As COVID restrictions continue to be lifted and vaccination numbers go up, things are slowly beginning to get back to normal. And that means more cars out on the. Throw into the equation the fact that many drivers haven’t been out on the roads for a while and their reflexes and other driving skills have atrophied over the last year, and it is entirely possible – if not likely – that we will see an increase in car accidents in Maryland in the coming months.

With that in mind, this post is designed as a reminder that it is incredibly important if you’re in an accident to contact and hire a personal injury attorney as soon as possible to make sure your rights are protected. There are a number of reasons why this is incredibly important and could be the difference between a great outcome versus a mediocre or even an unsuccessful one.

First, an attorney can help you with your property damage claim, which is almost always an immediate need. Dealing with those claims can be both stressful and difficult, especially for people who are not skilled at dealing with insurance companies designed to take advantage of unrepresented individuals. In fact, at Dubo Law, we assist with property damage claims at no additional cost to our clients.

In addition, an attorney can help ensure that any necessary evidence can be obtained immediately and preserved for any negotiations with the insurance company or for trial if that becomes necessary. For example, photos of the damage to vehicles can be incredibly valuable, but can often be lost if too much time goes by. Cars get repaired or totaled and if you don’t get photos in advance, that evidence can be lost forever.

The same applies to potential witnesses or potential video footage. The closer in time to the accident the witness is contacted, or video footage sought, the more likely you will be able to preserve that evidence for trial.

I personally have settled claims and won cases in the courtroom based on video evidence obtained from private businesses, local government entities, privately owned dashcams and once even from a video owned and operated by BWI Airport. Requesting this footage can be crucial and since they can sometimes only be preserved for 30 days before being deleted, time is of the essence.

Finally, every personal injury case involves deadlines that begin to run as soon as the accident happens. Most people know about the statute of limitations, but there are other deadlines as well including tort claims act deadlines if you are pursuing a claim against a state, local or federal government entity and a one year deadline in Maryland to file for Personal Injury Protection (“PIP”) benefits.

All of these deadlines can be confusing and complicated and the failure to address them correctly could be significantly detrimental to your case. So even you are dealing with the understandable stresses of being involved in an accident, please do not delay retaining the services of a skilled and experienced personal injury law firm. The outcome of your case, and your ability to be fully compensated for your personal injuries, lost wages, and pain and suffering may well depend on it.