Fighting for the Justice of Personal Injury Victims in Baltimore, MD
For 70 years, our committed legal team has fought for the rights of the injured across Maryland and recovered more than $1 billion in damages and owed compensation. If you were injured in an accident caused by someone else’s negligence, you have the right to take legal action in the form of a personal injury lawsuit, and the legal team at Ashcraft & Gerel is here to help.
Our personal injury attorneys in Baltimore, MD, offer compassionate, personalized, and aggressive legal representation, and we never charge a fee unless we recover compensation on your behalf.
- 120 East Baltimore Street, Suite 1802 Baltimore, MD 21202
- 410-346-3983
Why Hire an Attorney for Your Injury Case?
The majority of accidents that happen in Maryland every day are caused by negligence. Someone’s actions (or inaction) resulted in your injury, and their duty of care was broken, causing you and your family a lot of pain and suffering.
Treatment for your serious injuries can come with a heavy financial and emotional cost, and you may lose wages because of the time off needed to recover. Not to mention, that some injuries can leave you permanently disabled with lifelong pain.
The good news is that Maryland law allows you to hold the negligent party responsible for your damages accountable. By hiring a qualified attorney for your personal injury case, like those at Ashcraft & Gerel, you can focus on healing and improving while your attorney focuses on the complex legal issues and process for your injury case.
When Should You Contact an Injury Lawyer in Baltimore?
You should contact a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible after your accident. Your health comes first, so after an accident occurs, be sure to take stock of your injuries, and go to the hospital.After you’ve focused on your health and safety post-accident, then you should contact a lawyer for a free consultation when you have a presence of mind.
Do You Have a Personal Injury Case?
To qualify as a personal injury case, your injury must have been caused by another person or group of people. The responsible party must have owed you a duty of care and an obligation to keep you safe, and failed to do so, causing the injury. Additionally, you need to have suffered losses — through physical injury, financial loss, emotional distress, and so on.
Maryland adheres to the doctrine of contributory negligence. This means that the negligent party needs to be 100% responsible for the accident to be considered a personal injury for you, the defendant. If you are even 1% responsible, you may not be able to claim compensation from the responsible party. A personal injury attorney can help you gather and evaluate the details to determine whether or not you can pursue a personal injury case.
Can You Afford a Personal Injury Lawyer in Baltimore?
One of the biggest constraints in seeking proper legal help is the perceived total cost involved, specifically related to lawyer fees. At Ashcraft & Gerel, fees don’t need to be paid upfront or paid by the hour. In fact, we work on a contingency fee basis, meaning that unless your lawyer recovers compensation on your behalf, you owe nothing.
If you do win your case and your lawyer recovers compensation for you, our fees are paid as a percentage of your recovery.
CLIENT TESTIMONIALS
Our Clients Come First. Always.
“The money you gained from working with me doesn’t equate to the benefit and guidance Michael Lind provided in helping me through this matter, not be mention the time you devoted to my case. You could have easily walked away…”
- Donald W.“I wanted to pass along a compliment and a very sincere acknowledgement to Ms. J. Porter. After speaking to her for the first time, I felt very comfortable and appreciated how she made feel understood. She took her time explaining…”
- Charles B.“Ashcraft & Gerel represented me after I was involved in an automobile accident while driving in Baltimore County, MD. While wondering what to do and who would best represent my interest this law firm was recommended to me. Everyone I…”
- A Former ClientWho Is Liable in Your Injury Case?
Maryland follows contributory negligence. If you are even 1% responsible for your accident or injury, you may not have a valid injury case, and you may not be entitled to any compensation for your damages. The other party or parties must be 100% responsible.
Anyone who was directly or indirectly involved in the accident may be held liable in a personal injury case.
What Damages Can You Collect in a Personal Injury Case in Baltimore?
In Maryland you can collect economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages are physical things like property damage, or bodily harm and lost wages — things you can add a dollar value to. Non-economic damages are more abstract, emotional and mental damages like anguish, loss of enjoyment or happiness, and pain and suffering.
You can also collect punitive damages in cases where gross negligence is involved. These are damages meant to punish the responsible party for their failure in duty of care towards you, and serves to discourage the responsible party from doing something like this again.
How Is the Value of Damages Determined for Your Claim?
The value of damages is determined differently for each case, because it’s dependent on many changing and unique factors. The court takes all evidence into consideration, including things like medical bills, described suffering and anguish, lost wages, and other listed damages in order to make their decision on the value. Local Baltimore and Maryland laws also affect the total value.
Our attorneys at Ashcraft & Gerel may be able to give you a rough estimate of damages value after learning more about your specific case.
