The area of personal injury includes a wide array of neglectful actions on the part of an individual, product, or company that cause an injury to another person. Personal injury can include auto accidents, toy injuries, appliance injuries, medical malpractice, etc.

The first step to take when thinking about filing a personal injury claim in Baltimore is to contact an experienced attorney in the area who understands the laws of the state. Personal injury cases have a time limit that must not be overlooked. If the time limit passes, the court might dismiss the case or decline to hear the case. Thus, contacting a qualified attorney is of essence in these types of complex cases in order to have the best chance of getting the maximum compensation possible.

Common Personal Injury Cases in Maryland

When choosing an attorney to handle your personal injury case, ask for what type of experience he has had in these types of cases and what results he has achieved for his clients. A fully prepared attorney will be able to stand up for your rights and make the other entity accountable, ensuring the client gets the compensation due from the damages the injury caused. Some of the most common personal injury cases are:

• Automobile accidents
• Motorcycle accidents
• Truck accidents
• Defective products and injuries caused by malfunctioning toys
• Dog bites
• Medical malpractice
• Nursing home and caregiver abuse to elders
• Wrongful death

Maryland Laws Pertaining to Personal Injury

Each state has its own laws pertaining to personal injury cases. This is why getting an attorney in the state in which the injury occurred is of vital importance. Some of the laws that rule personal injury in Maryland are:

• Statute of Limitations: Maryland has a time limit for an injured person to file a claim. This time limit is three years after the date of the accident or injury. Victims of a personal injury need to prepare way ahead of time to file the claim or lawsuit, because if the deadline is surpassed, the case will most likely not be heard by the court system.
• Shared Fault: In Maryland, filing a claim over an accident to then hear the other party claim that the victim also had fault in the accident is very common. Maryland courts apply “contributory negligence” in cases where shared fault is proven, which basically means the injured individual cannot collect compensation from any other at-fault individual or entity.
• Damage Caps: Maryland laws set a cap or a limit on the compensation that a person can get from a personal injury claim. For example, in the case of non-economic damages, there is a limit of $755,000 on non-medical malpractice injuries and a $1,132,500 limit on non-medical malpractice cases resulting in wrongful death.

As mentioned above, since the laws are so complex in personal injury cases and there are so many possibilities, it’s recommended that the victim of a personal injury suffered due to the negligence of another party contact a qualified attorney in Maryland to handle the case.