Our DC fatal car accident lawyers have handled motor vehicle cases in the District for over 70 years. Founded originally in Washington, D.C., in 1954, our firm is among the oldest in the region. This experience grants us a deep understanding of the nuances of personal injury law as it applies in the District. Moreover, our approach to developing an effective case strategy has evolved to anticipate the many challenges and defenses you may encounter as a plaintiff.
In the course of settling thousands of wrongful death claims, Attorney Gelb has worked to help numerous dependents secure financial compensation for their losses. Due to Mr. Gelb’s extensive experience handling accident claims. He is ready to advance robust legal theories to establish fault for a fatal collision. All clients interact directly with Attorney Gelb. This distinguishes us from other firms where paralegals or legal assistants provide most communication. The legal team at Gelb & Gelb, P.C. is ready to tenaciously and effectively advocate for your rights after a fatal accident.
When you represent the estate of the deceased in a fatal car accident, or you are a close family member of the victim, you likely have a compensation claim. Washington, D.C., sees more than its fair share of wrongful deaths. Whether it is a carjacking or plain negligence, fatal car accidents occur here with unfortunate regularity. When the death is due to the actions of a third party, it is imperative that you reach out to a DC fatal car accident lawyer immediately to discuss your options.
The NHTSA reported that in 2017, there were over 37,000 vehicle traffic fatalities. Unfortunately, accidents remain a leading cause of death for people throughout the country. All drivers and others sharing the road, including bicyclists and pedestrians, are at risk of suffering fatalities in a vehicle crash. When someone close to you has been fatally injured in an accident that was not their fault, you may pursue a wrongful death lawsuit against the at-fault driver. Washington, D.C. accident attorney Roger Gelb has extensive experience securing compensation for loved ones following a wrongful death due to the negligence of others. Recognized as one of the leading personal injury attorneys in the area, Roger Gelb has secured multi-million dollar recoveries on behalf of his clients.
Your rights depend on who you are in relation to the deceased.
As the deceased’s estate representative, you take over his cause of action against the tortfeasor. This means that if the victim would have a cause of action against the tortfeasor for negligence but for his death, you may have a legitimate claim to pursue. The value of a death claim can be significant. If you believe the estate has a valid claim to pursue, it is worth consulting with a DC fatal car accident lawyer. While the deceased may not benefit directly from the compensation, the family of the estate will or whoever is entitled to the estate per the victim’s will or laws of intestacy.
While the children of the deceased, for example, have a right to pursue a wrongful death claim, that may not be as valuable as the estate’s claim. And when both claims ultimately end up with the children, it becomes all the more important to pursue. Moreover, an estate has to deal with costs related to death. Below is a list of costs an estate may be responsible for.
If you are a spouse, parent, or child of the deceased, you may be entitled to a wrongful death claim. This is an entirely different claim from the abovementioned action despite being for the same injury. If your family member or loved one passes in a fatal car accident in DC, you may also be entitled to your damages in addition to those that the estate is entitled to. You may only pursue a DC wrongful death claim under the DC statute if the injury occurred in DC. Thus, the deceased may have passed away in a neighboring state like Maryland or Virginia, but if the injuries occurred in DC, then it is a DC claim.
In a wrongful death claim, the recoverable damages are distinct from those the estate recovers. Medical expenses, for example, do not fall under this claim. You also may not recover for mental suffering, grief, or anguish. But, of course, the victim’s estatehalf of the victim, can do so by assuming the death was not instant. Discuss your next steps with a DC fatal car accident lawyer.
When you are in a fatal car accident in DC, the law quickly becomes nuanced. Insurance companies may jump at the opportunity to take advantage of a grieving family. They may make a settlement offer to you before you even have a chance to consult a DC fatal car accident lawyer. This offer will likely be well below the actual value of the case. But at the same time, it may be a considerable sum of money and sound appealing to accept and be done with as the exorbitant expenses pile up. Our experienced attorneys know the insurance companies’ games and what to watch out for. Thus, we will provide guidance every step of the way. We will explain your rights, the available legal options, and the steps involved if you decide to pursue a claim.
Speeding is almost always a factor for a car accident to be fatal. The lack of safety equipment, either equipped or available to the decedent, is also essential. Below is a list of common causes our DC fatal car accident lawyers frequently encounter.
This can take many forms. In 2024, it typically takes the form of texting and driving. Anything related to your smartphone, whether changing a song, listening to a podcast, or calling someone, qualifies as distracted driving. In our experience, it is the most common cause of fatal car accidents in Washington, D.C. While distracted driving is not directly correlated with higher speeds, it causes more accidents than any other reason.
Our DC fatal car accident lawyers state that drunk driving is among the primary causes of death in a car accident in DC. The reason for this is drunk driving is one of the biggest reasons for head-on collisions. By now, we all know the dangers of drunk driving. IT severely worsens a driver’s reaction time. It also makes decision-making far worse. Thus, if a driver decides when to pull away from a stop sign, assuming a full stop was executed, determining the correct time to make a left from behind the sign will be far more difficult while inebriated.
Speeding is a result of the many other causes listed in this section. The precise issue with speeding is that the greater your car’s speed, the harder it is to control. Worse yet, the faster you are going, the more force that is going toward a victim. It takes discipline to drive the speed limit. But if you don’t, you are risking the safety of everyone around you, not to mention your own.
This can be a frustrating cause of an accident. If one driver is behaving recklessly, aggressively, and impatiently, and it results in the death of a loved one, consult a DC fatal car accident lawyer to pursue justice. Speeding, tailgating, failing to signal, or making obscene gestures in traffic may be described as aggressive driving. Aggressive driving is frequently combined with speeding and other common causes listed here that result in fatal accidents. When there is a death due to aggressive driving, you may be entitled to punitive damages. The bar to recover punitive damages is high in Washington, D.C. Still, an argument can be made that aggressive driving is so egregious that the defendant should be punished civilly for their actions.
Adverse weather conditions, while not as heinous a cause of fatal car accidents as the causes listed above, can still be a significant contributor to fatalities we see in Washington, D.C.
A fatality may occur when a pedestrian negligently crosses the street without legal right-of-way. A driver may not have sufficient time to stop before hitting a pedestrian. And because a pedestrian has no protection against a driver, the accident will likely lead to severe injuries or death.
As you may have read on the news, carjackings in Washington, D.C., are far too common. While there is much that should be done proactively, our DC fatal car accident lawyers are here to demand justice for the injuries suffered by you and your loved ones.
Fatal accidents take many forms, from head-on collisions to drunk-driving crashes. Unfortunately, victims who suffer deadly injuries in accidents often leave behind family and other loved ones. Sometimes, the decedent is the primary wage earner, and the surviving family must confront tragic emotional and financial losses.
After a driver’s negligence leads to a fatal accident, they may claim damages from family members. According to law, when an accident that caused death was the kind that could have formed the basis of a personal injury action, it meets the requirement of a wrongful death lawsuit. Unlike in a personal injury claim, the injured victim cannot bring the lawsuit, and others must assert their legal rights for damages associated with the death.
Washington, D.C., lawyer Roger Gelb provides compassionate representation as he advocates for compensation following the death of a loved one. Mr. Gelb is knowledgeable in laws governing the recovery of damages following a fatal accident. At Gelb & Gelb, we strive to maximize compensation. This allows surviving family members to remain financially stable during a devastating time. We are available to talk about the details of your case. Call (202) 331-7227 or online through our form. We proudly represent individuals and families throughout Washington, D.C.