If I Get Hit From Behind, Is The Other Driver Automatically At Fault?
Is the driver that strikes from behind responsible? Seasoned Maryland car and automobile accident lawyers will tell you the answer, generally, is yes, but it is not an automatic result. All drivers must use reasonable care for the safety of others. The following driver must use due care for the safety of others, including the duty... Read more »
What Is a Low Speed Collision? Can The Insurance Company Deny My Claim Because of This?
Can an insurance company deny a Maryland injury claim by calling it a low-speed collision? No. An insurance company can argue that a low-speed collision did not cause injury, but that label does not decide the claim. In practice, “low-speed collision,” “minimal impact,” or “no property damage” often means the carrier intends to challenge injury,... Read more »
Should I Settle My Maryland Personal Injury Case or Go to Trial?
There is no universal answer to whether it is better to settle a Maryland personal injury case or take it to trial. The right decision depends on the reasonableness of the offer, the strength of liability proof, the likely value range, the timing of the case, and the cost and risk of litigation. The main... Read more »
The Disappearing Motorist
This is not truly a situation involving a ‘hit and run“, or at least it is a variant on that theme. Perhaps this situation can be though of as a ‘delayed hit and run’. In other words, the person responsible for the accident stays at the scene, but later disappears, at least for all intents... Read more »
Am I Entitled to Compensation After a Maryland Hit-and-Run Accident?
Am I Entitled to Compensation for a Hit-and-Run Accident in Maryland? Yes, you may be entitled to compensation after a Maryland hit-and-run accident, but the claim usually shifts to your own uninsured motorist coverage if the fleeing driver cannot be identified. That does not make the case easy. It usually means your own insurance company... Read more »
Can a Computer Tell You What Your Personal Injury Case Is Worth in Maryland?
Before any discussion of “value,” the first question is whether you can recover at all. In Maryland, if you are found even partially at fault for an accident, you may be barred from recovery. A computer program does not meaningfully evaluate that risk. This means a claim that appears to have value inside an insurance... Read more »
Is My Car Accident On Film Or Surveillance Camera Footage?
One of the keys to assessing the value of any Baltimore personal injury case is determining the strength of the liability portion. Seasoned Baltimore personal injury and accident lawyers are well aware that a strong liability case is worth more, if for no other reason than the insurance company has less of a chance of... Read more »
Does It Matter If I Did Not Have My Seatbelt On During The Car Accident?
Usually, no. In an ordinary Maryland car accident case, not wearing a seatbelt does not automatically defeat the claim, does not count as contributory negligence, and generally cannot be used at trial to reduce damages. The practical risk is different: insurance companies may still ask about seatbelt use early and try to turn that fact... Read more »
What if the Police Report Said There Were No Injuries at the Scene?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration [NHTSA], there are over 5 million reported car accidents per year. Most people are well aware that not all collisions between vehicles are reported to the police, so the actual total is quite a bit higher. NHTSA’s statistics also reveal that, overwhelmingly [71%], motor vehicle accidents do not... Read more »
Can I File a Maryland Claim if the At Fault Driver Was From Another State?
Yes — if the crash happened in Maryland, you can often still pursue the claim here even when the at-fault driver is from another state. The bigger problems are usually not whether a claim exists, but whether the out-of-state driver can be served properly, whether Maryland is the right place for the lawsuit, and whether... Read more »
Is Liberty Mutual a Good Company to Get a Settlement From.
Liberty Mutual is an enormously profitable American insurance company. Baltimore personal injury and car accident lawyers Attorney Eric T. Kirk have also seen that the major auto insurers employ different methods to generate enormous profits. While paying less out in claims is perhaps a business model, or part of a larger model, it is certainly not the... Read more »
Is USAA an Easy Insurance Company To Get a Settlement From?
Although perhaps somewhat below the radar screen of most national consumers, USAA is well known to Baltimore personal injury and accident lawyers Attorney Eric T. Kirk handling Maryland car accident claims. Perhaps USAA should be a little more well known. The company proudly boasts that its net worth has increased from only 20 billion in 2011... Read more »
