Like motorcycle accidents, bicyclists are particularly susceptible to collisions and are less protected from injury, despite helmet laws. For these reasons, when an automobile collides with a bicyclist, the injuries are often devastating and permanent. Several [...]
Because a judge or jury may not be familiar with the area of a Maryland or West Virginia automobile accident, our lawyers frequently rely on maps and photographs of the scene of the collision to help explain [...]
Some motorcyclists view it as a convenient and cheap and method of transportation, while others view it as a lifestyle. Whether riding an old-time Harley Davidson or the newest sport bike, injured motorcyclists face significant prejudices [...]
Probably about half of all automobile accident trials are what we call “damages only” case. That means the insurance companies agree their driver caused the accident, but we are arguing over the degree of injury and the [...]
Many of our Maryland and West Virginia automobile accident clients tell us that they believe the negligent driver was illegally using a cell phone at the time of the collision. Often this is because our clients witness [...]
Effective July 1, 2012, West Virginia has a comprehensive law restricting the use of cell phones by drivers. As the 36th state to ban texting and driving, West Virginia’s legislators clearly agree that cell phone use is [...]
If there is one significant trend we have noticed over the past ten years in our automobile accident lawsuits, it’s that a significant number of accidents are caused by drivers who are distracted by cell phones, [...]
Many serious automobile accident lawsuits wind their way toward what is often called the independent medical exam (IME). In reality, these should be called defense medical exams, because there is nothing independent about them. The exam is [...]
We’re going to finish out the trio of complex Maryland legal principles, starting with contributory negligence and assumption of the risk, and ending today in last clear chance. First, a quick recap: Contributory negligence: a plaintiff [...]
Many new clients come to us believing they have an automobile accident claim or a workers’ compensation claim, when in reality they might have both. In fact, for any accident, whether a car accident, slip-and-fall, or [...]
For the past few years, Maryland has systematically tightened the rules on cell phone use by drivers. Like drunk driving and failure to use seatbelts, it is getting attention on a national level. Most Maryland drivers [...]
Collision is a provision in your automobile insurance policy that will pay to repair or replace the vehicle if it is damaged in an automobile accident. Deciding whether to get collision on a vehicle is usually [...]
In Maryland, all insurance policies are required to carry a minimum amount of uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM). UM/UIM is insurance that helps a driver and passengers in the event of an automobile accident with a driver [...]
Most Maryland automobile insurance policies include Personal Injury Protection, known as PIP. PIP is insurance that typically helps you and your passengers in the event of an accident. It is a type of “no-fault” insurance, meaning [...]
Many people wonder what kind of medical treatment they need after an automobile collision. The question arises, I think, because people understand that there is an interplay between an insurance claim (or an auto accident lawsuit) [...]
When you meet with your lawyer, there will be some forms to sign. We want to take the mystery out of hiring a lawyer, so below is an explanation of the forms that we might need [...]
There are many reasons to hire a lawyer after an automobile collision. For most people, hiring a lawyer boils to two good reasons. First, lawyers are experts and know the ins-and outs of insurance law. Make [...]
Every year in the United States, more than 2 million people sustain a thermal burn injury: a burn caused by heat or fire. Thermal burn injuries are the most common type of burn injury, and make up [...]