Tanya is a former corporate lawyer turned copywriter and legal content writer. Through her writing, she aims to make the legal world less intimidating and more relatable. When she's not working, you can find her exploring random topics on the internet or reading fiction and books on human psychology.
Tanya Shrivastava
Tanya is a former corporate lawyer turned copywriter and legal content writer. Through her writing, she aims to make the legal world less intimidating and more relatable. When she's not working, you can find her exploring random topics on the internet or reading fiction and books on human psychology.
Adam has resided at the intersection of legal and journalism for two decades. An award-winning journalist and legal strategist, he’s covered high-profile trials in Florida.
After law school, Adam and spent two years clerking for a U.S. District Court judge. He researched and wrote legal precedent in published opinions on behalf of the Court.
He has been an editor, columnist and journalist at the Miami Herald, The Dallas Morning News, The Oregonian, Golf Digest, FindLaw.com and other media outlets.
He lived in Colombia and Argentina teaching legal English to attorneys and law students. He is also a Spanish-language subject matter expert.
An avid waterman, he surfs and scuba dives frequently.
Reviewed
Adam Ramirez, J.D.
Adam has resided at the intersection of legal and journalism for two decades. An award-winning journalist and legal strategist, he’s covered high-profile trials in Florida.
After law school, Adam and spent two years clerking for a U.S. District Court judge. He researched and wrote legal precedent in published opinions on behalf of the Court.
He has been an editor, columnist and journalist at the Miami Herald, The Dallas Morning News, The Oregonian, Golf Digest, FindLaw.com and other media outlets.
He lived in Colombia and Argentina teaching legal English to attorneys and law students. He is also a Spanish-language subject matter expert.
An avid waterman, he surfs and scuba dives frequently.
Editorial Note: We earn a commission from partner links on Forbes Advisor. Commissions do not affect our editors' opinions or evaluations.
Baltimore is a wonderful city with beautiful harbors, forts, stadiums and a wide variety of museums. Its lively and inviting culture is the reason why it is the most populated city in Maryland. Unfortunately, the huge population means more vehicles on the roads, increased construction work, a higher number of pets and crowded hospital facilities—basically, more chances of getting injured.
But living in Baltimore comes with the additional perk of having access to some of the nation’s most popular lawyers living in the city. We have prepared a list of the best personal injury lawyers in Baltimore and a short guide to help you choose the perfect one if you are ever hurt by someone’s negligence.
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Best Personal Injury Attorneys in Baltimore
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Filing a Personal Injury Lawsuit in Maryland
Personal injury is a vast area of law with different situations requiring the implementation of completely distinct sets of laws. Therefore, if you ever need to file a lawsuit, you should reach out to a personal injury lawyer in Baltimore who understands the laws applicable to your particular case. Here is a small guide to help you understand the fundamentals of personal injury laws.
Maryland Statute of Limitations
In Maryland, the statute of limitations for filing a personal injury lawsuit is three years from the date on which the cause of action arose. So, if you are in an accident in Baltimore, the clock starts ticking from the date of the accident. But if a person dies after the accident, the statute of limitations is three years from the date of the death and not the date of the accident. If you do not file a lawsuit before then, your case will be dismissed.
If any government entity or employee is a defendant in your personal injury case, you will need to provide a notice of the claim to the entity within one year of the injury. This notice period shrinks to six months for claims filed against local government entities like Baltimore City. If you fail to send a notice during the prescribed time, you will not be allowed to file a lawsuit against the government.
In medical malpractice cases, the victims have a slightly longer statute of limitations if the injury is not detected right away. You may file a lawsuit within three years from the date of the discovery of the injury. But in any case, you cannot delay it further than five years from the date of the occurrence of the injury.
Maryland Personal Injury Damage Caps
Maryland law does not apply any cap on economic damages in personal injury cases. This means you can recover the full amount for your medical care, income losses, property damage and every other economic loss caused by the negligence of the defendants.
But the state law has placed caps on non-economic damages like pain, suffering, inconvenience, physical impairment, etc. Your Baltimore personal injury lawyer can help you determine the value you are entitled to claim as non-economic damages, but here are the caps that will be applied to the final claim amount in 2023.
- Non-Medical Malpractice Personal Injuries. The cap for personal injury cases other than a medical malpractice suit is $920,000. This value increases every year by $15,000 and will be $935,000 from October 1, 2023.
- Non-Medical Malpractice Wrongful Death. The current cap on wrongful death caused by negligence other than medical malpractice is $1.38 million. It increases every year too and will be $1.40 million from October 1, 2023.
- Medical Malpractice Personal Injuries. The current cap on non-economic damages in these cases is $875,000. The value increases slightly at the beginning of every year.
- Medical Malpractice Wrongful Death. The non-economic damages cap for medical malpractice causing wrongful death in 2023 is $1,093,750. This value increases slightly every year.
