Chillum Car Accident Lawyer

When car accidents occur, many people do not know what to do. The shock of such an experience can last long after emergency responders have left the scene and debris and totaled vehicles have been cleared off the highway. For many, the effects of motor vehicle accidents are felt for a long time. Victims may have to deal with lengthy medical treatments and numerous procedures in order to recover, and these procedures are not cheap. Moreover, there is often an intense mental and emotional toll associated with being in a motor vehicle accident.

With so much going on after a car collision, you need experienced legal counsel to fight for justice. That is where we come in. Our firm has represented numerous plaintiffs in car accident lawsuits, and we are ready to help you fight for your rights in the court of law.

To let our team of car accident lawyers look over your claim, call Rice, Murtha & Psoras, reachable at (410) 694-7291.

Can I Wait Before Filing a Car Accident Lawsuit in Chillum?

Your primary concern after a car crash will likely be focusing on recovery and getting back to “normal.” For that reason, you may be thinking about waiting a while before filing a potential lawsuit. The reality, however, is that plaintiffs have a limited time to bring a case before the court. “Statutes of limitations” set time limits for specific wrongs. In the case of car accident lawsuits, Maryland has a three-year statutory period within which motor vehicle injury lawsuits can be filed under Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. Art., § 5-101. This may seem like a long time, but when one takes into account things like recovering from injuries and other life factors, it is shorter than you think. For that reason, it is important to get in contact with our car accident attorneys as soon as possible.

What Should I Do After a Car Accident in Chillum?

There are a lot of things that get set in motion after a car accident happens, and, for many people, it can be a lot to handle. In addition to ensuring that you get the medical care you need and otherwise ensuring your safety, there are additional important logistical steps that you should do before and during your car accident lawsuit.

Medical Care

Of course, your first and most important priority after a car accident claim is to get medical care for yourself. Somewhat counterintuitively, the easiest way for this to happen is if you are seriously injured and evacuated by emergency responders to a medical facility. However, if you are not so grievously injured that you need to be taken to a hospital immediately, you still need to get the medical attention you need. Let first responders look over you and follow all of their instructions.

Get Information

If possible, collect as much information as you can about your car crash. Note the name, license plate number, and insurance information of all parties involved in the accident. Take many videos and photos of the crash and the area around it, and be sure to take the statements of anyone who witnessed the crash.

Talk with Insurance Companies

Shortly after the accident, it is a good idea to get in touch with your insurance company to let them handle things. In Maryland, insurance for motor vehicle accidents follows an “at-fault” scheme, which means that the liable party’s insurance compensates injured persons. For that reason, you have to be very careful about what you say to both your insurance company and anyone else’s insurance provider. Of course, our attorneys can help you out with this process.

Get Legal Counsel

Finally, you need to talk to a lawyer as soon as you can. As previously stated, you only have a short amount of time to file your claim. However, there are other advantages to working with our attorneys sooner rather than later. For example, we can work on your claim for a longer period of time, which can increase the chances of you having a very strong argument to take to court.

How Damages Work in Chillum Car Accident Cases

Ultimately, the goal of any civil case is to get damages to compensate you for your injuries. The idea is that damages give victims back what they lost because of their injuries. For example, a sizeable portion of a plaintiff’s damages is frequently medical expenses and lost income. Things like that are easy to quantify with financial records of all kinds. However, there are other things, like physical pain and suffering, that are tougher to quantify. Those things need to be calculated with the assistance of our lawyers.

While there is no set way to calculate damages, two very commonly used methods are the multiplier method and the “per diem” method.

The multiplier method simply takes tangible things – like medical bills – and multiplies them by a given factor to estimate the value of less tangible things like pain and suffering. For example, if you had $100,000 in medical bills and, with the help of our lawyers, came to the conclusion that a multiple of 4 makes sense, you would get $400,000 for pain, suffering, and mental anguish, totaling $500,000 in requested damages.

The other commonly used method is the “per diem” method. The thinking behind the “per diem” method is that you can come up with a value for the daily effects of your injuries and then add those values together for each day that you have dealt with, or are expected to deal with, the effects of your car accident.

Which method of calculating damages makes sense for you is a discussion to be had with our attorneys.

Speak with Our Chillum Car Accident Lawyers Today About Your Case

Our car accident lawyers with Rice, Murtha & Psoras are standing by to analyze your claim when you contact us at (410) 694-7291.