Car Accident Lawyers in Baltimore
Did you sustain injuries in a Baltimore auto accident that someone else caused? Are you struggling with expensive medical bills and lost income? You may have the right to compensation, and Greenberg Law Offices can manage your legal case while you heal.
Our Baltimore car accident lawyers are skilled negotiators and aggressive litigators with over 100 years of combined experience. We have represented Maryland residents for nearly 60 years and are proud of our proven record of recovering maximum compensation for our clients.
Call now or complete our contact form for a free, no-obligation consultation with our Baltimore car accident law firm. You pay nothing unless we recover money for your accident claim.
Benefits of Hiring an Attorney for Your Baltimore Car Accident Claim
You gain two primary advantages by hiring a Baltimore car accident attorney who handles cases throughout Maryland for your claim.
First, hiring a lawyer means you don’t have to handle your case yourself. Your attorney can investigate the crash, determine what caused it and who’s to blame, file a claim with the insurance companies, and represent you in settlement negotiations. With an attorney, your life becomes simpler, leaving you more time and energy to focus on healing.
The second critical advantage of hiring a car accident attorney in Baltimore is that you benefit from your lawyer’s knowledge and experience. Car accident lawyers know the strategies that insurance companies use to deny claims or reduce your compensation, and they can push back against these unfair tactics to increase your claim’s value. Having a capable attorney on your side is particularly important if your case goes to trial, as trials involve complex procedures and unpredictable juries.
How We Investigate Car Accident Cases
You must prove in a Baltimore car accident claim (or in any auto accident in Maryland) that someone else — usually another driver, but not always — caused the car crash because they were negligent. This means someone failed to take reasonable steps to avoid causing a car wreck, such as a driver who doesn’t check their blind spot before changing lanes and sideswipes another vehicle.
At Greenberg Law Offices, we carefully comb through all the available evidence to determine whose actions or failure to act caused the auto wreck. For example, footage from traffic or surveillance cameras may show that a driver was following you too closely or weaving through traffic. Similarly, an eyewitness may have seen the driver who hit you looking at their phone or with a drink in their hand.
The other critical component of a car accident investigation is documenting your current and expected losses from the auto collision. For instance, we can use your medical records and testimony from your doctors to document your current injuries, any long-term disabilities that may result from them, and the cost of your medical treatment. Likewise, we can use your pay stubs, tax records, and other documents to demonstrate your financial stress from the motor vehicle accident.
Finally, your family, friends, or mental health counselors can speak to the emotional harm you’ve suffered and how your injuries affect your quality of life. Because we know how an accident affects everyone around the injured victim, our attorneys like to meet with not only our clients but also their families.
What Should I Do After a Car Accident?
Follow these steps after a Baltimore car accident to protect your health and legal rights:
- Call 911 and try to remain safe while you are waiting for the police and paramedics to arrive
- Avoid admitting fault or apologizing.
- Collect information at the scene. If possible, get the insurance information of all the people involved in the crash, including witnesses. If you are able, take photos of the scene and vehicles involved.
- Once it is safe to leave, seek medical attention, if necessary. Understand that some injuries may not be apparent right away, so if the pain gets worse, see a doctor or go to the hospital or an urgent care facility.
- Do not speak with an insurance company without calling your skilled attorney at the Greenberg Law Offices.
- Follow your doctor’s instructions. Once you’ve seen a doctor immediately after the crash, make sure to follow their instructions. Attend all follow-up appointments and take your medications precisely as described. Not doing so can make your injuries seem less severe than they are.
- Don’t discuss your case. Avoid talking about the crash or your injuries with anyone other than a lawyer, as you may say something that hurts your claim. Be especially careful when talking to insurance companies. Never accept any offers from an insurer or give a recorded statement without talking to a lawyer.
- Save your medical records and receipts. You’ll need these documents to demonstrate the full extent of your losses from the accident. Keep them in a safe place for later use.
What Compensation Could I Recover in a Car Accident Claim?
Your potential car accident compensation depends on your financial losses from the collision, your injuries, and other factors specific to your case. At Greenberg Law Offices, our Baltimore car accident lawyers can help you pursue compensation for the following:
- Your medical bills
- Your lost income and reduced future earning capacity
- Your pain and suffering
- Your emotional distress and diminished quality of life
- Your vehicle repair/replacement costs, along with the cost to repair or replace your other damaged property
Who Could Be Held Liable for a Car Wreck in Baltimore?
A car accident case in Baltimore or throughout Maryland may involve one party who’s solely to blame for the crash or multiple liable parties, including the following:
Driver error is a common factor in many Baltimore car accidents. Another driver who injures you because they were speeding, tailgating, distracted, intoxicated, or negligent in some other way is liable for your injuries.
