Over $400 Million Recovered For Our Clients “Roger K. Gelb is one of the area’s most respected and sought-after legal minds” – Washingtonian Magazine
DC Car Accident Lawyer
Located in the heart of Washington, DC, Gelb & Gelb has stood as a leader in personal injury law across the DMV for over 70 years. Attorney Roger K. Gelb, boasting over 30 years of personal experience and thousands of cases, has dedicated his career to learning the ins and outs of personal injury law and maximizing compensation for his clients. Roger Gelb has earned a reputation as one of DC’s best, making him the trusted choice among car accident lawyers in DC. Now, he leads a select legal team available around the clock to answer your questions and fight to achieve justice for your injuries. We are here for you whenever you need us, available 24/7.
Just above the Farragut Metro station, Gelb & Gelb offers quick, convenient access to top accident attorneys for residents across Downtown and all four quadrants of DC. This prestigious and strategic location makes us the preferred choice for anyone seeking a trusted DC accident attorney. Wherever you are in Washington, DC, our attorneys are ready to help. Call Gelb & Gelb today to avoid missing important deadlines and for the best chance to maximize your compensation.
Your case is complex. Here, we simplify the process into three steps. Accomplishing these steps will set you on your way to winning your case.
1. Get Medical Attention as Necessary
Your health comes first. Before even meeting with our team, seek medical attention. Then, move your vehicle to the side of the road if you can safely do so. This will help keep traffic moving, allow emergency responders to reach you, and reduce the risk of further accidents.
2. Collect Information at The Scene
Gather all relevant information. Take photos of skid marks, vehicle damage, and any street signs related to the crash. Record the other driver’s name, contact information, vehicle details, and insurance information. This information acts as evidence and is essential should we pursue a claim on your behalf. We require evidence to meet our burden of proof and win your claim.
3. Contact a DC Auto Accident Lawyer
Contact a personal injury lawyer for car accidents. After setting up your case, we will ensure your car is handled. You may choose to use the adverse driver’s insurance or use your own collision coverage. During our meeting, we will explain the advantages of each option so you can make an informed decision.
We will connect you with trusted physicians and therapists who can help you recover physically while we help you recover financially. Your physician will refer you to a trusted orthopedist, or whomever your injuries require, and lead your medical care as necessary. If a doctor deems it appropriate, he will excuse you from work due to your injuries. This is critical to collecting lost wages at the end of your case and maximizing your recovery.
Contact Gelb & Gelb today to explore your options.
Traffic Laws in Washington, DC
If you are a car accident victim, your life can change forever. Pain and injury may prevent you from working, paying bills, driving, or caring for family members. In a DC car accident, unique laws complicate recovery even further. Our legal team lays out the two most frequently asked-about laws below.
Contributory Negligence
Under DC’s strict contributory negligence rule (D.C. Code § 50-2204.52), even 1% fault can bar you from compensation. But regardless of your perceived fault, our team will work hard to explore all avenues for recovery.
Example: If you are in a car accident where you are rear-ended, but your car is missing brake lights, the defense may successfully argue that your lack of brake lights was a proximate cause of the accident, even if just by 1%. Under this rule, you would be unable to recover from the defendant unless an exception applies.
Exception: One possible avenue to circumvent this defense is the last clear chance doctrine, which may permit recovery. This rule states that the person with the last clear chance to avoid a car accident but fails to do so is liable for the sustained injuries. This can overcome the defense’s otherwise powerful contributory negligence argument.
Personal Injury Protection (PIP)
PIP is a wonderful way to get extra money in neighboring states. However, Washington, DC’s unique car accident laws often make PIP unadvisable in most cases (D.C. Code § 31-2404). If you make a PIP claim under a DC insurance policy, you typically cannot make a bodily injury claim. However, exceptions exist if you act quickly, which makes consulting with a car accident attorney imperative.
Statute of Limitations
Under § 12-301 of the DC Code, the statute of limitations in Washington, DC, for a car accident injury is three years from the date of the accident. While some exceptions exist, they typically do not apply to car accident cases. Nonetheless, it is best to speak with an attorney versed in the DC Code.
