Car Accidents in Edgewood
If you have ever been involved in a car accident, you know that it can be a stressful, overwhelming experience, particularly if there were injuries involved. Even if the wreck is relatively minor, and there were no injuries, it is important to take the right steps to ensure that your rights are protected. Car accidents happen when you least expect it, but if you know what to do immediately following an accident, it can make the situation far less stressful for everyone involved.
Most Common Types of Car Accidents
- Rear-End Collisions: These tend to involve the least amount of property damage, but they can cause whiplash, which can be quite painful if not properly treated.
- Low Speed Accidents: These often occur in parking lots and other areas where vehicles are driving less than 10 miles per hour.
- Single Vehicle Crashes: These accidents occur when a driver loses control of the vehicle, often because of wet, icy, or snowy roads, or from avoiding something in the road.
- Sideswipe Accidents: A vehicle can be sideswiped by another vehicle when merging into traffic or changing lanes.
- T-Bone or Cross Traffic Accidents: These often occur at intersections when one driver runs through a red light or makes a left turn without yielding to oncoming traffic.
Car Accident Injuries
The following types of injuries can occur when a victim is involved in a car accident:
- Arm and Leg Injuries
- Back Injuries
- Chest Injuries
- Head Injuries
- Scrapes and Cuts
- Soft Tissue Injuries
- Whiplash
Steps to Take After a Car Accident
- Call 911: Unless you have been injured and are unable to move, call 911 immediately to report the accident, and alert the dispatcher that medical assistance is required. Never leave the scene of an accident before police arrive.
- File an accident report: This will be necessary for insurance purposes. You will need to provide a copy of the accident report, information about injuries and property damage, and any other information that may be helpful in proving you were not at fault.
- Exchange information: Share insurance information with the other drivers involved, as well as your driver’s license and license plate numbers. Avoid apologizing to the other driver, even if you are just trying to be nice, as this can be used against you in a personal injury case.
- Take pictures: Document the scene of the accident by taking pictures of the location, damage to the vehicles, street signs, or curbs, as well as any evidence of skids marks and inclement weather conditions.
- Talk to witnesses: If there were witnesses at the scene, ask if they would be willing to provide a statement and ask for their contact information.
- Obtain medical attention: Even if you were not seriously injured, it is highly recommended that you get checked out by a qualified medical processional in case you have any underlying injuries that may have delayed physical effects.
Proving Fault
In certain cases, it is obvious who caused the car accident. Other times, it is not as clear. The following will help prove which driver was responsible for causing the accident:
- Police report: Go to your local police station to obtain a copy of the police report.
- Traffic laws: Check with the local motor vehicle office to see if one of the drivers failed to obey the posted speed limit, yield to the driver with the right of way, or any other state traffic law.
- Types of accident: In rear-end collisions and left-turn accidents, the other driver is considered at fault 99 percent of the time.
Edgewood Car Accident Lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton Seek Compensation for Car Wreck Victims
If you or a loved one has been involved in a car accident, you are urged to contact the Edgewood car accident lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton at your earliest convenience. Whether the accident was a minor fender bender or a serious collision involving multiple vehicles, we will work tirelessly to secure the maximum financial compensation you deserve. We will not stop fighting for you until you are completely satisfied. To schedule a free consultation, call us today at 800-547-4LAW (4529) or contact us online.
Our offices are located in Baltimore, Columbia, Glen Burnie, and Towson, allowing us to represent car accident victims in Maryland, including those in Anne Arundel County, Baltimore County, Carroll County, Harford County, Howard County, Montgomery County, Maryland’s Western Counties, Prince George’s County, Queen Anne’s County, Southern Maryland, and the Eastern Shore, as well as the communities of Catonsville, Essex, Halethorpe, Middle River, Rosedale, Gwynn Oak, Brooklandville, Dundalk, Pikesville, Nottingham, Windsor Mill, Lutherville, Timonium, Sparrows Point, Ridgewood, and Elkridge.