When you walk onto a college campus, you do not abandon your legal rights. Students who attend classes at the University of Maryland have the reasonable expectation that the campus buildings, classrooms, dormitories, and other public spaces are safe. With over 1,300 acres of buildings, classrooms, dining halls, student housing, and outside public space, the University of Maryland is almost a small town.
Accidents and injuries are a part of life. A student could be running to class, lose their footing, and suffer a concussion when their head strikes the ground. In many situations, such an injury is an accident. However, when an injury occurs because of the negligence of another person or entity, the injured student might have a personal injury claim.
If you are hurt and believe it was another person’s fault, contact our Baltimore, MD personal injury lawyers. Our team of attorneys will review your circumstances to determine if you have a valid legal case. Rice, Murtha & Psoras offer free legal consultations to discuss your injury case and help you learn more about your options. For a free legal consultation, call (410) 694-7291.
Steps to Take if You Were Injured on University of Maryland Campus
An unexpected injury could significantly impact your campus life. In addition to the pain and recovery time, you might miss classes, or it might be difficult to get around campus. If you believe your accident occurred because of another’s negligence, it is important to take immediate steps to protect your health and legal rights.
Seek Medical Attention
When someone suffers an injury in an accident, they should always seek medical attention. Unless you are a trained doctor, you are in no position to diagnose yourself. Some serious injuries are not obvious immediately following an accident. For instance, you could trip on an uneven sidewalk and hit your head. After brushing yourself off, you feel fine, even though there might be a bruise on the side of your head. You might not realize you suffered a concussion or brain contusion.
It might take a few days for symptoms to develop. By then, your health could be in jeopardy and you could have lost the opportunity to gather valuable evidence. In any personal injury case, it is vital to have medical documentation linking your injury to the accident.
Report the Injury to the University
If you are injured on campus, you want to report it to campus security or another authority. For instance, if you are injured in a classroom, you should report it to your professor or someone in charge of the location. By filing a report, you make a record of the incident and give notice to the university that an accident occurred.
For insurance purposes, the university will most likely have to take down the details of what happened. If you are asked any questions, answer them honestly without exaggeration or personal opinions. You should stick with the facts. For example, if you were involved in a slip and fall, explain what direction you were traveling and what obstruction caused you to lose your footing. Be sure to ask how you could obtain a copy of the report. it could provide important information for our Annapolis personal injury lawyers.
Gather Evidence
The best time to begin gathering evidence is immediately after an accident occurred. If a broken step was why you fell, you should take multiple photos of the step and the surrounding area. These photos will provide contemporaneous documentation of the condition of the accident site. A photograph at the time of the accident is especially important if the unsafe condition could be easily addressed, such as a burnt-out light bulb.
If you have seen any courtroom drama, you understand the importance of witnesses. Take the statements and contact information of anyone who saw the accident.
An incident report is rarely as detailed as a police report, so it probably will not include the names of everyone who witnessed you getting hurt. Our Maryland personal injury attorneys will want to talk with any witnesses as soon as possible – while the event is fresh in their memories.
Contact an Experienced Personal Injury Attorney
You should not hesitate to contact our Maryland personal injury attorneys. Just like you should not diagnose your injuries, you should not decide if you have a case without speaking with a lawyer. Our consultations are free of charge, so it does not hurt to call. More importantly, our office will be able to start building your case and collecting evidence. While you might have taken photographs, there may have been campus security footage of the incident. Without a preservation letter, vital surveillance video could be erased. Our office will also begin working with you and your doctor to document your injuries. All of this is crucial whether we work to negotiate a settlement or take your case to court.
Premises Liability and College Campuses
Typically, most accidents and injuries on a university campus will fall under premises liability. Premises liability is a legal theory that holds property owners liable for any injuries that occur on their property. However, the property owner could only be held responsible under certain circumstances.
A property owner, including the University of Maryland, has a legal duty to provide a safe premise for guests and students. This duty includes conducting inspections and making timely repairs to ensure there are no unreasonable dangers present. If a hazard does exist, the property owner also must provide an adequate warning to prevent an injury. Failing to comply with this obligation could be used in a personal injury lawsuit to recover compensation if you were hurt.
Some of the most common accidents at the University of Maryland include slip and fall accidents and those related to existing dangerous conditions. For instance, a student could fall down a staircase if the handrail is broken. These incidents only represent a small sample of the types of injuries and accidents that could occur on campus. You should contact our Ocean City, MD personal injury lawyers if you believe you were hurt due to the university’s negligence.
Our Maryland Personal Injury Lawyers Represent Students of the University of Maryland
An unexpected injury could derail your college career. If you were working to pay for tuition or books, a serious accident could cost you valuable income. When fault lies with the University of Maryland or its agents, you deserve to be compensated for your damages. the Towson personal injury attorneys at Rice, Murtha & Psoras fight for the rights of hurt students. For a free legal consultation on your injury case, call (410) 694-7291 today.