Seabrook Car Accident Lawyer
If injured in an auto accident in Seabrook, you can recover compensation by filing a lawsuit against the driver whose negligence caused your damages.
Following an accident that results in injury in Seabrook, victims should document the collision by informing law enforcement. They should also obtain medical care for any injuries sustained in the crash. Taking pictures at the accident scene can result in photographic evidence that we can use in support of your claim. A lawsuit for a car accident must be brought within three years of the incident in Maryland. Various damages are available to victims who sue, including economic and non-economic damages. In some instances, punitive damages might be awarded to victims injured because of gross negligence.
To have our Seabrook car accident lawyers analyze your case for free, call Rice, Murtha & Psoras today at (410) 694-7291.
Documenting Your Car Accident Injuries in Seabrook
Car accident injuries can range from minor to severe, resulting in medical damages for victims in Seabrook. To ensure you recover compensation for any damages stemming from your injuries, it will be important to document your physical injuries after an auto accident.
You can do this by taking pictures and videos of your injuries while you are still at the accident scene. If you are having difficulty doing this because you are severely injured, you can ask first responders or eyewitnesses to help you photograph your injuries.
Then, once you leave the location of the accident, go to the nearest hospital in Seabrook. Delaying medical treatment is never wise, especially if you are seriously injured and may require compensation for your damages. After you arrive at the emergency room, medical professionals can assess you and give you an initial diagnosis. From there, you can seek continuous medical care so that your injuries and physical recovery are thoroughly documented. Our car accident lawyers can then use your medical records as evidence in your claim to show you sustained injuries because of the defendant’s negligence.
Reporting a Car Accident to the Police in Seabrook
In addition to documenting your car accident injuries in Seabrook, you should also document the accident itself. You can do this by calling 911 and waiting for officers to arrive at the accident scene.
For an accident in Seabrook, Maryland, officers from the Prince George’s County Police Department should respond. When law enforcement arrives, speak to them about the accident and its cause. Give as many details as you can so that officers can create a thorough crash report that we can refer to in the future when building your case. At the very least, give officers your name and information so that as much is reflected in the police report.
According to Md. Code, Transp. Art., § 20-17(a), any accident that causes injury or death in Seabrook must be reported to the authorities. You can satisfy the requirements of this statute by calling the police immediately after the crash or completing a written accident report within 15 days of the incident. Even seemingly minor accidents that cause injury, like fender benders, must be reported. Rear-end collisions can commonly cause whiplash, which might present as normal aching in the days after a crash. Whiplash can be serious, leading to medical damages for victims. This reinforces the importance of reporting any and all auto accidents to law enforcement in Seabrook.
You can obtain the accident report for your recent crash online, in person, or by mail. There might be a small fee of $10 or more for accessing your report.
Filing Your Car Accident Case within the Statute of Limitations in Seabrook
On top of documenting your car accident and injuries in Seabrook, you must bring your claim within the statute of limitations if you wish to recover compensation for your injuries and damages.
As laid out in Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. Art., § 5-101, victims of motor vehicle accidents in Seabrook have only three years to sue for injury. In the time following your accident, quick recovery of evidence will be important. As time passes, eyewitnesses’ memories might fade, making their testimony less impactful. Other evidence, like security camera footage, might be deleted or lost over time as well. Furthermore, car accident scenes are typically cleared away relatively quickly so that other drivers on the road are not in danger. This means you may not be able to return to the accident scene in the future to collect evidence. So, taking pictures and documenting the area immediately following the crash will be necessary.
While three years seems like ample time to sue for injury in Seabrook, certain factors, like victims’ physical and emotional struggles due to a crash, might cause them to forget about filing deadlines. Unfortunately, if you miss the window of opportunity to sue, you will be barred from recovery in Maryland.
Recovering Damages for a Car Accident in Seabrook
After finding success in your car accident compensation claim in Seabrook, you should recover damages for all losses related to your injuries.
This should typically include any out-of-pocket expenses, medical care, and lost wages you have incurred because of the incident in question. Keeping track of these losses will be necessary so that our attorneys can present sufficient proof of damages in your claim.
Victims can often recover compensation for their pain and suffering as well in the form of non-economic damages. Punitive damages could also be available in your case, depending on whether or not the defendant acted with gross negligence when causing your injuries in Seabrook.
Compensation can be recovered by settling out of court or going to trial. During settlement negotiations, our attorneys can use evidence of negligence as leverage to negotiate a higher settlement amount. At trial, we can submit the same evidence for consideration by the jury. If your case goes to court, the jury will award your damages.
Call Our Seabrook Lawyers to Discuss Your Accident Today
You can schedule a free assessment of your case from the car accident lawyers of Rice, Murtha & Psoras by calling (410) 694-7291 today.