Auto Accident Lawyer Washington DC
If you’ve been injured because of another driver’s negligence, it may be in your interest to contact an auto accident lawyer Washington DC victims trust. Throughout Washington DC, hundreds of car accidents occur every day. Being involved in an car accident is a traumatic experience. Car accidents sometimes occur through no fault of your own, and can involve rear end accidents, side swipe accidents, and intersection accidents. Any accident has the potential to result in injury to the people involved. Car accidents in Washington, DC involve a number of issues including insurance laws, overlapping jurisdiction and other complex legal issues. Properly interpreting the law and effectively advocating your position is vital if you want to completely recover the damages from your car accident.
Types of Auto Accidents
There are many ways a car accident can occur, and there are some types of collisions can be more likely to result in serious injuries than others. The car accident lawyer DC victims turn to for help should have experience handling the various types of auto accidents, including (but not limited to):
- Rear-end collisions. These collisions occur when one vehicle crashes into the vehicle in front of it. This can happen when one vehicle suddenly decelerates, or when one vehicle accelerates more quickly than the car in front of it. Usually, injuries to the passengers in the impacted vehicle are more severe. Whiplash is a common injury in rear-end collisions.
- Sideswipe collisions. These collisions occur when the sides of two vehicles that are parallel to each other “swipe,” or touch sides with, each other. Injuries to the passengers are usually more severe when the who cars are traveling in opposite directions and/or one of the drivers loses control. If the vehicles are traveling in the same direction and the drivers remain in control, the damage may be limited to external damage of the car.
- Side-impact collisions. These collisions are also referred to as “broadsided” or a “T-bone” collision, and occur when the side of a car is hit by the front or back of another vehicle or object. As an auto accident lawyer Washington DC offers knows too well, the injuries sustained by passengers in these types of accident are often more serious as compared to those in other types of collisions. However, there are many variables that influence the extent of the injuries caused by side-impact collisions, including the vehicle’s weight and structure, safety features, and the speed at which it was traveling.
- Head-on collisions. These collisions occur when the front of two cars hit each other. Sadly, as an auto accident lawyer Washington DC respects may tell you, these collisions are often fatal for the passengers of one or both vehicles.
What should I do after I’ve been in a car accident in Washington DC?
How to Maximize Your Compensation
Damages for these types of accidents may include property loss, medical costs and lost wages. When trying to recover these damages, you will likely be dealing with an insurance company. The goal of the insurance adjuster is to settle cases your car accident case and save the insurance company as much money as possible. Without an auto accident lawyer Washington DC victims turn to for legal guidance, the settlement process proceeds completely on the adjuster’s terms. This scenario will likely never yield the best possible result for you. Your attorney’s job is to level the playing field. Their main goal is to settle your claim to maximize your compensation.
Automobile Accident Washington DC
WHO IS AT RISK? According to the NHTSA, a little less than half (47%) of all fatal crashes that occur on roadways with a speed limit between 45 and 50 mph are in rural areas. Over 70 percent of the fatal crashes on roadways with a speed limit of 55 mph or higher occur in rural areas.
Some traffic crashes include impaired driver involvement, special vehicle (e.g. truck, bus, and motorcycle), and pedestrian involvement.
WASHINGTON DC CAR CRASH STATS:
The total amount of collisions in Washington DC has been on the rise in recent years. In 2018, traffic deaths increased more than 13 percent over 2017 and is also up from 2016 and 2015. The District is not alone in seeing increases, Fairfax County also saw an uptick in traffic deaths.
Here are the traffic deaths numbers for the past seven years:
- 2013: 29
- 2014: 24
- 2015: 26
- 2016: 28
- 2017: 30
- 2018: 36
- As of June 2019: 12
The car crash fatalities have risen so much that even D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser stepped in in 2018, commenting, “We are very concerned about people dying on the streets of Washington D.C., because of traffic collisions and we are especially concerned about those incidents where we think they are entirely preventable. We want to look at everything that the government can control — how we invest in improving intersections, how we help educate our public and how we enforce the rules of the road.”
But not everyone adheres to the rules of the road or is educated about driving. It’s possible that you or your loved one has been involved in a car crash and suffered damages due to someone’s lack of adherence to traffic laws.
There has also been an uptick in Automobile Accident Washington DC in recent years in DC. In 2013, there were 19,456 car collisions; in 2014, there were 21,539 car collisions and in 2015, there were 24,265 car collisions.
SPECIAL VEHICLES:
Meanwhile, many crashes don’t just involve personal automobiles. Many car crashes involve buses, trucks, motorcycles, and bicycles. Crashes involving these special vehicles often pose an increased risk of serious or fatal injuries.
Crashes that involve passenger automobiles are the most frequent. Then crashes with buses, then crashes with taxis, then crashes with motorcycles and then crashes with trucks/trailers.
PEDESTRIAN-INVOLVED CRASHES:
Since approximately 49% of workers in the District either commute by public transportation or walk to work, so it’s important to know that are many car crash injuries involving pedestrians. In 2015, there were over 1200 pedestrian-involved car crashes in DC. If you or a loved one was injured as a result of a careless driver in the Washington DC area, you may have rights and you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries, call Cohen & Cohen today!
DANGEROUS INTERSECTIONS:
Certain locations in the Washington DC are have the most car crashes due to the volume of vehicles in and out of it. The intersection of New York Avenue and Bladensburg Road (NE) has been ranked the highest for crashes. The intersection of First Street and Union Station Plaza was determined to rank the second highest. Overall, the intersection of New York Avenue and Bladensburg Road (NE) was found to be the most hazardous intersection in the District from 2013 to 2015 based on the crash frequencies.
Contact an Auto Accident Lawyer Washington DC Victims Rely On
If you have been involved in an car accident, contact an auto accident lawyer Washington DC victims depend upon to help ensure that you receive effective and considerate legal counsel and fair compensation. Cohen & Cohen can help with your peace of mind.
