Accidents and other unfortunate occurrences happen every day, and some of them change people’s lives forever. These victims deserve a voice, someone to fight for them against big, powerful industries such as insurance, medicine, and hospitality. That’s what we at The Lapidus Law Firm are here to do for you, your loved ones, and other undeserving victims of accidents and negligence. We’re ready to fight for you if you’re involved in one or more of the top 5 reasons people look for lawyers in the DMV.
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Pedestrian Accidents
As you may have read in our blog, pedestrian accidents happen far too frequently in Washington, DC, Virginia, and Maryland. In 2022, 130 pedestrians were killed in traffic accidents in the DMV, a 37% increase from the year before. Through mid-November of 2023, there have been 681 pedestrian injuries and 28 pedestrian deaths in the Fairfax region, 108 pedestrian fatalities in Maryland, and 638 pedestrian injuries and 17 deaths in the District.
These tragedies, as you can see, result in unnecessary losses of lives or injuries that may require months or years of rehab and therapy to live normal lives again…if the victims are lucky. Who will stand up for these victims who have not only suffered injuries, possible surgeries, and physical therapy but also lost wages from their jobs…or even lost their jobs entirely? We do. We fight insurance companies who refuse to offer reasonable settlements for their client’s negligence. And we work our hardest to ensure that victims of pedestrian accidents receive a fair amount of money to cover medical expenses, lost time at work, as well as pain and suffering.
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Rear-End Accidents
In 2019, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that rear-end crashes were responsible for approximately 32.5% of all car accidents. The NHTSA also noted that rear-end accidents accounted for around 7% of all accident fatalities and 31.1% of injuries in 2019. By 2021, rear-end accidents were responsible for 7.5% of all fatal car crashes, up 0.5% from only two years before.
Considering that driver distraction–whether from cell phone use, eating, conversing with a passenger, or daydreaming–was responsible for about 90 percent of rear-end collisions and that nearly 50% of rear-end collisions occurred because the driver of the rear-ending vehicle failed to react to a stopped/slowed rear-ended vehicle in front of them because that driver was distracted or not paying attention, it’s clear that plenty of negligence is involved in rear-end accidents. And because someone is at fault, the victim deserves compensation for the at-fault driver’s negligence. Who else is going to pay for vehicle damage, medical bills, and other related expenses? Certainly, not the at-fault driver’s insurance company if left up to them. That’s why rear-end accident victims need a determined representation who has their best interests at heart.
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Bed Bug Bites in Hotels and Motels
If you travel, you’re always at risk of being a victim of bed bug bites. It’s not a pleasant situation to think about. And it’s an even worse situation to experience. But it happens, even in some of the nicest hotels in America. Washington, DC, is home to many beautiful luxury hotels. But the District was ranked #1 in most bed bug-infested cities in the country in 2020. That unfortunate ranking has since improved to #9, but it goes to show that bed bugs can show up in what appears to be a squeaky clean hotel room. And if they do, the following steps are a must:
- Try to take videos and pictures of the bed bugs in the hotel room. This includes getting photos of the bugs on the mattresses.
- Write down the hotel room number where you stayed.
- Take photos of the bed bug bites on your body.
- Immediately notify the hotel management once you discover bed bugs have bitten you; write down the hotel manager’s name and contact information and obtain the manager’s card if possible.
- Document your conversation with the hotel manager – what you said to the manager and what the manager said to you. If you fill out a complaint form, make sure to take a copy for yourself.
- Do not continue to stay in your room where there are bed bugs.
- Take a picture of the hotel stationary and any signage indicating the hotel brand.
- Immediately seek treatment with a dermatologist.
- Call The Lapidus Law Firm.
A bed bug bite victim who has a documented case with pictures of the bed bugs and the bite marks and has received medical treatment from a medical doctor (preferably a dermatologist) should contact Michael Lapidus at The Lapidus Law Firm, PLLC to determine whether the facts would warrant a claim and/ or a lawsuit being filed against Marriott hotel facility that is located anywhere (or against a non-Marriott hotel if the bites occurred in Maryland or in D.C.
Michael has won court verdicts and settled claims involving bed bug bites).
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Medical Malpractice Claims
Chronic pain, permanent disability, scarring, and even death. These are just some examples of the results of medical malpractice. To make matters worse, the attorneys for doctors and hospitals, to protect only their client’s best interests, often minimize the patient’s injuries, brush them off as if they were merely an inconvenience, and even blame the patient! And this kind of injustice happens every day. Victims of medical malpractice who don’t have an experienced attorney representing them are left to suffer not only the physical and emotional damage caused by a doctor’s, hospital’s, or medical staff’s negligence but are also left responsible for medical bills and possible lost wages that resulted from the malpractice-related injury.
Sadly, medical malpractice isn’t limited to adults. Babies can be born with life-long impairments, including shattered shoulders on the baby. This occurs when an obstetrician pulls the newborn out of the birth canal when a cesarian section would have been more appropriate.
Some doctors are also now practicing what is sometimes referred to as “drop-down box “ medicine rather than writing out thorough reports. This is a dangerous practice, especially in emergency rooms under stress where the medical staff has difficulty handling the patient load. It’s easy to make on a computer as opposed to writing a narrative.
Medical malpractice can be complicated and sometimes difficult to prove. When you work with The Lapidus Law Firm, you will feel more confident knowing that our reputable, experienced, and highly knowledgeable team of lawyers is here to help you settle your claim fairly and reasonably.
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Car & Truck Accidents
As of just before Thanksgiving, there have been nearly 95,000 car crashes in Maryland in 2023, which is down slightly from the nearly 98,000 that occurred in the same time frame last year. In the District, there have already been 44 traffic-related deaths in 2023, compared to 26 at the same point in 2022–a 69% increase. In Northern Virginia, nearly 21,000 car accidents have occurred so far in 2023. Regrettably, car and truck accidents happen multiple times every single day. Sometimes, they’re simply unfortunate instances where no one is at fault. Oftentimes, however, at least one driver’s negligence causes a car or truck crash, which makes accident claims very common for personal injury attorneys.
Much like the rear-end accidents we already covered, car and truck accidents can often result in a victim being injured, sometimes seriously…sometimes even worse. Those victims deserve someone who will be in their corner to represent their best interests, especially if their injuries have resulted in surgeries, extensive rehab and physical therapy, expensive medical bills, and lost wages. Our experienced car accident attorneys are ready to fight for victims’ rights and for a fair, reasonable settlement that the insurance companies will resist paying.
DC Personal Injury, Car Accident, Medical Malpractice, and Bed Bug Bite Attorneys Are Ready to Help
No two legal cases are the same, so we don’t treat them the same at The Lapidus Law Firm. We dedicate our time and energy to each case and client and take a different approach based on your individual case. If necessary, we will conduct independent investigations, hire the appropriate experts for your case, and do everything legally necessary to get you a fair and reasonable settlement for your pain and suffering, inconvenience, property damage, medical bills as charged, and lost income, depending on your case. With offices in Washington, D.C., and Maryland, The Lapidus Law Firm regularly represents clients throughout the DC Metro area. Contact our offices at (202) 785-5111 or (301) 852-7500 for a complimentary consultation. All injury cases are taken on a contingency fee basis, which means that if no money is recovered for you, you do not owe the law firm a professional fee. All consultations by phone or person are free and on a no-obligation basis. And remember: We Will Fight To Make It Right.
Written by Lawrence S. Lapidus