Ellicott City, MD Car Accident Lawyer

Victims of car accidents may face property damage alone in most cases, but some cases result in physical injuries that can leave a victim facing expensive medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.  If the other driver caused the accident, you may be able to hold them liable in court, and the court may order them to pay you for the harm you suffered.

To discuss filing a personal injury lawsuit for your car accident case, call our Ellicott City, MD car accident attorneys today.  Rice, Murtha & Psoras ’s car accident injury lawyers are available to schedule a free consultation on your case.

Our lawyers compassionately and professionally represent injury victims throughout the Ellicott City area, and we may be able to take your case as well.  For a free legal consultation, call our law offices today at (410) 694-7291.

Common Car Accident Injuries

Car accidents can be incredibly destructive and cause serious injuries. The safety features in your car are designed to protect you in case of an accident, reducing the forces that act on your body by dampening the accident with crumple zones, padding your body with airbags, and keeping you restrained in your seat with seatbelts.

However, these safety devices are not always effective enough, and you may face a wide range of potential injuries during the crash.

The most common injuries people suffer in car accidents include neck and back injuries.  Whiplash is one of the injuries most commonly associated with accidents and involves damage to the tendons, muscles, and ligaments in your neck.

A quick whipping motion of the head, which is incredibly common in rear-end collisions, can cause whiplash. The stress and strain of an accident also commonly cause back injuries, potentially including damage to the soft tissue between the bones in your spine.

These injuries could impinge on the nerves in your spine, causing numbness and pain below that point that commonly runs down through your legs.  More severe injuries to the spine could cause paralysis.

Traumatic blunt force injuries are typically some of the more severe injuries you can face in a crash.  If you strike your head or face on the inside of the vehicle, you could suffer a concussion or more serious traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Serious TBI injuries can leave you with brain damage, cognitive issues, memory issues, and other life-altering issues.  Other injuries to the face can be traumatic and scarring.

Blunt force also accounts for broken ribs, collarbones, and other bones.  Severe trauma to the chest or abdomen can also cause internal injuries, which may need surgery to repair.

Other common injuries can also occur in car accidents.  Things like cuts, scrapes, bruises, and breaks can all be classified as “minor injuries” in many instances, but moderate or severe instances of these injuries can also occur.

Damages for Car Accident Injuries in Maryland

If you are injured in a car crash, you may face expensive medical bills.  Furthermore, severe injuries may keep you from working.  Lost wages can make it impossible to pay for these increased expenses, further hurting your situation.

On top of this, you may face extreme pain, discomfort, emotional distress, and mental anguish from the accident.  These three areas of harm (medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering) account for the most common damages in any car accident case, and you can typically sue for compensation for these harms.

To calculate the damages you are entitled to, you can total up each of these injuries.  Economic damages like medical bills and lost wages are often simple enough to track because you can look at financial records, bills, and statements to see how much these damages are worth.

Other economic damages, like the cost of vehicle repairs, may also be available.  Calculating pain and suffering damages is more difficult because you cannot put a price on injuries, and they are based on your personal, subjective experience, which you can testify about in court.

Many of these damages can be projected into the future as well.  This allows you to seek damages for ongoing medical care needs, such as rehabilitation, physical therapy, or ongoing doctor’s visits to help with permanent disabilities.

You can also account for future lost wages and reduced earning capacity.  Your attorney can hire a financial expert to testify in court on your behalf and calculate these damages so that the jury knows how much to award you.

In some cases, you may be able to file your claim with an insurance company instead of with the court.  However, it is important to understand the potential limitations of filing your case with insurance or receiving any settlement from the other driver.

First, settlements are often lower than you deserve so that the defendant can defray the cost.  This may be completely unacceptable, and early settlement offers are often too low to cover your needs.

Second, it is vital to understand that insurance does not cover some damages.  Pain and suffering damages are specifically excluded from coverage under most policies, and you may need to go to court to claim these damages.

Lastly, you should know that insurance policies may pay only a portion of the damages, not the full value you deserve.

Call Our Ellicott City Car Accident Attorneys for a Free Legal Consultation

If you or a loved one faced serious injuries after a car crash, you may be entitled to sue the driver who hit you to receive compensation for your injuries.

The damages you receive in a car accident lawsuit could be substantial, but you should speak with an attorney for help understanding what your case is worth and how to best go about receiving the compensation you deserve.

For a free legal consultation, call Rice, Murtha & Psoras’s Ellicott City, MD car accident lawyers.  Our number is (410) 694-7291.