Personal injury

Pursuing your right to compensation: personal injury claims in Maryland

If you have been hurt as the result of someone else’s negligence, it should not be up to you to cover all the medical costs, nor bear the full financial burden of being out of work. In Maryland, when you are hurt in a serious accident, your best bet for full and fair compensation is the personal injury process, which this article explains, including…

• How, when, and why to launch a personal injury claim after a serious accident in Maryland.
• When and why reach out to a personal injury attorney to help you with your claim.
• What happens when you are partially to blame for the accident, or the accident is with an uninsured driver.

How do I begin the personal injury claims process after an accident with serious injuries in Maryland?

In theory, your harms and injuries should be covered by insurance – another driver’s insurance policy if you are hit in a crash, a business's insurance policy if you are hurt in a fall, or even your own insurance policy, depending on the scenario.

Unfortunately, in practice, insurance companies want to pay out as little as possible, as their profits depend on it. Therefore, you cannot trust them to give you full, much less fair, compensation. This is why it is so important to work with an experienced personal injury attorney who can examine your case and help you make your claim.

Should I wait until the insurance company denies a claim or offers a settlement to contact a Maryland personal injury attorney?

It’s vital that you contact an attorney as soon as you've been injured in an accident – even if you are not sure if you have been seriously injured. If you aren’t at fault for an accident that has resulted in an injury, you should call an experienced personal injury lawyer right away.

It’s also important that you go check with your doctor as soon as possible after an accident – even if you only have mild pains. Oftentimes, after a car accident, you will not feel the full extent of, for example, spinal injuries or soft tissue injuries, both of which are frequent even in mild car accidents. Your healthcare provider can provide testing and care to make sure you do not have any underlying serious injuries that will worsen without immediate treatment.

At the same time, an attorney will help you understand your rights and claim potential. If you wait until an insurance company offers you a settlement, you will have allowed precious time and evidence to slip by. What’s more, personal injury attorneys do not require payment upfront, so you have nothing to lose by calling a lawyer and everything to gain.

Can I still file a personal injury claim if I was injured in a car accident caused by an uninsured/underinsured driver?

Fortunately, most insurance policies include an uninsured motorist provision in the policy, so you should be able to find some compensation through that. If you have questions about your UM/UIM policy, it’s best to contact an attorney who can help you make sure that you’re properly covered.

If I was partially at fault for a car accident that caused my injury, can I still file a personal injury claim in Maryland?

Unfortunately, Maryland is a contributory negligence state. This means that if you contributed to the car accident in any way, then you have no opportunity to recover any damages from the other side.

What will hiring a Maryland car accident attorney do for my personal injury case?

An attorney will help you understand whether or not you are entitled to any compensation for harm and suffering endured. They can also help make sure that you are getting the medical attention you need to look out for your long-term health.

Who is going to pay to get my car fixed?

Typically, it is your insurance company that will pick up the bill to have your car repaired after an accident. Still, it’s not out of character for insurance providers to refuse coverage or to try and get away with paying you less than the repairs are worth.

If that happens to you, or if any other insurance company refuses to pay you what you need and deserve after an accident, it is time to call a personal injury attorney. For more information on the Personal Injury Claim Process In Maryland, an initial consultation is your next best step.