Example of Contributory Negligence? Do I Lose My Baltimore Accident Case?
It’s common sense to assume that everyone is responsible for paying attention to their surroundings. It’s legal sense that everyone must not only pay attention to their surroundings but also must pay enough attention to keep the others close enough to keep them safe. It’s not a stretch to say that someone that fails to do that contributed to an accident should one occur. Seasoned Baltimore personal injury and accident lawyers have seen the law imposes a duty on every driver to see everything they should have seen [even if they didn’t] had “they properly exercised his faulty of vision”. Colmes v. Zamoiski, 294 A.2d 120. There, the court noted that a driver who fails to see what they should have is essentially the same as a blind person operating that vehicle.
If that driver fails to perceive something that they should have perceived, and that failure causes or contributes to an automobile accident, then that failure is considered negligence [and contributory negligence if that person is a plaintiff].
These cases are typically highly dependent on the particualr facts of each situation. The obligation to act cautiously exists even in the face of seemingly clear negligence, e.g. a car is stopped on the highway without flashers. Baltimore personal injury and accident lawyers are aware, however, that the presence of fog, smoke, rain, snow and the like may excuse the failure to perceive in a given circumstance. While it is commonly believed that following a vehicle too closely, and then failing to stop in time to avoid an accident, is a classic example of actionable negligence, a court has determined that the action of the front driver in signaling, veering to the right, then left, before impact, is sufficiently negligent conduct to bar any recovery from the driver of the striking vehicle.
Contributory negligence is a harsh and unforgiving concept. Most states left this doctrine behind years ago.
Maryland continues to adhere to it, and Maryland courts continue to deny financial recovery to those injured by the negligence of others if they contribute the accident in the slightest of ways. An experienced personal injury attorney can navigate these treacherous waters for you. As knowledgeable Attorney Eric T. Kirk is aware of the exceptions to the rule, and the most persuasive arguments around them.
I’ve handled hundreds of cases involving allegations of contributory negligence. If an insurance company has used this to deny your recovery.
Related Baltimore Personal Injury Resources:
- Baltimore Personal Injury Lawyer
- What Is My Case Worth?
- Insurance Claim Denial Lawyer
- Workers’ Compensation Lawyer
- Baltimore Work Injury Lawyer
Understanding Case Value
Additional Claim Considerations
Additional Baltimore Neighborhood Claim Context
Baltimore Traffic Fault and Roadway Disputes
When an insurance company unfairly denies your claim, the next step matters.
- Baltimore Personal Injury Trial Lawyer
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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.
