Carney Pedestrian Accident Lawyer

Pedestrian victims often suffer serious damages when negligent drivers hit them in Carney. In response to this, victims can file lawsuits.

As a pedestrian injured by negligence, you have the right to file a civil lawsuit against the at-fault party. This right will only exist for the three years following the accident, so make sure you bring your case before the deadline. After our attorneys file your claim with the court, the defendant will be served, and the discovery phase will take place. We can prepare you for what to expect throughout your lawsuit, from depositions to settlement negotiations and trials. Do not wait to initiate your claim, as evidence might get lost if you do.

Call Rice, Murtha & Psoras’ Carney pedestrian accident lawyers at (410) 694-7291 for a free case review.

Your Right to Sue After a Carney Pedestrian Accident

If a reckless driver hits you in Carney, you will have the right to file a lawsuit against them to recover compensatory damages.

Victims have the right to financial recovery for damages due to negligence. To see if you can sue, we will assess the specifics of the accident and determine if the other party owed you a duty of care and breached it. For example, if the driver sped through a crosswalk when you had the right of way and struck you, they would have breached the duty of care drivers owe pedestrians.

To exercise your right to recovery, you must do so within a set timeframe. According to Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. Art., § 5-101, plaintiffs must bring civil actions for pedestrian accidents within three years of the event. The court will likely dismiss any claims filed late in Carney.

You have the right to request compensation for economic and non-economic damages in your claim. Economic damages cover losses like medical bills and lost wages, while non-economic damages cover a victim’s pain and suffering. We can help you document your damages as you incur them.

What to Expect After You File Your Pedestrian Accident Lawsuit in Carney

After you file a claim with the court, the defendant will be served and will then answer the complaint. After that, the discovery process will take place. Both sides will exchange relevant evidence and documentation during this phase of your claim. Depositions might also take place at this time.

If the opposing side deposes you, they might ask you certain questions to clarify certain facts and learn more information about the accident and your actions. Our pedestrian accident lawyers can prepare you for a potential deposition by reviewing the accident with you in detail so that you do not make any contradicting statements that could hurt your case in the future.

This will be crucial, as Maryland is a pure contributory fault state. This means that the court will bar victims who even somewhat contribute to an accident from compensation. This might impact some pedestrian victims.

Once the discovery phase is over, settlement negotiations might take place. To prepare for settlement negotiations, our lawyers will review all the evidence in your favor and proof of damages to set realistic expectations for your possible settlement.

Throughout settlement negotiations, we can present persuasive arguments that poke holes in the defense’s case, convincing them to settle out of court at a high amount that reflects your total damages.

Not all defendants will settle claims; some want to take their chances at trial. If you go to court, the trial might take days or weeks, compared to settlement negotiations, which could take months to years.

Types of Pedestrian Accident Settlements in Carney

In most cases, defendants do not have to pay jury awards in lump sums immediately after a jury renders a verdict. Instead, they might pay victims in installments over time.

Not all defendants have the financial ability to pay large lump sums to victims at the end of pedestrian accident lawsuits in Carney. Because of this, victims often get structured payments, whether for settlement agreements or jury awards.

We can negotiate a settlement payment structure that suits your needs and compensates you for your various damages. For example, the defendant’s regular payments to you should be designed to help your financial situation and help you pay off medical bills or other losses.

Why You Should Start Your Case Immediately After a Pedestrian Accident in Carney

Waiting any unnecessary amount of time to start preparing your case could leave you with insufficient evidence to win. Because of this, all victims should initiate their claims as soon as possible following an accident in Carney.

Evidence might degrade or become lost over time. To combat this, our lawyers can immediately start collecting evidence by interviewing eyewitnesses. It is important to talk to witnesses when memories are fresh in their minds, as that is when they might give the most useful statements.

The same goes for physical evidence. If you do not photograph skid marks on the road, damage to involved vehicles, or debris patterns, that information might be lost when emergency personnel clear away the accident. If you take pictures of the accident site, we can give those images to an accident reconstruction expert who can review them and testify about the accident’s cause at trial.

Furthermore, by delaying your claim, you might appear uncommitted to your recovery. The longer you wait to start your case, the harder it can be to trace your injuries to a defendant’s actions. While you do not have to file immediately after the accident, you should start preparing your case and exploring the benefits of pursuing litigation right away, as waiting too long to do so could erase that option altogether because of the statute of limitations.

Call Our Carney Lawyers About Your Accident Now

Call our pedestrian accident lawyers at (410) 694-7291 to get help with your case from Rice, Murtha & Psoras.