As a nation, we are concerned with ambulance-chasing lawyers, frivolous lawsuits, and the increased costs of doing business. Much of the dialogue, however, comes from insurance companies, big-business, and soundbyte-seeking media. Of course, lawmakers get into the act. A North Carolina bill recently proposed limiting lawsuits under certain circumstances, including…
Our firm recently received a referral from another law firm–it was a case that the insurance company would not settle, and the victim believed (rightly so) that her legal claim was higher than the offer. The injury was a simple one–my client’s right forefinger was hurt in an automobile accident–she…
Memorial Day kicks off most dangerous one-third of the year for teen drivers (those from ages 16 to 19. The one hundred days from Memorial to Labor Day are risky-in 2012, there were almost 1,000 people killed in accidents involving teen drivers. Over half of those killed were teens, and…
Each state has at least one United States District Court. Maryland has two–one located Baltimore City (Northern Division), and one in Greenbelt (Southern Division). Understanding the Federal Courts The President of the United States appoints federal judges for life, after confirmation by the Senate. The salaries are set–in 2014, they…
Maryland has one circuit courthouse for each of its 24 counties. These are for civil cases, like automobile accidents, where the plaintiff claims $15,000.01 or more. The plaintiff can file a request for a jury trial. If not, the defendant can file the request. Otherwise, the case will be heard…
Most personal injury cases in Maryland go through the Maryland District Courts. Background A judge will hear your case if it goes to trial in what is known as a bench trial. There are no jury trials in the District Courts. After a complaint is filed, the court will issue…
If you can’t settle your Maryland automobile accident case, where will your lawyer file a lawsuit? We’re going to do a three-part series on the Maryland trial courts, one for every type of court. Your case could be filed in the: District Court Circuit Court Federal Court (United States District…
I lived in Charles Village for most of Maryland life–we recently moved to Hampden, but Charles Village was where I lived during law school, two apartments, my first new home, and the infancy of our oldest daughter. By now, everyone knows about the collapse of the street at 26th Street…
The final piece of the puzzle is the attorneys’ fees. Attorneys’ fees don’t have anything to do with the full value of the case, but they have more to do with your take-home–with the final net value of your settlement. There are a number of different types of attorneys’ fees…
Payment of your medical bills is an important issue in a Maryland automobile collision case. There are a few possibilities: You pay out-of-pocket You pay with health insurance, Medicare or Medical Assistance You pay with PIP (personal injury protection) You don’t pay, and the bills are still outstanding Some combination…