Columbia Heights Car Accident Lawyers
If you have been injured in a car accident in Columbia Heights or anywhere else in the District of Columbia, you may be entitled to significant financial compensation for what happened to you. The prerequisite is that you must go through a difficult legal process to persuade the other driver’s insurance company to pay you everything you deserve. The best thing you can do to help ensure this outcome is to contact an experienced car accident attorney to fight for you.
Dangerous Areas in Columbia Heights
Even though authorities have done everything in their power to lower speeds on Georgia Avenue and other main thoroughfares in the area, there are still high risks of car accidents in Columbia Heights. 14th Street is known as one of the most dangerous streets in Washington, D.C. Numerous streets intersect this busy road, and only some have traffic lights. In addition, numerous motorists are pulling into and out of traffic as they enter and exit businesses on the side of the street. Drivers in the District are known for being careless and reckless at times. Their actions can cause you serious injuries in an accident.
What Are Common Types of Car Accidents in Columbia Heights?
You could be injured in one of the following types of car accidents in Columbia Heights:
- Rear-end: A driver may follow too closely behind the car in front of them or not see it stopped in traffic. Rear-end car accidents are dangerous because they can result in whiplash, a debilitating and painful injury.
- Head-on: These are the most dangerous types of car crashes when one car ends up in the wrong lane. A head-on accident unleashes tremendous force on both cars, leading to potentially serious injuries for both drivers and their passengers.
- Sideswipe: A driver may not properly check their blind spots or signal when they are changing lanes, hitting a car next to them.
- T-bone: One motorist may run a stop sign or a red light, either ending up in the path of another driver or striking one on the broad side of their car. These accidents are hazardous for both drivers because one has a head-on impact while the other is struck on the broad side of the car.
What Should I Do After a Columbia Heights Car Accident?
You need to see two people after a Columbia Heights car accident: a doctor and a lawyer. You should get medical help, both to take care of your health and to put you in a position where you can eventually file a car accident claim. A doctor will give you a full examination and a diagnosis of the injuries that you have suffered. They could do whatever they can to put you on the fullest path to recovery. A car accident lawyer can investigate what happened and build the evidence that you need to approach the insurance company for compensation. They will review your damages and help determine your due amount.
While you will eventually deal with the insurance company, you should be very careful about speaking to them without the help of a lawyer. They are looking to get you on the record, making a statement that either undercuts your claim to compensation or may minimize the extent of your injuries.
How Much Is My Columbia Heights Car Accident Worth?
It is hard for a lawyer to give you an estimate on the spot about the money you may be due without knowing more about you and your injuries. You can be paid back for the economic losses you have sustained and the experience you endured after your car accident. Everything depends on you, your life before the accident, and how you respond to your injuries. Having this information before you file a claim is essential because you can be certain that the insurance company knows full well how much you deserve.
How Long Will My Columbia Heights Car Accident Case Take?
A car accident attorney cannot give you a definitive timetable for your case. They can give you general guidelines, but much depends on the individual insurance company involved with your case. The insurance company could be motivated to settle your claim more quickly, but the likelihood is that most will take their time to respond and raise their settlement offer.
Your car accident lawyer would advise you to be as patient as possible to give you the best chance to get the most possible money. It does not mean you must let the insurance company get away with delaying tactics. Your car accident lawyer can pressure the insurance company when necessary. Your biggest leverage is the threat of litigation because the insurance company does not want to spend money to get a lawyer to defend them. This is to say that anything can happen regarding timing, but you should not expect anything to happen quickly in the legal process. The most important thing is that you are patient and let your car accident lawyer do their job of dealing with the insurance company.
How Are Car Accident Cases Decided?
Most car accident cases will not go to trial before a jury. You may not need to file a lawsuit to get the money you deserve. When your car accident lawyer files a claim, and the insurance company concedes liability, it begins settlement negotiations. An overwhelming majority of cases will end in a settlement.
You would ever need to go to trial for very few reasons. One main reason you would need to fight all the way is when the insurance company partly tries to blame you for the accident. Under Washington, D.C. law, any partial blame for the car accident will eliminate the possibility that you can receive financial compensation.
Although your car accident case will likely result in a settlement, this does not mean things are smooth. Sometimes, your case teeters on the edge of litigation or a trial, only to eventually reach a settlement. The presence of a car accident lawyer in your case should be enough to send the message to the insurance company that you mean business.
Contact the Columbia Heights Car Accident Lawyers at the Law Offices of Duane O. King for More Information
The Columbia Heights car accident lawyers at the Law Offices of Duane O. King can lead the fight as you seek full and fair recovery for your motor vehicle crash injuries. Call us at 202-931-6252 or use our online contact form to schedule a free initial consultation. We have offices in Washington, D.C., National Harbor, Maryland, and Falls Church, Virginia. We work with clients in Prince George’s County, including Laurel, Beltsville, Adelphi, College Park, Greenbelt, Mitchellville, Woodmore, Greater Upper Marlboro, Springdale, Largo, Bowie, Capitol Heights, District Heights, Forestville, Suitland, Seat Pleasant, Clinton, Oxon Hill, Temple Hills, and Fort Washington.