Charles County Personal Injury Lawyer

The goal of a personal injury claim is to compensate you for your losses. In Maryland, you may be eligible to recover:

• Medical expenses: Covers emergency care, surgeries, therapy, medications, and follow-up treatments. This also includes future medical costs for ongoing care or rehabilitation.
• Lost wages: Includes income lost during recovery and reduced earning capacity if you can’t return to work. It ensures you are compensated for the financial impact of missed job opportunities.
• Pain and suffering: Compensation for physical pain, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment in activities you used to love. This category reflects the overall impact of the accident on your quality of life.
• Property damage: Repair or replacement costs for damaged property, such as a vehicle or personal belongings. If your car is totaled, you may receive compensation for its fair market value.
• Punitive damages: Awarded in extreme negligence cases to punish the at-fault party and deter similar behavior. This type of compensation is less common but may apply to reckless or intentional misconduct.

The value of your claim depends on the severity of your injuries and the circumstances surrounding the accident.

In Maryland, you have three years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury claim. This time limit is called the statute of limitations. If you miss this deadline, the court will likely dismiss your case, and you won’t be able to recover compensation. Acting quickly is important because evidence can fade, and witnesses may forget important details over time. The sooner you contact an attorney, the better your chances of building a strong case.

Additionally, waiting too long to initiate your claim can hurt your chances of a successful outcome. Evidence fades, witnesses forget details, and insurance companies will try to delay. The sooner you take action, the stronger your case will be.

Maryland has one of the strictest rules in the country when it comes to fault. The state follows a contributory negligence rule, which means that if you are found even 1% at fault for the accident, you cannot recover any compensation. For example, if a jury believes you were slightly speeding when another driver ran a red light and hit you, you might not receive any damages.

This is why having an experienced attorney is so important. We know how to gather evidence and present your case in a way that shows you were not at fault. Our goal is to protect your rights and make sure you have the best chance of getting the compensation you deserve.

Most personal injury claims are based on negligence, meaning you must show that the at-fault party failed to act with reasonable care, leading to your injuries. To establish negligence, you must prove these four key elements:

• Duty of care: The defendant had a legal responsibility to act reasonably to prevent harm.
• Breach of duty: The defendant failed to meet this standard by acting carelessly or recklessly.
• Damages: You suffered injuries or other losses as a result.
• Causation: The defendant’s actions directly caused your injuries, and the harm was a foreseeable consequence of their conduct.

To win a negligence claim, you must prove these elements with sufficient evidence. Your attorney will be able to help you throughout this process.