Rush hour traffic tends to increase the occurrence of serious car accidents. Many of these crashes are caused by reckless or aggressive drivers. If you or someone close to you has been hurt in a vehicle collision, Washington, D.C. car accident attorney Roger Gelb can help you pursue justice and compensation. As a recognized leading advocate for injured individuals throughout Washington, D.C. and nearby areas, Attorney Gelb has recovered millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts for thousands of clients throughout Washington, D.C. At the same time, Attorney Gelb handles every case personally, and remains accessible and open to directly communicating with clients. The team at Gelb & Gelb handles a variety of injury claims, and vehicle accidents remain a main focus of their legal practice. Seasoned attorney Roger Gelb is prepared to help you understand your options as you assert your legal rights.
Rush hour takes place when drivers commute on the roads to and from work. During this period of time, highways and streets tend to be congested. Accidents may result when drivers display negligent or careless conduct. In some cases, drivers aggressively operate their vehicles and exhibit impatience, which affects their ability to maintain control of their vehicle. Some instances of aggressive driving may even escalate to road rage, putting others around the reckless driver at risk of serious harm.
To pursue damages after suffering injuries in a rush hour crash, victims must demonstrate fault for the collision. Injury claims following a car accident often proceed under a negligence theory of law, which allows the plaintiff to seek damages from the defendant driver.
Negligence claims require proving that the defendant breached a duty of care, and that this breach directly led to the accident and resulting harm. The duty of care element refers to the fact that all drivers owe others on the road the duty to avoid causing foreseeable harm, which means they must operate their vehicles in a reasonable manner. A breach may be constituted by driver conduct such as erratic speeding, or changing lanes abruptly. Drivers that fail to maintain a safe following distance may also be deemed negligent if their conduct causes a crash. Rear-end collisions are common types of rush hour accidents, and can unfortunately affect multiple vehicles.
After proving that the defendant breached their duty of care, the victim must show that the at-fault driver actually caused the accident. This element, causation, can be shown through evidence that the accident would not have occurred but for the defendant’s actions. A seasoned car accident lawyer can help you assemble the evidence necessary to prove causation in your injury case.
After establishing fault, the victim must set forth proof of the damages that resulted from the accident. Successful injury claims provide a means for victims to recover financially for both economic and non-economic harm they suffered in the crash. Costs for medical care, rehabilitation, and lost wages from work are typically included in a damages claim. Additionally, victims are entitled to recover for their emotional suffering related to the accident. If the accident affected the ability of an individual to return to their former vocation, they may be able to recover costs for lost earning potential.
Vehicle collision lawyer Roger Gelb can assist in your recovery of compensation for injuries caused by someone else’s negligent or careless conduct. As a knowledgeable Washington, D.C. attorney, Mr. Gelb is prepared to investigate, negotiate, and advance the right of his clients in order to seek the damages to which they may be legally entitled. While Attorney Gelb handles different types of injury claims, he has extensive experience advocating for car accident victims and is ready to fight for your rights. Contact our office today by phone at (202) 331-7227 or through our online form to learn more. We proudly help people in need of a car accident lawyer in Washington, D.C.