Cases Tried In:

Maryland 301-565-1655 Virginia 703-576-5005

Free Consultations | Maryland 301-565-1655 | Virginia 703-576-5005

Blog

Car accidents and intent | Whitlock Law, LLC

Posted on August 26, 2022 in Truck Accidents

A lot of the time in criminal law, the prosecutor must prove to the judge or jury that the defendant not only committed the crime but did so intentionally. Intent is a big issue in this area of the law. It can impact what prosecutors can charge the defendant with and even if they can pursue charges at all.

Personal injury law is different. As the plaintiff in a lawsuit over a car accident, you do not have the burden of proving that the defendant injured you on purpose. Instead, negligence is the standard. Negligence is a legal concept that means someone acted below the level of care that someone with ordinary prudence would have exercised under the same or similar circumstances.

RISKY CHOICES CAN LEAD TO BAD OUTCOMES

For example, a prudent person would not drive after drinking several glasses of wine or beer. A person who drinks and drives and causes a crash is generally considered to have acted negligently because intoxication reduces your ability to drive safely. Other common examples of negligent behavior that causes serious injury in auto accidents are:

Distracted driving
Speeding
Tailgating
Running red lights

Drivers who do these things are rarely trying to cause a wreck. But by creating the conditions that led to the crash, they are liable for their victims’ injuries under Maryland law.

PROVING NEGLIGENCE IN COURT

This relatively low standard of proof gives victims of dangerous drivers a fair chance at compensation. While most personal injury claims get settled out of court, the defendant’s insurance company sometimes refuses to be reasonable in negotiations. If going to court is necessary, you would highly benefit from retaining a personal injury lawyer with courtroom experience.

Share this post:

Recent Blog Posts

Request a Case Evaluation

All fields are required

NOTE: Fields with a * indicate a required field.

Full Name *

Email *

Phone *

Type of Case *

Briefly describe your legal matter *

I consent to receive SMS from Whitlock Law, LLC. Reply STOP to opt-out; Reply HELP for assistance; Message and data rates apply; Messaging frequency may vary. By clicking 'Submit' below, you acknowledge you have read and understood our Privacy Policy and Disclaimer.

Silver Spring Bowie Frederick Chesapeake Manassas Glen Allen Leesburg

Silver Spring Office

8701 Georgia Ave. Suite 610
Silver Spring, MD 20910

Call 301-565-1655

Bowie Office

16701 Melford Blvd., Suite 400
Bowie, MD 20715

Call 301-565-1655

Frederick Office

5100 Buckeystown Pike # 250
Frederick, MD 21704

Call 301-565-1655

Chesapeake Office

1545 Crossways Blvd., Suite 250
Chesapeake, VA 23320

Call 703-576-5005

Manassas Office

10432 Balls Ford Rd, Suite 300
Manassas, VA 20109

Call 703-576-5005

Glen Allen Office

4870 Sadler Road, Suite 300
Glen Allen, VA 23060

Call 703-576-5005

Leesburg Office

113 E.Market St, ste 111
Leesburg, VA 20176

Call 703-576-5005

We serve clients throughout Maryland and Virginia, including Rockville, Potomac, Olney, Aspen Hills, Damascus, Hagerstown, Middletown, Bethesda, Germantown, Kensington, Gaithersburg, Chevy Chase, Frederick, Urbana, Clarksburg, Greenbelt, Upper Marlboro, College Park, Beltsville, Largo, Laurel, Columbia, Ellicott City, Pikesville, Owings Mills, Towson, Reisterstown, Essex, Parkville, Randallstown, Linthicum Heights, Baltimore, Annapolis, Crofton, Severna Park, Glen Burnie, Westminster, Sykesville, Arlington, Chesapeake, Newport News, McLean, Herndon, Leesburg, Ashburn, Sterling, Reston, Richmond, Suffolk, Roanoke, Lynchburg, Centreville, Charlottesville, Annandale, Harrisonburg, Waynesboro, Vienna, Front Royal, Falls Church, Purcellville, Hampton, Portsmouth, Woodbridge, Gainesville, Silver Spring, Langley Park, Riverdale Park, Wheaton, Glenmont, Highlandtown, Fredericksburg, Glen Allen, Hyattsville, Fairfax, Manassas, Alexandria, Greektown, Bowie, and Norfolk.

Results listed are not a guarantee or indication of future case results.

Cases Tried In:

Free Consultations | Maryland 301-565-1655 | Virginia 703-576-5005

Car accidents and intent | Whitlock Law, LLC

RISKY CHOICES CAN LEAD TO BAD OUTCOMES

PROVING NEGLIGENCE IN COURT

Recent Blog Posts

Categories

Archive

Request a Case Evaluation

Silver Spring Office

Bowie Office

Frederick Office

Chesapeake Office

Manassas Office

Glen Allen Office

Leesburg Office