Accidents & Injuries in Maryland

Maryland Code, Courts and Judicial Proceedings Section 5-101 provides a three-year statute of limitations for personal injury claims. Claims against government entities require a notice of claim under Maryland Government Article 12-106 within one year. For local government claims, the Local Government Tort Claims Act (LGTCA) requires notice within 180 days. Missing these government notice deadlines can permanently bar your claim.

Yes. Maryland retains the traditional contributory negligence doctrine. If a jury finds that you were even 1% at fault for the accident, you may be completely barred from recovering any damages. This is one of the most restrictive fault rules in the country. Maryland courts have occasionally recognized limited exceptions through the doctrine of "last clear chance," but contributory negligence remains the general rule and a major factor in evaluating Maryland accident claims.

Maryland does not impose a general cap on compensatory damages in most personal injury accident cases. However, government entity claims may be subject to caps under the Maryland Local Government Tort Claims Act and State Government Tort Claims Act. Medical malpractice non-economic damages are capped separately under Maryland Courts and Judicial Proceedings Section 3-2A-09.

No. Maryland is a traditional tort (fault-based) state. The at-fault driver's liability insurance compensates injured parties. Maryland does not require mandatory personal injury protection (PIP) coverage, though optional PIP (medical payments) coverage is available. Maryland does require uninsured motorist coverage.