Glen Burnie Car Accident Lawyer

Glen Burnie Car Accident Attorney

Reach out to a Glen Burnie car accident lawyer about your injuries and other subsequent damages to get an accurate estimate of what you may receive in compensation. The qualified legal team at the Law Offices of Todd K. Mohink, PA, has assisted numerous injured victims and their families in recovering damages from an unexpected accident that resulted from another person’s negligence, including motor vehicle traffic incidents, slip-and-falls, and more.

How Do Most Car Accidents Happen?

Traffic accidents happen every day across the state of Maryland — and the nation. While most times driving is completely safe, and no harm is incurred while on the road, there are, unfortunately, several ways a motorist can cause an accident or involve others in their collision. These are some of the most common reasons traffic accidents can occur in Glen Burnie:

• Distracting driving. Distracted drivers are one of the most frequent reasons for car collisions to happen. Perhaps unsurprisingly, there are increasingly more distractions in modern life, including the radio or music, conversations with passengers or over a phone call, looking at your mobile phone, eating and drinking, checking your appearance in the mirror, daydreaming, and more.
• Speeding. Driving over the speed limit is another common cause of collisions, and especially fatal accidents, due to drivers not being able to stop in time for sudden stops or unexpected hazards. Remember: the posted speed limit of an area is there for a reason — it takes into account the level of normal traffic, sudden turns or blind spots in the road, etc.
• Reckless or aggressive behavior while driving. Aggressive and reckless driving behaviors include tailgating, running red lights, swerving in and out of traffic, cutting people off, and more.
• Impaired driving or fatigue. Driving under the influence of alcohol or other substances — including prescription medication as well as illicit drugs — is very serious as it impairs your normal faculties and ability to drive safely. Additionally, driving while drowsy is nearly as dangerous as driving while drunk, affecting your reaction time, sound judgment, and vision.
• Not following traffic laws. Examples include changing lanes without being aware of your surroundings, ignoring traffic signs and regulations, improperly turning (e.g., not using turn signals or slowing down), and driving the wrong way.
• Weather conditions and driving at night. Driving at night impacts your vision and diminishes the visibility of the environment, along with there being more tired and/or intoxicated drivers on the road. Bad weather can also impair your ability to see where you’re going and, sometimes, your ability to control your vehicle. E.g. fog, heavy rain, snow, ice.
• Obstacles and animals crossing. Road obstructions can be difficult to consistently see or navigate around, such as construction zones or potholes, causing a vehicle to suddenly stop, swerve out of the way, collide with another motorist/pedestrian, etc. This is also the case for large animals crossing the road or jumping in front of your car.
• Inexperienced motorists. Teenage drivers are less familiar with traffic law and how to properly maintain their vehicles, resulting in careless or hesitant driving behaviors.

Bodily Injuries That Motor Vehicle Collisions Commonly Cause

Physical injuries following a car crash can range quite a bit due to the different circumstances of each collision, such as how fast the vehicles involved were going, how the vehicles collided, etc. Some injured drivers and passengers may sustain relatively minor bodily harm, but depending on the accident itself, some individuals may suffer more moderate to severe injuries, with some even causing permanent damage or resulting in a person’s wrongful death.

More minimal injuries may entail bruising, scrapes and abrasions, lacerations, soft tissue injuries such as sprains or strains, minor brain damage, and minor burns; moderate to serious physical injuries include severe burns, traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), damage to internal organs, internal bleeding, broken bones including shattered or compound fractures and serious breaks, neck and back injuries including to the spinal cord and surrounding nerves, and crush injuries.

In addition to these serious injuries, some accidents also unfortunately result in catastrophic harm to the parties involved. Catastrophic injuries can inflict long-term or permanent damage to the victim, causing difficulties in daily functioning and quality of life. Examples include amputation of or losing the use of a limb or appendage, injuries to the face including impacts to one’s vision, hearing loss, severe scarring and other disfigurement, and partial or full paralysis.

Those who are left disabled from an incident are usually awarded a large settlement for the lifelong impacts. Families of accident victims who did not survive their injuries are also able to pursue compensation for their loss. Injured individuals with only seemingly minor injuries are still entitled to recover their damages and may be able to receive more compensation than they think.

What Damages Can I Recover After a Traffic Accident?

Consulting with an experienced injury law attorney will give you an idea of how strong your claim is and the amount of the potential settlement for your injuries. For damages amounting to $5,000 or less, injured individuals can file a small claims action with the district court.

If a person’s damages are more than $5,000 but do not exceed $25,000 in total, they may file their injury claim either with the district court or circuit court. If your injury attorney anticipates your settlement to be worth more than $25,000, the injury claim must be handled within the circuit court. An injury settlement award will include the injured person’s economic and non-economic damages and, in some cases, punitive damages as well.

Non-economic damages are also known as pain and suffering damages and can be hard to determine a monetary value for; the court will decide what amount should be awarded for non-economic damages after reviewing all presented evidence and taking all factors of the case into consideration. The cap for pain and suffering for most injury claims is currently $810,000 and will next increase to $950,000 as each year the cap is adjusted to account for inflation.

Maryland has no cap for economic damages, which are quantifiable losses that are easily calculated by adding up your various bills and other expenses related to your injury, such as past medical bills, including rehabilitative or ongoing care and any future care that is expected, loss of income, diminished capacity to earn income, damage to personal property, etc.

Punitive damages are rarely awarded but may be applicable when the liable party’s misconduct was particularly egregious; these damages meant to deter the offender from similar wrongdoing in the future also lack a cap and are usually calculated by multiplying the total compensatory damages (economic and non-economic added together) by a number decided by the court.

FAQs

Q: What Is the Average Settlement for a Car Accident in Maryland?

A: There isn’t an exact average settlement for a car accident injury claim since each case’s circumstances and details impact the outcome. Severe injuries tend to result in larger settlements because more medical expenses are generated.

It also depends on the strength or abundance of the evidence proving the liable party’s fault in the accident. If a victim is even slightly at fault for the accident, they are barred from a settlement through filing a personal injury claim with the court.

Q: How Long After a Car Accident Can You Sue in Maryland?

A: The statute of limitations for most personal injury claims in Maryland is three years from the date the injury “accrues.” This means that if someone who sustained bodily injuries after a traffic accident they were not at fault for wishes to pursue a settlement, they must officially file an injury claim within three years of the accident date; in some cases, such as with delayed discovery of injury, the statute goes into effect after the date of the collision.

Q: Is Maryland a No-Fault State for Car Accidents?

A: Maryland is an at-fault state, rather than no-fault, for car accident injury cases. This means that if the person seeking compensation for their injuries and other damages following a traffic collision is even one percent responsible for the incident, they are prohibited from recovering a settlement payout for their losses. This strict mandate is referred to as contributory negligence.

Q: Do I Need a Personal Injury Lawyer After a Crash in Maryland?

A: You’re not required to hire an injury lawyer after your car accident in order to pursue a settlement payout. However, your chances of acquiring compensation, especially an amount that is fair for the specific injuries and damages you incurred, is with the help of a qualified, experienced attorney.

A lawyer who is educated and has a deep understanding of personal injury law will ensure you don’t receive insufficient compensation and that your rights are protected in court.

Dedicated Injury Attorneys Who Will Ensure Your Settlement Is Fair

Our experienced and skilled team at the Law Offices of Todd K. Mohink, PA, is here to help you recover your losses after suffering an accident that was unavoidable and caused a large disruption to your life. Schedule a meeting with one of our compassionate injury lawyers today.