Wicomico County, MD Personal Injury Lawyer

A serious physical injury can affect every aspect of your life. it can keep you from going to work to earn an income, caring for your spouse and children, and doing the things you typically enjoy. On top of it, the medical treatment required to care for a serious injury can propel you into debt. But if the injury wasn’t your fault, you can file a personal injury lawsuit against the person or organization that was responsible with the help of an experienced personal injury attorney.

If you are a Wicomico County resident that has suffered a serious injury due to someone else’s actions, get in touch with the attorneys from Rice, Murtha & Psoras as soon as possible. Our Wicomico County personal injury attorneys are eager to fight for you to get you the compensation you deserve. Call us today at (410) 694-7291to schedule a free consultation.

What to Do After Your Injury in Wicomico County, Maryland

Regardless of the type of accident you suffered in Wicomico County, there are certain things you can do afterwards that can increase your chances of winning a personal injury lawsuit. Firstly, after your injury, seek medical treatment immediately. Get medical treatment even if you don’t feel like you’ve suffered from a major injury; some symptoms take a while to appear. Getting medical treatment will give you a record of the exact injuries that you’ve suffered, which will be useful later.

You should also collect evidence relevant to your case. For example, if you were injured in a car accident, take photos of the scene, including your car, the other party’s car, and the conditions of the road. If you were injured in a slip and fall in a hotel, take photos of the place where you fell. Speak with witnesses and either get them to write down their account of what happened or make an audio or video recording of it.

File reports of what happened. In a car accident, this means speaking with the police. In a slip and fall accident, you should file an incident report with a manager. Don’t say anything about who was at fault; in fact, say as little as possible since your statements can be used against you at a later date.

As time passes after your injury, keep all of the records that relate to your case. Keep records of all of the medical treatment you receive, notice of lost wages and changes to your income. Hold onto communication between yourself and witnesses or other parties—save emails and keep a log of phone calls and face-to-face communication.

Proving Fault in a Personal Injury Claim in Wicomico County, Maryland

Success in your Wicomico County personal injury lawsuit depends on proving that your injuries happened because of the negligence of another party. Understanding Maryland’s system of contributory negligence is an important part of winning your case. Under this system, the court will assess the legal fault of both the plaintiff and the defendant. They will assign a percentage of fault for both of you. If the court determines that your share of responsibility is even one percent, you will not be able to recover any compensation for your injuries.

Maryland is one of only a handful of states that follow this system. Almost every other state in the county follows a system of comparative negligence, which means the court assigns a percentage of fault to both the plaintiff and defendant and then reduces the plaintiff’s compensation by their percentage of fault.

When it comes to demonstrating that the defendant is responsible for your injuries, there are four components that you’ll have to prove. Firstly, you have to show that the defendant had a duty of care based on your relationship. If, for example, you were in a car accident, the defendant had a duty to drive safely based on your relationship as fellow drivers. Then, you’ll have to show that the defendant breached their duty by committing (or failing to commit) an action. Next, you have to show that the defendant’s breach of duty was a direct cause of your injuries. Finally, you will have to show that your injuries caused you economic damages for which you can receive compensation.

Personal Injury Statute of Limitations in Wicomico County, MD

After you suffer from an injury, it’s important to act quickly to file a personal injury lawsuit in Wicomico County. Maryland has a statute of limitations on personal injury lawsuits, which limits the amount of time you have to file one. According to the Code of Maryland, there is a statute of limitations lasting three years on personal injury cases, beginning on the date that your injury occurred. In cases in which there is no direct injury but rather injuries that happen over a period of time, such as asbestos exposure, the statute of limitations begins on the date that the injury is discovered.

Exceptions can be made in extreme circumstances, such as medical malpractice claims, which have different procedures. To learn more about whether your case can be filed within Maryland’s statute of limitations, get in touch with Rice, Murtha & Psoras.

Wicomico County Personal Injury Lawyer Serving Maryland

Filing a personal injury lawsuit can be a stressful experience. But it doesn’t have to be if you use the services of an experienced personal injury attorney. Wicomico County residents are encouraged to get in touch with the Wicomico County personal injury lawyers from Rice, Murtha & Psoras today by calling (410) 694-7291.