A car accident can shatter your life in an instant.
One moment you’re driving through Arlington’s busy streets, and the next you’re facing overwhelming medical bills, lost wages, and an insurance company designed to take advantage of your vulnerable situation.
The physical pain may be unbearable, but the financial pressure and uncertainty about your future can be just as devastating.
You don’t have to face this alone.
At Monge & Associates, our Arlington car accident lawyers understand how a serious collision can turn your world upside down.
We’ve been standing up for injured victims since 1993, and we know that behind every case is a real person facing real challenges.
When someone else’s negligence causes your suffering, you shouldn’t have to bear the burden alone.
Contact our Arlington personal injury attorneys at Monge & Associates today to schedule your free consultation and learn how we can help you.
No Fees Unless We Win
Every Day You Wait, Your Case Gets WEAKER
Why Choose Monge & Associates for Your Arlington Car Accident Case
Car accident cases require an attorney with compassion and experience. Monge & Associates can help. You should turn to our firm because:
- Our many past five-star reviews from car accident victims show we have the compassion and skill to help you through your claim
- We bring more than 32 years of experience with car accident claims to the table, and we deeply know the Virginia laws that affect your rights
- We are ready to represent you, no matter how your car accident case unfolds, as we have both litigation and negotiation experience. If insurers won’t offer a fair settlement, we’ll fight for you in court.
Common Types of Car Accidents in Arlington
There are many different kinds of car accident claims that cause injuries and sometimes fatalities.
Our firm has represented clients injured in the following types of collisions:
- Rear-End Collisions
- Head-On Collisions
- T-Bone Crashes
- Multi-Vehicle Pile-Ups
These are just some of the many common crash types where we have brought successful accident claims in the aftermath of a crash.
Leading Causes of Arlington Car Accidents
Unfortunately, many car crashes happen because of drivers who are careless or unreasonably negligent while operating their vehicles.
Some of the most common causes of Arlington car accidents include the following:
- Distracted Driving: This can include distractions due to texting and cell phone use, navigation system distractions, and more.
- Drunk and Impaired Driving: Drivers can be held liable for both DUI accidents and accidents caused by prescription drug impairment.
- Aggressive and Reckless Driving: Speeding and improper lane changes in heavy traffic are two of many examples of reckless driving that can result in a driver causing a crash and being made to pay damages.
- Weather-Related Accidents: Rain and fog can increase crash risks, as can ice on untreated secondary roads.
- Driver Fatigue: Commuter exhaustion during rush hours and commercial driver hours violations are two common situations where crashes occur due to driver fatigue.
In these and other situations, we will help you to identify the crash cause and prove why the defendant was to blame for the harm that was done.
Steps to Take After an Arlington Car Accident
After a crash occurs on Arlington roads, there are specific steps that you should take to protect your health and your legal rights:
- Ensure safety and call 911: Make sure everyone is as safe as possible and vehicles are, when possible, moved out of the way of oncoming traffic. If anyone may be hurt or has been killed, call 911.
- Seek medical attention: Getting a doctor’s help can allow you to get prompt treatment to reduce the severity of your injuries. You can also document your injuries so you can prove they are crash related.
- Document the scene: Take photos of vehicles, injuries, and road conditions, get witness names and contact information, and note traffic camera locations, as all of this could help you build a strong case.
- Exchange information with other drivers so you will know who was involved in the accident and who is potentially to blame.
- Report the accident to insurance, but avoid admitting fault, as there are specific guidelines and rules that determine who is legally to blame for a crash.
- Keep all records – You’ll want to be able to prove the cost of medical bills, and should be ready with repair estimates, and details about lost wages, so you can prove the extent of your loss.
- Contact an Arlington car accident lawyer before accepting any settlement: Insurers often try to pay as little as possible. An attorney can help you get full and fair compensation.
Virginia Car Accident Laws You Need to Know
There are a few key rules to be aware of under Virginia car accident laws, as these rules could impact your ability to make a claim after an Arlington, VA car accident.
Contributory Negligence Rule
Virginia follows a rule called contributory negligence, which bars you from recovering compensation for a car accident you were even 1% to blame for.
Insurance companies often try to avoid payment based on this rule or get you to accept a lowball settlement by trying to prove you were partly to blame.
An experienced Arlington car accident lawyer can help you to negotiate with the insurer, explore legal rules that protect your claim like the last clear chance doctrine, and otherwise navigate the legal system effectively to reduce the chances this rule bars your recovery.
Statute of Limitations
Virginia has a two-year statute of limitations to file an auto accident lawsuit, so you need to act quickly.
While this rule exists to make sure evidence is available for both the plaintiff and the defendant, it makes it important to get legal help ASAP so your claim is not time-barred.
Proving Fault in Your Arlington Car Accident Case
When you make a Virginia car accident claim, it is up to you to prove that the other driver was to blame.
This means you must demonstrate intentional wrongdoing or negligence, which you can show by proving the defendant had a duty of care (or obligation to you) that they breached in a way that caused you harm.
All drivers have a duty to obey the rules of the road, so showing another driver violated safety regulations can help you make your case.
You can also show the other driver was unreasonably careless compared to the average reasonable driver.
Monge & Associates can help you to prove your case by gathering evidence including:
- Police reports from Arlington County
- Traffic and surveillance camera footage
- Testimony from accident reconstruction specialists
- Medical documentation
- Cell phone records
Compensation Available for Arlington Car Accident Victims
Crash victims should be entitled to collect compensation for both economic and non-financial losses.
Here are some of the different kinds of things you could be compensated for:
- Economic damages including past and future medical expenses; loss of wages; reduced earning capacity, costs of repairing or replacing your vehicle, physical therapy or rehabilitation, and the costs associated with modifying your home if you’ve been left disabled.
- Non-Economic Damages including for pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life and permanent disability or disfigurement.
- Punitive Damages, which are designed to punish defendants and which are available only in drunk driving cases or when extreme recklessness or malice was involved.
Why You Need an Arlington Car Accident Attorney
When you are involved in a car accident, you need an Arlington car accident attorney to help you maximize your chances of compensation.
Monge & Associates can help you in many important ways including assisting with:
- Navigating Virginia’s complex contributory negligence law so you aren’t barred from recovery.
- Dealing with aggressive insurance companies to negotiate a fair settlement and helping you calculate the true value of your claim so you don’t accept a settlement that doesn’t pay for your full damages.
- Providing access to accident reconstruction experts who can help you build a stronger case.
- Leveling the playing field against corporate insurers so you aren’t at a disadvantage when it comes to making the legal system work for you.
Ultimately, you also benefit from being able to focus on recovery while we handle your case and help get you the justice you deserve.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is my car accident case worth?
Car accident claims vary in value based on the severity of your injuries and other factors like the strength of your case and the availability of insurance coverage. Let Monge & Associates conduct a personalized case evaluation to help you understand what your claim is worth.
What if the other driver was uninsured?
Although you can make a car accident claim against an uninsured driver, if you win you may be unable to collect damages depending on whether they have any assets. You can work with an attorney to determine if it is worth making a claim or if there are other defendants you can take action against. You may also be able to make a claim and collect from the uninsured motorist coverage on your own policy if you have it.
Can I still recover if I wasn’t wearing a seatbelt?
Not wearing a seatbelt doesn’t prevent you from getting car accident compensation.
Contact Our Arlington Car Accident Lawyers Today
An Arlington car accident lawyer at Monge & Associates can help you fight for your rights after a crash.
Give us a call today to schedule a consultation and learn more about how we can help.
Our Arlington Office
1408 N Fillmore St Suite 6A
Arlington, VA 22201
(703) 991-4787