Countless motorcycle riders in Maryland face the risk of injury in an accident. If a negligent driver injures you while you are riding your motorcycle, finding good legal representation might be the key to getting justice and compensation.
Motorcycle collisions are famous for inflicting serious injuries upon riders. As such, damages tend to be high. You may recover damages for injuries, pain and suffering, property repairs, and more. Maryland’s statute of limitations for personal injury claims is 3 years. If you plan on suing the local government for your injuries, your deadline is even shorter, and you must submit a notice of your claim within 1 year of the accident. Hiring an experienced attorney might be just what you need to move your case through the judicial system as smoothly and efficiently as possible.
For a free review of your case to get started, call our motorcycle accident attorneys at Rice Law at (410) 694-7291.
What Factors Influence Your Damages from a Maryland Motorcycle Accident?
Many factors influence damages in a motorcycle accident, including the victim’s age at the time of injury, the severity of the injury, and the long-lasting mental and emotional consequences.
Your potential compensation is based on the extent of your injuries and losses, collectively referred to as your damages. While many damages might be obvious, even to those with little legal experience, your total damages might be greater than you realize. Our motorcycle accident attorneys can help you identify and evaluate all possible damages to maximize compensation.
What Medical Damages Can You Get for Motorcycle Accident Injuries?
Your injuries after a motorcycle accident might be extremely painful and extremely expensive to treat. You can recover damages on both fronts. Keep thorough records of all your hospital visits and doctor bills, as these might make up a huge portion of your economic damages.
You can get compensation for all medical expenses, including the treatment from paramedics at the scene, the ambulance ride to the hospital, the emergency room, and follow-up appointments and check-ins throughout your physical recovery.
What Non-Economic Damages Can You Get for Motorcycle Accident Injuries?
Pain and suffering are commonly claimed in many cases involving painful injuries. You should be compensated for having gone through intense physical pain from your injuries and treatments, in addition to the mental trauma and emotional anguish of the accident.
Keep in mind that Maryland limits non-economic damages. For injuries sustained on or after October 1, 2026, the cap on non-economic damages is $980,000.
Can You Get Compensation for Property Damage from a Motorcycle Accident?
If your personal property was damaged in your accident, our motorcycle accident attorneys should evaluate the costs and add them to your damages.
Accident victims are primarily concerned with the cost of replacing their motorcycle. However, a lawsuit can also cover other damaged or lost personal items.
Who Can You Hold Liable for a Motorcycle Accident in Maryland?
Determining liability in motorcycle accident claims can be challenging, and you may not know who is ultimately responsible for your injuries immediately after sustaining them.
Anyone whose negligence caused your injuries can be held liable after a motorcycle accident, including a negligent driver, motorcycle manufacturer, or even a government entity that failed to maintain safe roads.
Can You Get Compensation for Lost Wages After a Motorcycle Accident?
If your injuries keep you from returning to your job, we can help you claim the income you miss out on. Many victims take a long time to recover before heading back to work, and you should not have to go without income because of someone else’s negligence.
We can prove your pre-injury income and deserved lost wages with paychecks, bank account statements, and tax returns, and estimate future lost wages and reduced earning capacity with help from vocational experts.
What Are Top Causes of Motorcycle Accidents in Maryland?
The cause of a motorcycle crash is not always easy to determine. In many cases, drivers on both sides claim they have no idea what happened. This is likely because accidents tend to happen quickly, and drivers often have little time to react.
Negligent Drivers Ignoring Motorcycles
One big reason for a lot of motorcycle accidents is inattentional blindness. Too often, drivers seem not to see motorcycles on the road, even when they are clearly there and visible.
For example, you might be right in front of another driver, and they still ignore you. This is thought to be because drivers in cars are only really keeping an eye out for other cars and trucks. Smaller vehicles like motorcycles are not really on their radar and are more easily overlooked. As a result, motorcycle riders get hurt at high rates.
Bad Road Conditions
Bad road conditions are another common cause of many motorcycle collisions. Maybe there were too many potholes in the road. Maybe it suddenly started to rain, and visibility was poor. Even when conditions are less than ideal, drivers are still responsible for driving safely. If the other driver did not adjust their speed or behavior for the bad conditions, they may be held responsible.
Motorcycle Defects
Another possibility is that faulty bike equipment caused the accident. Maybe the brakes failed to work, or the tires on your motorcycle suddenly blew out. In that case, we should have the bike inspected, as it may have had defective parts or equipment, allowing us to sue the motorcycle manufacturer.
