Maryland Motor Vehicle Accident Attorneys
Maryland auto accident laws make it very tough for accident victims to recover fair compensation for their injuries. The insurance companies know how hard it is for you to win in court and they will use that to their advantage when offering a settlement amount. An experienced Maryland motor vehicle accident lawyer can protect you legal rights, stand up to the insurance companies, and help you recover full and fair compensation for your injuries or the loss of a loved one.
Time Limits
Every state has a time limit for filing a lawsuit called the statute of limitations. In Maryland, the statute of limitations for traffic accident lawsuits is three years from the date of the accident. However, there are certain circumstances that can give you more or less time to take action. For instance, if you were under 18 when the accident occurred, then the clock does not start running until your 18th birthday, giving you until your 21st birthday to file suit.
If you must sue a government entity, you have less time to take action. You are required to give notice of your intent to sue. If your lawsuit will be against the state you must file notice within one year of your accident. If you are suing a local government, such as a city, you only have six months.
You should never wait until the last minute to seek legal advice. Your Maryland motor vehicle accident lawyer needs to investigate your accident, and that is best done when the scene and witness memories are fresh. You attorney may discover that your case will involve a government entity, even if you were not aware of that fact.
If You Were Partly to Blame
Maryland is one of only a handful of jurisdictions that still clings to and old legal doctrine called contributory negligence. It is very harsh on accident victims. If you are found to be at all to blame for your accident, even 1%, you are not allowed to recover damages.
The insurance companies use this to their advantage and will try to find any little thing to bar your claim. This is another area where a Maryland motor vehicle accident attorney can protect you.
Drunk Driving Accidents
Naturally, if you were hit by a drunk driver you probably assume that you have a very strong case. Unfortunately, Maryland law does not work in your favor. You can use the fact that the other driver was drunk as evidence of liability if the driver is denying liability, but if the driver admits to being liable for the accident it is inadmissible in court, in most cases.
Maryland’s contributory negligence rule works against you here too. By admitting liability, the defendant takes away your ability to talk about his or her drunk driving in court, which would hold sway with the jury. And then, if you are found to be at all to blame for your accident, say you were speeding a little, you lose the right to recover. An experienced Maryland motor vehicle accident lawyer is prepared to use everything possible to your advantage to defeat these very difficult legal circumstances so you can get the justice you deserve after having your life torn apart by a drunk driver.
If you have been injured in a traffic accident in Maryland, please contact one of the car accident lawyers profiled on this website.