Maryland Car Accident Lawyers

The aftermath of a car accident is often stressful and confusing. You are in pain from your injuries and are probably unsure of what the next steps are.

This is just one of the many reasons it can be to your advantage to work with a trusted Maryland car accident lawyer after a crash. An attorney can help you determine your next steps and pursue compensation for damages from your severe injuries.

The Maryland car accident lawyers at The Law Offices of Peter T. Nicholl have many years of combined experience obtaining fair compensation for those who have been injured in car accidents. Peter T. Nicholl is licensed to practice law in Maryland and the District of Columbia. He is a member of several prestigious legal associations, including the Leader’s Forum of the American Association for Justice. He has also received the AV Preeminent® rating from Martindale-Hubbell®. This is the highest peer-review rating an attorney can receive from this organization and it indicates the highest level of professional excellence.

When you contact our car accident lawyers in Maryland, we will review your claim in a free, no obligation legal consultation. If you have a viable claim and choose to move forward, we will represent you on contingency. This means there are no fees or costs unless we recover compensation.

Complete a Free Case Evaluation form today.

What to do After a Car Crash

Our Maryland car accident lawyers have handled a variety of car accident cases and know that your actions after the crash can have a strong impact on your chances of obtaining all of the compensation you deserve.

That is why there are several steps that should be taken after a collision:

1. Move Your Vehicle off the Road

If possible, move your car to the shoulder so it is not in the path of other approaching vehicles. If you cannot move your car because it is not running or you are physically unable, turn on your hazard lights to alert other drivers of your vehicle.

2. Call 9-1-1

The first priority after suffering an injury is to obtain medical treatment. In some cases, you may be able to transport yourself to the hospital after the crash, or have a friend or loved one take you. In others, you may be incapacitated after the crash and an ambulance will be sent to your location. If you are unable to get to the hospital on your own, make sure to call 9-1-1.

3. Call the Police

When the 9-1-1 call is made, it will likely result in the police being sent to your location. When officers arrive, provide the basic facts about the crash. The officer will use this to help him complete a report on the incident. This report can be a valuable piece of evidence as it will probably say who the officer believes was at fault.

4. Gather Evidence

You should only do this if you are physically able, as the first priority is your health and safety. Evidence can include:

• Pictures of your vehicle, showing the damage it sustained
• Pictures of the other vehicle and the rest of the scene, including skid marks, property damage or anything else you think is relevant
• Statements from any witnesses you find
• Phone numbers or other contact information for witnesses you talk to, so you or your Maryland car accident lawyer can contact them in the future
• Your own notes on what happened, because you may forget things as time passes
• Name and way to contact the other driver

The sooner you can collect evidence the better, because once you leave the scene you could forget details or things will get cleaned up and removed from the scene.

5. File a Car Insurance Claim

You should file an insurance claim as soon as possible after the crash because there may be a deadline for filing a claim.

Maryland uses a fault-based system to deal with car accident claims, which means the at-fault driver’s insurance company is responsible for all damages caused by the collision. This means you should file a claim with the insurance company of the other driver.

Watch what you say to the insurance company representatives because they are trained to take anything you say and use it against you to deny or devalue your claim.

Try to stick to the facts about the accident, and avoid stating your opinions about your injuries or what happened in the crash. Your medical records and the police report will likely provide all of the information the insurance company needs about those things.

Contact our Maryland car accident attorneys to learn more.

Ways an Attorney Can Help You After a Car Accident

An experienced car accident lawyer in Maryland can assist you in a variety of ways after a crash.

Thoroughly Investigating Your Crash

The first step in building your case is conducting a detailed investigation of the accident to collect evidence to help prove that the other driver was at fault and link your injuries to the crash.

We will review any evidence you have collected and attempt to collect more. We may:

• Contact any witnesses you found after the crash
• Take more pictures of the scene
• Talk to accident reconstruction experts to get more details about the crash
• Help you collect your medical records
• Consult medical experts for more explanation on how your injuries affect you on a daily basis

Dealing with the Insurance Company

You can rely on our attorneys to handle all communication with the insurance company after you file a claim. We know how to defend your best interests and counter the insurance company’s attempts to deny or devalue your claim.

When it is time to negotiate a settlement, we will have an accurate valuation of your claim. This way we will know what an acceptable settlement would look like that takes into account all of the damages you have suffered and the extent of those damages.

Making Sure Laws are Applied Correctly

Maryland is one of only a handful of states that has a strict contributory negligence law. Under this law, you are prohibited from recovering any compensation if you are even one percent at fault for the accident.

Our reputable Maryland car accident lawyers understand how challenging it can be to recover compensation under this law. Our goal is to try to build a strong case so you are not assigned fault if you should not be assigned fault.

Contact The Law Offices of Peter T. Nicholl for a free consultation. Call 410-244-7005.

Common Car Accident Injuries

Our Maryland car accident attorneys can help you recover compensation for a variety of common car accident injuries, including:

These injuries can cause a variety of medical conditions that are painful to manage and make it difficult to work or perform other daily activities. Some of the medical conditions and symptoms include:

If you were injured in a car crash and are experiencing any of these symptoms or other signs of an injury, contact a Maryland car accident attorney at our firm to discuss your legal options.

Call our trusted lawyers today at 410-244-7005.

