Testimonials

  • Thank you very much for your services.
  • 5/10/2012

    Just want to reiterate that Portner & Shure has provided excellent service assisting me with exceptional levels in my accident case. You were able to keep all detail transparent and were readily available for any questions. You guys are the best!

    R.A. (Owings Mills, Maryland) Case# 210714
  • 5/4/2012

    Very friendly and informative! Questions were always answered in a timely manner. I would not use anyone else!

    K.C. (Falls Church, Virginia) Case # 210480
  • 4/27/12

    Good morning Ms. Rowland,

    Thank you for your support in this matter. You were very helpful.
    Thanks,

    L.P. (Catonsville, Maryland) Case# 210722
  • 4/13/2012

    I was very happy with their services from the beginning to the end. All my questions were answered in a professional, timely manner. I would definitely refer this firm to a friend.

    M.P. (Rockville, Maryland) Case#210684
  • 4/13/2012

    Dear Sandy,

    Thank you so much  for all your hard work.I am very happy to work with you thanks again.

    F.S.B. (Alexandria, Virginia) Case #210518

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Maryland Car Accident Injury Lawyer/Virginia Automobile Accident Injury Lawyer/Washington, D.C.

Our Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Virginia car accident lawyers have handled over ten thousand automobile accident cases in the Baltimore, Washington, D.C. and Northern Virginia metrapolitan areas. The car accident attorneys at Portner & Shure successfully settle the majority of these cases, but often take cases to court when they believe the insurance company is being unjust.  Judges and juries routinely award the firm's clients hundreds of thousands dollars each year.  Each of the last five years Portner & Shure recovered millions of dollars in compensation for car accident victims.  In fact, we have obtained over $100 million dollars on behalf of our clients.  Many doctors in the Maryland and Virginia area recommend our law firm to their patients first because of our proven success. In addition to excellent results, because of the attention we give to each of our client's automobile claims, over one-third of our current case load comes from referrals from former satisfied clients.

We believe, both by reputation and the results we achieve, we are the top car accident lawyers in Maryland and the top car accident attorneys in Virginia and the District of Columbia.  In fact, in both Maryland and Virginia, we have recently obtained million dollar verdicts.  As a result, Mr. Portner became a certified member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum.  This forum is recognized as one of the most prestigious groups of trial lawyers in the United States.

If language is an issue, on staff we have several Spanish, Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese speaking paralegals to serve our client's individual needs. Specifically, in this regard, see a recent article written by Jonathan Portner titled "How to Get the Top Result When in an Automobile Accident Claim When You Speak Only Korean, Chinese, or Spanish." If location is an issue for accident victims, we have offices in Maryland and Virginia and designated meeting locations throughout both states. We will come to you if you cannot travel.

The firm has designed this website to answer common questions with respect to automobile accidents in Maryland, D.C., and Virginia.  Mr. Portner has successfully argued thousands of automobile accident cases in courts throughout Maryland and Washington, D.C. area and has written extensively on the subject of automobile accident law.  Mr. Ruby has a proven record of succesful litigation in courts in both Maryland and Virginia.  He is an active member of both the Maryland and Virginia bars, and is well respected by his peers and adversaries throughout both jurisdictions.  Mr. Shure has extensive experience in health care and automobile insurance law.  Together they wrote this website to help accident victims understand how achieve maximum recovery for their injuries.

If you are injured in an accident in Maryland, D.C., or Virginia, one common question asked is what you can expect to recover for your injury from an automobile accident in Maryland, Virginia or the District of Columbia.   The criteria for valuing the accident claim, set forth in this article, applies in Virginia as well as Maryland.  In summary, Mr. Portner's article notes that the following are of the utmost importance:

(1)        what the injuries were, their extent and duration; and,
(2)        the effect the bodily injuries had on the overall physical and mental health of the injured person; and,
(3)        inconvenience caused by the injuries.  Our Personal Injury firm understands that your time is valuable.  We will specifically seek recovery for the above as well as your property damage, if appropriate, medical expenses, and lost wages.  If necessary, will aid in obtaining a rental car, and will negotiate the property damage, rental car rate, and duration.

Over the last twenty years our automobile accident clients have addressed numerous questions to Portner & Shure attorneys at the initial meetings. Since some of these questions have been repeated by different car accident clients, on countless occasions, we have included them.

