5 Reasons Why You Need a Maryland Accident Injury Lawyer

By Jeffrey Butschky, Maryland Accident Injury Attorney

When potential clients contact our Baltimore County injury law firm for help, the first question they ask is, “Do I need an accident injury lawyer to handle my case in Maryland?” Sometimes the clients have been injured in motor vehicle accidents, other times they’ve been hurt at work, while still others believe they have suffered harm due to medical malpractice or negligence.

In all but the simplest accident cases (e.g., fender benders with very minor or no injuries), we do not recommend injured parties in Maryland attempt to handle their own legal claims and lawsuits. Here are five good reasons why consulting an experienced Maryland accident injury attorney is in your best interest.

1. Most reputable attorneys offer a free consultation. You won’t know if you have a case until you contact an experienced Maryland personal injury attorney and describe the events surrounding your auto or work accident. The initial consultation should be free of charge. (Read more on our clients’ second-most frequently asked question, “What does a Maryland accident injury lawyer cost?“.)

2. Insurance company lawyers will be pursuing their own interests. Whether or not you hire a lawyer to represent you in your Maryland accident injury case, be assured the insurance companies will have lawyers working hard on their behalf.

Insurance companies are in the business of collecting premiums–and paying out as little to claimants as possible. An experienced injury attorney knows the ins-and-outs of the insurance business, and will advocate to get you the maximum compensation allowable by law. Insurance companies have more than one trick up their sleeves, and…

3. What you say can hurt you! While you’re thinking about whether or not to consult with a Maryland accident lawyer, the insurance company lawyers are calling your phone and knocking on your door to talk to you. The insurance carrier will attempt to obtain a recorded statement regarding your workplace or auto accident case….The statement will cover points that may seem innocent enough to you, but could hurt your case and disqualify you from collecting anything.

Do not talk to the other side’s insurance company! Do not give a statement you may live to regret. Let your lawyer handle how your case is described and documented for you.

4. Time is not on your side. Insurance companies waste no time in gathering information about your case–information that can hinder your ability to collect damages or compensation. This applies to both auto accidents and Workers’ Compensation claims. It’s important that your lawyer be building your case and advocating on your behalf. The statute of limitations in Maryland to file a claim in an auto accident case is three years, though waiting is never a good idea.

Maryland Workers’ Compensation has its own set of rules for filing claims. Injured employees must report their injuries to their supervisors in writing, within 10 days of the injury. Employees should file claims with the Maryland Workers’ Compensation Commission within 60 days, and must file claims within two years of their injuries. The Commission is tough on late filers, as their website states, “There is no excuse for failing to file within 2 years of the accidental injury and this time deadline will not be waived by the Commission.” As with Maryland auto accident injury claims and cases–waiting to pursue compensation never helps the injured party. Here’s one more reason why that’s true….

5. Maryland’s contributory negligence law works against injured parties. Maryland isn’t the most forgiving state in the land when someone suffers an accidental injury or death within our borders. As we reported in a recent blog article, the Maryland contributory negligence law harshly penalizes injured parties. If you’re found to be even a fraction responsible for your accident, your claim can be dismissed outright. In July 2013, the Maryland High Court upheld challenges to the Maryland contributory negligence law, despite lawmakers’ and consumer advocates’ arguments that it creates an unfair legal environment for injured people in Md.

While some injured parties think they can adequately represent themselves and fight for their own best interests in a Maryland injury case–that kind of thing only works well in TV courtroom dramas. In real life, personal injury cases and Workers Compensation cases can get very complicated, very quickly. Please contact our experienced Baltimore County, Maryland accident injury lawyers to learn whether or not you have a case or claim in Maryland.