Wet Road Accidents In Washington DC
If you or someone close to you has suffered injuries in a wet road accident, experienced Washington, D.C. car accident lawyer Roger Gelb and the team at Gelb & Gelb can help. Recognized as a top personal injury lawyer in the Washington D.C. area, Mr. Gelb has successfully recovered millions of dollars for injured individuals as well as their loved ones. When a driver does not exercise the care required under the circumstances, whether these include weather, road hazards, or other issues, they can be held legally accountable if their conduct results in an accident that harms others. Our firm is dedicated to helping auto accident victims, and throughout the course of their legal representation, clients interact directly with Attorney Gelb. Our firm is proud to represent people in the District of Columbia.
Asserting a Negligence Claim Following a Wet Road Accident
After a car accident, victims may file a personal injury claim to recover damages for their injuries and accident-related costs. Many of these claims are based on negligence, which is a legal theory that can be used to hold people accountable when they fail to exhibit the required level of care for the circumstances. As a plaintiff in a personal injury claim, an accident victim alleging negligence must prove the elements of duty, breach, causation, and damages. Evidence must persuade the judge or jury that the defendant’s conduct directly caused the accident, and led to resulting harm.
All drivers owe others the duty to take precautions on the road in order to avoid a collision. Wet roads are often caused by weather conditions that require drivers to adjust their speed and driving behavior. A driver that disregards the speed limit or tailgates during a rainstorm may be deemed to have breached their duty of care. Speeding on a wet road places others at risk of injury, and the driver may be held legally responsible if they cause a crash.
Causation in a negligence claim may be shown by evidence that if the defendant hadn’t breached their duty of care, the accident would not have occurred. In the above example, a driver who speeds on a wet road, loses control of their vehicle, and collides with the plaintiff’s car likely meets the element of causation.
In some lawsuits, a defendant may claim that the plaintiff contributed to their own injuries because they did not act with the level of care required for the situation. By asserting the doctrine of contributory negligence, a defendant can try to limit or prevent the plaintiff’s recovery if they are deemed more than fifty percent at fault. Attorney Roger Gelb can assess the facts of your case and determine the strength of any assertions of contributory negligence.
Proving Economic and Non-Economic Damages for Wet Road Accidents
The final step in a negligence claim is setting forth damages. Financial recovery for all harm suffered, including economic and non-economic costs, is intended to place the victim in the position they would be in if the accident had not occurred. Economic damages following an accident can include amounts for medical care, hospital stays, future costs of treatment, and physical therapy. Additionally, when an injured victim is unable to return to their former vocation and suffers lost earning capacity or lost wages from missed work, these costs may be recovered. A skilled attorney can help to assess costs available for emotional pain and suffering and other non-economic costs. Psychological effects from an accident may extend to depression, and a general reduced quality of life.
Dedicated Washington, D.C. Lawyer for Car Accident Claims
Legally, accident victims have the right to hold drivers accountable for careless conduct that directly causes harm. Attorney Roger Gelb takes pride in working to provide a sense of justice to car accident victims and their families. At Gelb & Gelb, our goal is to recover full compensation for those hurt by the negligent conduct of others. To begin the process of asserting your rights, call our office at (202) 331-7227 or complete our form online. We are proud to assist people seeking legal assistance after a car accident in Washington, D.C.