A. Frequently Asked Automobile Accident Questions

B. Frequently Asked Questions by Our Spanish, Chinese and Korean Speaking Clients


COMMON AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT INJURIES
 

People who are involved in a serious automobile or truck accident can suffer a wide variety of injuries. The force of an impact by a car, at any speed, can cause bodily injury to those involved. Those injuries can range from a soft tissue injury to a fatality. Common injuries associated with automobile accidents include spinal cord injuries, fractures (including broken arms, legs, wrists, and ankles), herniated discs, brain damage, rotator cuff tears, and other permanent injuries. Identifying injuries is extremely important to treatment and evaluating what damages are recoverable by the injured. Our firm also represents families who have lost a loved one because of a fatal automobile accident (wrongful death). A disproportionate number of fatalities result from pedestrian accidents and truck accidents.  

INSURANCE BENEFITS FOR ACCIDENTS IN MARYLAND AND VIRGINIA

Do not rely on an insurance adjuster to tell you what your case is worth.  Adjusters are paid to try to reduce your recovery.  In fact, insurance company profits are dependent on carriers limiting their claims payments. 

Insurance Company Profiles
Allstate
State Farm
Progressive
Nationwide
Geico
Erie
MAIF
USAA
Travelers
Farmers
Safeco
Liberty Mutual
Our attorneys and experienced paralegals tip the scales in our client's favor.  We, unlike other firms, are not interested in just "leveling the playing field".  Our firm will immediately protect your rights and ensure that you receive all the accident settlement benefits you are to which you are entitled.  Our Maryland auto accident lawyers and Virginia accident attorneys can ensure that the following benefits are all properly reviewed:

Property Damage:      
Your car should be repaired properly, or you should be paid  for its loss in value (often not properly addressed by other law firms), or paid for its replacement cost.  The auto accident attorneys and staff at Portner & Shure can help you understand the property damage process.

Rental Car:                 
If you were not at fault, you are often entitled to a rental car.  We can negotiate the duration and rate on your behalf.

Maryland PIP/VA Med-Pay:
Personal Injury Protection (PIP) benefits and Medical Payments Provision (Med-Pay) are available after many accidents. In Maryland PIP provides money for lost income and medical bills, and in Virginia Med-Pay provides money for medical bills.

Medical Care:
Portner & Shure can assist you in finding a doctor with a convenient office location and convenient office hours.  We have developed close relationships with Orthopedic Surgeons, Neurologists, Neurosurgeons, Physical Therapists, Chiropractors, Acupuncturists, and many other healthcare providers through the years.  You are entitled to be put back in the same physical condition you were before the accident occurred.

Pain/Suffering and Inconvenience:
These are "non-economic" damages and their recovery really depends on the attorney effectively showing how the injury has impacted your life.  Video and before and after witnesses should be used to reveal how life altering the injury is to the victim.  Has the injury: (a) altered activities you once enjoyed including, but not limited to, sports, vacations, driving, walking, sitting, and standing; (b) affected your sleep, moods, and energy level; and (c) in Maryland, damages can be recovered for loss of consortium which includes how your injuries affected your sexual relationship with your spouse.

OUR FEES IN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENTS
Fees in automobile accident cases are "contingency fees".  This means the payment of any fee by our clients is contingent on our accident lawyers obtaining a recovery on your behalf. In other words, no recovery unless we win.
As you can see from the attached resumes, our attorneys have graduated either at the top of their law school classes, (cumlaude), or were educated at top colleges (Brown and Johns Hopkins University), or top law schools (Georgetown).  The contingent fee arrangement entitles every person regardless of income, race, religion, national origin, gender, or age to obtain the highest quality representation without payment of any money out of their pocket
Insurance companies, large corporations and wealthy individuals have resources to hire big firm lawyers who charge several hundred dollars an hour.  Through the contingency fee arrangement, insured victims may obtain former big firm lawyers, Valerie Portner (Venable), Jonathan Portner (Gordon, Feinblatt), who have received the top legal training available.

JURISDICTIONAL DISTINCTIONS

The amount of recovery for an automobile accident in a settlement or in litigation can be affected by the jurisdiction.  Jurisdiction is determined by the state and the county or city where the accident occurred or where the defendant lives.  Each jurisdiction has its own distinct personality.  Some jurisdictions are conservative and tend to award smaller verdicts while others are more likely to award large verdicts.  Factors such as the jury pool and the demeanor of judges in a given jurisdiction need to be considered to ensure maximum recovery for an automobile accident.


