Common wisdom may tell you that unexpected accidents are just a natural part of life that cannot be avoided, but that logic does not apply to accidents that could have been avoided but for someone else’s negligence. If another person’s reckless or careless behavior led to you suffering serious physical harm, the consequences of that injury could last for months or even years afterwards, fundamentally—and unnaturally—altering the course of your life.
Fortunately, an Edgewood personal injury lawyer could help you pursue fair financial compensation from the person truly responsible for your injuries, ensuring you do not have to bear their associated costs alone. Representation from a skilled attorney could be key not only to proving negligence and recovering for all available damages, but also ensuring that common legal roadblocks do not prevent you from getting the restitution you need.
Recoverable Damages Through Personal Injury Litigation
A person who acted negligently—meaning that they caused an accident as a direct result of violating a duty of care—could bear financial liability for every repercussion of that accident. Importantly, damages are not required to be objective in nature to be “recoverable.” In fact, much of the financial recovery in many cases comes from “non-economic” damages with values that are subjectively based on a plaintiff’s unique experiences.
With that in mind, a seasoned Edgewood personal injury attorney could work tirelessly to pursue restitution for any or all the following losses, depending on the exact nature of a plaintiff’s injuries:
- Medical expenses and rehabilitative care costs
- Physical pain and suffering
- Lost short-term and/or long-term work income
- Lost consortium with a spouse
- Costs of repairing or replacing personal property
- Lost enjoyment of life
In rare cases involving wanton negligence or intentionally malicious actions, a court may impose punitive damages on a defendant that are meant specifically to punish them for their behavior rather than compensate specific losses.
Maximizing Recovery from a Personal Injury Claim
Maryland is one of a very small number of states that still maintains a “pure contributory negligence” system for civil claims, which unfortunately means courts grant absolutely no leeway to plaintiffs found even just partially responsible for causing their own damages. If a personal injury victim is even one percent to blame for the circumstances that caused their injuries, they are ineligible to recover any money at all—even if another party is 99 percent at fault.
Additionally, Maryland Code, Maryland Code, Courts & Judicial Proceedings §11-108 caps the amount of money a civil plaintiff can recover for both economic and non-economic damages combined. As of October 1, 2020, this cap is set at $890,000 for most cases, and it increases by only $15,000 every year.
Finally, Maryland Code, Courts & Judicial Proceedings §5-101 limits prospective civil plaintiffs to three years to file suit. Retaining a skilled lawyer is virtually essential when it comes to mitigating the damage these rules can do to a personal injury claim in Edgewood.
Seek Help from an Edgewood Personal Injury Attorney
In the aftermath of any accident resulting in injury, it can be hard to decide what the best course of action for preserving your future prospects is. There are a lot of factors that could play into this decision, as well as a lot of restrictions under state law that could inhibit your pursuit of civil restitution.
In light of all that, representation from an Edgewood personal injury lawyer could make all the difference in your ability to protect your best interests after a serious accident. Call today to learn more.
