Our car accident lawyers have served Frederick, Maryland, for the better part of a century. We are the go-to law firm when someone is injured in a car accident in Frederick. While we have been practicing law in Washington, DC, since our founding in 1954, we recently opened a second office in 2020 in Maryland to better serve Frederick and its surrounding cities.
Your goal when hiring legal representation should be to find a Frederick car accident lawyer who understands your situation, has experience in dealing with the problem you are in, is skilled in handling the situation, and is willing to take the time to ensure you are comfortable as you proceed through the process.
Our diligent Frederick car accident lawyers and caring staff understand how a car accident can impact every detail of your life. From the top down, excruciating injuries can affect your morning routine, starting with traveling to work. After a Frederick car accident, your car may be incapacitated. This makes traveling to work more difficult. You may be relegated to public transportation or Uber/Lyft/rideshare. While still feasible, this is an obvious detriment to your daily life. We understand this. We ensure you get compensated for this additional suffering and the reasonable costs incurred with your Uber/rideshare. This is because we can causally relate these legal damages to your car accident. Your car accident may have a detrimental effect on each seemingly minor detail of your daily routine. Our Frederick car accident lawyers work to ensure you receive the compensation you deserve.
With nearly 70 years of experience practicing law in Frederick, Maryland, our car accident lawyers understand precisely how to handle insurance companies as they fight to spend as little money as possible on your car accident. The battle between Frederick’s car accident lawyers and insurance companies trying not to pay you your just and fair compensation is unending. It is understandable why they would fight tooth and nail in this battle. However, the law is on your side to receive compensation in tort based on a negligent third party. Although less experienced Frederick car accident lawyers may need to be made aware of how these insurance companies negotiate, the attorneys working for these insurance companies and the many other minute intricacies of Maryland tort and insurance law stand apart from law in most other states.
As a victim of a car accident in Frederick, Maryland, you have legal rights that entitle you to financial compensation. When some third party acts negligently and causes you harm, you may make a recovery under both his and, in some circumstances, your insurance policies. However, not only must you prove the third party was negligent, but you must also have not been contributorily negligent yourself. If you were even 1% negligent, your right to a claim may be barred. If you perform a Google search of the law, this is what it will likely tell you. And it is accurate in Frederick. Fortunately, there are exceptions. This is an example of where experience matters. Our Frederick car accident lawyers know the black letter law and the applicable exceptions based on your unique facts. There is a doctrine in Maryland known as the “last clear chance” doctrine.
While this doctrine may sound intuitive, you must distinguish between “helpless” and “inattentive” peril. Helpless peril exists when the plaintiff puts himself in a position from which he becomes helpless and unable to protect himself. In such a case, the defendant is liable if he knows or should have known of the plaintiff’s helpless peril. Meanwhile, inattentive peril exists when the plaintiff could have extricated himself from the peril. In other words, he was not helpless. Plenty more is involved in a “last clear chance” argument against a contributory negligence defense made by the defendant. This is a problematic concept. Contact a Frederick car accident lawyer for a free consultation to better understand how it applies to your unique facts.
“This law firm is about business. So, if you want a professional, smart, and no-nonsense lawyer who would not rip you off, then Gelb & Gelb is who you need to call.”
– Former Client
If you have any questions about anything discussed in this article or more specific details about your case, please don’t hesitate to contact an experienced Frederick car accident lawyer today.