How Much Can I Get for My Car Accident Injuries?
While we evaluate the settlement value of your case, the insurance company will commence its investigation into the auto collision. This often holds up a settlement offer for weeks or even months. The insurance adjuster may request documents or a recorded statement from you. Insurance adjusters want to minimize settlement payments to keep their profits high. Their concern is the company and its shareholders, regardless of whether the settlement appropriately compensates you for your damages. A good accident attorney will deal directly with the insurance companies to protect your rights and work toward a reasonable settlement quickly and effectively. If you have a strong case, we will ensure they know it.
Our DC car accident lawyers consider several factors when evaluating the strength of your case. Meanwhile, insurance companies take a formulaic approach by using algorithms in their software. If they wish to increase their offer amount, they must get approval from their supervisor. This results in a slower process. However, the insurance company is not the ultimate judge or arbiter. It is often in their interest to settle to mitigate their risk. The factors below are those that a judge or jury will use should we go to trial. Thus, even if we settle before trial, this is the list of factors you should consider in determining your case’s value.
Economic Damages
Economic damages, also known as special damages, are tangible, documented financial losses. These are financial losses you can calculate. Thus, the analysis is objective and formulaic. The formula may include the following:
Medical Expenses
Emergency room visits
Surgeries
Diagnostic imaging (e.g., MRI, CT scans)
Physical therapy, chiropractic care, and rehabilitation
Prescription medications
Medical equipment (e.g., braces, crutches)
Future medical care
Lost Income
Missed shifts or hourly pay
Lost overtime pay
Used vacation/sick leave
Loss of Future Earnings
Reduced earning capacity due to permanent injury
Job change due to physical limitations
Early retirement due to disability
Out-of-Pocket Expenses
Transportation to medical appointments
In-home care or assistance
Home modifications (e.g., wheelchair ramps)
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic, or general damages, are harder to calculate as it is a subjective classification. Generally, it is whatever a judge or jury would determine your damages are worth on that particular day, based on the credibility of our witnesses and other unquantifiable metrics. Some of these metrics include:
Pain and Suffering
Physical pain from injuries
Chronic pain or long-term discomfort
Emotional distress
Mental Anguish
Anxiety
Depression
PTSD or trauma from the crash
Loss of Enjoyment of Life
Inability to participate in hobbies or recreation
Strained relationships with spouse or family (loss of consortium)
Disfigurement and Scarring
Permanent Disability
Calculating Settlement Value
Damages in a negligence action cover all costs, expenses, and pain and suffering you incur because of the car accident. This includes adequate compensation for damages you suffered in the past, present, and future. Covering the past and present may seem obvious, but the best accident lawyer also knows how to win you compensation for the future. Proving damages is more difficult. You may lose earning capacity due to your injuries because you cannot work the same job. You may require future medical treatment because of your accident. Or, you may now be susceptible to future injury because of this occurrence. This concept is illustrated in clear detail in the infographic above.
Suppose you suffer indefinitely from migraines. Our legal team will include future costs for prescription medications for your chronic injury. Note that health insurance may expect a payout from your recovery. For this reason, you must consider the totality when evaluating the value of your case. A DC car accident lawyer will assess the cost of future medical expenses and weigh that against any liens from your health insurer.
Should I Accept the First Offer From Insurance?
In nearly every case, the answer is no: You should not accept the insurance company’s first offer. An insurer’s primary objective is to protect its bottom line. At times, that coincides with providing adequate service to their clients. But often, an insurer will make you a settlement offer quickly before you speak with an attorney. Their goal is speed rather than service because they know your case is probably worth far more than they are offering. They assume that you will see the money and take it. However, once you sign the release form, you can no longer sue the other driver for your personal injuries. You are hamstringing yourself, and it may be too late for a personal injury lawyer to help. You probably leave several thousand dollars on the table by jumping at the first offer.
