According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety statistics, there were 472 fatal car accidents in Maryland during 2015; another 41 people succumbed to their injuries at a time after the collisions occurred. These deaths impacted many families, leading to potential liability for parties that may have been negligent or reckless in causing the crashes. There are two different theories of liability for the damages that result from accidental death under state law, and both are intended to compensate the victims who suffer losses. You should discuss wrongful death cases and survival actions with a Maryland attorney if you’re the family member of someone who’s died in a car accident.

First of all, in order to have a case at all we must find that the other driver was negligent and that our client did not contribute to the accident. In Maryland, for example, if one is found to be 1% negligent they would be barred from any recovery via contributory negligence. Thus, once negligence is established we look at the accident itself and the injuries sustained.

Statistics show that the majority of Maryland car accident cases involving injuries are settled before they go to trial. The victim and the responsible party’s insurer usually come to an agreement on the amount intended to compensate for all losses, including medical treatment, pain and suffering, lost wages, and other damages. However, there’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes as the parties approach the settlement process: It’s not as easy as one side making a demand, reviewing a possible counteroffer, and reaching an agreement somewhere in between. You must have a strategy in place for settlement negotiations to obtain the highest possible amount available under the law, and your personal injury attorney knows about these best practices for the process.

Not all car accident cases in Baltimore County go through the full trial process, as many are resolved through settlement agreements intended to compensate the injured party for his or her losses. In a typical scenario, the attorney representing the accident victim…

Maryland police have always been tough on drunk drivers, but the penalties for a DUI/DWI conviction are even more severe since Noah’s Law went into effect October 1, 2016. Now, in addition to potential prison time, fines, and driver’s license suspension, some offenders will be required to install an Ignition Interlock Device (IID) on their vehicle. You need a strong defense when you’re facing such harsh punishment, and one strategy is the use of motions to weaken the prosecution’s case against you. A Maryland DUI/DWI lawyer can tell you more about presenting these motions during the pre-trial phases of your case.

Every year, the Maryland Workers’ Compensation Commission releases an annual report that covers such data as claims filed by industry, awards according to disability and body part, the demographics of claimants, fatalities by industry, and other important information. From these details and facts gathered by workers’ comp agencies in other states, certain patterns emerge, including the most common types of workplace injuries. If you’ve been hurt on the job under any of these scenarios, consult with a workers’ comp lawyer about your rights and filing a claim.

In July 2016, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released a report on Traffic Safety Facts involving passenger vehicles. The numbers on car accident cases were staggering: Collisions involving vehicles and light trucks caused injuries to 2,074,000 people in 2014, though that number represented a decrease as compared to 2013. Still, the accident report shows that accidents do happen despite a motorist’s exercise of care when driving. If you’ve been hurt in a Baltimore County, MD car accident case, talk with an attorney about the different categories of injuries for which you might be entitled to compensation.

If you’re arrested for DUI/DWI in Maryland, the offense will result in criminal charges that may lead to jail time and a fine; you may also receive a driver’s license suspension and be forced to install an Ignition Interlock Device (IID) on your vehicle for a minimum of six months. Under the newly effective Noah’s Law, drunk drivers must implement the IID technology, which prevents your car from starting if your breath reveals a blood alcohol concentration higher than the designated percentage.

There are many instances where an employee causes a car accident or an injury to another while they are working. It could be that a worker is responsible for creating a slip and fall hazard that a customer falls victim to, or a worker could be out making a delivery in a company car and causes an automobile accident. Whatever the case may be, the law provides for vicarious liability, also referred to as respondeat superior, which holds an employer accountable for the actions of its employees while they are on the clock.

Maryland, like all states, requires motorists to maintain a certain minimum amount of liability insurance, i.e. $30,000 bodily injury coverage, $60,000 for two or more people, and $15,000 for property damage. Nonetheless, the Insurance Research Council estimates that as many as 12 to 15% of Maryland drivers do not maintain any insurance coverage at all, despite downward trends in uninsured motorists over the past several years. In car accidents with drivers who do not maintain the required insurance coverage, uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage can help compensate you for any losses that you might have.