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Car Accidents

About Automobile Accidents

The Washington, D.C. metropolitan area is home to some of the nation’s most aggressive drivers. Consequently, it’s no surprise that virtually everyone in the region knows somebody who has been in an accident. Unfortunately, many injured parties delay contacting lawyers while they’re scheduling medical appointments, securing rental vehicles, and arranging for cars repairs. Insurance adjusters, on the other hand, call parties immediately after accidents and ask them for recorded statements. Accident victims are not required to give statements to adverse insurance adjusters, and seriously injured parties should not do so before consulting a Washington, D.C. car accident attorney. Some adjusters try to extract statements by claiming they need them to determine whether their policy holder caused the accident. In truth, however, their main goal is to get injured parties to say things that can jeopardize their claims. If an adverse adjuster asks you for a recorded statement, ask the adjuster to reciprocate by giving you the other driver’s recorded statement. They won’t, and neither should you.

Experience and Track Record

Douglas Sparks has successfully handled hundreds of automobile accident claims, including multi-vehicle pile ups, beltway roll-overs, intersection collisions, rear end crashes, and many others. He understands the ins and outs of automobile, umbrella, underinsured, and excess insurance policies. He knows how to negotiate settlements with insurance adjusters and how to file lawsuits when adjusters won’t settle. In short, the odds of successfully resolving your auto accident injury claim are much better when you retain an experienced Washington, D.C. car accident lawyer with a stellar track record. You can read reviews about Mr. Sparks here and news coverage about his Automobile Accident cases here .

Representative Cases Handled by Douglas Sparks
  • A Latina woman and her 10 year old son were permanently injured in an intersection collision near D.C.’s Union Station. There were no independent witnesses, and each driver claimed the other one caused the accident. Despite the drivers’ conflicting statements, the investigating police officer – who didn’t speak Spanish -- ticketed the Latina woman. Consequently, she had difficulty finding a lawyer. After interviewing the woman, reviewing the police report, and visiting the accident scene, Mr. Sparks took her case. He challenged the traffic citation and got it dismissed. After filing suit against the other driver, he obtained computerized records of the intersection’s traffic light sequencing and timing intervals. To prove that his client had the right of way, he also videotaped numerous vehicles traveling through the intersection and presented this evidence to the jury at trial. After deliberating for just twenty minutes, the jury rendered a verdict in favor of the woman and her son, who purchased their first home with the proceeds. Read more about this case here .

  • A Maryland woman was driving her three children and an unrelated passenger to church on Sunday. As she drove through an intersection, an SUV ran a red light and broadsided her vehicle. The impact killed the woman, seriously injured her children, and also killed the unrelated passenger. Washington, D.C. car accident attorney Douglas Sparks represented the deceased driver and her children. Another lawyer represented the deceased passenger. The at-fault driver had substantial insurance coverage, but it wasn’t enough to fully compensate all claimants. After suit was filed, a retired judge was assigned to mediate the parties’ competing claims regarding apportionment of the insurance funds. The mediation ended with a settlement awarding most of the insurance proceeds, as well as additional funds from the at-fault driver’s assets, to Mr. Sparks’ clients. Read more about this case here .

  • A home improvement contractor was driving through D.C. on his way to work when his pickup truck was broadsided in an intersection by a car that ran a red light. The impact knocked the man unconscious and caused severe head and spinal cord injuries. After multiple surgeries, the man remained permanently impaired. The at-fault driver’s insurance company claimed the driver had a policy limit of $100,000, and the company offered to settle the case for that amount. Because of the severity of his client’s injuries, Mr. Sparks had an investigator conduct an asset search on the driver, the results of which made him skeptical of the insurance company’s claim. Accordingly, Mr. Sparks filed suit and demanded that the driver produce all insurance policies, including his homeowner’s policy. As suspected, the driver had umbrella coverage under a previously undisclosed homeowner’s policy in the amount of two million dollars. Ultimately, the case settled before trial for nearly two million dollars.

If you’ve been seriously injured in an automobile accident, you should call Douglas Sparks at (202) 797-8200, fill out his online case inquiry form , or email him at dsparks@sparkslaw.net .

Client Reviews
★★★★★
"Mr. Sparks is by far the best lawyer I have ever met. Lawyers are easy to find, but finding one who is smart, honest, thorough, and truly cares about people is very difficult. Every member of my family has trusted him for over twenty years, and he has never let us down. Mr. Sparks is REAL and passionate about helping others." Sanaz
★★★★★
"Doug made me feel confident and welcome after my first lawyer gave up on my auto accident case. I was impressed by his intelligence, fast thinking, and attention to detail." Auto Accident Client
★★★★★
"A truly rare attorney who is out solely for YOUR best interest. In the courtroom, Doug dominated. He is extremely skilled, and an expert in what he does." Criminal Defense Client