Speeding accidents in Baltimore cause severe injuries and fatalities each year. If you are injured in a car accident in Baltimore and speed is a factor, you might be entitled to substantial compensation. Contact our Baltimore law office today at (410) 837-2144 to discuss your case with a Baltimore car accident lawyer from WGK Personal Injury Lawyers.
Call us today to schedule your free consultation. This gives you the opportunity to learn about your case and how our firm can assist throughout the claims process. It’s important to get started as soon as you can, so call us to arrange a time to chat about your case today.
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Why Should I Hire WGK Personal Injury Lawyers After a Speed-Related Crash in Baltimore?
A speeding driver caused your injuries. You deserve to be compensated for those injuries. However, the insurance company refuses to pay your claim or refuses to pay full value for your claim.
Investigating a speeding car crash can be costly, time-consuming, and intense. You are healing from injuries and need to focus on your recovery and your family. However, you need evidence to prove the other driver caused the crash before the insurance company will pay your claim.
At WGK Personal Injury Lawyers, we have the resources and skills necessary to investigate your car crash. Our car crash lawyers in Baltimore have significant experience investigating and handling speeding accident claims.
We handle every aspect of your case, including:
- Investigating the accident to gather evidence of fault,
- Obtaining copies of medical records, police reports, and crash reports,
- Interviewing eyewitnesses and obtaining sworn statements,
- Identifying all parties responsible for the crash,
- Locating insurance information about coverage that applies to your claim,
- Documenting damages and financial losses to maximize the value of your claim,
- Filing insurance claims and preparing demand settlement packages,
- Negotiating settlements with the insurance company,
- Preparing a filing a personal injury lawsuit, if the insurance company and other parties refuse to negotiate in good faith to reach a fair settlement for a speeding accident,
The insurance company for the other driver has a legal team. It also has unlimited resources and staff to investigate and fight your claim. You need experienced Baltimore speeding accident lawyers to protect your right to full compensation of damages caused by a speeding accident.
How Common are Speeding Accidents?
Speeding accidents are very common. Typically, speeding accidents account for about one-third of all traffic fatalities each year.
During 2018, 9,378 people were killed in speeding-related accidents in the United States. Hundreds of thousands of people are injured each year in speeding accidents.
In Maryland, there are approximately 13,000 speed-involved crashes each year. A survey by MADS found that one in three drivers prefer to drive at least 10 miles per hour or more over the posted speed limit. During a five-year period, speeding drivers were involved in 16 percent of the traffic injuries and 21 percent of traffic fatalities in Maryland.
Why Do Speeding Accidents Happen in Baltimore?
The reasons people speed vary. As stated above, many people simply prefer to drive faster than the posted speed limit. They choose to speed even though they may be aware of the dangers of speeding.
According to the NHTSA, the consequences of speeding include:
- Increased risk of losing control of the vehicle;
- Stopping distance increases;
- Reduction in the effectiveness of seat belts and airbags; and,
- Increase in the severity of crashes leading to more severe injuries.
Even though drivers may understand that speeding increases the risk of being involved in an accident and may lead to traumatic injuries, they choose to ignore the warning signs. However, there may be other factors involved in the cause of a speeding accident.
In some cases, an impaired driver may be speeding and not be aware of how fast the vehicle is traveling. Aggressive drivers also tend to exceed the speed limit, especially if they’re trying to beat a red light at an intersection. In some cases, road rage may play a factor in speeding accidents.
Common Speeding Accident Injuries
Unfortunately, higher rates of speed are linked to an increased risk of disabling injuries and fatalities from a traffic accident. Just increasing speed from 55 mph to 65 mph can increase the risk of fatal injuries by 24 percent.
Common speeding accident injuries include, but are not limited to:
- Spinal Cord Injuries and Paralysis
- Internal Bleeding and Damage to Internal Organs
- Traumatic Brain Injury
- Concussions
- Skull Fractures
- Back and Neck Injuries
- Whiplash
- Multiple Fractures and Broken Bones
- Lacerations and Puncture Wounds
- Facial Injuries
- Amputations
Documenting your injuries after a speeding accident is crucial. Prompt medical attention is necessary for your health and to protect your right to recover damages for your injuries. Delaying medical care could result in receiving much less money for your speeding accident claim than your claim is worth.