Trucking companies, delivery companies, and other businesses that employ drivers are sometimes liable for accidents if the company’s actions contributed to the crash. For example, a trucking company might be liable for a crash if the company encouraged a driver to ignore required breaks under federal Hours of Service Many companies also have a legal duty to maintain their vehicles properly and may be liable for crashes resulting from improper maintenance.
Vehicle defects contribute to many vehicle accidents in Baltimore and Maryland. For instance, defective brakes, tires, or steering systems can cause a driver to suddenly lose control of their vehicle and crash. The automaker or the company responsible for building or designing the defective component typically is at fault for these accidents.
Government agencies (typically local or state governments) might be responsible for a crash if poor maintenance (e.g., failing to fix potholes) or sloppy road design (e.g., poor signage or unmarked intersections) contributed to the accident. Cases against government agencies involve special rules and shorter deadlines, so it’s essential to contact a lawyer immediately if you suspect a negligent government agency contributed to your injuries.
While drivers must watch for pedestrians and cyclists in areas with significant foot or bicycle traffic, pedestrians and cyclists must also watch out for cars and cross streets at designated crosswalks or intersections. A pedestrian or cyclist who suddenly darts into the streets and causes a car accident may be liable for the crash.
Could I Recover Compensation if I’m Partly to Blame for a Car Accident?
Maryland uses a pure contributory negligence rule, which means anyone who contributes to their own injuries in an accident can’t recover compensation. Even if someone else bears most of the blame for the crash, any level of fault on your part bars you from recovering compensation.
This harsh rule underscores the importance of hiring an experienced car accident attorney to manage your case. Any mistake during the process, even if you played no role in the crash, could cause you to lose your case and keep you from recovering the money you need to rebuild your life. Your lawyer can protect your rights throughout your claim and coach you on avoiding common mistakes.
How Long Do I Have to File a Car Accident Lawsuit in Maryland?
In most cases, you have three years from the date of a crash in Baltimore or elsewhere in Maryland to file a car accident lawsuit. However, waiting to take legal action could have catastrophic effects on your case. For instance, critical evidence can disappear within days or weeks of a collision, making it harder to prove who caused your injuries. Waiting to hire a lawyer or delaying your medical treatment can also undercut your case by suggesting that your injuries aren’t severe. The sooner you hire a lawyer, the more they can do to help you, and the greater your chances of winning your case.
What Should I Do After a Car Accident?
Follow these steps after a Baltimore car accident to protect your health and legal rights:
- Follow Your Doctor’s Instructions – Once you’ve seen a doctor immediately after the crash, make sure to follow their instructions. Attend all follow-up appointments and take your medications precisely as described. Not doing so can make your injuries seem less severe than they are.
- Don’t Discuss Your Case – Avoid talking about the crash or your injuries with anyone other than a lawyer, as you may say something that hurts your claim. Be especially careful when talking to insurance companies. Never accept any offers from an insurer or give a recorded statement without talking to a lawyer.
- Save Your Medical Records and Receipts – You’ll need these documents to demonstrate the full extent of your losses from the accident. Keep them in a safe place for later use.
- Call a Lawyer – Contact a car accident lawyer in Baltimore right away. Your lawyer can handle your legal case and protect your rights while you rebuild your life.
What Are Common Types and Causes of Car Accidents?
Some common types of auto accidents that we at Greenberg Law Offices handle include the following:
- Speeding accidents
- Distracted driving accidents
- Impaired driving accidents
- Tailgating accidents
- Head-on accidents
- Rear-end accidents
- Sideswipe accidents
- T-bone/side-impact accidents
- Intersection accidents
- Failure-to-yield accidents
- Hit-and-run accidents
- Uninsured motorist accidents
- Uber/Lyft accidents
These accidents may occur due to a variety of factors, many of which relate to another driver’s negligence. Some examples include impaired driving, speeding, distracted driving, fatigued driving, reckless driving behaviors, following too closely, and failing to yield.
What Are Typical Injuries Resulting from a Car Accident?
Car accidents in Baltimore and throughout Maryland often cause severe injuries, including the following:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- External injuries to the head and face
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Spinal cord injuries, including partial or complete paralysis
- Whiplash and other neck injuries
- Ruptured discs and other back injuries
- Broken ribs, wrists, legs, or other bone fractures
- Sprains, strains, muscle tears, and other soft-tissue injuries
- Severe bruises and lacerations
- Crushed, severed, or amputated limbs
- PTSD and other forms of emotional distress
