It’s more difficult for accident victims in Maryland to collect fair compensation than in many other states because of Maryland’s contributory negligence law. Anyone who is in an accident should be aware of how the law works or they may find it impossible to collect any compensation for their injuries.
Don’t Wait Too Long to File a Lawsuit
The statute of limitations in Maryland is three years. The right to legal compensation will be lost if the lawsuit is not filed within three years.
The Insurance Companies Love Shared Fault
When an accident claim is filed in Maryland, the insurance companies want the victim to be partly to blame for the accident. They often try to get the injured person to say something which can be interpreted as an assumption of fault for the accident.
Anyone speaking to an adjuster or other agent of the insurance company should be very careful in what they say and should refuse to be taped. Before speaking to the insurance company, talk to personal injury attorneys in Baltimore or everything could be lost by a single misstatement.
Shared Fault Could Reduce Compensation to Zero
Shared fault, or contributory negligence, is a very harsh Maryland law. If the injured person is determined to be partly at fault for the accident, the amount of compensation that they are entitled to will be reduced to zero. In other words, the insurance company saves money and the injured person loses money. This is why the insurance companies love this law.
Here’s how it works. Imagine that the total damages from the accident were $50,000. You were driving a few miles over the limit when another driver broadsided your car. It was decided that you were 10% responsible for the accident (because of speeding) and the other driver was 90% responsible.
You would collect absolutely nothing, not $50,000, because you were partly to blame (10%) for the accident. Very few people would consider this fair, but that’s the law. Insurance companies count on this during settlement negotiations and at trial.
Personal injury cases in Maryland are complex and challenging. At the Law Offices of Frank E. Turney, P.A., they want you to focus on recovering from your injuries while they handle all of the details of the case. Protect your rights by speaking to these personal injury attorneys in Baltimore before talking to the insurance company. Call today to schedule a free consultation.