Maryland Jurisdictional Tendencies
Howard County
Anne Arundel County
Harford County
Prince George's County
Carroll County
Montgomery County
Baltimore County
Frederick County
Baltimore City
Eastern Shore


Virginia Jurisdictional Tendencies
Alexandria
Arlington County
Fairfax County
Loudoun County
Prince William County


Portner & Shure represents clients throughout
Maryland, Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. 
We serve the following areas:
Maryland - Baltimore City, Dundalk, Essex, Towson, Owings Mills, Bel Air, Ellicott City, Columbia, Olney, Randallstown, Catonsville, Arbutus, Linthicum, Ferndale, Glen Burnie, Hanover, Severn, Ft. Meade, Pasadena, Annapolis, Centreville, Easton, Cambridge, Gaithersburg, Germantown, Salisbury, Ocean City, Laurel, Bowie, Hyattsville, Silver Spring, Takoma Park, Greenbelt, Frederick, and Rockville
Virginia - Richmond, Fairfax, Leesburg, Alexandria, Manassas, Arlington, Woodbridge, Sterling, Falls Church, Springfield, Reston, McLean, Annadale, Herndon, Chantilly, Centreville, Ashburn, Dale City, Vienna, Lorton, Dumfries, Tyson's Corner, and Lorton

We serve the following counties:
Virginia - Loudoun County, Arlington County, Fairfax County, Prince William County, Fauquier County, Fredericksburg County, Clark County and Warren County
Maryland - Anne Arundel County, Howard County, Baltimore County, Harford County, Baltimore City, Prince George's County, Frederick County, and Montgomery County



Library for Auto Accidents:

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Frequent Questions for Auto Accidents:

Web Resources for Auto Accidents:

  • AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety

    Description:

    A not-for-profit, publicy supported chartiable educational and research organization. The foundation has funded over 200 projects designed to discover the cause of traffic crashes, prevents them, and minimize injuries when they do occur.

  • Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety

    Description:

    An alliance of consumer, health and safety groups and insurance companies and agents working together to make America's roads safer.

  • Click Here To Launch Automobile Accident Form

    Description:

    Hurt in a car or truck wreck?  Please download our FREE Virginia, Maryland, DC auto accident information form.

  • Distraction.gov

    Description: Distracted driving is an epidemic on America's roadways, and the U.S. Department of Transportation is committed to ending it.

  • National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)

    Description:

    Provides resources on driving safety, vehicle safety, laws and regulations, and research.

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Videos about Auto Accidents:

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Our Offices

  • Main Office
  • 7226 Lee DeForest Drive
    Suite 101
    Columbia, MD 21044
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  • Maryland Satellite Offices
  • The offices listed below are used for meetings by appointment only. If no appointment is made staff and counsel will not be present at these locations.
  • Eastern Shore, MD Office
  • 11000 Coastal Highway
    Ocean City, MD 21842
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  • Owings Mills MD Office
  • 10451 Mill Run Circle
    Suite 400
    Owings Mills, MD 21117
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  • Glen Burnie, MD Office
  • 7310 Ritchie Highway
    Empire Towers Building
    Glen Burnie, MD 21061
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  • Rockville MD Office
  • 2275 Research Boulevard
    Suite 500
    Rockville, MD 20850
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  • Greenbelt MD Office
  • 6301 Ivy Lane
    Suite 700
    Greenbelt, MD 20770
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  • Frederick MD Office
  • 5235 Westview Drive
    Suite 100
    Frederick, MD 21703
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  • Virginia Satellite Offices
  • The offices listed below are used for meetings by appointment only. If no appointment is made staff and counsel will not be present at these locations.
  • Alexandria, VA Office
  • King Street
    Alexandria, VA 22314
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  • Richmond VA Office
  • 3900 Westerre Parkway
    Suite 300
    Richmond, VA 23233
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  • Vienna VA Office
  • HQ Tycon Towers
    8000 Towers Crescent Drive
    Vienna, VA 22182
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  • Reston, VA Office
  • Reston Town Center
    Reston, VA 20190
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  • Arlington, VA Office
  • Rosslyn
    Arlington, VA 22209
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