Fort Washington Personal Injury Lawyer

No matter the circumstances that lead up to a serious accident, the short-term and long-term consequences of an ensuing personal injury are often immense. To make matters worse, Maryland is a notoriously plaintiff-unfriendly state when it comes to civil litigation, as courts here enforce several harsh restrictions on recovery that residents of other states do not have to worry about.

With help from a Fort Washington personal injury lawyer, though, you could have a much easier time enforcing your rights after someone else’s reckless or careless behavior leads to you getting hurt. A qualified attorney with experience handling claims like yours could work tirelessly on your behalf to build a strong case and pursue fair restitution for every form of harm you experienced.

How Liability Works in Personal Injury Claims

Any time someone is around other people and doing something that could conceivably result in harm to someone else, they take on what is known as a “duty of care.” This duty requires them to act in a responsible way by following applicable safety rules and generally conducting themselves the way a reasonable person would in the same situation. For example, motor vehicle drivers have a duty to obey traffic laws and pay attention to other vehicles, while property owners are expected to take ordinary care of their land in order to protect lawful visitors from unreasonable hazards.

If someone with such a duty does something reckless, careless, or intentionally aggressive, their actions may constitute a “breach” of duty. Then, if that breach directly leads to some kind of accident resulting in an injury, they could be considered “negligent” and therefore liable for any financial and personal losses that stem directly from that injury or others like it. A Fort Washington personal injury attorney could provide crucial assistance proving that each requisite element of legal negligence was present in a particular accident.

Importantly, injured plaintiffs filing suit against allegedly negligent defendants can be found partially negligent themselves if their actions contributed to causing or exacerbating their own injuries. Unfortunately, a finding of “contributory negligence” against a plaintiff can be devastating to their personal injury case, since Maryland court precedent bars accident victims from recovering any compensation at all if they are partly to blame for their own damages.

How Much Compensation Could a Personal Injury Victim Recover?

Another way in which Maryland makes civil recovery uniquely difficult is in the cap it imposes on recovery by personal injury victims. Like in any other state, successful personal injury plaintiffs can demand compensation for any form of harm they can trace directly back to their injuries, including both economic and non-economic damages. However, unlike just about every other state, Maryland limits the total amount of compensation that plaintiffs filing suit under any circumstances can recover for non-economic forms of harm.

In most situations, the maximum amount a single personal injury victim could receive from a negligent defendant for subjective losses like pain and suffering is $890,000 as of October 1, 2020, with slightly lower caps applicable in medical negligence claims and higher caps applicable for wrongful death cases. A personal injury lawyer in Fort Washington could explain how these limits work in more detail and provide crucial help maximizing recovery for objective economic losses like medical expenses and lost work income.

Get in Touch with a Fort Washington Personal Injury Attorney Today

The prospect of filing a personal injury lawsuit can be an intimidating one, especially if you have never been inside a civil courtroom or engaged in settlement negotiations before. Fortunately, getting help from a legal professional could put you on the best path towards a favorable case outcome while also minimizing the stress you have to deal with on top of your existing injuries and losses.

A knowledgeable Fort Washington personal injury lawyer could be the ally you need to effectively defend your best interests and legal rights. Call today to discuss your options.