Once you retain an attorney, the insurance company typically reassigns you from its fast-track unit, whose goal is to make a weak offer and pressure you to accept it, to a more senior adjuster. Then, they will make a more appropriate offer based on your damages and your accident attorney’s argument on your behalf. They may increase their settlement offer to something more reasonable due to our threat of litigation. Insurers understand that paying a judgment at trial and their own litigation costs are not a winning combination. We leverage this understanding to force them into a fair settlement for you.
Common Insurance Tactics to Pressure You Into a Low Settlement
Quick initial offer
Downplaying injuries
Requesting a recorded statement
Saying the offer is “final” or time-sensitive
Case Study of a DC Car Accident
In this hypothetical case, Gelb & Gelb represents Mr. Smith after a car accident. After following the recommended post-accident steps, his friend takes him to the hospital. The emergency room physicians determine there are no broken bones but recommend follow-up care and provide a note excusing him from work. Mr. Smith misses one week of work, causing him to fall behind on his bills. Following his doctor’s recommendation, he attends physical therapy regularly for two months. Below, we break down the value of Mr. Smith’s case.
Expense Category
Amount
Medical Expenses
$16,000
Hospital treatment
$5,500
Doctor visits
$2,500
Physical therapy
$8,000
Lost Wages
$2,500
Pain and Suffering
$11,500
TOTAL SETTLEMENT AMOUNT
$30,000
Breakdown of Settlement Value
Medical Expenses: These reflect the cost of necessary treatment following the accident, including hospital care, doctor visits, and physical therapy to address ongoing soreness and promote recovery.
Lost Wages: The physician’s note excusing Mr. Smith from work allows for compensation for lost income. If the emergency physician had not provided this, Mr. Smith’s personal doctor could have done so later. However, no doctor’s note makes arguing this claim difficult and more susceptible to counter-arguments from the defense.
Pain and Suffering: This amount accounts for the physical and emotional toll of Mr. Smith’s injuries, calculated based on the severity of his pain and its duration.
This total of $30,000 is a reasonable settlement that reflects the injuries in the example. This covers the plaintiff’s financial, physical, and emotional impacts.
Property Damage Reimbursement
You may also receive compensation for property damage beyond costs related to your bodily injuries. This is separate from your bodily injury claim but rooted in the same accident. Your property damage claim equates to the reasonable repair cost. Or if your car is totaled, it is valued at the fair market value at the time of the accident.
When you are not at fault and have collision coverage in your insurance policy, you may have to pay a $500 or $1,000 deductible. If you drive for Uber, you may have to pay a hefty $2,500 deductible under their policy with Farmers Insurance. Then, your car insurer will cover the repair cost. Next, your insurer will pursue a subrogation claim. If successful, your deductible will be fully reimbursed. If you have to make an uninsured claim, you will be responsible for half of your standard deductible, which the adverse party will not reimburse because they do not have insurance coverage from which to provide reimbursement. Meanwhile, if the adverse insurer accepts liability immediately, you may not need to pay, and they will set you up for a free repair with the help of a personal injury attorney.
Call us today for the best results in getting your car repaired at no cost.
Diminished Value Claim
You may choose to make a diminished value claim within your property damage claim. Our firm does not represent you in this claim and does not charge a fee for your recovery, but we are happy to guide you through this part of the process. But what is the claim? When a car you own is in an accident, even if it is fully repaired, its value diminishes because of the damage done to the vehicle. This is true even if it looks the same cosmetically. Technically, you are entitled to the difference between the two values. However, you still must prove the claim.
Proving this claim can be expensive. We are happy to refer you to an appraiser who will draw up a report. That report is evidence of your claim and costs roughly $1,000. And even then, there is no guarantee you will be successful in this small subset of your claim. Accordingly, consult with Gelb & Gelb on whether making this claim is worthwhile and weighing the risks versus the rewards.
Types of Car Accidents We Handle
Car wrecks in DC cause all sorts of problems. But different car wrecks have unique legal and financial implications. Each type presents distinct challenges; we are here to help you navigate them. Below is a list of auto accidents we handle. As you will learn, these different types present unique challenges.
Despite Washington, DC, installing 339 automated speed cameras to curb reckless driving, speeding remains a daily hazard. If you are in a speeding accident or any other type of accident we have listed, contact a car accident lawyer in DC immediately for the best results on your case.
