Close
Baltimore auto accident lawyer

How Long Do You Have to Sue Someone for an Injury in Maryland?


In Maryland, negligent parties can be held responsible for injuries they cause. Victims can recover compensation by filing personal injury lawsuits against defendants.

You will usually have three years from the date of an accident to sue someone for an injury you suffered in Maryland. However, you should contact a personal injury lawyer for help building your claim as soon as possible. As time passes, it can become harder to gather the evidence required to win your case.

If you were injured because of another person’s negligent conduct in Maryland, get help recovering the financial compensation you deserve. Reach out to our experienced Maryland personal injury lawyers by calling Rice, Murtha & Psoras at (410) 694-7291. Our attorneys can review your case for free.

Statute of Limitations for Personal Injury Lawsuits in Maryland

The time limit for filing a personal injury lawsuit in Maryland is governed by Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. Art., § 5-101. In most cases, you will have three years from the date of your accident to file a personal injury lawsuit against the party responsible for your injury. Failure to file your case in time will cause your claim to be forfeited.

Despite having three years to file your case, you should still contact our Maryland personal injury lawyers as soon as possible after your accident. In order for your lawsuit to be successful, you must gather evidence to prove the defendant is at fault. However, pertinent evidence can become difficult to collect and preserve as time passes. For example, eyewitnesses can forget important details, and physical evidence can deteriorate. By contacting our attorneys quickly after suffering an injury, our team can more easily gather the evidence required to prove the defendant is at fault in your case.

Furthermore, there are many other requirements personal injury plaintiffs must adhere to when bringing their cases to court. Plaintiffs should file their lawsuits in the correct court, attach necessary supporting documents, serve all named defendants, pay any required filing fees, and avoid filing a frivolous claim. Noncompliance with even one of these conditions could force you to re-file your lawsuit. Accordingly, you should attempt to bring your case to court as quickly as possible, so that you may have time to re-file your claim if you have to.

There are a few exceptions to the statute of limitations. For example, parents can file personal injury cases on behalf of their injured children at any point until the day before the children turn 18. As of the day before their 18th birthday, victims will have three years to file personal injury lawsuits stemming from accidents they suffered as a minor. During a free review of your claim, our Baltimore personal injury lawyers can determine how the statute of limitations will be applied in your case.

Types of Lawsuits Governed by the Personal Injury Statute of Limitations in Maryland

The three-year statute of limitations set forth by Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. Art., § 5-101 will apply to multiple different types of lawsuits. Our experienced Maryland personal injury lawyers can help victims of any of the following accidents files their cases on-time:

Car Accident Lawsuits

Negligent drivers can be sued for car accidents they cause. Accordingly, car accident lawsuits are a common type of personal injury lawsuit filed by plaintiffs in Maryland. There are multiple forms of monetary damages that may be recovered from defendants.

Pedestrian Accident Lawsuits

Pedestrians can incur catastrophic injuries when they are struck by careless drivers. These types of accidents frequently happen in crowded urban areas and at intersections. Fortunately, victims can seek compensation from at-fault drivers.

Motorcycle Accident Lawsuits

Furthermore, motorcycle accident victims can also incur many serious types of harm. Many of such accidents are caused by negligent motorists who fail to notice riders sharing the roadways. Our Aberdeen personal injury lawyers can help plaintiffs in motorcycle accident cases comply with the numerous requirements for filing their claims.

Slip and Fall Accident Lawsuits

In Maryland, careless property owners can be sued for slip and fall accidents caused by the negligent maintenance and upkeep of their premises. There are several forms of evidence that may be utilized when proving fault for a slip and fall. Potential plaintiffs should attempt to file their cases as soon as possible, so they can begin gathering relevant evidence right away.

Defective Product Lawsuits

Defective product lawsuits are a type of lawsuit governed by Maryland’s statute of limitations for personal injury claims. Those injured because of defective products can bring claims against the products’ manufacturers. However, extensive amounts of evidence are typically required to prove fault in such cases. Accordingly, if you were injured because of a defective product, you should not wait to begin working on your case.

Boating Accident Lawsuits

Additionally, boating accident lawsuits are a type of case governed by the personal injury statute of limitations in Maryland. Like negligent drivers, careless boaters can be sued for boating accidents they cause. Such accidents often occur over holidays, when many inexperienced boaters take to the water during their time off from work.

However, gathering the evidence required to support a boating accident claim can be a lengthy process. Our Annapolis personal injury lawyers can help victims gather information and file their cases within the required time frame.

Bicycle Accident Lawsuits

Lastly, Maryland’s personal injury statute of limitations will also apply to bike accident lawsuits. Bikers are often struck by motorists who ignore traffic signals, commit illegal lane changes, and travel at excessive speeds. In such cases, motorists can be sued for the bicycle accidents they cause. Victims can contact our Maryland personal injury lawyers for help bringing their cases to court.

If You Were Hurt Because of Someone Else’s Negligent Conduct in Maryland, Our Attorneys Can Help

If you were injured because of another person’s negligent conduct in Maryland, seek assistance from our experienced Ocean City, MD personal injury lawyers by calling Rice, Murtha & Psoras at (410) 694-7291 to review your claim for free.