Towson Pedestrian Accident Lawyer
Towson offers residents many opportunities to commute on foot and enjoy the city and surrounding nature. However, careless drivers are an unfortunate reality that can cause serious injuries to pedestrians involved in an accident.
Fortunately, you have compensation options that a Towson pedestrian accident lawyer can help with. In Maryland, injured pedestrians can file a lawsuit after an accident to recover damages for their injuries. This is typically preferable to filing for insurance benefits, as your award could include compensation for damages that insurance will not provide. However, it is important to address any acts on your part that could be seen as contributing to the accident since this could prevent you from recovering any amount.
If a negligent driver injured you in a pedestrian accident, our Towson pedestrian accident lawyers can help you get compensation for what might be considerable injuries. For a free case review, contact Rice, Murtha & Psoras today at (410) 694-7291.
Common Types of Injuries Caused in Towson, MD Pedestrian Accidents
Pedestrians involved in car accidents can suffer devasting injuries. A pedestrian’s injuries in a car accident can require expensive and long-term treatment. The following are some common injuries a person might suffer in a Towson pedestrian accident:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Road rash
- Broken bones
- Internal bleeding
- Soft tissue injuries
- Cuts and lacerations
- Paralysis
The nature of pedestrian car accidents means that injuries could be significant. Our Towson pedestrian accident lawyers can help you ensure you get the compensation you need no matter how serious your injuries are.
Common Causes of Pedestrian Accidents in Towson, MD
Negligent drivers can cause accidents in numerous ways, and pedestrians are much more vulnerable when one occurs. Many drivers have a hard enough time paying attention to other drivers, let alone pedestrians nearby. The following are common ways drivers cause pedestrian accidents in Townson.
- Texting while driving
- Distracted driving
- Failing to yield the right of way at intersections and crosswalks
- Speeding
- Reckless driving
- Running red lights and stops signs
- Inadequate or blocked sidewalks
- Improper left turn
Unfortunately, these types of accidents are far from uncommon. Our Towson pedestrian accident lawyers can review the facts of your case to help you hold the negligent driver accountable for your accident.
Recovering Compensation After a Pedestrian Accident in Towson, MD
Recovering compensation can be confusing for a pedestrian recently injured in an accident. Maryland is an at-fault state, meaning that you can recover compensation for your injuries by either filing for insurance against the at-fault driver’s insurance or filing a lawsuit to recover damages. Unlike no-fault states, Maryland law places no restrictions on a victim’s right to sue a negligent driver in court.
While insurance benefits can get you compensation more quickly than a lawsuit, they will only cover economic damages like medical costs and lost wages. Unfortunately, insurance will not compensate a victim for non-economic damages, like pain and suffering. Damages of this kind can only be recovered in a successful lawsuit.
The challenge of a pedestrian accident lawsuit is that you will need to provide evidence to prove that the driver was negligent in causing the accident. First, you must show that the driver owed you a duty of care, which is typically not difficult since drivers have a duty to watch for pedestrians. You will then need to prove that the driver breached their duty of care, causing your injuries and actual financial or emotional damage. Lastly, you will need to address and counter any claims that you contributed to the accident in which you were injured.
Maryland also allows you to file with your own car insurance provider for compensation, as well. However, it will be preferable to recover compensation from the at-fault driver’s insurance or, better yet, a lawsuit. Our Towson pedestrian accident lawyers can help explain what options are available in your case and guide you through the filing process if a lawsuit is the best option moving forward.
Shared Fault in a Towson, MD Pedestrian Accident
“Contributory negligence” is a legal concept that takes into account any conduct on the part of the plaintiff in bringing about their injuries. In personal injury lawsuits in many other states, a person can still recover damages if they were found partially to blame for causing the accident. Unfortunately, this is not the case in Maryland. Maryland has one of the harsher contributory negligence rules, preventing an injured pedestrian from recovering any compensation if they are found even 1% to blame for the accident.
Many issues that defendants point to as potential “contribution” might not actually have contributed to the cause of the accident. The defendant’s overwhelming negligence might be the sole cause of the accident, and our Towson pedestrian accident attorneys will focus the jury’s attention on the defendant’s actions instead of your actions.
Statute of Limitations to File a Towson, MD Pedestrian Accident Lawsuit
The statute of limitations is legal jargon for the time limit to file a lawsuit after being injured in a Towson pedestrian accident. According to Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. Art., § 5-101, pedestrians injured in an accident typically have three years to file a lawsuit in Towson. There are very few exceptions, so you should start litigating your case as soon as you are able. In most cases, if you do not file your lawsuit within the three-year window, your case will be dismissed, and you will no longer be able to pursue compensation through the court.
It is important to start your case as quickly as possible, however. Evidence becomes more difficult to collect as time passes, and people’s memories of the accident get more unreliable over time. Our Towson pedestrian accident lawyers can help ensure that important evidence is collected and your case is filed promptly.
Our Towson, MD Pedestrian Accident Lawyers Can Help
If you were injured in a pedestrian accident, our Towson pedestrian accident lawyers can help you hold the negligent party accountable. Call Rice, Murtha & Psoras at (410) 694-7291 for your free evaluation.
