saw the crash happen. The videos and photos can be submitted as evidence to help your claim, and witnesses can testify on your behalf – with your recordings of their statements available to back up their testimony.

Damages in Fort Washington Car Accident Lawsuits

If you prove that the defendant is liable for your injuries in court, you get awarded financial compensation, also called damages. This is the way that courts try to undo the hardships the plaintiff experienced because of the defendant. Often, a plaintiff’s injuries are such that doing this is impossible, so financial payouts are used as a substitute. The damages you get are unique to your claim because they are based on your unique experiences. Some of the things you can be awarded compensation for in a car accident lawsuit include:

Medical Expenses

One of the most common things plaintiffs seek damages for in a car accident lawsuit is costly medical bills. This can cover not just short-term expenses like paying for emergency surgery or a stay in the ICU but also long-term physical therapy or a permanent medical aide they now require because of their injuries.

Lost Income

Another thing you can get damages for is lost opportunity to earn income. “Lost income” can happen in a lot of different ways. First, if you took time off work to recover from your injuries and were not earning income during that time, you can get damages based on that income you would have earned had you not been injured. Second, if your injuries prevent you from coming back to your prior job and you have to take one that pays less, you can get damages based on the difference in pay. Finally, if your injuries are such that you can not work at all anymore, you can get damages based on a prediction of what you would have earned for the rest of your working career.

Pain and Suffering

Some things that you request damages for in your lawsuit will not have an immediately obvious financial value. For example, you can recover damages for the physical pain you experienced – and continue to experience – because of your injuries. For example, after procedures like surgery, you may experience chronic pain, which may or may not go away at some point in the future.

It is tough to pin down the value of something like physical pain because everyone will experience it differently. There is no hospital bill for how much a broken arm hurts you. Therefore, our car accident lawyers will need to demonstrate, through evidence and persuasive argument, the value of these things in your case so that you get appropriate compensation.

Mental Anguish

The injuries you get in a car crash will not all be physical. Indeed, being in a traumatic event like a car collision can have a significant mental toll on someone. Victims of car crashes may be apprehensive when they drive a car, or they may even refuse to get in one. The accident may bring about recurring nightmares where they are injured over and over again. Courts understand that these injuries are just as valid as physical ones, so you can get compensation for them after you are injured in a car crash.

Our Fort Washington Car Accident Lawyers Are Standing By to Help

Rice, Murtha & Psoras has car accident lawyers ready to help you out when you call our office at (410) 694-7291.