Best Car Accident Lawyers in Wheaton, MD

Do not discuss the accident with anyone other than the investigating police officer, your doctors, and your lawyer. Insurance representatives are the LAST people you want to talk to. It is okay to talk to them, after your lawyer has properly counseled you.

The process begins with a meeting with the lawyer. In my office we explain things to you, and ask you to provide information to us so we can begin work on your case. You will be asked to sign authorizations so that we may obtain medical records and lost wage documentation. A contract will be signed which identifies you as the client and me as your lawyer. Thereafter, we handles the details of collecting information, dealing with insurance companies, and generally overseeing all important matters for you, so you can go about your normal routine and get back to full health. Once your injuries have resolved, it is my job to identify for you the value of your case, and then, with your permission, to negotiate to recover that money from the insurance company.

Keep a record of the time you miss from work, even if you still get paid because you use sick time or vacation. Keep track of the amount of money you lose by not being able to work. All this time you cannot work has to be paid by the person who caused the accident.

An experienced lawyer will be able to give you a general guideline as to how long the case may take to resolve. Generally speaking, the more complex the case, the longer it takes. Sometimes a relatively simple case can take a long time to resolve because of disputed issues. Also, in a personal injury case, most lawyers will not attempt to resolve a case until the client has reached a medical end result. That is the point at which the person is either healed or has reached a plateau where a physical has reported that the patient will not improve any further. The reason the case is not settled until the medical end result is reached, is that the lawyer needs to know the future consequences, if any, of the injury. I want you to get as much as possible for your injuries, so I wait until treatment is completed before evaluating your case. We never rest, however. While we wait for your treatment to be completed, we gather the information that increases the value of your case. We constantly do everything we can to move your case forward toward settlement.

Yes, the final decision to settle is yours alone. In my office, I will be the person with whom the insurance companies deal and to whom they make an offer on your claim, but a final decision for settlement cannot be made without your consent. You should understand, however, that sometimes filing a lawsuit is the only option when the insurance company offers an unfair settlement amount. It is necessary to sue to protect your rights to full and fair compensation. An experienced lawyer can calculate the value of your case so you will know whether the offer from the insurance company is adequate or not. Finally, it is well-documented that most lawsuits that are filed are settled before trial. Regardless, we prepare every case as if it might ultimately be decided by a jury. I believe in being prepared in the event an agreement between the parties cannot be reached. At the same time, my philosophy is to aggressively pursue a resolution of claims at all stages in the case, so that the process does not become unduly difficult, burdensome, or expensive for my clients, and so that I obtain the best results possible. Through constant preparation, I can negotiate from a position of strength, helping you get the maximum award for your injuries.