Anne Arundel County Attorney for a Car Accident Case Referral

Car accidents are unfortunately a very common occurrence across the U.S., and Maryland is no exception. From 2017-2021, there was an average of over 100,000 crashes annually. In 2022, there were 542 fatalities from motor vehicle accidents across the state of Maryland. This data shows the prevalence of injury and death from accidents on the road.

If you have an existing client who vacations at Maryland beaches or travels to Washington D.C. for work, they may experience an accident in Maryland. As their attorney, you will want to help them, but you might not practice in Maryland or might have never handled a car accident lawsuit. A prudent way to help that client is to refer them to a local lawyer with experience in suits arising from a car accident.

Rice, Murtha & Psoras has a team of Anne Arundel County attorneys for a car accident case referral who are ready to assist your client. Give us a call today at (410) 694-7291 to discuss a referral.

How a Local Attorney Can Help After a Car Accident in Anne Arundel County

Maryland is an at-fault state, so your client will be dealing with the responsible party’s insurance carrier following a car accident. This may cause some anxiety. Your client might not be familiar with that insurance carrier and might have no knowledge of the extent of the insurance coverage. Yet, that company is investigating a potentially life-changing accident and determining reimbursement that could significantly affect your client’s finances. Sending the case to our Anne Arundel County attorneys for a car accident case referral will allow your client to heal while our attorneys take over the claim.

Our attorneys routinely address issues arising from car accidents. We can use local experts to investigate the crash quickly on behalf of the victim. We also regularly communicate with insurance adjustors to guide the claim evaluation process and we handle these negotiations so our clients can focus on their recovery. If an insurance company denies a claim or offers less than a fair amount of money, our lawyers can appeal the decision and advise the client of additional options.

Since insurance adjustors are always trying to save their employer money, they will comb over the details of the claim and undercut or eliminate compensation where they can. In such circumstances, a lawsuit against the responsible driver could provide another avenue for recovery. Whether the suit is filed directly against the driver for their negligence or against a company that is vicariously liable for an employee, our Anne Arundel County attorneys for a car accident case referral are aggressive advocates for our clients.

Financial Compensation for Anne Arundel County Car Accident Victims

There are a couple of ways to seek compensation following a car accident in Maryland. The first step many people will take is to file an insurance claim. As stated, Maryland is an at-fault state, so car accident victims will file with the responsible party’s insurance company. Md. Code Trans. Art. §17-103 requires driver to carry insurance that covers a minimum of $30,000 in bodily injury or wrongful death coverage for one injured person, or $60,000 total for multiple injured people. $15,000 is the minimum coverage required for property damage.

These coverage minimums may be wholly inadequate for accidents that cause serious injury or death. It is all too easy to accumulate medical bills alone that surpass $30,000. In cases where insurance does not make an accident victim whole, they can turn to the courts to seek damages. Our Anne Arundel County attorneys for a car accident case referral area ready to represent clients in such cases.

In Maryland, there is no legal limit on economic damages sought in car accident lawsuits. Therefore, a victim who was not offered an adequate insurance settlement can seek recourse in a suit, even for the astronomical expenses of some serious car accidents. Victims can also seek non-economic damages – like pain and suffering – which are often withheld from insurance. If your client is concerned that insurance will not fairly compensate them following an accident, be sure to refer them to a local lawyer who can advise them of the available legal options.

Maryland Laws to Know for Anne Arundel County Car Accident Lawsuits

Even if you are an attorney who practices a different legal discipline in Maryland, a judicious way to assist current clients that experience a car accident is to refer them to a lawyer that deals with crash issues and lawsuits. There are legal nuances to car accident lawsuits that our Anne Arundel County attorneys for a car accident case referral have experience with.

Maryland is one of the minority states that utilizes a pure contributory negligence rule. Unfortunately, this means that any small action by the victim could bar them from recovering money in a negligence lawsuit. While this is a harsh rule, our attorneys scrupulously investigate accidents to prepare a defense against contribution allegations and set expectations with the client.

The statute of limitations in Maryland for personal injury actions is generally 3 years. Managing the claim and appeal process is necessary if a timely lawsuit is intended to be filed for additional compensation.

A common concern when a car accident involves a commercial driver is determining whether to hold the driver or the company responsible. Vicarious liability issues can be complex and larger employers with deep pockets will aggressively fight such claims. In Maryland, an employer can be liable for an employee’s negligent actions only if the employee was acting within the “scope and course” of their job when the accident happened. Generally, this is a highly fact-specific determination that would benefit from an Arundel County attorney for a car accident case referral who has experience arguing such issues.

Do Not Wait to Refer Your Client to Our Anne Arundel County Attorneys for a Car Accident Case Referral

When your client needs help navigating an insurance claim or filing a lawsuit following a car crash, consider referring them to the Anne Arundel County car accident attorneys at Rice, Murtha & Psoras. Call us today at (410) 694-7291 for a free case review.