Bethesda Motor Vehicle Accident Lawyer

Serious injuries deserve experienced attorneys

Trusted motor vehicle accident lawyers helping injured clients in Bethesda pursue full recovery, with more than 25 years of plaintiff-side practice.

Cohen & Cohen has stood with injured Marylanders for over 25 years, and our attorneys have tried these cases in courtrooms across the region. The sooner you have guidance, the stronger your position tends to be. For a free consultation, reach out to a Bethesda, MD motor vehicle accident lawyer.

Motor Vehicle Accident Lawyer Bethesda, MD

Motor vehicle accidents include crashes involving cars, trucks, motorcycles, buses, and other vehicles traveling public roads. The label matters because each kind of collision raises its own questions about fault, insurance coverage, and the law that applies. A motor vehicle accident attorney works through those questions so you don’t have to. We pin down who is responsible, collect the evidence that proves it, and take over the insurance side while you focus on healing. And when an insurer refuses to put a fair number on the table, our Bethesda motor vehicle accident lawyers are ready to take the case to a jury.

Types of Motor Vehicle Accident Cases We Handle in Bethesda

Crashes around Bethesda come in many forms, and the vehicle involved often shapes the entire claim. Montgomery County, which surrounds Bethesda, sees roughly 12,000 reported crashes a year, according to the crash dashboard maintained by the state. The case types below are the ones our attorneys handle most often.

• Car accidents. Passenger vehicle collisions make up the largest share of the cases we see, from rear-end crashes to wrecks at busy intersections. We handle the insurance claim from the start and file suit when an insurer won’t be reasonable. Our goal is the full value of what the crash cost you.
• Truck accidents. A collision with a tractor-trailer or other large commercial vehicle tends to leave serious injuries behind. These cases can involve the driver, the trucking company, and the federal rules that govern both. We investigate every layer of responsibility.
• Motorcycle accidents. Riders have almost no protection in a crash, and they often face unfair assumptions about how it happened. Insurers may lean on those assumptions to reduce a payout. We counter them with clear, documented evidence.
• Bus and transit accidents. Crashes involving transit buses, school buses, or charter buses can injure passengers, pedestrians, and other drivers at once. A claim against a public agency follows specific procedures and shorter deadlines. We make sure those requirements are met.
• Bicycle accidents. A cyclist struck by a vehicle can suffer severe injuries even in a low-speed collision. Drivers who fail to share the road safely should answer for the harm they cause. We build the case that holds them accountable.
• Pedestrian accidents. People on foot absorb the full force of a collision, and the injuries are frequently catastrophic. These cases often turn on right-of-way and whether the driver was paying attention. We assemble the record needed to show what really happened.
• Rideshare accidents. A crash involving an Uber or Lyft vehicle raises a hard question: which insurance policy applies? The answer can depend on what the driver was doing at the moment of the collision. We identify the coverage that should pay.
• Hit-and-run and uninsured driver accidents. When the at-fault driver flees the scene or carries no insurance, your own policy may be the route to compensation. Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage exists for exactly this situation. We help clients pursue those benefits.

Why Choose Cohen & Cohen for Motor Vehicle Accident Cases in Bethesda, MD?

Recognized Maryland Trial Attorneys

Cohen & Cohen has represented injured people for more than 25 years, and the partners who built that record still lead the firm’s motor vehicle cases. Adam R. Leighton is an AV-rated attorney whose work centers on automobile accidents and premises liability. He has been recognized as a Super Lawyer and has held leadership roles within the Trial Lawyers Association of Washington, D.C. Kim Brooks-Rodney, also AV-rated, focuses on automobile negligence and other serious injury matters and has been recognized among Washington’s top lawyers.

Founder and Managing Partner Wayne R. Cohen has practiced law since 1991, holds an AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell, and has been named to the National Trial Lawyers Top 100. He has also taught trial advocacy at George Washington University Law School for three decades. Jill F. Stanley handles personal injury litigation, is regularly sought as a legal commentator by national news outlets, and earned her law degree, cum laude, from the University of Miami School of Law. When an injury reaches beyond a vehicle collision, our personal injury lawyer in Bethesda, MD handles the wider range of claims.

A Record of Results in Serious Injury Cases

Most motor vehicle accident claims end in a settlement rather than a courtroom. The size of that settlement often depends on whether the insurer believes the firm across the table is willing to go to trial. Cohen & Cohen has handled more than 10,000 cases and recovered over $300 million for injured people, and it has done so by preparing claims for trial rather than treating litigation as a bluff. No prior result is a promise, since each crash stands on its own facts. The preparation behind those results, though, carries from one case to the next.

Understanding Motor Vehicle Accident Cases

Damages, Liability, and Compensation for Motor Vehicle Accident Cases

Before any money changes hands, fault has to be established, and Maryland sets a high bar for that. The state follows a strict contributory negligence rule, which can bar a claim entirely if the injured person is found even slightly responsible for the crash. A careful investigation is the best protection against that defense. Once liability is settled, a claim accounts for the full cost of the collision. The damages available in most motor vehicle accident cases include:

• Past and future medical treatment
• Lost income and reduced earning capacity
• Pain, suffering, and emotional distress
• Repair or replacement of your vehicle
• Long-term or in-home care after a lasting injury

Maryland applies a cap to noneconomic damages, the pain-and-suffering part of a claim, though it sets no limit on economic losses such as medical bills and lost income.

What Are Important Aspects of a Motor Vehicle Accident Case?

What helps a car accident claim succeed is rarely a mystery. Evidence sits at the top of the list, and much of it disappears quickly after a crash.

• Medical records that tie your injuries to the collision
• The police report and photographs from the scene
• Names and statements from anyone who witnessed it
• A running record of every expense the crash has caused

Insurance adjusters read every part of that file, and the first number they offer is often well short of a claim’s real value.

What Is the Motor Vehicle Accident Case Timeline?

A car accident claim is less daunting once you can see the shape of it. Most move through the same broad stages, even if the timing differs.

• Medical care and the early stage of recovery
• Investigation and the gathering of evidence
• A demand presented to the insurance company
• Negotiation toward a settlement
• A lawsuit and trial when no fair offer is made

In Maryland, you generally have three years from the date of the crash to file a motor vehicle accident lawsuit. Knowing the right steps to take in the days afterward can keep a claim on solid footing.

What Should You Bring to Your Motor Vehicle Accident Consultation?

You do not need to gather everything before a first meeting. Whatever you have on hand is enough to start.

• Any police or incident report from the crash
• Photographs of the vehicles and the location
• Insurance details for everyone involved
• Bills and records from your medical treatment

Your first meeting with a Bethesda motor vehicle accident lawyer is free, and it gives you a chance to understand your options before committing to anything.

What Are Important Maryland Legal Resources for Motor Vehicle Accident Cases?

The resources below are a starting point for understanding the Maryland laws that affect a motor vehicle accident claim. They offer general information and are not a substitute for advice about your own case.

• The Maryland statute of limitations gives most injury and car accident claims a three-year filing window.
• The Maryland Judiciary summarizes the state’s negligence and fault rules for injury claims in plain language.
• The Maryland Highway Safety Office publishes statewide crash data on collisions, injuries, and fatalities.
• Vision Zero Montgomery County tracks local crash trends across the Bethesda area.

Reach Out to Cohen & Cohen to Schedule a Consultation

A motor vehicle crash can change your health and your finances in a single moment, and you don’t have to sort out what comes next alone. A consultation with us costs nothing, and it lets you ask questions before you commit to a path. We’ll review how the crash happened, answer your questions, and explain how a claim would move forward. Contact us to set up a time, and a member of our office will follow up with you.