What Evidence Is Needed for a Personal Injury Claim in Baltimore?
The more valid evidence you can gather, the stronger the case we can build. Maryland requires you to provide multiple pieces of physical evidence and testimonials from parties involved and bystanders. This evidence includes:
- Photos and videos from the scene of the accident.
- Official records, including police reports and medical records.
- Testimonials from all parties involved.
- Testimonials from bystanders who witnessed the accident.
- Proof of duty of care, breach of that duty, how the accident was caused, and the requested damages.
- Pay stubs to indicate lost or reduced wages.
- Safety reports.
- Inspection and maintenance logs.
What Is the Process for Starting Your Baltimore Personal Injury Case?
The process starts with a free consultation. We encourage you to meet with a personal injury lawyer here at Ashcraft & Gerel as you start your personal case process. Once you choose an attorney based on their expertise, past successes, and their fee model, the next step is for your attorney to gather crucial evidence, acquire medical records, and identify all potential at-fault parties.
Your attorney will then construct a comprehensive account of the accident, the associated liability, and file your personal injury claim with the responsible party’s insurance company requesting damages. After reviewing the Demand Package, the insurance company usually counters with a settlement offer and your attorney will negotiate on your behalf if needed. If an agreeable settlement is reached, the terms are outlined and finalized. If not, a lawsuit might be the next step, and your attorney will help you file a lawsuit against the responsible party.
Why Ashcraft & Gerel Might Not Take Your Baltimore Personal Injury Case
Sometimes, you may encounter an attorney who is not willing to take your case. You can always ask attorneys to share their reasoning with you. More often than not, cases aren’t taken because there isn’t sufficient evidence, no significant injuries were sustained, or because it’s clear you contributed to the cause of your injury, which in the case of Baltimore makes you ineligible to receive a settlement.
Another reason your attorney may not be able to take your case is if they have a conflict of interest, for example if they have represented the negligent party in your case at another time. Additionally, lawyers may not take your case if the statute of limitations in Maryland has expired and you have lost your legal right to file a lawsuit against the other party. Lastly, if your case falls outside the geographic jurisdiction in which our attorneys can practice, we may not be able to represent you due to Jurisdictional Boundaries.
What Can You Do To Protect the Value of Your Personal Injury Case?
Ensuring that you receive the fair compensation you deserve after an injury involves taking proactive measures from the onset. Preserving and collecting all evidence is the key to protecting the value of your personal injury case. If you delay or neglect to go see a doctor following the accident, or if you don’t adhere to your treatment plan, it may appear to the court that your injuries were not severe or legitimate.
Keeping records of all of your medical expenses and lost wages will back up the value of the damages you requested. Additionally, it’s important to exercise caution and avoid immediately accepting the first offer from insurance adjusters without proper review. Gain insights and guidance through the process by seeking professional advice from an attorney to avoid pitfalls.
By actively following these steps, you fortify your case’s foundation. The attorneys at Ashcraft & Gerel are here to provide you expert guidance and representation.
What Are Your Legal Options With an Uninsured, Negligent Party in Baltimore?
If the responsible party is uninsured or has poor insurance, filing a lawsuit may not be worth the effort it will take. That’s because even if you win your case, there wouldn’t be any other source of money and you are unlikely to receive any compensation for your damages.
Maryland is an at-fault state, meaning that injured parties must pursue their claim against the responsible party’s insurance company. If they are uninsured, you may have the option to file the claim with your own insurance company, but this is not guaranteed to work.
What Should You Expect From Ashcraft & Gerel During Your Case?
Our personal injury lawyers at Ashcraft & Gerel have served the community for 70 years, and we bring that level of expertise and depth of knowledge to the table for every new client. We handle everything for you, from gathering the evidence and interviewing eyewitnesses to following up on your claim with insurance companies and representing you in court. We do all the legal work for you so you can focus on getting healthier.
Get Started With Our Personal Injury Lawyers in Baltimore, MD Today
Our personal injury law firm handles a wide variety of cases, but they all have one thing in common — whether the case is big or small, our attorneys fight for our clients as if they were family. We will work tirelessly to help you find a positive solution to the legal matter at hand.
If you were recently injured because of someone else’s negligence in Baltimore, sign up for your free case review today. We’ll listen to your story and concerns, provide you with recommendations for next steps, and guide you every step of the way.
We will stand by you and vouch for you.You’re in good hands with Ashcraft & Gerel. Contact us online or call 410-346-3983 to request a free consultation with the team.
Our Baltimore Personal Injury Lawyer Team
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