Timonium Car Accident Attorney
According to the Maryland Department of Transportation, 108,656 car accidents occurred in Maryland in 2021. That is below the five-year average that dates back to 2017, but it still represents a significant increase from the year prior. With car accidents on the rise in Baltimore County, we need to be more vigilant whenever we are on the road.
Working with a top rated car accident attorney in Timonium from Leppler Injury Law is in your best interest. Call John Leppler at 443-955-1989 or fill out the contact form on our website. John is 100% committed to assisting car accident injury victims, is open now and also offers online appointments.
Negligence in Timonium Car Crash Injury Claims
Negligence is a key factor in any auto accident claim in Lutherville-Timonium. Negligence is simple terms means that one of the parties involved in the crash neglected their duty of care, which led directly to the injury or accident. This section details the common examples of negligence which Timonium car accident attorney John Leppler regularly sees that can lead to disastrous car crashes.
- Intoxicated Driving – In 2021, intoxicated drivers caused a total of 6,522 car crashes. Furthermore, 173 people died from injuries they sustained from those terrible accidents. Driving under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol is the epitome of being negligent on the road. The people who engage in that kind of activity have little to no regard for their safety and everyone else’s safety around them. Simply put, they do not belong on Maryland roads.
- Distracted Driving – Distracted driving is not discussed enough, considering the danger it presents. When someone is not concentrating on the road while driving, it is easy for them to rear-end a nearby vehicle. Crashes fueled by distracted driving are remarkably common. The Maryland Department of Transportation recorded 50,882 distracted driver crashes in 2021. Unfortunately, those accidents also led to the tragic deaths of 222 people.
- Aggressive Driving – Aggressive driving can include everything from speeding to disregarding traffic signs. In addition, motorists who fail to yield the right of way also engage in aggressive driving. Furthermore, 11,211 car accidents in Maryland in 2021 were by aggressive drivers, and 129 people died because of the accidents caused by those reckless motorists.
Can I Handle My Own Car Accident Case in Timonium, Maryland?
Ask anyone who has had to deal with the aftermath of a car accident before, and they will tell you that hiring a Timonium car accident lawyer is one of the most important things you must do. It is something you need to do as opposed to a mere option you can consider. Why is hiring an attorney so important in that scenario? The reasons provided below should sufficiently answer that question.
You May Not Be Able to Handle Your Own Case
Common injuries victims sustain following car accidents include broken bones, damaged organs, and concussions. Even if you want to handle your Lutherville-Timonium personal injury case solo, you may be in no condition to do so, given your injuries. Instead of taking on that nearly impossible task by yourself, enlist the services of an attorney and let them take the lead. Pitch in when you can but focus on your recovery.
Your Lawyer Can Investigate Your Accident
Considering how the courts handle personal injury claims in Maryland, you do not want your case to devolve into an affair primarily directed by hearsay. Instead, you want to bolster your claims using evidence to improve your chances of claiming compensation. Attorneys can conduct investigations on your behalf. They can look into your case and provide proof that the defendant receives all blame for what happened.
Your Lawyer Can Prevent You from Making Costly Mistakes
The state of Maryland follows the rule of contributory negligence. Because the rule of contributory negligence is in effect, a plaintiff in a car crash lawsuit can miss out on compensation if they bear even 1% of the blame for an accident. Considering the low bar for disqualifying plaintiffs, you cannot afford to make any mistakes while pursuing your claim. Your Timonium car accident lawyer should handle all dealings with the other side so you can avoid making a costly mistake.
Your Lawyer Can Keep You on Schedule
Individuals planning to pursue accident or injury claims in Timonium, Maryland, have three years to complete their filings. A plaintiff specifically has three years from the date of their accident to act if they want to sue the party responsible for what happened. Plenty of time may pass without you filing anything because you had to recover and collect evidence first. Before you know it, you may already be brushing up against the three-year deadline. Avoid exceeding that deadline by letting your lawyer handle the filing.
Types of Auto Accident Cases in Timonium That Leppler’s Injury Law Firm Handles
Our Injury Law firmly believes that we are the best choice if you are looking for a car accident attorney in Timonium, Maryland. Our extensive experience in handling car accident cases allows us to provide great services to all our Maryland-based clients. Examples of the car accident cases we frequently handle are in this section of the article.
Head-On Collisions – Head-on collisions place the involved motorists in great peril. Even though there are airbags and other features designed to keep drivers safe during an accident, they may not do enough to mitigate the force generated during a head-on collision. You may need a fatal car accident attorney if your loved one was involved in a head-on collision. Hopefully, you will never deal with that kind of situation. Still, it is a possibility we cannot dismiss when talking about head-on car crashes.
Wrong Way Accidents – Many head-on collisions stem from drivers moving in opposite directions while traversing the same road. Those are also known as wrong-way accidents. Intoxicated and distracted drivers are more likely to drift away from their designated lanes and crash into other motorists minding their own business. Wrong-way accidents are also likelier to occur when visibility is poor.
