When you or someone you love is the victim of a stabbing, you immediately understand the gravity of the situation. The physical and emotional aftermath following a stabbing incident can be scary. In a stabbing, it is unlike a car accident case in that it was intentional conduct by the defendant. Thus, there is unlikely to be a cordial exchange of information. You will be lucky to get the assailant’s information without help from the police or a DC stabbing injury lawyer. Hopefully, after you or your loved one could get to safety and the medical attention necessary, the police could be called and the assailant arrested. This is easier said than done. Many times, the victim of a stabbing is alone. Thus, it may be prudent to seek out strangers. Run to the nearest store or restaurant. Being in a crowd and away from isolation can help protect you.
Once you are safe, you should ensure you are ok. Call the paramedics and rush to the emergency room if appropriate. Unfortunately, stabbing incidents are common in DC. While stabbing injuries are common in many urban environments, DC seems at times to be exceedingly high. We will discuss the stabbing statistics in Washington, D.C., below. Some parts of DC see more stabbing incidents than others. As DC stabbing injury lawyers, the scope of our representation exists after the injury. However, by discussing your rights and the best way to navigate the legal process, you will be armed with how to avoid stabbing incidents in the future and protect your right to compensation should they come to pass.
Our DC stabbing injury lawyers handle stabbing incidents that have taken place throughout Washington, D.C., and at all times of the day. Stabbings are more likely to happen in certain parts of town and at certain times. We discuss those high-risk areas below.
In downtown areas, more people gather. That is normal in any urban environment, and DC is no exception. Downtown areas, excluding the corporate section of DC, have late-night hours. That may include bars, clubs, and general entertainment districts. Alcohol and later hours are always more likely to lead to violence and stabbings. Whether it is U Street, H Street, or near the Verizon Center, the combination of high foot traffic and alcohol is always more likely to involve violence.
Residential complexes in the parts of DC that have lower socioeconomic status see their share of stabbings. While stabbings can happen anywhere in DC, socioeconomic status plays a role. This may be because of gang-related activity in or around the apartment complex. Or, it can be a domestic dispute which is also more likely to occur in a lower socioeconomic status part of the city. If a stabbing happens in a residential complex, it may be worthwhile to speak to a DC stabbing injury lawyer. Typically, it is not worth it to sue a defendant for a stabbing injury. The defendant may not have insurance coverage or the money to pay a judgment. A stabbing injury is no different because a homeowner’s policy is doubtful to cover illegal, intentional conduct like a stabbing.
However, we may be able to establish liability against the residential complex. If the condo or apartment building has reason to believe a tenant with a violent propensity or a crime spree is going on and they fail to act, that may be negligence.
At least in a downtown area, while there is a high risk of a stabbing, you at least have the protection and distraction of other people. However, in a park or other isolated space, you may be all alone. This makes you a prime candidate to be robbed or stabbed. The other issue with this scenario is that no one can sue you for your damages. When we do not get the name of the tortfeasor, you will be left to use your health insurance, and a DC stabbing injury lawyer will have no one to pursue for your damages.
The park owner likely will not be liable, and the stabber will have no money to pay you. If you do find yourself or your loved one stabbed in a park or isolated space, it is worth speaking to an attorney as you never know what we will uncover, and our consultations are free. However, this is not an ideal scenario.
Navigating the legal process without a DC stabbing injury lawyer can be complex. Below are a few challenges you may face during your case.
As alluded to earlier, the issue with a stabbing injury case is collecting compensation. There is rarely a question of liability unless the defendant pleads self-defense. However, the most considerable challenge is finding someone liable for your injury who can afford a judgment. If we sue the person who stabbed you, you may well be wasting your time and resources. While we may win the case, you will never recover compensation. Thus, we want to look for other sources of liability. Better defendants for a DC stabbing injury case may include:
When someone stabs you, they are going beyond negligence. That is a battery in the simplest terms. However, negligence is at play to hold a venue like a stadium, school, or apartment complex liable. How do we prove negligence? We must prove four elements.
For example, suppose the defendant is an event venue. The event venue owes each foreseeable plaintiff a duty to keep them reasonably safe from foreseeable harm. It is reasonably foreseeable that, at an event that large, someone would try to bring a knife into the venue. If the defendant venue fails to stop a tortfeasor from bringing a knife into the venue, that is a breach of a duty owed. When the tortfeasor then stabs you, there are damages. If the stabbing is caused because the venue did not correctly screen each person at the security line, we have actual and legal causation.
If an assailant intentionally stabs you with a knife, that is a battery. Suppose that the tortfeasor does have sufficient assets to pay a judgment. We can seek punitive damages against the tortfeasor and the compensatory damages that would be available if the defendant was merely negligent.
When researching who to hire as your DC stabbing injury lawyer, seeking a lawyer with experience is critical. The DC stabbing injury attorneys at Gelb & Gelb, P.C. have 70 years of experience representing injury victims in the District. We have successfully resolved thousands of cases.
Call our office today for a free consultation. Our office is open 24/7. Call us at (202) 331-7227.
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