5 Things a Personal Injury Lawyer in Baltimore Can Do For Your Case

Every day in the state of Maryland, thousands of people are injured or suffer property damages as a result of someone else’s negligence. Filing a personal injury claim in Maryland is subject to specific requirements and parameters. If you’ve suffered any of the following:

 

• *  A slip-and-fall

• *  An accident at work

• *  A motor vehicle accident

 

You’ll need the expertise of a personal injury lawyer in Baltimore. When you’ve suffered a personal injury, you’ll not only experience pain and suffering, you’ll lose wages, and acquire hefty medical bills too. A personal injury lawyer in Baltimore can help you get the compensation you deserve for your pain and suffering. Find out below how personal injury laws work in Baltimore and how an attorney can win your case.

What’s the statute of limitations in Maryland and why is it important to know?

 

In almost all criminal laws and torts, there is a statute of limitations. The statute outlines how long you have from the time of crime or accident to file a claim or a criminal charge. In the state of Maryland, you have two years from the time of the injury to submit your personal injury claim. If you fail to do so within the two-year time frame, the case is moot, and you cannot receive any compensation. If your injury occurred within the last two years, you still have time to contact a lawyer and make a case for compensation.

 

What are Maryland ‘shared fault’ laws and what do they mean?

 

What frequently happens after an injured party files a claim is that the defendant says they were only half, or partially at fault. The defendant will try to make a case that you had a hand in the accident and are somewhat responsible for the resultant injuries. Why is this important?

 

In Maryland, if an injured party shares any amount of fault for the accident, they are prevented from collecting any damages. This fairly broad, harsh part of Maryland personal injury law is called contributory negligence. What would this look like in a real-life example?

 

If you were driving ten miles over the posted speed limit, and a driver fails to yield and crashes into you, breaking your arm, you can’t collect any damages. Even though the other driver was partially responsible for the injury, the contributory negligence law means you aren’t entitled to receive any compensation. The law is so harsh, that even if you were only 1% responsible for the crash, you still aren’t able to collect damages.

 

Although Maryland courts are required to apply the contributory negligence law if the injured party is at fault for any part of the accident, the insurance companies will frequently claim contributory negligence during a case.

 

How can a Baltimore Personal Injury lawyer help your case?

 

Because of Maryland’s harsh contributory negligence law, winning a personal injury claim in Maryland is difficult. With an attorney’s help though, it’s not impossible. It’s crucial that during and after the accident, you don’t say anything or do anything that can imply a partial fault or responsibility for the crash. If you’re the one trying to negotiate with an insurance company, you risk saying the wrong thing. Insurance companies are well-versed in Maryland personal injury law and know how to turn a case in their favor. If you aren’t careful, you can fail to collect compensation because of contributory negligence.

 

A personal injury lawyer in Baltimore will know how to deal with the insurance companies. They’ll protect your claim. They will be able to gather the necessary evidence and speak to all applicable witness while they investigate the complaint and present their findings to opposing counsel. Also, an experienced attorney will know how to draft demand letters and present your case in the best possible light, so that you don’t run the risk of being found partially at-fault.

 

If you’ve been injured in Maryland because of someone else's negligence, don’t hesitate to contact an experienced personal injury lawyer. They’ll keep your claim protected and get you the compensation you deserve for your pain and suffering.