Collisions are one of the most common causes of injury in the United States every year. If a car accident due to another driver’s negligent actions caused your injuries, you have the right to seek damages. Filing a personal injury claim or lawsuit may entail gathering enough evidence to prove fault, calculating your total costs and losses, and negotiating a fair settlement or award.
When you are considering opening a car accident case, you will need to keep Maryland personal injury laws in mind. A Bel Air car accident lawyer can help you navigate all of these factors and fight for your compensation.
Contact the Law Offices of Adam M. Smallow to learn more about how an attorney may be able to assist you. Call (410) 777-8960 to speak with a member of our team in a free case review.
Common Causes of Collisions in Maryland
As in any state, a variety of negligent driving behaviors cause thousands of accidents in Maryland every year. Some commonly cited causes of these accidents include distracted, aggressive, and impaired driving, though many actions can fall into these categories. For instance, examples of aggressive driving behaviors can include:
Speeding
Tailgating
Weaving in and out of congested traffic
Cutting off another driver
Failing to signal when turning or changing lanes
Running a red light
Distracted driving also comes in many forms, though texting and driving is a common offense. Eating, talking to other passengers, and adjusting the GPS or radio can also distract a driver. While these behaviors may seem harmless on their own, the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) reports that distracted driving causes an average of 28,000 injuries annually in Maryland alone.
Impaired driving includes behaviors such as driving while under the influence of alcohol, as well as illegal drugs. Annually, MDOT reports that Maryland law enforcement arrests more than 20,000 drivers for impairment.
Maryland Personal Injury Laws
In Maryland, two laws can affect your ability to receive compensation after suffering injuries in a car accident—the statute of limitations and negligence laws. Proving that another driver is at fault for an accident is especially important in Maryland, as it is a contributory negligence state.
Contributory negligence means that if your actions contributed to the collision in any way, you may not be eligible to claim damages. Even if you are only one percent at fault, it can hurt your claim.
The Maryland Courts and Judicial Proceedings § 5–101 dictates how long you have to file a personal injury lawsuit. From the date of your accident, you generally have up to three years to begin this process. While this may sound like a sufficient amount of time, you may need to account for time to collect evidence of your accident and injuries, build your case, and file the necessary paperwork for your lawsuit.
The time you may spend negotiating with the insurance company if you attempt to settle out of court does not extend this deadline. If you choose to hire a Bel Air car accident lawyer, part of his or her responsibilities is to keep you aware of this deadline. Contact the Law Offices of Adam M. Smallow today at (410) 777-8960 to discuss your case for free with a member of our team.
Preparing Your Bel Air Accident Case
Due to Maryland’s comparative negligence laws, you may want to take extra care when preparing your personal injury claim. This means collecting enough evidence to prove that the other driver is at-fault for your injuries, and your actions did not contribute to the accident. Evidence that may help support your case can include:
Surveillance and traffic camera footage
Information from the police report
Witness statements
Medical records regarding your injuries
While it is possible to collect this evidence yourself, hiring an attorney to help can take some of the burden off you. He or she can dedicate time to contact the witnesses and experts, examine reports, and build your case while you handle your medical and financial concerns.
Recoverable Damages
Depending on the severity of your accident and injuries, you may qualify for multiple types of compensation. Your award may include both monetary and non-monetary damages relating to your injuries and vehicle repairs. In order to receive compensation, you typically need to present evidence of these damages in the form of receipts, bills, and medical records. These can serve as proof of your treatment and vehicle repair costs.
You may also include pay stubs and letters from your job as proof of how your injuries have affected your ability to work. With all of these items as evidence, an attorney can help you calculate your claim’s total value. In car accident cases, you may be able to pursue damages such as:
Current and future lost wages
Diminished earning capacity
Doctor and hospital visits
Treatment, medications, and ongoing physical therapy
Pain and suffering
Vehicle repair or replacement
Get in Touch With the Law Offices of Adam M. Smallow Today
Injuries and damages from a car accident can severely impact your life and the lives of your family members who may also feel the financial and emotional effects. If the collision occurred through no fault of your own, the State of Maryland allows you to seek compensation for your medical treatments and other related expenses.
You do not have to go through a personal injury case alone. A Bel Air car accident lawyer from the Law Offices of Adam M. Smallow can be there to fight for you along the way through settlement negotiations or on trial. The team at the Law Offices of Adam M. Smallow can discuss your case for free in an initial consultation to determine what options are available to you. Call today to get started: (410) 777-8960.
