Maryland Car Accident Statute of Limitations: What It Means for You

Key Takeaways:

• The standard statute of limitations for the claims process in Maryland is generally three years from the date of the accident.
• Maryland works on a pure contributory negligence standard, which means that drivers who are responsible for the accident in any capacity are barred from recovering compensation for damages.
• Having a lawyer on your side offers a significant advantage when filing your claim, examining your insurance policy, collecting evidence, and representing you in court against auto insurance companies.
• Some exceptions for the state’s statute of limitations exist for special circumstances like injured minors and delayed injuries, and these exceptions can pause the three-year countdown (known as “tolling”).
• It is advantageous to file your insurance claim as soon as possible. This will keep the evidence in your case fresh and give your legal representative more time to adequately develop a strong case.

A car accident is never easy to deal with, as victims could suffer injuries that change their lives forever. Even injuries one can eventually recover from could saddle people with debt, and paying off that debt is especially tough when injuries prevent working normally. Fortunately, you can pursue compensation for your injuries that can cover medical expenses, lost wages, property damage, and other damages you may have suffered. While a personal injury lawsuit could be ideal for your circumstances, it is important to remember that you only have a specific time frame in which you are allowed to file, known as the statute of limitations under state law, even if you have serious injuries. Take a closer look at the Maryland car accident statute of limitations, and discover how a car accident lawyer can help meet deadlines in your case.

How Long After a Maryland Car Accident Can You Claim Injury?

It is best practice to receive medical attention immediately after your car accident injury. Not only will this help you maintain your own physical health, but medical care helps demonstrate that the accident caused injuries by establishing a medical record. Your medical bills can be paid by your health insurance and then reimbursed by your car accident case’s compensation later. According to the statute of limitations, however, you have three years to file a legal action in most cases. Your case will generally go better the sooner you receive medical attention.

In terms of insurance provider requirements, the limit will vary based on your policy. However, you should begin your claim as soon as possible, preferably with the assistance of a lawyer. A Maryland car accident attorney can help you meet deadlines and negotiate with the insurance company from a position of strength.

Maryland Statute of Limitations: What is it and How Does it Apply to My Car Accident Claim?

The statute of limitations for car accident claims in Maryland is three years from the date of the accident in most cases. After that three-year amount of time is up, you may not be able to file a formal lawsuit regarding your accident.

In some cases, there may be notice deadlines before the three-year statute of limitations. If you do not provide proper notice by these deadlines, you may not be able to recover any damages. This is why it is important that you get in touch with a Maryland car accident lawyer as soon as possible after your accident once you have received medical treatment.

Are There Any Time Limit Exemptions to the Maryland Statute of Limitations?

Some exceptions exist for the standard three-year time limit, which calls for tolling. This is a pause or extension for the statute of limitations. The most common exemption is for minors involved in car accidents. If a minor suffered damages in a car crash, the three-year limit does not begin until they turn 18, leaving them until their 21st birthday to settle the claim or file a lawsuit.

Contact the office immediately for assistance in navigating your case.

How Soon Should I Start Filing My Maryland Auto Accident Claim?

While you may have a three-year statute of limitations, it’s ideal to file your auto accident claim as soon as possible. By acting quickly, it is easier to secure legal representation for your case since your case will likely require extensive preparation. A lawyer will need time to investigate and build your case, and that can be difficult when the three year limit’s end is rapidly approaching.

Additionally, many specific parties have shorter notice requirements in order to file a claim. For example, if the at fault party is a state employee or acting on behalf of the state or local government, there is a much shorter and specific requirement to place them on notice, or you will not be able to file a lawsuit, even if done within 3 years of the accident. An attorney will be able to properly navigate this situation for you.

Additionally, filing earlier means the evidence in your case is fresher. Wait too long, and some potential evidence could be lost altogether. When filing early, you also have access to the discovery process when your case begins in court. This puts a legal obligation on the opposing side to produce any relevant documents regarding your case.

As a disclaimer, filing a claim in court does not prohibit you from reaching a settlement outside of court. A settlement can be reached at any time up until the court issues a final verdict on your case. If an insurance company sees you building a strong case that you are willing to fight for, they may settle just to avoid the court expenses.

