A car crash can leave you with medical bills and missed paychecks before anyone has explained who pays for what. Blank Kim Injury Law represents people hurt in car accidents across Maryland. We gather the evidence, deal with the insurance companies and, when a fair settlement is not offered, pursue the claim in court.
Attorney Robert Kim speaks Korean, and most of our paralegals speak Spanish, so you can talk through your claim in the language you are most comfortable with.
What to do after a car accident in Maryland
The first days after a crash shape the claim that follows. If you are able to, take these steps:
- Call 911 if anyone is hurt, and ask for a police report. Write down the officer’s name and the report number.
- Photograph the vehicles, the road, traffic signals and your injuries before anything is moved or repaired.
- Get the other driver’s name, license, plate number and insurance information, plus contact details for any witnesses.
- See a doctor promptly, even if you feel fine. Concussions and neck injuries can take hours or days to show symptoms.
- Report the crash to your own insurance company, as your policy requires.
- Be careful with the other driver’s insurer. You do not have to give them a recorded statement, and what you say early on can be used to argue you were partly at fault.
- Keep every bill, receipt, repair estimate and note from work about missed time.
Then talk to a Maryland car accident lawyer before you sign a release or accept a settlement check. Once a release is signed, the claim is usually over.
Maryland’s contributory negligence rule
Most states reduce an injured person’s compensation by their share of the blame. Maryland does not. Under contributory negligence, if you are found even slightly at fault for the crash, you can be barred from recovering anything from the other driver.
Maryland is one of the few places in the United States that still follow this rule, along with Virginia, North Carolina, Alabama and Washington, D.C. Insurance adjusters are well aware of it. A remark that you glanced at your phone or were a few miles over the limit can become the reason a claim is denied outright.
The rule has limited exceptions, such as the last clear chance doctrine, and whether one applies depends on the facts. That is why early evidence matters. The police report, photographs, witness accounts, traffic camera or dashcam video and vehicle data can show how the crash really happened.
Insurance that can pay after a Maryland crash
Several kinds of coverage can apply to the same accident, and knowing which are available affects how a claim is built.
- Personal injury protection (PIP). Maryland insurers must offer PIP, which pays at least $2,500 toward medical bills and lost wages regardless of who caused the crash, unless the policyholder waived it in writing.
- The at-fault driver’s liability insurance. Maryland requires minimum bodily injury liability limits of $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident. Serious injuries often cost far more than those minimums.
- Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage. When the other driver has no insurance, too little insurance, or leaves the scene, your own policy may pay. Read about claims against uninsured and hit-and-run drivers.
- Other policies. A rideshare company’s insurance, an employer’s commercial policy or a vehicle owner’s policy can also apply, depending on who was driving and why.
Policy terms vary, and the minimums set by Maryland law can change. Once we take your case, we review the actual policies involved.
Types of car accidents we handle
We represent drivers, passengers and others hurt in collisions on Maryland roads, from the Capital Beltway near Silver Spring and I-270 through Frederick to the Baltimore Beltway, US 29 in Howard County and US 50 around Annapolis. Our cases include:
- Rear-end collisions, including chain-reaction crashes in stop-and-go traffic
- T-bone and intersection crashes caused by drivers who run red lights or fail to yield
- Sideswipe and lane-change collisions
- Head-on collisions
- Hit-and-run crashes and collisions with uninsured drivers
- Crashes caused by drunk or impaired drivers
- Distracted driving crashes involving phones and other devices
- Crashes involving Uber and Lyft drivers
Collisions with larger vehicles raise different questions about federal safety rules and commercial insurance. See our pages on truck accident claims, bus accidents and motorcycle crashes, and on injuries to pedestrians and bicycle riders.
Common injuries after a car crash
The force of a collision can cause injuries that are not obvious at the scene. The injuries we see most often in car accident claims include:
- Neck and back injuries, including whiplash and herniated discs
- Traumatic brain injuries, from concussions to more severe trauma
- Spinal cord injuries
- Broken bones and injuries that require surgery
- Burn injuries and scarring
- Emotional trauma, including anxiety about driving again
When a crash takes someone’s life, their family may have a wrongful death claim under Maryland law.
What a car accident claim can include
Every claim is different, and no page can tell you what yours is worth. In general, a Maryland car accident claim can seek compensation for:
- Medical bills, both past and expected in the future
- Lost wages and reduced ability to earn a living
- Pain, suffering and the ways the injury has changed your daily life
- Vehicle repair or replacement and other property damage
Maryland caps non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering, in personal injury cases, and the cap is adjusted each October 1. How serious the injuries are, how long treatment lasts, the insurance available and how clearly the evidence shows the other driver was at fault all affect a claim’s value. Past results in other cases do not predict the outcome of yours.
How long you have to file a car accident claim in Maryland
Maryland generally allows three years from the date of a car accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. That is not the whole picture:
- Claims against a government, such as a crash with a county bus, police car or state vehicle, can require written notice much sooner, often within one year.
- Claims for someone who died, or for someone who was a minor at the time, follow different timing rules.
- Insurance policies have their own notice requirements, and evidence such as video footage can be erased within days.
Do not assume you have time. If you were hurt in a crash, start a free case review so an attorney can look at the deadlines that apply to you.
How our Maryland car accident lawyers handle your claim
- Free case review. Tell us what happened by phone or through the form on this page. There is no obligation to hire us.
- Investigation. We gather the police report, photographs, witness statements, video and vehicle data to show how the crash happened.
- Medical documentation. We collect your medical records and bills so the full extent of your injuries is on the record.
- Dealing with insurers. We handle communication with the insurance companies and present a demand supported by the evidence.
- Litigation when needed. If the insurer will not make a fair offer, we can file suit in a Maryland court and pursue the claim there.
You can talk with our team in English, Korean or Spanish.