What is the Statute of Limitations for Most Motorcycle Accident Cases in Maryland?
The time you have to file your case comes with an expiration date. The statute of limitations is the law that imposes a rigid deadline on the time you have to file a civil lawsuit. In Maryland, the statute of limitations is 3 years for personal injury claims.
This deadline typically begins to run on the day of the accident. Put another way, the clock may start counting down immediately after your motorcycle accident, unless the statute of limitations is tolled. As such, it is critical that you consult our motorcycle accident lawyers about your case as soon as possible.
Is There a Shorter Filing Deadline for Motorcycle Accident Claims Against Government Entities in Maryland?
If you plan to file a lawsuit against a governmental entity, you may have to meet an even shorter deadline. In Maryland, you must submit a notice of your claim to the relevant governmental entity within only 1 year of the accident. Failure to do so might mean you cannot sue the government for your injuries.
While suing the government is less common, it is not unheard of. It might come up if a motorcycle rider was injured because of poor road conditions or a negligent government employee, like a public bus driver.
Who Should Be Your First Call After a Motorcycle Accident in Maryland?
Your first call after a motorcycle accident should be to local police. Call 911 immediately, and never listen to a negligent driver who asks you to keep the police out of it.
Calling the police not only builds documentation for your case, but is also legally required for any motor vehicle accident that involves death, injury, or property damage so severe that a vehicle cannot be driven.
When the police arrive, tell them what you can remember about the other driver’s negligence and be honest about your injuries and pain levels.
What if You Skip Follow-Up Medical Appointments After a Motorcycle Accident?
You can seriously jeopardize your claim by skipping follow-up medical appointments and letting gaps form in your medical record, so do not let this happen during your physical recovery.
If you cannot attend a previously scheduled doctor’s appointment, reschedule quickly to avoid lulls in your treatment that could compromise your recovery and complicate your claim. If the opposing side notices gaps in your medical records, they might argue that they should cover less of your damages, as some might be from inconsistent treatment.
What Are the Chances That You Settle Your Motorcycle Accident Case?
The chances that you will settle your motorcycle accident lawsuit in Maryland are relatively high. Still, there is no way to know for sure what will happen during your case until it is resolved, whether via settlement or in court.
Some personal injury plaintiffs file lawsuits hoping to settle, while others want to litigate their claims from the start. Tell us what your goals are for your motorcycle accident case, and we can go from there.
How Does a Lump Sum Settlement for a Motorcycle Accident Work?
Many motorcycle accident victims hope to receive lump sum settlements from defendants so they can receive the entire settlement amount in a single payment. Not all defendants can afford this, and it is more common in cases against large entities than against individuals.
How Does a Structured Settlement for a Motorcycle Accident Work?
Structured settlements are far more common and involve many payments over time rather than a single transaction.
Structured settlements are negotiated and agreed upon by all parties involved in the lawsuit. We can explain the exact monthly payments you should receive and for how long, based on the size of the settlement.
What Makes Filing a Motorcycle Accident Lawsuit Worth It?
Many personal injury victims are hesitant to pursue compensation claims out of concern that they will waste too much time and resources. Filing a personal injury lawsuit becomes worth it when you get the compensation you need, which our lawyers can work to achieve when handling your case.
What if a Motorcyclist Shares Fault for an Accident in Maryland?
Motorcycle accidents are often complex, and fault is sometimes unclear. Motorcyclists may not share fault for their injuries and still seek compensation in a pure contributory negligence state like Maryland, so be mindful not to apologize at the scene or admit fault to insurance companies.
How Do You Prove a Motorcycle Accident Case in Maryland?
Proving a motorcycle accident case requires you to prove four very specific elements: duty of care, breach of duty, causation, and damages.
Duty
We can prove the defendant owed you a duty of care because of the relationship between you and the defendant at the time. Drivers owe everyone on the road a duty of care, including motorcyclists.
Breach
We then need to show how the other driver breached their duty, or how they were negligent. Drivers are negligent when they violate traffic laws and do not act with others’ safety in mind, such as by speeding.
Causation
The third step is proving causation, or that the breach in duty caused your injuries. Finally, we must prove that you have incurred damages from the accident, which we can achieve with medical bills, income records, and your testimony about your pain and suffering.
Damages
Lastly, we need to show you suffered damages and injuries and prove the amounts and severity.
Call Our Maryland Motorcycle Accident Attorneys for Legal Support
For a free review of your case to get started, call our motorcycle accident lawyers at Rice Law at (410) 694-7291.