Prince George’s County Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
Motorcycle accidents can have devastating impacts on a victim’s life. Not only are there physical injuries to heal from, but financial costs can accumulate quickly. Seeking compensation through an insurance claim may feel daunting, however an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer can ease the process and provide crucial legal advice.
Likewise, if the insurance company reduces or denies your claim, an attorney can guide you through the appeal process, and evaluate your case for additional legal options. Hiring an attorney to advocate for you following a motorcycle accident will provide you with the time and peace of mind necessary to heal, while knowing that your claim is in good hands.
The Prince George’s County motorcycle accident lawyers at Rice, Murtha & Psoras want to help you get the compensation you deserve. Call us today for a free discussion of your case at (410) 694-7291.
Working with Insurance Companies After a Motorcycle Accident in Prince George’s County
Insurance companies advise that you call them first to report an accident; however contacting an attorney first can provide many benefits. The insurance company’s representative will ask you to describe the accident and how it occurred. Our Prince George’s County motorcycle accident attorneys can explain what information is appropriate to tell the adjuster and can be present if a recorded statement is required.
Involving an attorney immediately also creates an opportunity for the attorney to get involved in the investigation process very early. After an accident has occurred, the insurance company will investigate the accident. However, the investigators that the insurance company utilizes will want to provide a report that is most beneficial to the insurance company, not the victim of the accident. Your lawyer can coordinate an investigation that is completed with your interests in mind.
Your attorney can also manage the claim process and communicate with the insurance adjustor on your behalf. This allows you to focus on healing from your injuries instead of fielding phone calls from the adjustor. If the adjustor reduces your claim, or denies it altogether, our Prince George’s County motorcycle accident attorneys can then guide you through the appeal process or negotiate directly for a settlement with fair compensation.
Legal Options Available After a Motorcycle Accident Injury in Prince George’s County
There are cases where an insurance company will not pay full damages for the costs you face after a motorcycle accident. In these circumstances, our Prince George’s County motorcycle accidents lawyer will evaluate your other legal options, including potential lawsuits. If another person caused your accident through negligence, you may be able to seek recovery from them directly.
To determine whether a personal injury lawsuit for negligence is feasible, your attorney must consider several elements. The person who caused the accident must have had a legal duty to you, they must have breached that duty, the breach must have been the cause of your injury, and there must be damages. If this sounds complex, that is because it is. Our Prince George’s County motorcycle accident lawyers can help you evaluate these elements.
If your family member has been killed in a motorcycle accident, you may be able to file a lawsuit for wrongful death and a survival action. These are two separate claims that may help family members suffering from the loss of a loved one, and they each have their own requirements. Speaking with an attorney is the best way to evaluate your options.
Issues Our Prince George’s County Motorcycle Accident Lawyers Can Help With
If you decide to file a motorcycle accident lawsuit in Maryland, there are some laws that will our local Prince George’s County motorcycle accident lawyers can help you navigate. First, there is a deadline by which any necessary lawsuits must be filed by, there is a rare defense available in claims of negligence, and finally there is a limit to the amount of non-economic damages a plaintiff can receive.
Statute of Limitations
Maryland has a 3-year statute of limitations for personal injury actions. Lawsuits resulting from a motorcycle accident are a type of personal injury suit, therefore the 3-year requirement applies here.
A statute of limitation is a legal way to refer to a deadline. Any motorcycle injury case must be filed within 3 years of the date of the accident. Since it takes time to accrue expenses, file an insurance claim, and investigate the cause of the accident, it is crucial to contact our Prince George’s County motorcycle accident lawyers quickly so they can manage the lawsuit timeline.
Contributory Negligence
When a defendant has been accused of negligence, Maryland offers a defense that is not frequently seen in other states: contributory negligence. A claim of contributory negligence can be used to assert that the plaintiff contributed to causing the motorcycle accident and should be barred from recovery. In Maryland, this means that you would not be able to recover any compensation if you even slightly contributed to the accident. Many other states have a more lenient standard that allows a victim to still recover some money if they are partially responsible for the accident.
As a victim of a motorcycle accident, this means that it helps to have a Prince George’s County motorcycle accident lawyer who will complete a meticulous investigation of the facts surrounding the accident. Any possible action on your part that led to the accident must be identified, evaluated for legal impact, and aggressively defended. Having an attorney experienced in addressing these factors is a valuable benefit when litigating motorcycle accident cases.
Damage Limits
Another legal feature unique to Maryland is the cap on non-economic damages. Non-economic damages encompass pain and suffering, mental anguish, and other types of emotional damage rather than financial/economic harms. Maryland has maximum amounts set for these types of damages based on various factors, and our Prince George’s County motorcycle accident lawyers can help figure out what damages are available to you.
Call a Prince George’s County Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Today
If you were injured in a motorcycle accident, the Prince George’s County motorcycle accident attorneys at Rice, Murtha & Psoras can help you navigate the insurance claim process and potentially seek additional legal recourse. Call us today at (410) 694-7291 for a free case review.
