Maryland Personal Injury FAQ: Answers from Castro Law Group

A serious injury can turn your life upside down in minutes. Medical bills pile up. Time off work cuts into your paycheck. Insurance adjusters call before you’ve had a chance to breathe. The questions below are the ones we hear most often from injured clients across the state and Washington, D.C. Castro Law Group has handled personal injury cases since 1993, and these answers reflect how the law actually works here.

If your situation is urgent, call us at (301) 870-1200 for a free consultation.

I’ve been injured. What should I do first?

Get to safety, then call 9-1-1. Report the accident and ask for medical help. Let police document the scene. Do not move someone with a possible head, neck, or back injury unless they are in danger. Take photos if you can do so safely. Get names and phone numbers from any witnesses before they leave.

Should I go to the hospital even if I feel okay?

Get checked out, even if you feel fine at the scene. Adrenaline can hide pain for hours or even days after a crash or fall. Internal bleeding, concussions, and soft-tissue injuries often show up later. A same-day exam protects your health. It also links your injuries to the accident in your medical record. Any gap in treatment gives insurance companies a chance to argue your injuries were not serious.

Am I entitled to compensation for my injuries?

That depends on who caused the accident and what evidence you have. You can recover damages when another party’s negligence caused your injury. But this state follows a strict rule called contributory negligence. Even a small share of fault on your part can affect your case. An attorney can review the facts and tell you where you stand.

What types of compensation can I claim?

A personal injury claim can include medical bills (past and future), lost wages, lost earning capacity, property damage, and pain and suffering. Families who lose a loved one may also bring a wrongful death claim. State law caps non-economic damages like pain and suffering for most injury cases, and the cap changes each year. Your attorney can explain the current limit.

When should I call a personal injury attorney?

Call as soon as you can after the accident. Evidence goes away fast. Skid marks fade. Camera footage gets erased. Witnesses forget details. The sooner an attorney is involved, the sooner that proof can be saved. Early legal advice also keeps you from saying things to insurers that could hurt your claim later.

What should I tell the other driver’s insurance company?

Talk to an attorney before giving any recorded statement, signing any release, or accepting any settlement offer from the at-fault driver’s insurer. Adjusters are trained to ask questions in ways that lower the payout. You can share basic facts like the date and location of the accident, but anything more should go through your lawyer. You do have a duty to cooperate with your own insurance company under most policies.

What if the at-fault driver has no insurance or not enough coverage?

You may still have options. Your own auto policy likely includes uninsured motorist (UM) and underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage. State law requires both on every standard auto policy here. These coverages step in when the at-fault driver cannot pay for the harm they caused. Other sources of recovery may also exist, depending on the facts. An attorney can find every available pool of coverage.

How much does it cost to hire a personal injury lawyer?

At Castro Law Group, personal injury consultations are free. You pay no attorney’s fee unless we recover money for you. Fee details are set out in writing in a signed agreement before any work begins, in line with the Maryland Rules of Professional Conduct. Costs and fees vary by case, so call (301) 870-1200 to ask about the specifics that would apply to yours.

How soon do I need to file a claim?

There is no set deadline to file the initial insurance claim, but there is a hard deadline to file a lawsuit. Insurance companies often push for fast settlements because early offers tend to favor them. The smarter path is to finish medical treatment first, so the full cost of your injuries is clear. Then let your attorney handle the timing.

What is the statute of limitations for a personal injury claim in Maryland?

Most personal injury lawsuits must be filed within three years of the date of the injury, under Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-101. Several important exceptions can shorten or extend that window, including:

• Medical malpractice has its own rule. The deadline is generally five years from the injury or three years from when the harm was discovered, whichever comes first.
• Claims against the state or a local government require formal written notice within strict early deadlines, sometimes as short as one year.
• Assault, libel, and slander must be filed within one year.
• Injured minors generally have more time once they turn 18.

Deadlines depend on your case. Call (301) 870-1200 to confirm the deadline that applies to your situation.

How much is my personal injury case worth?

No two cases are the same, so there is no fixed formula. Value depends on several things. How serious are your injuries? What did medical care cost? How much income did you lose? How has the injury affected your daily life? What insurance coverage is available? Are there state law caps on certain damages? Settling too soon often means leaving real recovery on the table. We work to document the full short-term and long-term cost of your injury before any settlement talks.

Do you handle cases throughout Maryland?

Our office is in Waldorf, and we represent injured clients across the state and Washington, D.C. That includes Charles County, Prince George’s County, Calvert County, St. Mary’s County, Anne Arundel County, and Baltimore. Home and hospital visits can be arranged for clients who cannot travel. You can also read an overview of our Maryland personal injury practice.

Do you offer free consultations and after-hours appointments?

The first call is free and private. We answer phones during business hours and return calls within 24 hours. Evening and weekend appointments are available on request.

What if I was partly at fault for the accident?

Maryland is one of only a few states that still applies contributory negligence. Under this rule, an injured person who is even 1% at fault can be barred from recovering damages. Insurance companies use this rule hard. That is why how the accident is documented and presented matters so much. An attorney can build the case for why the other party should bear full responsibility.

Ready to talk?

If you or a loved one has been hurt, Castro Law Group is ready to review your case at no cost. Call (301) 870-1200 or use our online contact form to schedule a free consultation.