Parkville, MD Personal Injury Lawyer

After being hurt, people often seek emergency medical care, take time off work, and endure a lot of physical pain. A lawyer can help you sue the person responsible for your injuries so you can get fair compensation and get back on your feet.

Talk to a lawyer as soon as possible, as you only have 3 years from your accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. This deadline is shorter than you might think, as there are extensive preparations to make before we even file the lawsuit with the courts. We need to find evidence, evaluate damages, and prepare various legal documents. Before you begin your case, you need an attorney who has experience with your specific kind of personal injury claim. The personal injury field is broad, and attorneys might not work with all possible claims. Our team has experience with various personal injury claims, and we are prepared to help you in any way we can.

Call Rice, Murtha & Psoras at (410) 694-7291 and talk to our personal injury attorneys to schedule a free, private analysis of your potential lawsuit.

How Long You Have to File a Personal Injury Lawsuit in Parkville, MD

You do not have unlimited time to get your case into court. The statute of limitations in Maryland, under Md. Code Cts. and Jud. Proc. § 5-101, is only 3 years. If you do not file your case by the 3-year deadline, for whatever reason, you might lose your right to bring the lawsuit altogether.

Under certain circumstances, you might be able to buy more time by having the statute of limitations tolled. Tolling occurs when there is a valid reason, often carved out by statute or case law, why a plaintiff could not file their case on time. A common example is infancy, or being under the age of 18. If you were a minor when you were injured, you would obviously have a very hard time finding an attorney and filing a lawsuit, let alone understanding your legal rights. Courts typically allow plaintiffs to toll the statute of limitations until their 18th birthday.

Even if you do not need to toll the statute, you should still consult with an attorney as quickly as possible. A 3-year deadline might sound like enough time to file your lawsuit, but you might be surprised at the extent of the preparations and work that goes into a case before it is filed. In short, you need to maximize your time and get started as soon as possible.

How to Prepare a Lawsuit for Personal Injuries in Parkville, MD

Preparing a lawsuit, as briefly discussed above, is no easy feat. Plaintiffs are often surprised to learn that most of the work involved in a lawsuit happened long before a trial. The first step is meeting with a lawyer to assess your overall claims and make sure you have standing to sue.

Cause of Action

Not every injury is necessarily grounds for a personal injury lawsuit. Claims related to accidents are usually based on negligence. Negligence involves a duty owed to the plaintiff from the defendant, often some obligation of care or safety. If you were injured, but the defendant never owed you any legal duty of care, you might not have standing to sue. These are important details to work out with a lawyer as soon as possible.

Evidence

Once you know you have a valid cause of action, you can begin looking for evidence. Evidence often comes from the place where your accident happened. Physical evidence and witnesses might play a big role in your case. If the accident scene does not provide us with sufficient evidence, we can expand our scope. Our personal injury attorneys might look into medical records to help us prove the extent of your injuries and damages. We might also use police reports as a guide to find evidence the police uncovered through their investigations.

Damages

We must also evaluate damages. While the jury usually has the final say on damages and compensation, we need to evaluate damages early so the court knows what kind of relief we are demanding. We also need to claim damages ahead of time so that the jury knows what to consider when they deliberate. If we forget to include certain damages, the jury will not be allowed to consider them, and you might get less compensation than you deserve.

Paperwork

All of this information must be reflected in various legal documents and paperwork. One of the most important legal documents in your case is your complaint. The complaint must contain specific information about your accident, injuries, damages, evidence, and the defendant. If information is lacking, your case might be rejected.

Finding the Right Personal Injury Attorney in Parkville, MD

One of the most important aspects of your lawsuit is finding the right legal representation. Personal injury law encompasses a vast array of cases, claims, accidents, and injuries. Many attorneys focus on specific areas of personal injury law, and you want a lawyer with experience with your type of claim.

Our office has experience with a variety of personal injury cases, and we are ready and willing to help you get compensation for your injuries. We handle claims including auto accidents, medical malpractice, workplace accidents, amusement park accidents, wrongful death, and more. We also have experience working with plaintiffs who were injured because of the defendant’s intentional actions, often assault or other forms of abuse.

Reach out to our team as soon as possible, and we can evaluate your claims and begin preparing your lawsuit.

Call Our Parkville, MD Personal Injury Attorneys Today

Call the offices of Rice, Murtha & Psoras at (410) 694-7291 and speak with our personal injury attorneys to schedule a free, confidential assessment of your potential lawsuit.