District Heights, MD Personal Injury Lawyer

When dealing with the consequences of someone else’s negligence, victims may file personal injury lawsuits to recover compensation.

When initially preparing your case, our lawyers will define the basic facts, such as when the accident happened, who was involved, and what exactly took place. This can lead us to evidence, such as surveillance camera footage. We may need such evidence, as well as eyewitness statements, photos of injuries, and medical records, to prove you were injured because of the defendant’s negligence. Statements from medical experts can achieve this and help prove the need for future damages to compensate victims for upcoming treatments or enduring lost wages. By precisely tracking your losses from the accident, we can enter settlement negotiations with a clear understanding of your damages and what you need from a settlement. Good settlements should cover all victims’ economic damages and those due to pain and suffering.

Call Rice, Murtha & Psoras at (410) 694-7291 and set up a free case discussion with our Annapolis, MD personal injury lawyers.

Building the Foundation of Your District Heights, MD Personal Injury Case

First, we must outline the basics of your claim, like who, what, when, where, and why. What happened, and who was involved? In auto accidents, there may be the victim and the negligent driver, as well as others who get roped into a multi-vehicle accident. In premises liability accidents, the property owner might not be physically present at the time of injury, but that does not mean they can evade liability.

We also need to confirm the accident’s location, as this can inform the scope of our investigation. For example, if you were hurt at a commercial establishment, security cameras could be on the premises. This is common in slip and fall accidents in retail stores, restaurants, and other businesses. If the negligent party also owns the footage of interest, our personal injury lawyers will act quickly to preserve it, whether by informally requesting footage or subpoenaing it.

Confirming basic details, like the date and time, is also necessary when building the foundation of personal injury claims. We can do this by assessing incident reports, reviewing accidents with victims, and interviewing eyewitnesses.

Proving You Sustained Personal Injuries Due to Negligence in District Heights, MD

Proving liability requires more than showing that the defendant breached the duty of care they owed the victim. Victims must also show that the defendant’s negligence directly caused their injuries. This is done by proving causation, an all-important element of personal injury claims.

To do this, you need various evidence, starting with your medical records. Seek medical treatment following an accident of any severity, even if you appear only slightly injured. If left untreated, scrapes and lacerations could become infected, or contusions indicative of internal injuries could be ignored and lead to serious complications.

Photos of injuries at the site can establish that you were hurt there and not during some other accident. Victims can use their phones to do this or ask first responders to help them photograph their injuries. In addition to photos, we can use eyewitness statements to confirm you were injured during the accident caused by the defendant.

Getting Future Damages for Personal Injuries in District Heights, MD

Victims often continue incurring damages after their personal injury claims end. To offset those future damages, we can request compensation for them in your lawsuit.

Expert testimony is useful on this front, particularly from medical experts and physicians who have treated victims’ injuries firsthand. Experts can explain the additional treatments victims need based on their medical records and diagnoses. This could include future surgeries, long-term physical therapy, or life-long prescription medication needs.

In addition to future medical damages, victims may continue incurring lost wages after their claims conclude. This is common when victims sustain injuries that have permanent complications or effects. Even when victims can go back to work in some capacity after accidents, their earning capacities might be lower. The difference in earning capacities is compensable, as are lost wages for victims never able to return to work because of permanently disabling injuries.

Again, expert statements can help victims recover future lost wages, as they can explain their reduced capabilities after an incident. Our lawyers can then show how, based on victims’ previous workplace responsibilities and current injuries, they would not be able to return to the same level of employment for quite some time, if ever.

Anticipating Your Personal Injury Settlement in District Heights, MD

What victims recover for personal injuries varies, depending on victims’ damages and if they go to trial instead of settling out of court. We can help you anticipate your potential settlement based on your losses and explain how you will recover that settlement after reaching it.

We will assess settlement proposals by comparing them to our calculation of your damages. To ensure our calculations are accurate, we will carefully track all damages as you incur them, including your medical losses and missed wages. We will also use the appropriate methods to quantify your pain and suffering, as non-economic damages are also compensable in personal injury claims up to $935,000, according to Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. Art., § 11-108(b)(2).

You can expect the defendant’s first settlement offer to be much lower than your total damages. Defendants often do this, hoping victims will accept, as signing a settlement agreement will end the matter, and victims may not seek further compensation. We can continue negotiating and leveraging compelling evidence to increase the defendant’s offers and get a fair settlement on your behalf.

After settling, you may get damages via structured payments or one lump sum payment. Structured payments are more common, as many defendants cannot afford to pay entire settlement amounts at once as lump sum settlements require them to do.

Call Our District Heights, MD Injury Lawyers Today

Call Rice, Murtha & Psoras at (410) 694-7291 for a free case evaluation from our personal injury lawyers.