
After an accident, you want to make sure you seek fair compensation, and you don’t have to do this alone. You can get legal advice if the other driver’s insurance company offers you a settlement after a car accident.
We answer this and other questions you might have about your car accident case in our FAQs. You could regret going forward with the settlement without having a Baltimore car accident lawyer looking out for your legal rights.
Consider Talking to a Personal Injury Lawyer Before Signing Anything
You can bet that the other driver’s insurance company had their attorneys read the settlement documents to make sure there was nothing in the documents that could cause the insurer a problem. In fact, their lawyers wrote the settlement papers, so you could be at a disadvantage at the outset.
After you sign a legal document, it is usually too late to challenge anything contained in that paper. You might give up rights unnecessarily, costing you the compensation that you deserve. You should not sign settlement papers or anything else from the other driver’s insurance company without having your own personal injury attorney read the document and advise you.
For a free legal consultation, call,
(888) 585-2188
Make Sure the Car Accident Settlement Is Fair
Sometimes, a settlement offer does not contain compensation for all of the injured person’s losses. The other driver’s insurance company has no legal obligation to tell you all of the categories of damages you could pursue.
If you were injured in a motor vehicle collision in our state, you could be eligible to recover:
- Medical bills for the treatment of your wounds
- Lost income while you were recuperating
- Pain and suffering
- Long-term medical care
- Disfigurement and other losses
The precise types and amount of compensation you could go after will depend on the facts of your car accident injury case.
Never Discuss Fault in a Car Accident in Maryland
You do not want to speculate on who bears fault in a car accident in Maryland. Our state follows the rule of contributory negligence, a law that bars injured people from financial recovery for even one percent of the total fault.
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Complete Your Medical Treatment Before Settling Your Injury Claim from a Maryland Collision
One tactic that insurance companies sometimes use is making an early settlement offer. They do not explain that when a person settles an injury claim, their case is over permanently.
If the injured person later finds out that they need additional medical procedures, like surgery, for their wounds, the insurance company will not have to pay those medical bills or lost wages. As part of the settlement process, the injured person must sign a waiver of all future claims arising out of the car crash.
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The Filing Deadlines for Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Lawsuits
You cannot, however, wait indefinitely before settling your personal injury lawsuit. If the statute of limitations is approaching, you might need to file a lawsuit against the negligent party to buy yourself time to complete your medical treatment.
The filing deadline is three years for personal injury lawsuits under Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-101. The statute of limitations for wrongful death lawsuits is also three years, according to Md. Code Ann., Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 3-904. After the deadline passes, the insurance company will stop negotiating with you because Maryland law then bars you from pursuing compensation for your losses.
Three Traps to Avoid in Your Maryland Car Accident Claim
There is a great deal at stake when you have a pending car accident injury claim. An innocent mistake could cost you the right to collect the money you need to pay your losses and get on with your life.
Here are three traps you will want to avoid so that you can protect the financial value of your injury claim:
- Not understanding the role of the claims adjuster: The other driver’s claims adjuster does not work for you. It is not their job to offer you a fair settlement based on your injuries and other losses. Their job depends on getting rid of claims for as little money as possible.
- Getting talked out of having your own lawyer: The claims adjuster will probably bad-mouth lawyers in an attempt to dissuade you from getting your own personal injury lawyer. If you think about it, you will see why this tactic does not ring true. Insurance companies hire numerous attorneys to represent them and give them legal advice, so why would they discourage you from doing the same?
- Posting on social media: The defendant’s insurance company can get access to your social media accounts and scroll through your photographs and other posts. You do not want to give them evidence like this that they can take out of context and use against you. It is best to take a complete break from social media until after your car accident case.
These three things are but a few examples of the many potential pitfalls that could harm your car accident injury claim. You do not have to go through this process alone.
No matter how much pressure the other driver’s insurance company puts on you, they cannot force you to agree to a settlement the day they make the offer. If the offer is legitimate, it will still be available for a reasonable amount of time for you to get your own legal advice.
How to Get Help with Your Maryland Motor Vehicle Collision Injury Case
A car accident lawyer at Jenner Law could handle your personal injury claim, giving you the opportunity to rest and recuperate from your wounds. We go the extra mile for our clients.
If you want hard-working attorneys who fight tirelessly to get you every dollar you deserve, you have found the right law firm. You can contact us today for a free consultation.
Call or text (888) 585-2188 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form