Motorcycle Injury Lawyers Serving the People of the District of Columbia
D.C. roads are some of the safest in the country. That statistic matters little, however, once you are involved in a motorcycle accident caused by someone else. D.C. motorcycle accidents are subject to three special complications – (i) you cannot recover damages if you were even slightly at fault, (ii) motorcycle accidents are frequently catastrophic and (iii) most motorcycle accident are the other driver’s fault.
In a jurisdiction like D.C. that bars damages for accident victims so easily, you can be guaranteed that the insurance company will work overtime to find a way to blame you for the accident so that they can deny your claim. If you retain our motorcycle accident and injury lawyers to represent you, it will be our job to make sure that they don’t get away with it. You can rest assured that we’ve seen all of their tricks before. Contact our office today to schedule a free consultation.
Why Choose Our DC Motorcycle Injury Lawyers?
- We protect our clients from shortchanged settlements. You might not realize the full value of your claim. In some cases, for example, the amount you are entitled to for “pain and suffering” can far exceed the amount of your medical bills. At Koonz McKenney Johnson & DePaolis LLP, our motorcycle wreck attorneys have been negotiating compensation (and fighting to victory in court if necessary) for 35 years now, and our stellar track record speaks for itself.
- We serve clients with limited budget. Our batting average is over .900, which means that we win well over 90 percent of our cases. Because of our winning record, we can afford to offer our services to you without any upfront fees — and if we fail to win your case, our services will be free of charge. If we win, our bill won’t come due until your money actually arrives, and it will be calculated as a fraction of the amount you receive.
Minimum Auto Insurance Coverage in D.C.
D.C.’s mandatory auto insurance coverage includes is:
- $10,000 per accident for property damage;
- $25,000 per victim up to $50,000 per accident for personal injury;
- $25,000 per victim up to $50,000 per accident in uninsured motorist coverage; and
- $5,000 per accident in uninsured motorist property damage coverage (with a $200 deductible).
Road Rage and Motorcycle Accidents in D.C.
If you were run off the road as a result of road rage, you can file a motorcycle-accident injury claim, and you may even be able to win punitive damages. Since very few insurance policies cover intentional assaults, however, you might need to look for other sources of compensation if the defendant lacks the financial means to pay your claim. You might be able to sue his employer if the defendant was on-duty at the time of the accident, for example.
When can you sue the defendant’s company in a DC Motorcycle Accidents Claim?
You can sue an employer for the on-duty negligence of one of its employees. In some cases, however, the defendant is classified as an “independent contractor”, in which case the company would not be liable for the defendant’s negligence. The company might be liable for negligent hiring if, for example, it hired a driver with a record of previous DUIs.
Can I still recover for a DUI accident if the driver was acquitted of DUI in criminal court?
Technically you can win a lawsuit under these circumstances, although an acquittal in criminal court is certainly not good news for your case. The reason it is still possible to win is that the standard of proof in a civil case is much lower than the standard of proof in a criminal prosecution.
What happens to a motorcycle injury claim if the victim dies from his injuries?
In Washington, D.C., it becomes a wrongful death claim. Under the District of Columbia wrongful death statute, the personal representative of the victim’s estate is entitled to file a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of the victim’s spouse or domestic partner. If the victim was single, certain other close relatives may file a wrongful death lawsuit.
If the at-fault driver was intoxicated at the time of the accident, can I sue a nightclub that sold him alcohol?
Perhaps. Under D.C.’s dram shop law, you can sue the nightclub if the driver:
- was obviously intoxicated at the time he was served;
- was known to the bartender be a heavy drinker; or
- was a minor (under 21).
Not All D.C. Law Firms are Created Equal
Koonz McKenney Johnson & DePaolis LLP has been attracting attention from our peers in the legal profession for many years now. Nearly one-third of our lawyers have been named Top Lawyers, nearly 40 percent have been named Super Lawyers, and nearly 40 percent have been listed among the Best Lawyers in America. What matters most to us, however, is what should matter most to you – the $1 billion in compensation that we have won for our clients over the years.
Don’t Run Out of Time | Schedule Your Free Consultation Today
In law, the only “reality” is what you can prove through admissible evidence (this is critical even for an out-of-court settlement). Evidence, however, grows stale over time, which means that the sooner you contact our D.C. motorcycle lawyers, the better. If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident in D.C., call us at (202) 659-5500, or simply contact us online, so that we can schedule you a free initial consultation.
Koonz McKenney Johnson & Depaolis serve residents of Washington DC including those living in Capitol Hill, Columbia Heights, Downtown District of Columbia, Foggy Bottom, Georgetown, and Mount Vernon.
A word from one of our clients
“To Mr. DePaolis:
I want to express my sincere gratitude for your professional and compassionate service you provided with the handling of my accident case. I was confident of a positive outcome after our initial meeting and I am glad that I was correct. Your approach to the situation was impressive and you were reassuring any potential doubts. Not only did you start the process proactively but you were passionate and honest. My case wasn’t that easy, but with your diligent work, WE were able to get the results we wanted. Your special ways and generous heart make a beautiful difference.” – A.K.