Understanding Your Rights on a No-Fault Accident Claim
Maryland and the District of Columbia provide similar systems for the recovery of personal injury damages in motor vehicle accidents. Both jurisdictions differ a great deal from Virginia, where you need to prove negligence in a car accident case before you can reach the other driver's liability coverage.
Maryland and D.C. are both no-fault jurisdictions. This means that after an auto accident, you'll look to your own insurer for coverage of your medical bills, lost wages and other damages, without any regard to either driver's negligence. Your no-fault benefits will not cover a potential claim for pain and suffering and certain other losses — you still need to prove fault to recover on those claims.
To get a clear understanding of your right to damages for car accident injuries under the no-fault systems of Maryland and the District, contact a knowledgeable personal injury attorney at MacDowell & Associates in Fairfax.
We're Virginia lawyers with a detailed knowledge of Maryland and D.C. law.
Although our offices are in Virginia, we've been advising clients on both sides of the Potomac. Our thorough familiarity with both the legal issues and the insurance tactics that go into the evaluation and settlement of no-fault accident claims can help you resolve your damages claim for the full value of your losses in both Maryland and the District.
The main focus of no-fault coverage is the personal injury protection (PIP) provisions of your own insurance policy. Just because you don't need to prove negligence doesn't mean that you won't run into problems with the proof of your right to compensation with your own carrier.
There may be disputes about your diagnosis, the severity of your injuries, the amount of income you lost during your physical recovery, and the extent of your future treatment needs. We can help you overcome any obstacles which you encounter in getting the full benefit of your coverage.
We can also advise you about important limitations on your right to no-fault coverage. We can help you get access to the benefits you need without jeopardizing any important rights. In some cases, you'll need to reach your uninsured or underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage to supplement your PIP benefits. This is easier in Maryland than it is in the District, where you might lose the right to sue a negligent driver if you look to your own insurer first.
Car insurance problems in Maryland or D.C.? Call 703-763-0923 in Fairfax.
No matter where you live, our knowledge of an insurer's obligations to deal with you fairly can give you extra leverage in the form of a bad faith insurance claim, whenever the delays or denials of your claim can't be reasonably excused.
For more information about your right to insurance benefits under the no-fault auto insurance laws of Maryland and the District of Columbia, contact MacDowell & Associates in Fairfax for a free consultation.
