Can I Get Compensation From All At-Fault Parties If I Am Injured By More Than One Person In An Accident?
An individual who has been injured by the negligence of another is entitled under the law to be “made whole” for their injuries. The remedial purpose of the law here is to restore that individual, as nearly as possible, to their pre-accident condition by way of monetary compensation called damages. Money damages might be a poor substitute for bodily integrity, but it is the substitute provided for by our law. Anyone who causes or contributed to the accident or injury is responsible for the whole event. As Attorney Eric T. Kirk will tell you.
Baltimore Car Accident Lawyer Tip: An injured person may recover up to the full amount of their damages award from any one of the responsible parties
An injured individual is entitled to collect money damages or compensation for their
- medical expenses
- loss of wages and earning capacity, and
- non-economic damage
An award for non-economic damages includes consideration for such things as discomfort, disfigurement, physical and mental pain, anguish or distress, as well as inconvenience or humiliation. Can I Get Compensation From All At-Fault Parties If I Am Injured By More Than One Person In An Accident? Yes, although there is only one financial recovery for those damages, even if more than one individual contributes to the circumstances giving rise to the injury. In that instance, the injured person may recover up to the full amount of their damages award from any one of the responsible parties. This type of responsibility is frequently referred to as joint and several liability. If one responsible party pays more than their share, the paying parties may then have rights of set off, or contribution, from the other responsible actors, so that all responsible parties bear the loss in equal measure.
Baltimore Personal Injury Lawyer Tip: [Replace this with your tip verbiage]
In Maryland, that where the injured person seeks compensation for injuries but has also been determined to have contributed in even the slightest manner to the happening of an accident, they are barred by principles of contributory negligence from any recovery whatsoever.
Zero Deaths Maryland – Crash Data (MDOT/MVA MHSO): Live statewide crash & fatality dashboards; YTD counts and trend views. Zero Deaths Maryland
Zero Deaths Maryland – Crash Data Dashboard: Drill into crashes via filters (mode, county, factors) with definitions and MDSP ACRS sourcing. Zero Deaths Maryland
Maryland State Police Crash Data Dashboard (2024–present): Interactive crash data tool; includes a video walkthrough. Maryland State Police
Maryland State Police – Crash Data Download (2019–2023): Bulk download of historical crash datasets for your analyses. Maryland State Police
MDOT MVA – Maryland Highway Safety Office (MHSO):
State’s highway safety hub (programs, SHSP context, grants). MVA
Maryland Insurance Administration – Auto Insurance Rate/Consumer Guides: Official consumer guides and rate info (latest PDF updated recently). Maryland Insurance Administration
Maryland Insurance Administration – Consumer Info/Complaints: How to file complaints and understand rights on auto/home claims. Maryland Insurance Administration
Maryland Dept. of Health – Motor Vehicle Injury Special Emphasis Report (2017–2021): State public-health perspective on MVC deaths, hospitalizations, ED visits. Maryland.gov Enterprise Agency Template
UMD School of Medicine – National Study Center for Trauma & EMS (NSC): Research arm tied to MIEMSS; home of Maryland CODES-style linkage work. UMD School of Medicine
Morgan State University – National Transportation Center (UTC): Maryland’s federally funded transportation research center (safety, equity, policy). Morgan State University
Johns Hopkins – Center for Injury Research & Policy (Road Safety): Academic research on roadway injury prevention and safe systems. Johns Hopkins Public Health
MDOT SHA – Ped/Bike Fatality Infrastructure Review (ArcGIS Hub): Infrastructure-linked safety views supporting Vision Zero. mdot-sha-fatal-crash-evaluation-maryland.hub.arcgis.com
Most states have adopted a system of comparative fault where the relative degrees of responsibility are determined. For example, in an automobile accident case, a jury in one of these other jurisdictions may determine that the defendant was 25% responsible, but that the plaintiff also bore some responsibility, and reduced that responsibility to the numerical percentage to 25%. Under a comparative fault scheme, the injured plaintiff could still recover 50% of their damages from the party found to be more responsible. Maryland is one of the few states that has consistently refused to adopt this comparative fault scheme. In Maryland, an injured plaintiff who is found to have been responsible, in even the slightest measure, for causing an accident is precluded from any recovery at all.
I routinely try cases involving disputed issues about an accident, wherein issues of causation and liability can become complex. I am honored to extend a complimentary meeting, strategy session and case analysis to you. Contact me today to arrange a time. 410 591 2835.
- Baltimore Personal Injury Trial Lawyer Eric T. Kirk
- Legal Analysis & Case Studies
- Baltimore Insurance Claims Denial Lawyer
For over three decades, I have battled against the nation’s largest insurance companies, always endeavoring to ensure my clients receive the compensation they deserve. As lead counsel in thousands of cases across Maryland, New York, and Florida, I have recovered millions for clients whose claims were wrongfully denied and delayed. Whether denying fair compensation for a personal injury victim or denying benefits to a homeowner, Insurance companies employ policy exclusions, technicalities, and lowball offers to deny and defeat claims. They also hire very good lawyers to fight you in court. So should you. When an insurance company unfairly rejects a claim, I stop them.
