Montgomery County Personal Injury Lawyer
An accident caused by another person’s negligence can change your life forever. Additionally, the serious injuries that may result and the high costs of medical bills can put further financial strain on the situation. This is particularly true in an area like Montgomery County, Maryland, where mortgages and other expenses can be high. Furthermore, many MoCo residents commute to DC or Baltimore, which may be very difficult after sustaining—and while recovering from—a serious injury. A personal injury lawsuit is designed to help compensate you for your losses and help you recover fiscally while you focus on your physical and emotional healing.
An experienced Montgomery County personal injury lawyer is ready to consult on your case. A skilled attorney at our firm could help you seek the compensation you need to move forward with your life following a severe injury.
Types of Injuries in Montgomery County Claims
The possible serious injuries that a victim could sustain in an accident are endless but can include:
- Burns and scars
- Spinal cord injuries (including neck and back injuries)
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Broken bones or severed limbs
- Internal injuries
- Death
If the defendant is found negligent in causing your injuries, you have the right to collect damages to compensate you for any physical, financial, and other hardship directly associated with your injuries. A Montgomery County injury lawyer can explain what expenses may be eligible for compensation.
Montgomery County Auto Accidents
Motor vehicle accidents can lead to extremely serious injuries and can include collisions between passenger vehicles, trucks, buses, and even bicycles. Some common case types include:
- Car Accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Commercial truck (18-wheeler) wrecks
- Public transportation wrecks:
- Bicycle accidents
- Off-road vehicle accidents
- Pedestrian Accidents
The injuries sustained in motor vehicle collisions can range from minor scrapes and bruises to broken bones or even severed limbs. Drivers on Maryland roadways have a responsibility to operate their vehicles in a safe manner, but when drivers fail to uphold that duty, there can be catastrophic consequences, such as the injuries listed above.
Premises Liability in MoCo
Premises liability law holds property owners responsible when someone is injured on their property. Also, many times when a person is injured in an assault on someone else’s property, they may be able to hold the property owner liable for damages because owners have a responsibility to protect those on their premises from harmful acts that are reasonably foreseeable of others while on their property. There are a large number of premises liability claims, which can involve injuries stemming from:
- Slip and falls
- Dog bites
- Burns
- Falling objects
Medical Malpractice Injuries
Medical professionals are held to a high standard of care when it comes to protecting patients from harm. Whether it’s a family doctor, emergency room physician, or ICU nurse, they have a responsibility to provide a certain level of care to their patients. Unfortunately, this standard of care is not always upheld, and when medical professionals deviate from that standard, their patients can be seriously injured, and those patients have a right to seek compensation for the harm that was caused by the doctor, hospital, or other medical professional. Types of medical malpractice cases include:
- Misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis
- Childbirth delivery injuries
- Medication errors
- Anesthesia errors
- Surgical errors
Victims of medical malpractice may sustain internal or external physical injuries or develop illness based on the substandard care provided to them by the doctors and nurses they trust. In cases of misdiagnosis, patients are often forced to undergo unnecessary and expensive treatment for an illness that they don’t even have. It is important that any individual who suffers because of a medical professional’s carelessness in this area attempt to recover damages through a medical malpractice claim in Montgomery County. A MoCo injury lawyer with experience handling medical malpractice claims can answer your questions.
Wrongful Death / Survival Claims
Losing any loved one is a tragic experience, but when that death is caused by another party’s negligence, surviving family members can pursue a wrongful death suit as a means of holding the responsible parties accountable. The estate can also bring a survival suit. Their emotional loss and financial hardship, along with the sudden absence of significant income the deceased produced and expensive hospital and funeral bills, can be staggering for the surviving family members of the deceased.
Pursuing Financial Compensation in Montgomery County
The goal of every personal injury lawsuit is to obtain financial compensation for the injured plaintiff. The following represent some of the recovery options that may be available from a successful civil claim.
Medical Bills
The medical expenses that result from an accident can be extremely high. Filing a lawsuit could help an injured obtain recovery for the medical bills already incurred, as well as compensation for any future medical treatment that may be necessary. This also includes psychological treatment and rehabilitation services.
Property Damage
In many cases, especially car wreck cases, severe property damage occurs. When that damage occurred due to another person’s negligence, a successful injury lawsuit could cover those losses.
Lost Wages and Earning Capacity
If an injured individual is unable to work, those lost wages can be recouped as part of a properly proven case. This can also include any lost earning capacity due to a lasting injury that may change the types of tasks a person is able to perform.
Pain and Suffering
Although no definite number can be assigned to how much a plaintiff’s pain and suffering is worth, it is no less compensable. State law allows victims of accidents caused by others to seek compensation for the pain they endured due to their injuries.
Loss of Consortium
A loss of consortium claim applies to the injured person’s loved ones for lost time and companionship with the injured plaintiff. Financial compensation may also be awarded for this loss with the help of a proactive personal injury attorney in Montgomery County.
Proving Negligence in a Personal Injury Case
An injured person and their attorney must prove the defendant was negligent to have a successful claim. This requires proving that the defendant breached a duty of care that was owed to the plaintiff and that the breach was the cause of the plaintiff’s injuries.
For example, if a driver does not check or signal before changing lanes, and consequently hits another vehicle, that negligent driver could be liable for the full-extent of a victim’s damages. A well-practiced personal injury lawyer could help the victim of an accident such as this file a legal claim in Montgomery County.
Statute of Limitations and Contributory Negligence
With few exceptions, the majority of personal injury claims must be filed within three years of the date of the accident or the discovery of the injury caused by the accident based on Maryland Judicial Procedure Code Section 5-109. In the event of medical malpractice, the statute can be as long as five years, depending on the date that the malpractice injury is discovered. There are exceptions that may extend the statute. An experienced Montgomery County personal injury lawyer can tell you more about how the circumstances of your case may apply. All injury claims in Maryland are subject to the doctrine of contributory negligence. This means that if an injured plaintiff shares as little as one percent of the fault for the accident that caused their injuries, they are barred from recovering any damages. If you feel you may have contributed to an accident in Montgomery County, you should still speak with an experienced injury attorney to explore your likelihood of success.
A Montgomery County Personal Injury Attorney Could Help You File Your Claim
If you were injured due to the negligence of another person, you have the right to hold them accountable. However, personal injury cases can be complex, and they should not be pursued without a committed attorney on your side.
A seasoned Montgomery County personal injury lawyer could investigate your case to gather evidence of negligence by the defendant party. Call our firm today to begin working toward your financial recovery.
