Phil Santa Maria's Qualifications

My name is Phil Santa Maria. I am a lawyer who concentrates on plaintiff's personal injury cases. That means I help people who have been injured in car accidents, in falls and because of defective products. On a very selective basis, I also handle medical malpractice claims. However, I have had far more car accident cases than any other kind.

(This is me. My wife bought that pretty tie -- and every other nice tie I own. If you look closely, you will see a mark on my forehead. The day before this picture was taken, I was mowing the lawn and lost a fight with a low hanging branch. Smart, huh?)

My Education and Training

I gradulated in the top 10% of my law school class and was an editor of the Law Review. Before beginning private practice, I served as a Judge Advocate in the United States Air Force.

I have been admitted to practice before the highest courts in Maryland, the District of Columbia and California. I've also been admitted to practice in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and the United States Supreme Court. I'm even admitted to practice before the Court of Military Appeals.

That list of bar admissions sounds pretty impressive, doesn't it? But it really doesn't tell you that much. It just tells you where I am authorized to practice. It only tells you that I have met the minimum qualifications for practice in those jurisdictions and in those courts. Sometimes, the minimum qualifications are as little as filling out an application and paying a small fee. This list of admissions doesn't even tell you whether I have ever practiced in those courts.

Here's a practical tip: If you are ever looking for a car accident lawyer, take note of the lawyer's education and bar admissions, but give more weight to the lawyer's experience and accomplishments, especially in cases like yours.

What are my Experience and Accomplishments as a Car Accident Lawyer?

During my career, I have handled more than one thousand car accident claims. I've handled seven figure cases and small cases where the recovery was only a few thousand dollars . . . and all size cases in between.

I have been given the highest possible rating for legal skill and ethics by the prestigious Martindale Hubbell Peer Rating System. It's nice to know your peers -- other lawyers and judges -- respect your ability and your ethics.

I've also appeared for many years in Who's Who in American Law which honors about 2 1/2 percent of American lawyers. Earlier, I was honored with a listing in Outstanding Young Men in America. Unfortunately, I'm no longer eligible for that listing because of the "young" requirement. I've been a lawyer for more than 25 years.

I'm also a lifetime member of The Million Dollar Advocates Forum, a group of lawyers who have successfully handled million dollar cases. Currently, the Forum includes less than 1% of American lawyers.

Why Have I Created All About Car Accidents?

To provide valuable, free information for people involved in car accidents.

Why do that? Why give away what I and other lawyers normally sell (sometimes for rediculously large amounts)? To even the battle between claimants and insurance companies. I want to give you the information you need to defend yourself against the tactics of the insurance company behemoths and to represent yourself in routine cases, if that's what you decide to do. Even if you decide to hire a lawyer to handle your car accident case, I want you to have the information you need to wisely choose the lawyer and to work efficiently with your lawyer.

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