Glen Burnie Wrongful Death Attorney

If you’re researching wrongful death claims, it’s likely because you’ve lost a loved one due to another party’s negligence. In this situation, an experienced Glen Burnie wrongful death lawyer may be able to help you recover compensation.

We recognize that no amount of money can bring back your loved one or make up for their loss.

A wrongful death lawsuit in Glen Burnie, Maryland, isn’t meant to replace your loved one but rather to help hold the responsible party accountable and give you and your family the support you need while you grieve. It may also help alleviate the burden of your loved one’s burial and funeral expenses, as well as any medical bills they incurred before their death.

John Leppler has years of experience helping families seek justice for lost loved ones. Leppler Injury Law works on a contingency basis, meaning you’ll only pay legal fees if we recover compensation for you.

Losing a loved one is a profound tragedy — even more so when their death was the direct result of another person’s recklessness or negligence. Call Leppler Injury Law today at (443) 955-1989 for a free consultation with compassionate Glen Burnie wrongful death attorney John Leppler.

Suing for Wrongful Death in Maryland

Maryland’s wrongful death statute allows a victim’s surviving family members to pursue compensation for the various impacts of their loss. However, the law restricts who can file a wrongful death suit. In most cases, there are only three parties who may benefit:

The deceased’s spouse
The deceased’s parents
The deceased’s children

What happens if the deceased individual has no surviving spouse, parents, or children? Under these instances, someone else may be able to seek compensation — but not always.

If your deceased loved one has no spouse, parent, or child who could benefit from a wrongful death lawsuit, a Glen Burnie wrongful death lawyer can help determine whether you or another close family member have the right to file a lawsuit on their behalf.

It’s important to note that a wrongful death lawsuit isn’t the same thing as a survival action. Both are legal actions stemming from the loss of a loved one, but they effectively benefit different parties.

A wrongful death lawsuit serves to compensate the family of the accident victim. However, Maryland law is somewhat unique in that personal injury claims don’t die with the victim.

A survival action is a tort claim that “survives” after the deceased’s death. In this way, it functions like a personal injury lawsuit filed on behalf of the deceased.

Any compensation collected is intended to reflect the damages the victim might have recovered had they not lost their life in the accident. A representative of the deceased’s estate must file the lawsuit, and any compensation recovered goes to the deceased’s estate.

Who Can Be Held Liable When an Accident Results in a Fatality?

Depending on the circumstances of your loved one’s death, one or more parties may be responsible for their loss. For example, if your loved one was struck and killed by a vehicle while crossing the street, the driver is likely the sole liable party.

In some cases, however — like if your loved one was killed by another employee while performing job-related duties — the concept of vicarious liability may come into play. Vicarious liability is when one party (such as an employer) is held responsible for the actions of one of its agents (such as an employee).

Determining liability is easier in some cases than in others. When you hire John Leppler, he will identify all liable parties to ensure that each one is held accountable for their role in your loved one’s death.

To win a wrongful death lawsuit, your attorney must be able to prove that the at-fault party acted negligently. Many people use the term “negligent” to mean “careless,” but in the legal realm, the definition of negligence is much more specific.

Your Glen Burnie personal injury lawyer must be able to prove the following four elements of negligence:

The at-fault party owed the deceased a duty of care
They breached that duty
Their breach of duty directly caused the deceased’s death
The surviving family members suffered compensable losses

Here’s a closer look at each element and what proving it entails:

The At-Fault Party Owed the Deceased a Duty of Care

A duty of care is a legal obligation to act in a way that reduces the risk of harm to a particular party.

Within the context of your case, the exact nature of the duty depends on the circumstances of your loved one’s death. For example, other drivers on the road have an obligation to follow traffic laws, remain focused and alert, and do what they can to avoid collisions.

They Breached That Duty

When someone breaches a duty of care, it means they’ve violated it. For example, in the event of a car accident, your lawyer might be able to prove that the responsible driver violated their duty of care by failing to stop at a red light.

Their Breach of Duty Directly Caused the Deceased’s Death

Your attorney also must be able to demonstrate direct causation. This means that if not for the at-fault party’s negligence, your loved one’s death wouldn’t have happened.

The Surviving Family Members Suffered Compensable Losses

In the legal world, the term “damages” refers to monetary compensation for the impacts of an accident or injury. To win your case, your lawyer must demonstrate that your loved one’s death resulted in certain types of losses, which might include the following:

Funeral and burial costs
Loss of income
Loss of employment benefits
Medical bills before death
Pain and suffering experienced as a result of your loved one’s death

Wrongful death lawyers understand how to gather the evidence needed to substantiate your claim. If you’re considering filing a wrongful death lawsuit, it’s a good idea to keep a record of any and all expenses related to your loved one’s death.

Types of Wrongful Death Claims Leppler Injury Law Handles

There are countless ways a wrongful death can occur. Whether your loved one was hit by a reckless driver, had an accident on an unsafe property, or was the victim of an incompetent doctor, you deserve to be represented by a skilled wrongful death lawyer who can help you secure fair compensation.

