Talbot County, MD Car Accident Lawyer
Unfortunately, car accidents are a common occurrence on Maryland roads. Many of them happen because a driver was acting negligently. If you were injured in a car accident that was caused by someone else, you may be able to file a personal injury lawsuit against them to be able to recover compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more.
The Talbot County car accident lawyers from Rice, Murtha & Psoras are available to help victims of car accidents with their personal injury claims. Reach out to them as soon as as possible to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case. Statutes of limitations lasting three years go into effect on the date of your injury so your time to file a lawsuit is limited. Call (410) 694-7291 today.
What to Do After a Talbot County Car Accident
Certain steps should be taken after a car accident in Talbot County, MD so that you can keep yourself safe and make the process of recovering damages easier. Since a successful case depends on your ability to prove that the other driver was negligent, your actions immediately after the accident will make a huge difference at a later date.
The first thing you should do immediately after your car accident is seek medical attention. This is important because it will ensure that you heal properly and avoid making your condition worse but it’s also important because it will give you a record of your injuries, which will be useful in your case. You should get medical treatment even if you don’t seem to have any injuries—some symptoms take a while to appear, so you have been injured without knowing it. Get medical attention for other passengers as well.
The next thing you should do, if you’re able, is contact law enforcement. Police will arrive at the scene soon after. They’ll speak with you about what happened in the accident so that they can file a report. It’s important that you cooperate with them since their report will be useful to your case. You should speak with other drivers at this time, too. Make sure you get their insurance information.
As soon as possible after the accident, collect evidence of what happened. Pictures and videos of the cars and property that were involved, the lighting and weather conditions that contributed to the accident, and traffic signals and signs nearby can be useful later. You should also locate witnesses. Record their statement of what happened.
When you get home from the accident, call your insurance company and then call an experienced car accident lawyer. As time passes after the accident, make sure that you keep organized records of the medical treatment you receive and changes to your employment status. Save all correspondence that is pertinent to your case.
Common Causes of Talbot County Car Accidents
You can file a personal injury lawsuit following a car accident regardless of the reason that the car accident was caused. the following are common reasons that car accidents happen in Talbot County, Maryland.
Ignoring Traffic Signs and Signals
Traffic signals exist to keep drivers safe as they share the road. When drivers disobey or disregard traffic signs and signals, they create unsafe conditions for other drivers, sometimes resulting in car accidents.
Distracted Driving
It’s easy for drivers to be tempted to divert their attention to other demands of daily life but doing so can have serious consequences such as accidents. It’s important for drivers to avoid texting, talking on the phone, interacting with other passengers, and putting on makeup while driving so that they can reduce the risk of accidents.
DUI/DWI
Drunk driving causes drivers to have an impaired sense of judgment and decreased vision and motor skills, which can cause accidents. Drivers should avoid driving while drunk not only because of the risk of a civil lawsuit from the people they injure but because they can also face criminal charges that can result in jail, fees and fines, and suspension or revocation of their license.
Contributory Negligence in Maryland
If you were partially responsible for your Talbot County, MD car accident, you will be ineligible to receive compensation. This is true even if your portion of fault was much less than the other driver’s. This is because Maryland uses a system of contributory negligence, which means that the court examines the level of fault of both you and the defendant and assigns a percentage of fault to each of you. If you are responsible for one percent of the accident or more, you won’t be able to receive compensation.
Statute of Limitations for Auto Accidents in Talbot County, MD
It’s crucial that you act quickly to file a lawsuit after you’ve been injured in a car accident. Maryland has a statute of limitations of three years (beginning on the date of your injury), after which you won’t be able to file a lawsuit. Filing as quickly as possible can also help your case by increasing your chances that witnesses will be able to remember details and decreasing the likelihood that evidence will deteriorate.
After a car accident, it’s important to file a lawsuit as soon as possible. Maryland has a statute of limitations lasting three years, after which you cannot file a lawsuit. the statute of limitations begins on the date that the injury occurs. If you did not know that you were injured on the date of the accident and found out later, the statute of limitations goes into effect on the date that you discovered it. Think about it this way: filing earlier means you can get compensation earlier.
Talbot County, MD Car Accident Lawyer Randolph Rice Can Help
There is no time to waste when it comes to filing a personal injury case following a car accident in Talbot County, Maryland. Start moving forward with your case today. Call the Talbot County, Maryland car accident attorneys today at (410) 694-721 to learn more about the next steps.