It seems rather simple. Somebody hurts you, and they have to pay your medical bills and lost wages. However, when it comes to letting go of money, things get complicated, especially when you’re dealing with an insurance company that is focused on profits.
When there is resistance to paying you what you’re due because of the harm caused by someone else, you’ll want to turn to an experienced Adelphi personal injury lawyer for support.
At GDH Law, we specialize in helping Adelphi residents who have suffered personal injury due to another party’s negligence. We understand how emotionally draining these experiences can be, not to mention the burden on your family’s finances. Our mission is to provide laser-focused negotiations with insurance companies in pursuit of the maximum benefits you’re entitled to.
If necessary, we won’t hesitate to take those same companies before a judge and jury for a resolution. If someone has caused you a personal injury, we want to hear what happened.
Common Types of Personal Injury Cases We Handle
When most people hear the words “personal injury,” they assume that means a car accident. While it is true that car accidents are the leading type of personal injury claims, they aren’t the only incidents that involve someone causing harm.
These are the common types of personal injury we handle at GDH Law:
Car Accident
According to data collected by the Maryland Highway Safety Office, the five-year average for injury crashes in the state is 28,609.
There was also an average of 78,742 crashes that resulted in property damage.
Most of these accidents were caused by distracted driving, speeding, and driving under the influence of alcohol. That puts the blame for any injury you suffered or damage to your car on the other driver.
When it can be clearly established by the evidence of who was at fault, the driver and their insurance company are liable for the damages.
Bottom line: You shouldn’t have to pay for an accident you didn’t cause, and an experienced car accident lawyer won’t let that happen.
Medical Malpractice
Maryland has a notorious record for emergency room wait times. In fact, it was one of the longest in the nation, with patients waiting as much as 4 hours before being seen.
An ER is not a place anyone wants to visit. An ER is also where occurrences of medical malpractice can occur. Even though the ER and hospital staff have the best intentions, they are not infallible.
The same can be said about your general physician. Medical malpractice can occur in the following ways:
- Diagnostic errors
- Medication errors
- Surgical errors
- Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs)
- Communication failures
- Equipment failures
- Errors in documentation
A medical malpractice lawyer can help determine who the at-fault parties are.
Nursing Home Abuse
At last count, there were 335 nursing homes in Maryland, with more expected to be built in the coming years. The vast majority of these facilities provide decent care for their residents.
Unfortunately, there are also incidents of neglect due to improper training or a lack of staff. That neglect can lead to physical injuries, emotional trauma, or even financial theft.
When your loved one is put in harm’s way by a nursing home staff member, you need to take immediate action to ensure their safety. Your nursing home abuse lawyer can help file a complaint and seek compensation for any harm caused by the incident.
Trucking Accidents
A collision between a fully loaded eighteen-wheeler and a vehicle never ends well for the vehicle. Even the strongest SUVs can’t be totaled when the full force of a semi-truck slams into them.
Getting involved in a truck accident can make a claim complex due to the additional parties involved. There could be cause to name the trucking company, the cargo loaders, or mechanics as defendants in the case. That is why you need an experienced truck accident lawyer to help you navigate through the claims process and ensure that all the responsible parties are held accountable.
Understanding Maryland Contributory Negligence Laws
There are many states that apply comparative negligence laws to a personal injury claim.
That allows the injured party to seek compensation even if they are partially to blame for the accident. That’s not the case here. Maryland follows a strict contributory negligence law. That means if you get involved in an accident where you are even 1% at fault, you will be barred from recovering any damages.
This puts the burden of proof on the plaintiff, who must clearly establish that the defendant caused the injury.
That might be easy to accomplish if the driver were cited for a DUI or speeding.
However, because of the contributory negligence law, you can anticipate the relevant insurance carrier will deploy every tactic in its arsenal to shift blame onto your actions.
This is why having the right legal counsel fighting on your behalf is critical to achieving a positive outcome. At GDH Law, we won’t take on any case unless we’re confident of the outcome.
