Baltimore City Personal Injury Lawyer
Injury Attorneys Committed to Helping Baltimore Residents
As the largest city in Maryland and a major metropolitan center, Baltimore is home to a large population of dynamic residents and businesses. It features the second-largest seaport in the Mid-Atlantic United States and several universities and research centers, including Johns Hopkins University. Nearly one-fourth of the jobs in the city are in the fields of science, technology, math, and engineering. It is carved into several districts and referred to by many as a city of neighborhoods. If you or someone you know has been hurt in the Baltimore area, the injury lawyers at Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers can help.
Establishing Liability in a Negligence Case
Accidents can occur in a wide variety of situations, including car, truck, and motorcycle collisions, as well as medical malpractice. Regardless of the situation or the extent of an injury, it can create substantial stress and complications for a victim and his or her family. If you or someone you know has been hurt in an accident, you may be entitled to compensation.
To recover damages for your injuries, you must establish that the defendant acted negligently and that the defendant’s negligence was the direct cause of your harm. A negligence claim includes four elements: duty, breach, causation, and damages. In most typical situations, each of us has a duty to act with the same ordinary care and skill that a reasonably prudent person would use in a similar situation. On the other hand, in a medical malpractice case, the duty of care requires a physician to treat each patient according to the practices and procedures that are utilized by other medical professionals in good standing within the same geographic area and specialty when treating patients who have a similar condition. The second element of negligence requires the victim to prove that the defendant failed to act according to the duty of care, resulting in a breach.
Next, the plaintiff must show that the defendant’s breach was the direct cause of his or her injuries, and that the harm was foreseeable. Finally, the victim must provide evidence of the damages that he or she suffered. This often includes items like receipts, medical records and bills, and previous paychecks or paystubs. Types of damages that are available to individuals in personal injury actions may extend to medical expenses, physical therapy, loss of income, loss of future earning capacity, property damage, and pain and suffering.
In some situations, a victim’s spouse or close family member may be able to bring a claim for loss of consortium. This cause of action recognizes the loss of love, companionship, and support that the family member will suffer as a result of the victim’s injuries. If you have been involved in an accident, it is critical that you see a medical professional as soon as possible to determine and document the nature and extent of your injuries.
In the Wake of a Serious Maryland Traffic Accident
Thousands of people are needlessly injured and hundreds are killed every year on Maryland roadways due, in many instances, to the reckless actions of another driver. At Lebowitz & Mzhen, LLC, we understand how the emotional shock of being an unwilling victim is overshadowed, many times, by the bodily injuries combined with enormous financial burdens often associated with extended medical treatment and physical recovery.
Different kinds of traffic accidents pose varying risks to drivers and passengers in the affected motor vehicles, the kind of collision also presents its own challenges for victims and their attorneys when proving fault. For example, a chain reaction traffic accident, in which more than one vehicle is involved, can make it difficult to determine which driver was to blame for which injuries. Similarly, hit-and-run accidents can leave an injured party without a defendant against whom he or she can claim damages. In such instances, the injured party may be forced to seek compensation from his or her insurance company assuming coverage was included for uninsured/underinsured motorists.
When you are involved in a car accident, the best thing you can do for yourself — aside from seeking medical attention if needed — is to try to gather detailed evidence that can prove the other driver breached his “duty of care” toward you and any other victims. This evidence may include photographs or videos from the accident scene, statements from witnesses and other motorists who may have seen the crash firsthand. If you could not collect any evidence at the scene, often because you were too badly hurt and needed to be transported to a local emergency room, the police accident report filed by the responding officer can be invaluable in your quest for compensation down the line.
Baltimore Auto Accident Attorney
Following a traffic collision in the Baltimore area, it is very important to be aware of your rights under the laws of the State of Maryland. When it comes to car accidents, you may already know that Maryland is known as an “at-fault” state when determining financial liability for any harm caused. Typically, the motorist who police determine is legally to blame for the collision is responsible for the monetary costs of physical injuries and damage to property.
What this generally means is that auto accident victims have the right to file a claim against the party who authorities find is responsible for causing that particular accident. The at-fault driver must then pay financial damages, which typically is paid by the at-fault motorist’s automobile insurance company, assuming he or she has a liability policy.
At Lebowitz & Mzhen, LLC, our legal team is well versed in pursuing personal injury claims for car, truck and motorcycle accident victims. Our experienced Baltimore car accident attorneys have the legal training and litigation experience to help you and your family recover the monetary compensation you deserve under Maryland law.
As an accident victim, in order to recover damages following a traffic collision in Baltimore, not only must you show that the other driver was at fault, but you should also be prepared to show that your own actions at the time of the crash did not contribute to the accident. If the court finds that, even as the victim of an automobile accident, you had made an error in judgment, failed to take the necessary action, or even had a brief lapse of concentration, such as when taking on the phone, you could lose your case.
Because determining fault is a very important aspect of any Maryland personal injury claim, locating the police report covering the traffic accident in which you were hurt should be of primary concern. Potential monetary damages resulting from a serious traffic accident can be quite significant, which makes the responding police officer’s accident report a key piece of evidence in any auto injury accident case.
Finding a Police Report for a Car Accident in Baltimore, MD
For individuals who are involved in a car, truck or motorcycle injury accident in the Baltimore area, finding a police report for that accident can be as easy as going to https://policereports.lexisnexis.com//search/
When requesting a Baltimore traffic accident report, you will need to enter the state and jurisdiction in which the automobile accident occurred. Then you will have to enter information for at least one of the following:
- Police report number
- Last name of the involved party AND the incident date
- Last name of the involved party AND street(s) on which the Incident occurred
Consult an Experienced Baltimore Lawyer after an Accident
The attorneys at Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers, know just how difficult a car accident or another devastating event can be for Baltimore residents. While you are focusing on your recovery, the last thing you should worry about is navigating the legal process alone. Our team of professionals is standing by and ready to help you evaluate your options today. Call us at (800) 654-1949 or contact us online to set up a time for a free, no-obligation consultation.