T-Bone Accidents – These types of crashes are extremely deadly, especially if they happen to you at high speeds. Since only the car door prevents you or your passengers from feeling the full force of the crash in many cases these lead to very serious injuries.
Rear-End Accidents – Many victims of rear-end car accidents end up suffering whiplash injuries. That s because the force originating from the back of the vehicle can cause the driver’s head and neck to whip back and forth violently. Rear-end accidents are often less severe than some of the other accidents we have detailed here, but they are damaging all the same. Hire an auto accident lawyer if you wish to hold another party responsible for causing your rear-end accident.
Distracted Driver Accidents – Distractions on the road may include your smartphone, food, and even the loud music you are playing. You should never underestimate the impact those things can have on your concentration. Anything that can pull your attention away from the road is a hazard, and you must keep them away from you.
Fatal Car Accidents – The victim does not file a personal injury lawsuit when a fatal car accident occurs. Instead, that responsibility falls to the decedent’s surviving relatives. You must also file a wrongful death lawsuit in that scenario. Work closely with a fatal car accident lawyer if you intend to file a wrongful death claim. They can guide you throughout that process to ensure that your claim will be deemed valid by the court.
Hit and Run Accidents – Pursuing a personal injury claim following a hit and run accident can be difficult because the identity of your assailant is unknown. You need to hope that the assailant’s identity becomes discovered during the investigation, or you may need to use your insurance to pay for your expenses.
In either case, the services of an auto accident attorney can prove incredibly helpful. They can investigate the case and attempt to track down the driver who caused your accident or deal with your insurer so you can successfully file a claim.
Taxi Accidents – You should also consider filing a lawsuit if you are involved in an accident while using public transportation. Consider seeking compensation from Lyft, Uber, or Timonium taxi companies such as Jimmy’s Cab, All-Star Taxi, and Express Sedan if their drivers were responsible for your mishap.
Settlement Values in Auto Accident Claims
If a car crash only causes property damage, settlement values tend to be lower than if they had caused significant or serious injuries. An accident with no injury often falls into the range of $4256, but it could be more or less than that depending on the circumstances. As we mentioned, unsurprisingly, settlements in accidents that cause bodily injury are often higher. You can realistically expect a settlement offer closer to $21,003 if you become hurt in the accident.
Plaintiffs should know that those are only the average settlement amounts. The payout you get could ultimately end up pretty far from that. Key factors that will affect the value of your accident settlement include the losses you sustained and the defendant’s ability to pay.
Victims who suffer severe injuries are more likely to take home hefty payouts. That outcome is especially likely if you sustained an injury that requires long-term care.
Some defendants may have enough resources to pay for your losses out of pocket, while others can lean on their insurance. Others cannot provide any payout at all.
Local laws can also greatly affect settlement offers. For example, if the evidence suggests that you are partially to blame for the accident, you could miss out on compensation entirely.
Do You Need to Call the Police after a Minor Car Accident in Timonium, Maryland?
The natural inclination for most of us is not to be particularly excited about calling the Timonium police when the extent of the damage to our car is a little ding on the back somewhere. So you may agree not to get police involved as long as the other driver agrees to pay for the damage. But is that kind of arrangement even legal? In the state of Maryland, motorists must notify the police if certain conditions are met. Those conditions include:
- A vehicle sustaining enough damage that it cannot be moved safely
- Someone ends up injured
The involvement of an intoxicated driver
- The involvement of an unlicensed driver
- The involvement of a driver attempting to flee the accident site without sharing their information first
- Public property sustaining damage
If all of those conditions do not exist in your particular accident, you can bypass law enforcement and settle things directly with the other driver.
Lutherville-Timonium
Timonium is a suburb of Maryland best known for its homey atmosphere. If you decide to move there, you will join a tight-knit community with members that look out for one another.
The idea of moving to Timonium also appeals to many people because it is a place packed with highly regarded schools. Many young parents regard Timonium as a dream destination because they know their children will benefit greatly from the schools there. The cost of living in Timonium is on the high side, but the quality of life its residents enjoy is also top-rated. As a result, it is an ideal long-term home for anyone who wants to settle down.
Some resources available if your automobile has been damaged to consider include:
Tyre’s Auto Repair – 1955 Greenspring Dr, Timonium, MD 21093
Prestige Automotive – 200 W Padonia Rd unit d, Timonium, MD 21093
Ridgely Auto Care Center – 19 W Ridgely Rd, Timonium, MD 21093
Collision Concierge – 10909 Falls Rd, Timonium, MD 21093
Knowledgeable Auto Accident Law Firm in Timonium
Reach out to top rated Timonium car accident lawyer John Leppler at 443-955-1989 today. John is always eager to lend his legal expertise, so please feel free to contact us!
Locations near Timonium which John serves include Baltimore, Towson, Pikesville, Owings Mills, Parkville, Glen Burnie, Dundalk, Catonsville, Essex, Randallstown, and more.