Representing the
Injured for 40 Years
Injured for 40 Years
Car Accidents
Motor Vehicle Accident Injury Lawyer for Northern Virginia and Washington, DC
If you need an attorney, call the Law Offices of Jeremy Flachs today – 703.879.1998
If you’ve been injured in a car accident in Fairfax, Annandale, Arlington, Alexandria, Falls Church, Reston, Centreville, or other parts of Northern Virginia, or in Washington, DC (District of Columbia) The Law Offices of Jeremy Flachs can quickly assess your injury claim and help you determine if all of your legal rights to compensation are being met. Taking the word of an insurance adjuster is seldom in your best legal and financial interests.
In the event you are injured in a car, motor vehicle, bus, motorcycle, or truck accident, Jeremy Flachs is the Virginia attorney you can trust to collect fair and reasonable compensation. Whether you’ve been injured as a driver, passenger, pedestrian or bicyclist in a car, motorcycle or truck accident, its well worth your time to review the details of your case with the Law Offices of Jeremy Flachs. The review, which is free, will equip you with a good understanding of your legal options as you work through the stages of your injury claim.
For a free consultion after being injured in a car, truck, or motorcycle accident, contact the Law Offices of Jeremy Flachs today.
Virginia Crash Facts
Data from these sites establish that Fairfax County, Virginia has the highest number of crash clusters on interstates in Virginia. Arlington County, Virginia is also included in the top seventeen locations for crashes on interstates in Virginia. The number of crashes, the number of fatalities and the number of crashes involving speed have gone up every year since at least as far back as 2014. For a small jurisdiction of 15 square miles, the City of Alexandria reported over 1550 crashes with 5 deaths in 2018.
- Pedestrian Crashes – Virginia reported a 0.9% increase in 2018 from 2017.
- Pedestrian Fatalities – Virginia reported 123 pedestrian fatalities in 2018, a 7.9% increase from 2017.
- Motorcycle Crashes – Virginia reported a 15.4% decrease in 2018 from 2017.
- Motorcycle Fatalities – Virginia reported 88 motorcycle fatalities in 2018, an 18% decrease from 2017.
- Bicycle Crashes – Virginia reported 633 bicycle crashes in 2018 which injured 590 bicycle drivers and 3 passengers.
- Bicycle Fatalities – Virginia reported 13 bicycle fatalities in 2018, the same as 2017.
- Moped Crashes – Virginia reported 360 moped crashes in 2018, which caused 345 injuries.
- Moped Fatalities – Virginia reported 7 fatalities to moped drivers in 2018.
- Large Trucks/Tractor Trailers – Virginia reported that in 2018 there were 11 fatalities and 354 injuries to large truck drivers and their passengers.
- Bus Crashes – Virginia reported 579 bus crashes in 2018 which included 1 death and 284 injuries.
- Teen Driver Fatalities – Virginia reported 26 teen driver (15-19) fatalities in 2018, a 10.3% decrease from 2017.
- Alcohol-Related Crashes – Virginia reported a 1.4% decrease in 2018 from 2017, although the number of such crashes still totaled 7,181.
- Alcohol-Related Crash Deaths – Virginia reported 278 alcohol-related fatalities in 2018, a 12.1% increase over 2017. Drinking drivers constituted 177 of those deaths in 2018, a 15.7% increase from 2017. The age group with the most alcohol-related fatalities is 26-30 and the age group responsible for the most injuries is 21-25. Virginia reported 41 pedestrians who were drinking were killed in crashes in 2018.
- Distracted Driver Crashes – Virginia reported a 6.8% decrease in 2018 from 2017, although the number of such crashes still totaled 24,350 and fatalities totaled 819.
- Injuries Reported – Virginia reported 66,523 injured, which is a 1.9% decrease in 2018 from 2017.
- Licensed Drivers – Virginia reported it has 6,056,316 licensed drivers in 2018, a 0.5% decrease from 2017.
On average, a crash occurs in Virginia every 4.0 minutes. In Virginia, 182 persons are injured every day, and 2.2 people die due to crash-related injuries every day. One driver out of 25 licensed drivers is involved in a crash.
Approximately 25% of crashes in Virginia occur on Interstates and 28% of crashes are single-vehicle crashes.
Injury and Crash Statistics for the District of Columbia
Crashes for 2017, the most recent year published, exceeded 26,400. There were 33 fatalities and almost 9,000 nonfatal injuries. There were also 13 pedestrian fatalities in 2017.
Additional Demographics in Virginia
The 21- 25 age group is most involved in a crash, although 17-20 year-olds are not far behind, and they account for only 4 years while the 21-25 group is 5 years. Driver’s over the age of 70 were involved in over 4,000 crashes in Virginia.
Most injuries occurred over the Thanksgiving Holiday, followed by Labor Day and Memorial Day.
In 2015, the most recent year for which statistics are published, the estimated economic costs across the United States from property damage and injuries, including medical care and lost earnings, totaled $888,400,000,000. That is over 888 billion dollars in economic costs.
Virginia reported 19,790 DUI convictions in 2018, a 5.8% increase from 2017.
Of the DUI convictions, 66.5% were male and 22.6% were female.
Virginia’s Blood Alcohol Limits
The average BAC (Blood Alchohol Content Score) for testing drinking drivers in Virginia in 2018 was 0.147. Over 16,200 people tested for had a BAC over 0.08 or greater in 2018, a 1.7% decrease from 2017.
Virginia’s legal limit for driving after drinking is 0.08 percent, but there is zero-tolerance for those under age 21 who drink and drive, which is measured by a BAC of 0.02% or above. If you have a BAC of 0.02% and you are under age 21, your license will be seized.
