Fighting For Your Rights

Sethi & Sledd, PLLC Can Help You After An Auto Accident

Auto accidents are among the most prominent lawsuits in the U.S. These accidents are stressful, especially while you are already trying to cope with your injuries. When the opposing insurance company brings in a skilled attorney, you are going to need an advocate who can thoroughly represent your rights.

Call 703-214-9671 to speak with our team and find out how we can help after a car accident injury.

The Virginia and DC auto accident attorneys at Sethi & Sledd, PLLC have over 30 years of combined experience. In our decades practicing law, we have handled a wide range of automobile accidents – including motorcycle, pedestrian, truck and bus accidents. Our decades of experience are an invaluable asset when taking on complicated accident cases.

Steps To Take After An Auto Accident

When we take on a case, we commit to it with passion and provide thorough attention to detail. While our clients focus on recovering, we investigate all aspects of the accident and determine which elements will be most beneficial to the case. Insurance companies will also be looking into these factors and may try to deny your claim.

Make sure you try to collect the following after an auto accident:

  • The police report
  • Any pictures taken after or during the incident
  • Medical reports and doctor’s notes
  • Witness accounts of the accident

These are probably the last details on your mind while trying to recuperate from an injury, which is why finding competent legal counsel is so important. A good lawyer will have a keen eye for these details and can ease your burden.

Distracted Driving: A Dangerous Epidemic

Safety officials and advocates have deemed distracted driving one of the nation’s most serious roadway epidemics due to the thousands of injuries and deaths it causes each year. According to research, a driver is considered distracted whenever they engage in an act that is not the primary task of operating a motor vehicle. Examples include:

  • Texting or using a cellphone
  • Eating or drinking
  • Reading or using navigation
  • Adjusting music or vehicle technology
  • Talking to passengers
  • Personal grooming

Texting And Cellphone Use

While distracted driving is dangerous in any form, experts agree text messaging and handheld cellphone use are the most concerning as they command a driver’s visual, manual and cognitive attention simultaneously and can increase crash risks by more than 20x. The dangers of driving while using electronic devices to text, browse the internet, and email are so widely acknowledged, that many states across the country have now prohibited the practice. Virginia is one such state and has passed a statewide ban on texting and using a handheld mobile phone while driving a vehicle.

Victims’ Rights

All motorists have responsibilities when they step behind the wheel of a motor vehicle. Most importantly, they are legally obligated to take reasonable measures to ensure they do not pose risks to others on public roads and highways. Because the dangers of distraction are well known to drivers, and because some conduct is explicitly prohibited by statutory law, distracted drivers willfully violate their legal duty to drive safely, and can therefore be held liable for the injuries and damages they cause victims, including their:

  • Medical expenses
  • Lost wages
  • Pain and suffering
  • Inconvenience
  • And more

Liability In Passenger Accidents

One of the greatest challenges a passenger can face when hurt in an auto accident is actually determining who is to blame for the crash. From a passenger’s perspective, it can be difficult to assess liability and who is at fault. Our Virginia and DC auto accident lawyers can step in and help you pinpoint liability so your claim gains viability and strength in and out of court.

Parties that may be found accountable for your accident include:

  • Driver of the vehicle you were in
  • Driver of another vehicle
  • Other passengers who distracted the driver intentionally

Uber And Lyft Accidents in Virginia and DC

Rising in popularity now more than ever, Uber and Lyft are ridesharing options for those who don’t have access to a vehicle, or prefer not to drive themselves. As a passenger, you are putting your life and trust into the hands of a stranger who is expected to drive as safely as possible, which doesn’t always happen.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an Uber or Lyft accident, the Virginia and DC personal injury lawyers of Sethi & Sledd, PLC want to help. We have extensive experience handling accident cases against these ridesharing companies.

Our Virginia and DC auto accident lawyers balance compassion for clients with aggression in pursuing justice. We work methodically to see if we can reach a settlement that most benefits our clients. If the case needs to go to trial, we are not afraid to take it there. Call us at 703-214-9671 or send us an email today.