The Risks of Delaying Legal Consultation After a Car Accident

If you wait too long after a car accident to get legal consultation and take legal action, you may face serious consequences. In fact, there are several major dangers that could impact your ability to receive appropriate compensation in the wake of your motor vehicle accident that you should try to avoid.

Missed Deadlines

Without a legal consultation, you could easily miss out on critical deadlines that are required for your claim. Once the deadlines have passed, there is not much you can do about the situation. You simply have to miss out on the potential compensation, and that can be especially tough to deal with when you have medical bills piled up.

Less Money

When a lawyer is able to handle your claim from day one, they are able to control the order of operations for how your medical bills are paid. For clients with severe injuries, this can result in several thousand dollars more in their pocket at the end of the case. By trying to handle your case independently, you could miss out on this additional money.

Insurance Company Missteps

It is important to remember that insurance companies do not work in your best interests. Their business model is based on denying you as much compensation as they feel they can get away with. Without a lawyer’s advice, it is far easier to fall into the common insurance company traps that they use to get you to admit fault or accept lower settlement offers.

Incomplete Compensation Payouts

Even if you do get compensation in the wake of your accident, it may not be the total amount that you could be entitled to. By having a personal injury lawyer by your side, you can get advice on how to maximize your compensation by taking advantage of every covered type of damages you suffered. For example, car accident victims may receive compensation for medical bills and vehicle repair, but they would still be missing out on coverage for lost wages and future earning capacity.

Loss of Evidence

To build a strong case, you will need evidence for your car accident claim. The longer you wait after your accident, the more difficult it will be to gather evidence. Even if you try to gather evidence early on, doing so without a lawyer’s help could lead you to miss critical pieces of evidence that may be integral to your case.

Why Clients Choose Bowers Law

At Bowers Law, you can expect a communicative attorney-client relationship in which our experienced attorneys will be by your side through every step of the process. We understand how debilitating car accidents can be, so we focus on the legal issues, leaving you free to focus on physically recovering. When we go to work on your case, we do not simply work to get you compensation. We always strive to win the maximum compensation. Take a look at what some of our previous clients had to say about our services.

Our Client Testimonials

Rebecca M.: “I’m extremely happy we found Bowers Law. Their hands-on approach is stellar. Professional, timely, and communicates wonderfully. Jobeth Bowers is always a phone call away and makes time for all his clients no matter the time or day. Although they are known for taking on insurance companies to get the best settlement, this firm also handles business and criminal issues for us. We have referred them to many and will continue to do so. Thank you, Bowers Law!”

Susan L.: “I would highly recommend this law firm. The staff and attorneys are friendly, informative, and easy to deal with. They work hard for you, and there is little you have to do yourself. This was a fantastic experience, and they received a ton of stress handling my case. I plan to use them in the future and recommend them to others, as well.”

Sheena C.: “My case was handled very professionally and at a great pace. I definitely felt they took in consideration that I’m a single parent and had my best interest at heart. I would definitely recommend Bowers Law, LLC to family and friends.”

Bowers Law Makes Filing an Auto Accident Claim Easy

At Bowers Law, we understand that navigating the Maryland legal system is likely the last thing you want to do after being injured in an accident. That is why we are happy to take care of it for you all while pursuing the maximum amount of compensation, leaving you free to focus on feeling better. Our experienced car accident attorneys have a long history of winning cases for clients throughout the Cecil County and Elkton areas. Get in touch with our team today by calling our phone number at (410) 885-6200 or by filling out our online contact form for a free consultation.

Read More About How to Handle Auto Accident Claims in Maryland

• Why is the Settlement for My Car Accident Taking So Long?: Insurance companies have quite a few strategies that work against you, and one of them is taking a long time to process your settlement.]
• 7 Ways Your Maryland Accident Case Can Pay More: A wide range of factors affect how much your case is worth, but it is important to understand how you can maximize your compensation.
• How to File a Maryland Personal Injury Claim: The personal injury claim filing process can seem intimidating for someone without experience, but we strive to make it easy.
• What Are Common Car Accident Soft Tissue Injuries?: Soft tissue injuries are more common and potentially more harmful than you might think, so it is helpful to know what to look out for.
• Why Am I Making a Claim with My Insurance Company?: A lot of drivers are hesitant to file a claim with their car insurance company out of fear of increased premiums, but there are many instances in which a claim will not and cannot cause your rates to increase.