Why Choose Gelb & Gelb?
There are several advantages to choosing a local firm like Gelb & Gelb. Managing Partner Roger Gelb has spent his entire life in the DC area. He knows which streets are more prone to accidents. We know when to file outside the District to best benefit your case. Sometimes, a DC jury is more favorable to a defendant. Other times, getting into a court in a neighboring state is quicker and more cost-effective. Our vast experience, effective communication, and client focus separate us from other DC law firms whose attorneys may not be local.
Gelb & Gelb is a smaller firm. We have two attorneys who work alongside experienced paralegals. Far from being a limitation, our size is our greatest strength. We offer the same depth of resources you would find at a larger firm, but with a level of accessibility and attention that is increasingly rare. Unlike at other firms, you will always be able to get in touch with your attorney. Clients consistently remark how pleased they are with our responsiveness, even on weekend nights or holidays. It is this experience, close attention, and efficacy that sets Gelb & Gelb apart from every other firm in the region.
Do I Need a Car Accident Lawyer?
Hiring a lawyer can significantly increase your chances of recovering full compensation. As a plaintiff, the burden is on you to prove each element of your claim and to follow the applicable rules of civil procedure. We will guide you through these procedures to strengthen your case’s viability.
Our attorneys possess unparalleled case evaluation, strategy formulation, and claim management skills. To recover damages, a plaintiff must show that he suffered measurable damages in the accident. There is no presumption of damages simply because we establish liability. And even if the adverse insurer accepts liability, you still must prove your damages. We demonstrate the value of your damages to the judge, jury, or insurance provider to ensure maximum recovery.
Experience
Founded in 1954, we boast 71 years of experience handling accident cases in D.C. We utilize nearly a century of experience to obtain the best possible result in your case. Experience lends itself to practical case assessment, negotiation skills, understanding of insurance company procedures, access to an extensive network and resources, and in-depth knowledge of legal precedents in D.C. Gelb & Gelb, P.C. stands proud as one of the most experienced car accident law firms in the region.
Communication
Communication throughout your case is paramount. Proper communication keeps you informed of all critical aspects of a case without badgering you or wasting your time. Striking that balance is vital. Your time is valuable, and the road to recovery is long. We will make sure your process goes as smoothly as possible. Responsiveness is a core value everyone at Gelb & Gelb possesses. We know you will have questions, and we are always here to help answer any concerns.
Client Focus
With 71 years of experience in personal injury law, we know how to tailor a strategy that meets your unique needs. While personal injury law focuses on negligence, each case differs because of the client and available evidence. There are countless variations in insurance coverage for the plaintiff and the defendant. Some clients need cash right away to pay for essential needs, while others can afford to wait a few more weeks for a potentially larger settlement. We consult with you on all critical decisions because this is your case. So, we provide personalized legal representation that prioritizes what interests you.
Negotiating with Insurance Companies
Insurance companies prioritize their profits, not your best interests. They often exploit loopholes to deny coverage, but Gelb & Gelb will fight to ensure you receive the compensation you deserve. This is why speaking to an accident lawyer is beneficial. We work to protect your right to compensation. The law protects accident victims for a reason. However, without legal representation, the insurance companies may dissuade you from using your rights. In almost every case, they seek to give you a lowball settlement offer that does not approach the true value of your injuries. They sometimes aim to settle your case before you have time to contact an attorney.
In one previous case, the insurance company got our client to sign a release of liability before our client could alert us to the accident. Once Gelb & Gelb intervened, we determined that the release contract was unenforceable and were able to settle the case for a large sum. Of course, this varies from case to case.
We know what your case is worth, and we certainly know how to deal with the insurance companies. Call a local DC car collision lawyer today.