Calculating the True Value of Your Injury Claim
One of the most important aspects of any personal claim is calculating its true value.
You might understand the basics of what you’re entitled to, but it is important to have a complete assessment of all your current and future expenses. It is those future expenses that often get overlooked and can end up draining your family’s finances.
An experienced personal injury lawyer in Adelphi will be able to help you determine the full extent of your damages. Those should include the following:
Economic Damages:
- All medical expenses, including surgery, hospitalization, medications, and future treatment
- Lost wages
- Lost earning capacity if the injury prevents you from returning to work
- Property damage for repairs or replacement of a vehicle
Non-Economic Damages:
- Enduring physical pain
- Mental anguish
- Disfigurement
- Loss of consortium
In order to calculate non-economic damages, you and your attorney can apply the multiplier method that takes the total economic damages and multiplies them by an assigned number between 1.5 and 5.
The more severe your injuries, the higher the multiplier number.
One thing to keep in mind is that Maryland has a cap on noneconomic damages at $950,000. That number increases each year slightly, but it is the most you can be awarded in a personal injury settlement.
How Our Legal Team Builds a Strong Case for You
Every personal injury claim is unique, but the one thing they all have in common is the desire for a fast and fair resolution. When the GDH Law legal team steps in to support a personal injury claim, we become your fierce advocate, always fighting for what is right.
We build a strong case by conducting a thorough investigation of the incident.
That might require calling in one of our accident reconstructionists to analyze crash reports to demonstrate how the accident happened and who was at fault.
In medical malpractice claims, we have a separate network of medical professionals that we can call on to provide a Certificate of Qualified Expert. This affidavit establishes the foundation for your claim and clears the way for filing a civil complaint.
In any type of personal injury claim, we will gather all the relevant information needed to firmly establish who is directly at fault. That evidence can include items you might not have access to, such as traffic surveillance footage, DMV driver history, and truck black box data.
Our mission is to leave no doubt about who is liable for the injury and how much they must pay.
Frequently Asked Questions About a Personal Injury Claim
How long do I have to file a personal injury claim in Adelphi?
In Maryland, the statute of limitations for most personal injury claims is three years from the date of the accident. Failing to file within this window generally bars you from seeking compensation, though certain exceptions may apply for minors or specific types of harm.
What if I were partially at fault for my accident in Maryland?
Maryland follows the strict doctrine of contributory negligence. This means that if you are found even 1% responsible for the incident that caused your injuries, you may be legally barred from recovering any compensation from other at-fault parties.
How much does it cost to hire an Adelphi personal injury lawyer?
GDH Law operates on a contingency fee basis for personal injury cases. This means you pay no upfront legal fees, and we only receive payment if we successfully recover a settlement or jury verdict on your behalf.
How an Adelphi Personal Injury Lawyer Supports Your Claim
At GDH Law, we’re not shy about being obsessed with results. No matter what type of personal injury claim you’re making, we will always provide you with an honest assessment of the challenges you might face in pursuit of justice.
The good news is that if we work together, it means we have a high level of confidence that we can help secure a fair settlement.
Our Adelphi personal injury attorneys have decades of combined experience in negotiating on behalf of our clients. Insurance companies might not like what we present to them, but that only means we’ve got it right and they need to honor their obligations.
Of course, there are those occasions when an insurance company will dig in and not budge off a lowball offer. They might even try to shift the blame in order to trigger Maryland’s contributory negligence law. We’ll be prepared for all their tactics. If they remain obstinate, then we might recommend filing a civil complaint.
That triggers a courtroom trial, and we’ll be fully prepared to represent you in court. It could mean testifying in front of a jury, but we won’t put you on the stand until you’re ready.
Most of all, we pride ourselves on our open communication policy. We keep our clients informed about every aspect of their claim and any updates. The more informed you are, the better our job becomes.
If you’ve been injured because of someone else’s actions, you owe it to yourself to find out what your options are. You can get those answers at the free case review with our team. Call to schedule your talk today.
Let’s find a way to work together.
