Every jurisdiction in Maryland is unique. These differences matter when you are trying to figure out whether you will win your case and how much compensation you can expect to get. This is true not only for trial but settlement purposes as well. Because a case settles based on the prediction of the amount of money a jury would award.
Below is a series of questions and answers to give you a better idea of the relative value of your personal injury case in Baltimore City.
Questions and Answers on Bringing Personal Injury Claims in Baltimore
Question: I was injured in Baltimore. How much money I can expect to get for my case? Is Baltimore a good jurisdiction to bring a claim?
Answer: Baltimore is an excellent jurisdiction to bring a claim if you are seriously injured or are bringing a wrongful death claim.
Question: Why is Baltimore a good place to bring a serious injury claim?
Answer: Baltimore juries are very fair to personal injury victims. Arguably, it is the best place in Maryland to bring a personal injury lawsuit although you would get arguments from lawyers in Prince George’s County. This is particularly true for wrongful death or extreme injury cases. Make no mistake, these juries are not blithely writing checks to whoever comes before them to ask for money. But if you have a serious case and someone else is responsible for the harm you have suffered, you can often count on a Baltimore City jury to be fair. Rendering a fair verdict may not sound like a big accomplishment, but there are some counties in Maryland where most verdicts in tort cases are not what we would consider fair.
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Question: You also said it is a terrible place to bring less serious injury claims. What does that mean and why do you say that?
Answer: Baltimore District Court is the venue for most claims where less than $30,000 is at stake. The judges in Baltimore that decide those claims are considered to be the worst when it comes to valuing injury cases. Why? Honestly, it is probably because they see so many frivolous cases so they tend to lump them all together as ridiculous. Many lawyers file small cases in Circuit Court and just ask for more than $30,000. But that comes with its own host of problems in smaller cases. Our law firm no longer handles District Court cases because we focus on wrongful death and more serious injury cases. But back when we were, I don’t think we ever filed a case in the District Court downtown. We always found some other path.
Question: I imagine that getting a trial date for my case will take years. How long should I expect to get a trial?
Answer: In severe injury and wrongful death cases, you can expect to get a trial date in 12 to 15 months. The court issues a scheduling order that trial lawyers ignore at their peril. So 12 to 15 months usually means just that.
Getting a Lawyer for Your Baltimore Injury Case
If you have been injured in a motor vehicle accident, by medical malpractice, or have any other personal injury that was caused by someone else’s negligence, call us at 800-553-8082 or get a free case evaluation. Our law firm handles only serious personal injury claims.
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