GEORGE WASHINGTON MEMORIAL PARKWAY CAR ACCIDENT LAWYERS

GW Parkway Car Accidents

The George Washington Memorial parkway, commonly called the GW Parkway, is a 25 mile stretch of road from Mclean, all the way down to the Potomac River in Mount Vernon, Virginia. It passes through a lot of beautiful park land, but can also be a dangerous roadway! Car accidents happen with alarming frequency, due to the many on-ramps, off ramps, pedestrian crossings, circles, and of course, negligent and impatient drivers.

If you have been hurt in a car accident on the GW Parkway, then you may have many questions about how best to proceed. The road seems to be in Virginia, but does that make it a Virginia case even thought it was on Federal property? There are indeed some confusing legal issues, but the attorneys at Blaszkow Legal can help you sort through all of them, and get you the compensation that you deserve for your injuries.

If you have been hurt due to the negligence, recklessness, or carelessness of another motorist anywhere on the GW Parkway, contact an experienced car accident attorney who will fight for you today. Call 703-879-5910 for a free consultation!

What Should You Do if You Are in a Car Accident on the GW Parkway?

If you are in a car accident on the George Washington Memorial parkway, you need to take the following steps to stay safe, and preserve all of the evidence that you will need to protect yourself in the future:

1. STAY CALM, AND STAY SAFE. Most people's instinct right after a car accident is to get out, and look at the damage. However, you have to be very careful! Most of the parkway does not include overhead lights, so there was always a risk that another motorist may not see you and the crash. Sometimes, the safest place to be is in your vehicle, even after a car accident

2. CALL 911. You should always call the police after a car accident, whether you deem the accident minor or not. This serves several purposes, namely, to get assistance to you right away. Your call gives 911 operators your GPS coordinates, so they can send help. Alternately, it logs the exact time and location of your call, in case there is any confusion or dispute about this later on. The US Park Police have primary jurisdiction over Parkway car accidents.

3. MOVE YOUR VEHICLES, IF POSSIBLE. Sometimes, it is possible to move your cars off to the side of the road for safety. After you have taken a few pictures, moving the vehicles is generally recommended, so that other vehicles do not crash into you, and further endanger your safety.

4. TAKE PICTURES. You cannot have too many pictures or videos. It is important to record everything that may be related to the accident, in any way. Take pictures of your vehicle, the other vehicle, any witnesses, debris, roadway markings, leaked oil - in short anything!

5. EXCHANGE INFORMATION. It's very important that you get a copy (picture) of the other motorists state issued driver's license, not just their insurance card. Exchanging insurance information is important, but your case is not against the other person's insurance. There is a lot of confusing information out there about this. Your case is against the at-fault motorist. Remember, the person whose name is on the insurance card, may not be the driver!

6. GET MEDICAL TREATMENT. After a car accident, you need to go to the emergency room. On the Parkway, you may have been at speed, and you may be suffering from trauma you do not immediately recognize while there is adrenaline in your body. You may get transported by the ambulance. If not, then you need to go to the ER yourself, or see an Urgent Care Doctor. Do not wait - and do not go see a limited practice doctor, such as a chiropractor. You need a medical doctor to evaluate you comprehensively. Chiropractors and other limited-practice physicians may be part of your treatment team later, but after a crash, you need a comprehensive medical examination.

7. CALL BLASZKOW LEGAL. Do not speak to any insurance companies. Insurance companies are out for themselves, and they are not looking out for your best interest. It is the job of an experienced car accident lawyer to protect you, against everyone! This includes your own car insurance company, because your case could become a UM/UIM case!

The Claims Process After GW Parkway Car Accidents

After a Parkway accident, insurance companies are going to want to speak to you. This is going to include your own car insurance company, as well as the insurance company for the other vehicle or vehicles that are involved. As a general rule, we tell people not to speak to any insurance companies until they have spoken to a car accident lawyer first.

Yes, this includes your own car insurance company! If the person who caused your accident turns out to be uninsured, then your case is going to be pursued through the uninsured motorist coverage of your own car insurance. That turns your insurance against you, through this adversarial process. At that point, your own car insurance company is trying to give you as little money as possible, if any at all.

Your Claim For Damages After a Parkway Car Accident

After a car crash, you have the right to file a claim for compensation for your damages. Damages is a broad term, that is meant to represent all of the ways that the collision has impacted your life, and impaired your daily living. Your claim for damages is made up of specific elements. The most common elements of damages include:

• Cost of medical treatment

• Prescription costs

• Rehabilitation

• Medical device expense

• Current and future time lost from work

• Pain and suffering

• Embarrassment

• Inconvenience

• Permanent Injury

• Diminished value of property

• Wrongful Death

GW Parkway Car Accident Claims and Going to Court

Just because your car accident happened on the George Washington Parkway, does not mean that it is not going to settle. In fact, over 80% of the car accident cases that we handle at Blaszkow Legal are settled without having to file a lawsuit. Of those cases where we do need to file a lawsuit, over 50% still settle at some point in the litigation process, before trial. It is important that a car insurance company knows that you are ready to fight for your compensation. If they do not think that you will fight, that makes them more likely to undervalue your case.

Court cases arriving out of motor vehicle collisions that happened on the GW Parkway maybe filed in one of two locations:.

1. The jurisdiction where the accident happened, or

2. The jurisdiction where the defendant resides.

So, for example, if the accident happened in the McLean section of the parkway, but the defendant lives in DC, then you have the option of filing in the Fairfax County court system, or in the DC Superior Court system.

Remember, that the GW Parkway is not all in Virginia. When the Parkway goes over Columbia Island, this island actually exists within the District of Columbia!

There is also the possibility of a lawsuit being filed in the US District Court (the federal court), but there are many prerequisites that have to be met, first. Speak to a GW Parkway Accident Lawyer to determine where your case should be filed.

Deadlines to File Car Accident Claims Arising out of George Washington Memorial Parkway Crashes

All claims must be filed within the applicable statute of limitations. A statute of limitations is a specific time limit to file a claim - filing after that time can result in the claim being dismissed/denied on procedural grounds.

The deadline to file a claim for car accidents arising either 1) in Virginia, or 2) against a Virginia defendant is 2 years.

Claims arising out of Parkway Car Accidents may involve defendants from other states, however. Claims against motorists located in Washington DC or Maryland must be filed within 3 years of the date of crash.

WARNING - one cannot look only at the location of the defendant to
determine an applicable statute of limitations. Just because a lawsuit
"can" be filed in Maryland or DC, does not necessarily mean that it should!
There are differences in Courts! The determination of where to file, and
why, is one is made after discussing the possibilities with an experienced
car accident attorney.

Car accidents involving Government vehicles (whether local, state, or federal), are governed by their own, very strict "notice requirements." If you do not provide "notice" in accordance with the law, your claim may be barred. Call a car accident lawyer immediately after a crash, to make sure your options are preserved.

Get Help From an Experienced Car Accident Attorney

Car Insurance Companies do not make the claims process easy, and they do that on purpose. They do not stay in business by paying people what they claim. Indeed, it's the opposite! They are playing the numbers: 75% of people in car accidents never call an attorney, even if they are hurt. Because of that, they can de-value and undercut people's claims, to give them as little as possible.

At Blaszkow Legal, our goal is your goal: to fight for all of the compensation that you are entitled to, due to the negligence of someone else. If you have been hurt in a car accident, then you need a team of lawyers and staff members who are ready to fight for you, anywhere in the DMV.

Call today for a free consultation - 703-879-5910