Glen Burnie Car Accident LawyerS

Representing Car Accident Victims Throughout Anne Arundel County

If you were recently involved in a car accident in the Glen Burnie, Maryland area, you should retain the services of a top-rated Glen Burnie car accident lawyer. The attorneys at Portner & Shure, P.A. stand out among their peers, as illustrated in our numerous five-star reviews, the results we have obtained in past cases via settlements or judgments, and the recognition we have received from our peers in the legal community. We can help you to understand your legal options and to build a case designed to maximize your recovery.

Contact us online or call (410) 421-7447 to begin a free and confidential consultation.

Steps to Take After a Car Accident

If you were involved in a car accident, there are some important things you should do as soon as possible. The time immediately following the accident is crucial.

Before contacting a Glen Burnie car accident lawyer, you should:

• Take pictures: Leave your vehicle where it is, unless you are in an unsafe area, and take photographs of the positions of the car after the incident and detailed pictures of the property damage to the vehicles. If one or both of the vehicles is not drivable, contact the police, as inoperable vehicles require the police to do a formal crash report.
• Identify witnesses: If anyone stopped to assist with the accident, or other drivers were nearby, talk with them and get their statement (in writing or ask for permission to take an audio recording). This is critical in any type of accident. You would be surprised how often stories change after the fact. A good witness statement makes it difficult for the insurance company to deny liability later. Believe it or not, we see liability disputes arise in rear-end car accidents, head-on accidents, and failure to yield accidents when it would otherwise seem like liability is clear.
• Gather information: Obtain as much documentation as possible, including the other driver’s information and the name of passengers in other vehicles.
• Seek medical attention: If you are hurt, seek medical treatment. This is important even if you sustained a seemingly minor injury, like a neck or back strain. It is important to seek medical attention so there is adequate documentation of your injuries. Of course, in cases where there is a serious injury—such as herniated discs, broken bones, or a head injury (which often occurs with a loss of consciousness)—you should go to the emergency room. Depending on the type of injury you sustained, you can obtain medical treatment with your primary care provider, at an urgent care center, or at a hospital. In many cases, car accident victims are reluctant to seek medical treatment at hospitals due to a lack of health insurance. However, an experienced attorney can guide you through this process, and you can use your personal injury protection (PIP) insurance, which is available through your car insurance policy, to pay for medical bills.

Damages in Your Car Accident Case

Every case is different, meaning the damages you can recover vary depending on your situation. Nonetheless, most car accident victims find that they sustain certain economic (monetary) and non-economic damages after an accident.

Your damages—in addition to the property damage of your car, towing, and loss of value to your vehicle—typically also include:

• Medical expenses: The costs incurred immediately following the car accident (once fault/liability are agreed upon). Medical expenses must be fair and reasonable. Our Glen Burnie car accident lawyers will review your medical bills and ensure that you are not excessively billed for medical treatment or medical therapies. On the other hand, our experienced legal team will also ensure the liability carrier does not make unwarranted medical bill reductions. In cases where you sustained a permanent injury, such as a brain injury, an estimate of future medical expenses may also be recovered. A detailed medical record must be obtained from your doctor outlining all of your expected future treatment, including costs. Very often, accident victims require physical therapy following a car accident.
• Lost wages: Some victims find themselves unable to work following a car collision due to their injuries. If you are unable to work while recovering from your injuries, it’s important that you obtain medical documentation, such as a sick slip or “off work” document from your doctor. Obtaining the proper documentation is time-consuming but is critical to prevailing on your claim for lost wages. Our experienced paralegals are prepared to get everything you need.
• Inconvenience, pain, and suffering damages: This depends on the injury you sustained, the length of time that you treated, and future expectation damages.

In addition, the reputation of your car accident lawyer in court may affect the amount of your recovery. Our Glen Burnie car accident lawyers have a track record of success in Anne Arundel County courts.

Two Things to Avoid After a Car Accident

In addition to the important things TO DO after an accident, there are certain things that you should avoid doing to best protect your rights and your ability to recover compensation.

These are two things NOT to do after a car accident:

• Do NOT talk to the insurance company for the at-fault driver: In Maryland, the liability adjuster may look for ways to find you contributorily negligent. Maryland law is harsh in this way because even if you are as little as 1% at fault for the accident, the carrier may deny the claim.
• Do NOT have extensive discussions without retaining a car accident lawyer: The value of your case simply cannot be determined until you finish your medical treatment. If a claims adjuster calls and offers a quick settlement, say no, and reach out to an attorney the next moment.

To ensure the best possible outcome, all negotiations should occur with an experienced car accident lawyer after they evaluate all of your medical bills, and medical records, and discuss all aspects of the case with you.

Top Anne Arundel County car accident lawyers have leverage that an individual with no legal background does not. If the insurance company’s offer is not fair, our experienced litigation accident attorneys can file suit in the district court for Glen Burnie, or in larger cases, in the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County, which is located in Annapolis, Maryland. Our ultimate goal is not simply to obtain an excellent recovery from the insurance carrier but to put as much of that recovery in your pocket. Take a look at the hundreds of five-star reviews that we have to learn more. Our history shows that we’re good at what we do, and we will work hard on your behalf.

Call Our Glen Burnie Car Accident Attorneys – We Also Speak Spanish!

A language barrier can make it difficult for car accident victims to deal with police officers, insurance adjusters, or even a law firm. At Portner & Shure, P.A. in Glen Burnie, our team is fluent in English, Spanish, Korean, Vietnamese, and Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese), which we hope makes it simpler for people throughout our community to find reliable legal counsel. Furthermore, we do not simply use interpreters to relay your message but rather we employ bilingual paralegals who can work directly with our clients and their attorneys throughout the entire process, creating an environment that builds consistently excellent representation.

We have a website dedicated exclusively to our Spanish-speaking clients, which you can visit by clicking here. Our law firm has hired, trained, and employed more than 15 Spanish-speaking paralegals and/or legal assistants for auto accident cases. We also have a Spanish Facebook page where you can learn more: https://www.facebook.com/abogadodeaccidentesportnershure.

Please call our office at (410) 421-7447 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation with one of our Glen Burnie car accident lawyers today.