Meet Roger Gelb: A Leading DC Car Accident Lawyer
Roger Gelb has resolved thousands of car accident cases in Washington, DC. Experience with thousands of car accident cases develops a thorough understanding of the intricacies of personal injury law. Some cases are clear-cut. But in other cases, insurance contracts interact with each other in unique ways. For example, the law is different if you are in a car accident in Washington, DC, but hit a car insured under a Maryland policy. The same applies to Virginia insurance policies, South Carolina policies, etc. Roger Gelb’s comprehension of the various statutes and how they interact has put him at the forefront of the industry. Attorneys across Washington, DC, call Roger Gelb for advice on handling a seemingly novel case. However, it is one that Roger has dealt with many times.
Achievements and Recognition in Car Accident Litigation
Mr. Gelb graduated from law school in 1991, receiving his Juris Doctor. Since then, Roger Gelb has practiced law in DC for 34 years. During this time, he has been an active member of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, the Trial Lawyers Association of Metropolitan Washington, D.C., the Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists, The Million Dollar Advocates Forum, and more.
Mr. Gelb has also been listed in The Washington Post Magazine and The Wall Street Journal’s list of top personal injury attorneys in the Washington, D.C., area. Moreover, Washingtonian Magazine has listed him as one of the District’s “Big Guns”. It classifies him among “the top 1% of lawyers in the city” and goes on to describe Mr. Gelb as one of “Washington’s best – most honest and effective – lawyers who sue” and “One of the area’s most respected and sought-after legal minds.” His commitment to honesty and client-focused representation has made him a trusted choice in DC.
Call DC car accident lawyer Roger Gelb to handle your car accident today.
The Most Dangerous Road Conditions in DC
An alarmingly high number of car accidents occur every day. In the last year, 47 fatalities and over 6,000 injuries resulted from car crashes in DC, underscoring the urgent need for skilled DC car accident lawyers. These statistics exist despite recent initiatives by the District of Columbia to reduce traffic-related injuries and deaths. Despite those efforts, the number of accidents continues to trend upward, with more car accidents in DC in 2024 than in 2023.
There is no surefire way to avoid a negligent driver. But by understanding the most dangerous situations on the road, you can anticipate dangerous scenarios and react appropriately.
At Gelb & Gelb, we are proud of the results we achieve for our clients after car accidents. Here is what some of them have to say about their experiences working with us:
“I highly recommend Gelb and Gelb law firm for your car accident. Roger was very personable and worked hard to get me the best settlement possible!“
– Carolyn S.
“Mr. Roger Gelb and his team were absolutely amazing in handling my car accident insurance claim. From start to finish, they were professional and responsive. Anytime I had a question (and I had plenty!), they answered it quickly and clearly. What stood out was how accessible Mr. Gelb himself was—I never felt like just another case file. He took the time to explain everything and made sure I understood the process every step of the way. If you need a top-notch attorney who cares, look no further than Gelb & Gelb.”
– Keena J.
“I was in a terrible car accident and went through so much, but with Mr. Gelb and his team’s support, they were able to help make sure I was compensated well after this whole ordeal. They were very professional, attentive, and patient in explaining the process. Great team!“
– Rose N.
These testimonials reflect our commitment to providing personalized, compassionate, and effective legal representation for every client our lawyers represent.
Schedule Your Consultation with Our DC Car Accident Lawyers
Car accidents can significantly impact physical health and finances. This can stress even the calmest of plaintiffs. A personal injury claim can remove the financial pressure from this situation and help you afford the medical care you need. Over the years, we have recovered over $400 million for our clients, including a recent case where we secured a six-figure settlement for a client involved in a complex hit-and-run accident. Our services include representing victims with claims as car accident attorneys in Washington, DC, providing sound legal advice as your accident lawyer, and navigating the complexities of auto accident law in DC.
Contact a DC car accident lawyer for a free consultation.
This page has been reviewed by the legal team at Gelb & Gelb, P.C.
N/AGelb & Gelb, P.C. 1634 I Street NW #350 Washington, DC20006
Phone: (202) 331-7227
Client Description:Roger Gelb was my lawyer for a recent car accident I had. He is truly the best! He had me in therapy, getting treatment for my pain due to the car accident the next day! He communicated and updated me every step of the way. I've dealt with other lawyers who wouldn't call back or tell me what was happening. I did not experience that with Roger. He's truly the best. I will be recommending him to all my family and friends!
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