Leppler Injury Law assists clients with many different types of wrongful death claims, including those arising from:

If you don’t see the specific circumstances of your loved one’s death listed above, don’t hesitate to reach out for a personalized case evaluation.

Shared Fault in Accidental Death Claims in Maryland

In some accidents, one party is clearly at fault. For example, suppose that someone is killed in a pedestrian accident in which a vehicle drives over the curb and strikes them. In this case, the driver would almost certainly be the only responsible party.

In other cases, multiple parties could share fault, although one may be more to blame than the other. For instance, imagine that someone runs a red light and strikes another driver’s vehicle — but the second driver was speeding at the time. In this case, the second driver might be 10% at fault, while the first driver bears 90% of the liability.

In states that use any of the various forms of comparative negligence, you would still be able to recover compensation for an accident for which your loved one bore partial responsibility, though your total compensation would be reduced by their percentage of fault.

Unfortunately, Maryland is one of the few states that has a contributory negligence standard. This means that if an accident victim contributed to the accident in any way, they’re barred from obtaining compensation. Theoretically, someone could be just 1% at fault for their accident and still wouldn’t be allowed to recover any damages.

It’s worth noting that who’s at fault for an accident can be somewhat subjective.

If your loved one was unjustly determined to be partially liable for their accident, your lawyer may be able to challenge that determination in court. If the court rules that there was no contributory negligence on your loved one’s part, you can then proceed with a wrongful death lawsuit.

Damages in Maryland Wrongful Death Claims

If your wrongful death case is successful, you’ll be able to recover compensation for the losses you’ve suffered. Broadly speaking, damages fall into two categories:

Economic damages are designed to offset financial losses
Non-economic damages acknowledge intangible, non-financial losses

Common economic damages in wrongful death cases include funeral and burial expenses, medical expenses incurred before the death, and loss of financial support.

Non-economic damages, meanwhile, may include loss of companionship, loss of parental guidance (if the deceased had minor children), and suffering experienced by the surviving family members.

Like some other states, Maryland sets caps on certain kinds of damages. In wrongful death cases, there’s a cap on non-economic damages that increases by $15,000 each year. For 2025, the cap is $950,000.

If two or more surviving family members are filing the suit, the cap is set at 150% of the cap for a single claimant. As such, the cap for 2025 is $1,425,000 for wrongful death cases with more than one claimant.

If your loved one’s death arose from medical malpractice, the rules are slightly different.

In Maryland, the cap on non-economic damages for wrongful death cases related to malpractice also goes up by $15,000 each year. For 2025, the cap is $905,000. If there are two or more claimants, the cap is set at 125% of the normal cap. Consequently, the cap is $1,131,250 for 2025.

Notably, Maryland doesn’t set a cap on economic damages. This ensures that your family will receive compensation for all financial losses stemming from your loved one’s death.

Maryland Statute of Limitations for Accidents Involving a Fatality

If you’ve recently lost a loved one to someone else’s negligence, hiring a Glen Burnie wrongful death lawyer may not be the first thing on your mind. While it’s not necessary to file a claim immediately, you should be mindful of the state’s statute of limitations for personal injury claims to make sure you have enough time to act when you’re ready.

The statute of limitations is essentially a deadline to take legal action. If you file a claim or lawsuit after the statute of limitations has passed, you likely won’t be able to recover compensation.

In Maryland, the statute of limitations for a wrongful death claim is three years. Critically, the countdown starts on the date of your loved one’s death, not on the date of the wrongful action that caused their death.

For example, imagine that someone gets seriously hurt in a car accident caused by a distracted driver. They spend a month in the hospital before succumbing to their injuries. When determining the statute of limitations, the surviving relatives would count three years from the date of the death rather than the date of the accident.

While understanding the statute of limitations is essential, you shouldn’t wait until it’s just around the corner to talk to a wrongful death lawyer. When you hire an attorney, they’ll need time to thoroughly investigate the accident and build a strong case against the responsible party.

The longer you can give your lawyer to work on the case, the more likely you are to see a positive result.

Consult With Glen Burnie Personal Injury Attorney John Leppler Today

If you require the services of a Glen Burnie wrongful death attorney, you shouldn’t just go with the first lawyer you find. The right attorney will have a genuine concern for you and your family and fight to obtain the comprehensive compensation you need.

Attorney John Leppler advocates for his clients as if they were his own family members. To ensure that each client’s case is the strongest it can be, he purposefully maintains a limited caseload and encourages clients to reach out directly with any questions they may have.

If you’re struggling after the negligence-related death of a loved one, you deserve dedicated legal representation. Contact Leppler Injury Law today to schedule your free initial consultation.

Locations near Glen Burnie John Leppler serves include Towson, Baltimore, Lutherville-Timonium, Owings Mills, Pikesville, Parkville, and more.