Dog Bite Claims
If your dog hurts someone or causes property damage in Maryland, it is your liability to pay for those damages. The law assumes that you should have known your dog was dangerous and was capable of causing harm.
However, you will not be held liable under the dog bite law if the person who was injured or suffered property damage was:
- Committing or attempting trespass or any other criminal offense on your property;
- Committing or attempting a criminal offense against you or
- Teasing, tormenting, abusing or provoking your dog.
Finding Fault and Defining Negligence
Maryland is an at-fault state. This means, if you can prove that you suffered harm because of someone’s negligence, they are obligated to compensate you. In order to prove negligence, you will need to show the following:
- The defendant owed a duty of care to you.
- The defendant breached the said duty by acting a certain way.
- This action led to your injury.
- You were harmed as a result of the defendant’s action.
Along with proving the negligence of the other party, you will also need to make sure that your negligence did not contribute to the accident. This is because Maryland applies the rule of contributory negligence to determine the compensation amount.
As per this principle, if you were even 1% responsible for causing the action that led to the injury, you will not be eligible for any compensation.
How Can an Attorney Help You?
Consulting a lawyer is generally a good idea if you have suffered personal injury in Maryland. Your lawyer can explain to you the laws applicable to your case and determine the claim amount you are entitled to receive.
When you find a good personal injury lawyer in Baltimore, your chances of getting a favorable outcome easily multiplies. Your lawyer takes care of all the legal work from filing the claim, sending the necessary notices and identifying all the defendants to collecting the evidence and preparing a strong case.
They calso negotiate with the insurance company and ensure that you receive the highest possible compensation. But if no settlement is reached, they represent you in the trial and fight for what you deserve.
How to Find the Best Personal Injury Lawyer in Baltimore, MD
Your lawyer can make or break your entire case. Therefore, it is extremely important to hire a personal injury attorney in Baltimore who has the experience and knowledge to lead your case to victory. Here are a few things you should keep in mind before making the final decision.
- Experience and Success Rate. Your chances of getting good compensation is better with a lawyer who has experience dealing with similar cases as yours. So, don’t hesitate to ask them about their experience and success rate. You should also know about their trial experience because there is always a chance that your case will not settle and go to trial.
- Fee Structure. Although most lawyers do not charge any fee upfront, you should know the percentage they charge if you win a settlement or verdict. Some personal injury lawyers in Baltimore also add additional charges to their clients’ bills, so it is always a good idea to discuss the fee structure well in advance.
Methodology
To come up with the Best Personal Injury Lawyers in Baltimore in 2024, Forbes Advisor considered many factors. Forbes Advisor’s mathematical module considers and weighs the information collected to calculate a specific rating and reviews these results to find the best attorneys in a given practice area.
Within the model, we take into account factors that legal professionals and consumers value in an attorney’s qualifications. After assigning weighted scores to hundreds of data points, we narrowed the field down to our top choices based on:
- Legal experience
- Special licenses & certifications
- Ethics and bar disciplinary measures
- Legal thought leadership
- Education & employment background
- Scholarly lectures & writings
- Awards & honors
Forbes Advisor collects public data from a variety of sources, including state bar associations, court records and other published sources on the internet. This information should not be considered comprehensive, however. It might not include additional relevant information on an attorney’s legal skills and experience.
Each lawyer listed here has their own merits. Bear in mind that our list relates to these lawyers’ legal backgrounds, but does not evaluate their personalities or their knowledge of the law. One attorney may be more suitable than another for your specific legal situation.
One thing that can’t be quantified, though, is the rapport you establish with your attorney. Personality goes a long way when teaming up with an attorney, especially when going through a potentially difficult legal situation. These rankings should serve as a reference and potential starting point in your search for the right lawyer for you and your legal concerns.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is a success fee in personal injury cases?
In personal injury cases, lawyers generally don’t charge any fee upfront. Instead, they take a percentage of your final verdict or settlement. This fee is referred to as a success fee or contingency fee. The rate can range from 25% to 40% depending on how quickly your case is resolved. For example, if your case goes to trial, some lawyers charge 40% of the verdict or mid-trial settlement as their fee.
Is there a cap on punitive damages in Maryland?
Unlike economic and non-economic damages, punitive damages are awarded to punish the defendants and not to compensate the victim. While these are rarely awarded in personal injury cases, you can claim punitive damages by proving gross negligence on the part of the defendant. The Maryland law does not impose a cap on punitive damages and the amount will entirely depend on the judge or jury.
How do I file for emotional distress in Maryland?
You can recover compensation for emotional distress under non-economic damages in Maryland. In personal injury cases, non-economic damage includes pain, suffering and inconvenience caused by the act of negligence. In wrongful death cases, it includes mental anguish, emotional pain and suffering, loss of society, companionship, comfort and protection.