Types of Auto Accident Cases

The injuries mentioned above can occur in a wide variety of car crashes. Some of the most common car accidents we see include:

• Rear-end Collisions – These crashes are often caused by one car following another car too closely, also known as tailgating. The lead car slows down and the car behind does not have enough time to stop. These crashes often occur at stop signs, intersections and on highways when there is heavy traffic. These collisions often result in neck injuries because the rear impact knocks the head forward.
• Drunk Driving Crashes – Drunk driving continues to be one of the top causes of car accidents. Drivers can also be intoxicated on various legal or illegal drugs, such as marijuana or prescription medications that cause drowsiness.
• Distracted Driving Accidents – In recent years, this has become one of the biggest threats to the safety of all motorists. Drivers get distracted by their smartphones, car stereos and other distractions and stop paying attention to the road.
• Failure to Yield Accidents – These are crashes where one driver hits another car that had the right of way. These often occur on left-hand turns or at stop signs.
• Head-On Collisions – These are often caused by drunk or distracted driving or a failure to yield the right of way. These often happen when a driver is heading the wrong way. These types of crashes are often fatal, particularly when they occur at high speed.
• Side-Impact Accidents – These crashes happen when one car collides with the side of another. They often result in serious injuries because the sides of vehicles are not as well-equipped to handle a collision impact as the front and rear of the vehicle.
• Parking Lot Accidents –These occur when two cars collide in a parking lot or a car hits or backs into a pedestrian. Even at slow speeds, collisions in parking lots can cause severe injuries that require costly treatment.
• Rollover Accidents – Rollovers occur when a car loses control or is hit in such a way that it causes the vehicle to rollover onto its side or upside down. These often occur at high speed on interstates and other highways.
• Hit and Run Accidents – Maryland hit and run accidents occur when a vehicle strikes another vehicle or person and leaves the scene of the crash.

Many of these accidents are caused by the negligence of the other driver, which means our car accident lawyers in Maryland may be able to help you recover compensation for medical care and other damages caused by your injuries.

Schedule a free, no obligation legal consultation by filling out a Free Case Evaluation form.

Car Insurance Coverage in Maryland

Many car accident cases are resolved by obtaining a settlement from the other driver’s insurance company.

There are two main types of coverage you may be able to obtain compensation from when you file your Maryland car insurance claim with the other driver’s insurance company:

• Bodily Injury Liability – The state requires all drivers to purchase $30,000 in coverage per person and $60,000 for each accident. The purpose of this coverage is to pay for your medical expenses from the crash.
• Property Damage Liability – Drivers must have $15,000 in coverage, at minimum. This provides compensation for damage to your car or other personal property.

If the other driver does not have insurance, you will need to file a claim with your own insurance company. Under Maryland law, you are required to have the following coverages for accidents involving uninsured motorists:

• Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury – You must purchase $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident at minimum. This pays for your medical expenses.
• Uninsured Motorist Property Damage – The minimum requirement is $15,000 to pay for damage to your car.

Another place to obtain insurance compensation is from your personal injury protection coverage. Maryland requires all drivers to have at least $2,500 in coverage for medical bills, hospital bills and disability from a car accident.

You can also pursue compensation for lost wages as a result of the accident. For example, you could obtain compensation for days you missed work because you were unable to work or were receiving treatment.

Contact our Maryland car accident lawyers at 410-244-7005.

Compensation from a Car Accident Lawsuit

Filing an insurance claim is not the only way to obtain compensation. Your attorney could also file a car accident lawsuit. One of the advantages of a lawsuit is that there are additional forms of compensation your attorney can pursue on your behalf, such as:

• Physical pain from your injuries
• Emotional suffering
• Loss of companionship for the effect of your injury on your relationship with your spouse

However, Maryland places a limit, or cap, on the amount of compensation you can recover in personal injury lawsuits, including car accident lawsuits. This cap applies to any non-economic forms of compensation, such as the types of compensation mentioned above (pain and suffering, loss of companionship, etc.). The cap is set at $845,000 for cases arising between Oct. 1, 2017 and Sept. 30, 2018 and it increases by $15,000 every Oct. 1.

Fortunately, there is no limit to economic forms of compensation, like lost wages and medical expenses. This means you may be able to obtain compensation for all medical expenses.

Contact a Maryland car accident lawyer today to determine your legal options after a car accident.

Why Should I Contact an Attorney Right Away?

There are many reasons why time is not on your side after a car crash. One is that Maryland’s statute of limitations sets a deadline for filing personal injury claims, including car accident claims. If you do not file a claim before the statute expires, you lose the right to do so.

In Maryland, the statute of limitations is three years from the date of the incident. This means that the clock starts running right after the crash.

Many accident victims wrongfully assume three years is a long time. However, investigating the crash can take a while, as can preparing your claim. The longer you wait to contact an attorney, the less time he or she will have to prepare and file your claim before the statute expires. This could negatively affect the success of your claim.

This is why it is so important to contact a car accident attorney in Maryland right away. Your initial consultation is 100 percent free and comes with no obligation to pursue a claim. We can advise you of your rights and legal options and if we take your case, you will be represented on contingency. This means there are no fees or costs unless we recover compensation.

Fill out a Free Case Evaluation form right now.

Contact a Maryland Car Accident Lawyer Right Away

The car accident attorneys in Maryland at our firm have in-depth knowledge of the statute of limitations and other laws that could have an impact on your case. We are committed to working to ensure these laws are applied fairly as we try to improve your chances of obtaining all of the compensation you deserve.

Our Maryland car accident lawyers understand the devastating effect a car accident can have on your health and your ability to work to support yourself. We also understand that while compensation cannot eliminate your injuries, it can play a major role in helping you avoid a financial crisis as you attempt to move forward with your life.

Schedule your free, no obligation legal consultation today so we can find out if and how we can help with your case. You will not have any fees or costs unless we recover compensation through an insurance settlement or verdict in a personal injury lawsuit.

Call 410-244-7005 today to set up your free consultation.