Every day, thousands of Maryland residents suffer injuries in accidents they did nothing to cause because someone else around them failed to act in a reasonable way. On top of severe physical injuries, these kinds of incidents can also have significant financial and personal consequences in the form of medical bills, missed work income, lost personal opportunities, property damage, and more.
It may be possible to recover for all these losses through a personal injury claim, but achieving a successful outcome to this sort of litigation can be challenging without guidance from a knowledgeable attorney. A Waldorf personal injury lawyer could explain how state law governs situations like yours, help you evaluate your compensable losses, and tirelessly pursue the compensation you deserve either in or out of court.
Possible Grounds for Personal Injury Litigation
While there are some exceptions for injuries that occur under unique circumstances, most forms of personal injury litigation involve the injured party seeking to prove liability for their damages based on a defendant’s negligence. In a legal sense, “negligence” entails a violation of a responsibility to act a certain way under particular circumstances in the interest of preventing harm to others, and an injury resulting in compensable losses that stems directly from that breach of duty.
Negligence can manifest in various ways in different situations. For example, a motor vehicle driver may be considered negligent if they cause a collision by breaking a traffic law or driving in a reckless way. Conversely, a medical professional would only be considered negligent if they violate an established “standard of care” for someone in their field of expertise working under the specific circumstances that led to a patient’s preventable injury.
Other types of cases that a Waldorf personal injury attorney may be able to help with include:
- Traffic accidents involving pedestrians or bicyclists being struck by vehicles
- Commercial truck wrecks
- Injuries from faulty consumer products
- Injuries from dangerous medications or medical products
- Dog attacks
- Swimming pool and/or drowning accidents
- Accidents on someone else’s property
What Could Hinder Civil Recovery in Waldorf?
Unfortunately, Maryland imposes some restrictions on personal injury litigation that most other U.S. states do not, each of which could serve as an obstacle to effective civil recovery after a Waldorf accident. Most notably, state courts still follow a “pure contributory negligence” system that completely forbids civil recovery by any injured person found partially to blame for their own injuries.
Additionally, while it is not uncommon for states to limit recovery for non-economic forms of harm in certain types of personal injury claims, Maryland Code, Courts & Judicial Proceedings §3-2A-09 sets a cap on all forms of recovery that applies to almost every form of personal injury litigation. As a personal injury lawyer in Waldorf could explain further, the maximum amount that any one plaintiff can recover for a personal injury in most situations is $890,000 as of October 1, 2020.
Talk to a Waldorf Personal Injury Attorney Today
A personal injury lawsuit can understandably seem like a lot to add onto your plate after being involved in a traumatic accident, especially while you are still dealing with the injuries and associated losses that incident caused. However, pursuing comprehensive civil restitution from the party truly responsible for your injuries could be the only way of ensuring you do not have to pay in any sense for something you were not at fault for.
A knowledgeable Waldorf personal injury lawyer could explain your options and offer guidance about next best steps during a private consultation. Schedule yours by calling today.