What Damages Can I Recover in a Baltimore Speeding Accident Case?
Our Baltimore speeding accident attorneys work closely with your physicians and with you to document your damages. The damages in a speeding accident case depend on the facts of the case. However, most speeding accident cases result in damages that include money for:
- Physician, hospital, and medical expenses,
- Medications and medical supplies,
- Physical therapy and other therapies,
- Loss of income, including commissions, overtime pay, benefits, and bonuses,
- Cost of personal care,
- Physical pain and suffering,
- Property damage,
- Emotional distress and mental anguish,
- Disfigurement, scarring, and impairments,
- Loss of enjoyment of life, and
- Decrease in quality of life.
The damages from a speeding accident case may also include future damages. If you sustain a permanent impairment or disability, you might receive compensation for damages such as:
- Ongoing medical treatments,
- Personal care costs,
- Future loss of income and benefits, and
- Decrease in earning potential.
Calculating the value of an injury claim can be confusing. Remember, the insurance company is not interested in paying full value for your claim. Therefore, the claims adjuster is not going to tell you the actual value of your claim, regardless of how pleasant or sincere the adjuster may be.
We will tell you the actual value of your speeding accident claim. Our lawyers understand how to calculate the maximum value of a personal injury claim. Before accepting a settlement for your claim, check with our lawyers to make sure that the insurance company is paying the full value of your claim.
Can I Recover Compensation for a Claim if I was Speeding Too?
If your vehicle speed played a role in the cause of the accident, Maryland’s pure contributory negligence laws would prevent you from recovering any compensation for your injuries.
Under a pure contributory negligence standard, if car accident victim contributed to the cause of the crash, recovery of compensation is barred. You could be one percent at fault and the speeding driver 99 percent at fault, but you would still lose your car accident case.
Working with a Baltimore car accident lawyer with experience handling contributory negligence claims is essential. Our lawyers have extensive experience handling claims in which the insurance company for the speeding driver raises issues of contributory negligence.
What Should I do After a Speeding Accident in Baltimore?
If a speeding driver causes a motor vehicle accident, you should:
- Call 911 to report the accident and request assistance.
- Try to document the accident scene by taking photographs and making videos.
- If possible, ask eyewitnesses for their contact information.
- Do not admit fault or say you are sorry.
- See your physician as soon as possible if you do not go to the emergency room.
- Follow up with medical treatment and keep detailed notes about all conversations with your doctors.
- Do not agree to a recorded or written statement for the insurance company. Avoid talking to the insurance company for the other driver until you speak with an attorney.
- Start a journal to keep track of conversations regarding your claim and injuries. Make notes about your recovery, such as your daily pain levels and activities you cannot perform because of your injuries.
And, don’t hesitate to contact our Baltimore speeding accident attorneys right way to discuss your case.
How Long Do I Have to File a Speeding Accident Lawsuit in the State of Maryland?
Each state has Statutes of Limitations that set deadlines for filing various lawsuits. Maryland’s statute of limitations for most car accident claims is three years from the date of the car accident.
If you do not file your lawsuit before the deadline, you lose your right to pursue a court case against the negligent driver who caused your crash.
However, factors in some cases could change the deadline to file a speeding accident claim. You should never assume that you have three years to file a claim. It is in your best interest to talk with a speeding accident attorney in Baltimore as soon as possible after a crash.
Contact Our Baltimore Car Accident Law Firm for More Information
Waiting too long to contact an attorney could hurt your case. Do not jeopardize your claim by trying to handle the insurance company alone or waiting to talk with a lawyer.
We care about what has happened to you and your family. Our Baltimore car accident attorneys are here to answer your questions and address your concerns about a personal injury claim. Take advantage of the free case review to get the information you need to make the best decision for you.
Call WGK Personal Injury Lawyers, at 410-837-2144 to request your free consultation with a Baltimore speeding accident attorney.