Prince George’s County Car Accident Attorney for a Case Referral

When an existing client presents a case that is outside of your practice area or jurisdiction, it may be tempting to take on that case for the sake of satisfying the client. However, local rules and practice area idiosyncrasies can be more complex than expected.

An important part of client satisfaction is ensuring that expertise is sought when needed. If your client was injured in a car accident and you do not practice in Maryland or do not handle  auto accidents, referring that client to a local attorney provides the best advocacy for that client.

The Prince George’s County car accident attorneys for a case referral at Rice, Murtha & Psoras can provide the local experience necessary to get your client their just compensation. Give us a call at (410) 694-7291 to discuss a case referral.

Potential Lawsuits in Car Accident Cases in Prince George’s County

Car accidents present circumstances where several causes of action may apply to the same facts. Negligence is a popular tort to use in personal injury actions, however wrongful death actions and survival actions are options available when a car accident proves fatal. It may be tempting to also consider intentional infliction of emotional distress, but this cause of action is rarely successful in Maryland. Additionally, negligent infliction of emotional distress is not allowed in Maryland at all.

While these causes of action may seem simple to address, even a skilled personal injury attorney in another state could struggle in Maryland. This jurisdiction is also one of the few with a pure contributary negligence standard. Additionally, there are limits to non-economic damage that must be fully understood. Prince George’s County car accident attorneys for a case referral have local experience and can skillfully navigate any concerns specific to Maryland.

Damages Available in Prince George’s County Car Accident Cases

As in other jurisdictions, economic and non-economic damages are available to car accident victims in Maryland. This state does not have any limits on economic damages, but there are some convoluted limits on non-economic damages. These limits will be further discussed below.

Regardless of the type of damages a car accident victim or their family member is able to seek, local knowledge is essential to proving the damages. Car accident attorneys – like ours – who practice in Prince George’s County every day are familiar with proving damages successfully in this jurisdiction.

Legal Concerns Specific to Car Accident Cases in Prince George’s County

Maryland law presents some unique concerns that must be considered in personal injury actions filed within the state. Lacking local representation could be disastrous if you are not familiar with the pure contributory negligence standard, the local system of limiting non-economic damages, or the applicable statute of limitations.

Pure Contributory Negligence

Maryland is one of the minority states that continues to apply a pure contributory negligence standard in all cases involving negligence. This means that the plaintiff’s actions will be examined for any small contribution to the car accident at issue. Any amount of contribution to the accident will completely bar recovery.

This strict standard requires thorough investigation of the details surrounding the accident and experience with aggressive defense of allegations of contribution, which our Prince George’s County car accident attorneys for a case referral can provide. It is crucial to determine if there is any fault attributable to the victim of the car accident before a case is filed. Failure to do so could result in wasted time and money for both the attorney and the client. Our attorneys are familiar with accurately evaluating potential cases, and aggressively litigating on their behalf.

Limits on Non-Economic Damages

Maryland imposes a damage recovery cap on non-economic damages, however, determining what that cap is relies on many factors. Foremost is the year that the cause of action arose in. Each calendar year present a different cap, with the limit increasing with each passing year.

The next factor is the number of beneficiaries. If there is more than one beneficiary, a higher damage ceiling applies. In cases where a car accident was fatal and a family member is bringing a wrongful death and survival action, there is yet another limit on the combined non-economic damages that may be awarded.

Finally, medical malpractice cases present a unique set of damage limitation entirely. Such cases are still affected by the year the cause of action arose, the number of beneficiaries, and the combined wrongful death and survival action limit, but they bear their own unique damage maximums. While rare, it is possible that a car accident victim may also have a medical malpractice case resulting from the medical care received for the accident injuries. Such a distinction on damage limitations is important to consider in such cases.

Car accidents that result in extensive non-economic damages and multiple causes of action can quickly become complex to navigate. Our Prince George’s County car accident attorneys are familiar with these damage limitations and can set appropriate expectations with clients injured in Maryland.

Statute of Limitations

In general, most personal injury actions in Maryland have a 3-year statute of limitations. When an accident occurs, the victim will likely be focused on getting medical care and healing. However, three years can pass quickly, and some car accident cases require extensive investigation, particularly in light of the pure contributory negligence standard.

It is crucial to determine when a referral is needed for your client and provide that referral as soon as possible, so the statutory deadline can be met. Our Prince George’s County car accident attorneys for a case referral will work tirelessly to ensure the case is properly investigated and filed on time.

Refer Your Client to Our Prince George’s County, MD Car Accident Attorneys for Case Referrals

When your client is injured outside of your practice area or jurisdiction, do not hesitate to send them to our experienced Prince George’s County car accident attorneys for a case referral at Rice, Murtha & Psoras. Call us today at (410) 694-7291 for a case review.