Getting hurt in an accident could throw your life off course as you heal from your injuries and deal with the financial and personal repercussions. Unfortunately, some personal injuries can even have long-term or even permanent effects, leaving victims with life-changing disabilities or disfigurements by no fault of their own.
No matter how severe your injuries are, any accident caused by another party that forces you to seek professional medical attention may give rise to a valid personal injury claim for damages. With guidance from an experienced Germantown personal injury lawyer, you may be able to hold a negligent person or entity financially accountable for all your damages, including those without objective financial values.
What Kinds of Accidents Could Justify Litigation?
Most personal injury claims are based on the concept of negligence. Negligent behavior can take many different forms depending on the context in which it occurs. In a claim following an auto accident, for example, negligence might entail a traffic violation like speeding or drunk driving. Conversely, negligence by a medical professional involves a breach of a pre-established “standard of care,” which must be supported by the opinion of a comparable medical expert.
As a general rule, a personal injury victim has grounds to file suit if they can prove someone else’s reckless or careless behavior directly caused them to suffer specific compensable losses. Relatively unique to Maryland, though, is the additional requirement that plaintiffs bear no comparative fault whatsoever for the accident over which they are filing suit or the damages they sustained as a result.
Under the harsh pure contributory negligence standard, residents of Germantown are ineligible to seek civil compensation if they bear any percentage of fault—even one percent—for their injuries or losses. Assistance from a Germantown personal injury attorney may be essential to effectively combating accusations of fault and preserving a plaintiff’s right to pursue financial recovery.
Recoverable Damages and Filing Deadlines
Plaintiffs who can successfully prove fault for a personal injury in Maryland may demand restitution for both economic and non-economic effects of that injury, including medical expenses, physical pain and suffering, lost wages, loss of enjoyment of life, and the costs of repairing or replacing damaged personal property. However, as a personal injury lawyer in Germantown could explain further, state law establishes caps on recovery for non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering. The maximum amount changes each year with inflation.
Furthermore, the statute of limitations sets a strict deadline that all prospective civil plaintiffs must adhere to, or they may be unable to recover compensation. According to Maryland Code, Courts and Judicial Proceedings §5-101, personal injury victims generally must begin the litigation process within three years of the date they first discovered the harm they suffered.
Speak with a Germantown Personal Injury Attorney Today
Personal injuries can have immense and extensive effects on your personal and professional life, especially if your accident has consequences that will last for the rest of your life. Fortunately, you may be able to hold the responsible parties financially accountable with help from a qualified legal professional.
Retaining a skilled Germantown personal injury lawyer should be your first priority after getting hurt due to another person’s misconduct. Call today to set up a consultation.