Put Your Personal Injury Case in Good Hands
In most cases, those injured must count on insurance companies to step in and cover the direct and indirect costs of an injury. But each year, millions of injured Americans discover that insurance companies aren’t always in the business of being dependable. In fact, insurance companies save hundreds of millions each year through practices designed only to protect their bottom lines and meet their profit projections.
The money saved in these efforts often comes at the direct expense of policyholders and those unintentionally injured by them. Because car accidents are the most common form of accidental injury and death, insurance companies have focused hard on cutting costs in this area of casualty insurance.
Setting aside the physical and emotional distractions of an injury, most Americans are simply not knowledgeable enough to negotiate a fair settlement for their injuries. Claims agents, on the other hand, work with claims each day, and can quickly identify loopholes and technicalities that can limit, delay or deny payment to an injured person.
To compete on a level playing field against the tactics and resources of insurance companies, Americans need experienced legal guidance on their side. Without a lawyer, you may luck out and receive a fast and fair settlement for an injury, but statistically speaking, the odds are against you. An effective lawyer can ensure that your injury settlement becomes a matter of justice, not luck.
Legal Representation for Those Injured in DUI Accidents Caused by Drunk Drivers (DUI/DWI)
Today, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is the most common criminal offense in the U.S. The Federal Bureau of Investigation reports that 1.4 million drivers over the age of 21 were arrested for DUI in the U.S. in 2003. However, despite the continued crackdown on drunk driving offenders, alcohol related accidents that cause fatalities and injuries still comprise about 40 percent of all casualty crashes in Virginia. Alcohol-related accidents are 20 per cent more likely to end in fatality or injury.
Under Virginia laws, causing injury or death while driving drunk is one of the most blatant acts of recklessness an adult can commit. If you or a loved one has been injured because of the stupidity of a drunk driver, then you deserve a lawyer who knows how to confront and challenge insurance companies to ensure they meet their financial obligations to you. If you are injured by a drunk driver, you may also collect punitive damages. If you need an attorney, please call the Law Offices of Jeremy Flachs.
Library for Car Accidents
- Insurance companies using education, income to determine rates
Description: Insurance companies are looking at income and education to help determine how much to charge for premiums. - Two recent laws will speed up plaintiff’s recovery in auto cases
Description: Two new Virginia laws make it faster and less expensive for car crash victims to recover from insurance companies. - Motorcycle Fatalities on Rise for Ninth Straight Year
Description: The National Safety Counsel has found that while traffic fatalities are at all time lows, motorcycle deaths continue to rise. - Secondary Seat Belt Enforcement Costs Virginia Millions Annually
Description: Virginia’s failure to pass a primary safety belt enforcement law costs the state hundreds of lives and millions of dollars each year. - Insurance Tactics – Report by American Association for Justice [PDF]
Description: Claim Denied! For injured victims of car, truck and bus accidents, these two words can often lead to catastrophic economic losses. The AAJ report lists many insurance companies that do business in Fairfax County, Alexandria, Arlington County and the District of Columbia. Yet some insurance claims adjusters may continue to deny claims because many people do not know how their insurance policy works. These insurance companies count on people not retaining a lawyer and hope that the injured party chooses to accept what the insurance company offers. An experienced lawyer can often see through these tactics and prevent the insurance companies from denying you a fair settlement. - Gaining The Best Settlement for Auto Accidents [PDF]
Description: This article addresses important considerations for the personal injury lawyer when screening personal injury auto accident cases and working them up for settlement. These factors include assessing liability and damages, including medical expenses and wage loss. An evaluation of pain and suffering requires a thorough reading of the medical records. Policy limits of the at fault driver can be determined prior to suit. The article discusses online public sources of information relevant to the personal injury lawyer. Also reviewed are procedures to discover expert opinions and steps you can take to protect your injured client when the defense asks for a medical examination. - Fairfax County and Washington DC Ten Worst Insurance Companies
Description: This article explains why you should avoid ALLSTATE and 9 other insurance companies. These companies deny auto accident claims and fight you in court in the hopes you will drop your injury claim. - The Dangers of Unbelted Backseat Passengers
Description: A study shows how backseat passengers who don’t wear seatbelts can kill drivers in car crashes. - Helping Injured Servicemen: Second Deposition [PDF]
Description: Sometimes car accident injuries involve more than damage to your car. A severe injury can affect your ability to make a living.
One of our clients was serving in the Marine Corps, and it was his intention to remain in the service for his whole career. An injury from a car accident changed his plans.
His weakened physical condition hampered both his ability to advance in the Corps and his earning potential outside of it.
The attached transcripts are taken from the depositions of the case, which Jeremy Flachs was able to bring to a successful conclusion. - Helping Injured Servicemen: Deposition [PDF]
Description: Sometimes car accident injuries involve more than damage to your car. A severe injury can affect your ability to make a living.
One of our clients was serving in the Marine Corps, and it was his intention to remain in the service for his whole career. An injury from a car accident changed his plans.
His weakened physical condition hampered both his ability to advance in the Corps and his earning potential outside of it.
The attached transcripts are taken from the depositions of the case, which Jeremy Flachs was able to bring to a successful conclusion. - Wrongful Death and Survival Damages in the District of Columbia: A Case Study [PDF]
Frequent Questions for Car Accidents
- I was in an auto accident and the insurance company is offering to settle. Should I accept?
- I was rear-ended and the other driver is blaming me! How can this possibly be my fault?
- What is the minimum insurance coverage I’m allowed to carry in Virginia or D.C.?
- What is contributory negligence and how will it affect my case?
- I was injured in a car accident, how do I know what my case is worth?
Web Resources for Car Accidents
- Ten Worst Insurance Companies
Description: This article explains why you should avoid ALLSTATE and 9 other insurance companies. These companies deny auto accident claims and fight you in court in the hopes you will drop your injury claim.
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