The moments after a crash are often confusing, and important steps are easy to forget in the middle of it. Knowing what to do after a car accident in Baltimore can make the days following a collision less confusing. Whether a crash occurs on I-695, I-95, York Road, or a neighborhood street, the immediate priorities are addressing injuries, documenting what happened, exchanging required information, and understanding the insurance process.
Having a car accident lawyer who has represented Maryland clients in serious auto accident and personal injury matters can be particularly important. David Ellin trained under Marvin Ellin, long regarded as one of Maryland's leading medical malpractice attorneys, and served as a Baltimore City Assistant State's Attorney before founding the firm in 2004. That background informs how we investigate collision claims.
Read on to learn the practical steps to take, from the scene of the accident through the insurance process.
Key Takeaways
- People involved in Baltimore crashes may need to address medical care, scene documentation, information exchange, and insurance issues after a collision.
- Maryland law establishes requirements for drivers involved in crashes involving injuries, deaths, or certain property damage.
- Photographs, witness information, medical records, and other documentation may help establish what happened and the extent of resulting losses.
- Insurance coverage can include several types of benefits, depending on the policy and circumstances of the collision.
What Are the First Steps After a Car Accident in Maryland?
The first steps after a car accident Maryland residents should take involve addressing immediate safety and medical concerns before turning to insurance or other issues. If someone is injured, appropriate emergency assistance should take priority.
If it is safe to do so, move away from traffic and remain at the scene. On busy Baltimore roads such as I-695 or I-95, remaining in or near moving traffic can create additional danger.
Under Maryland Transportation Article § 20-104, a driver involved in a crash must render reasonable assistance to anyone injured and give their name, address, and vehicle registration number to the other people involved. If a police officer is at the scene, that information goes to the officer as well, along with your license on request.
A Baltimore car accident checklist should include information about the people involved, the vehicles, the location, witnesses, and the condition of the scene. Collecting this information can become more difficult once the vehicles have been moved or people have left the area.
When safe and practical, consider documenting:
- Names and contact information of the other drivers
- Driver's license and vehicle information
- Insurance information
- License plate numbers
- Road conditions, traffic signals, and visible signs
- Information provided by responding police officers
These details can help preserve information about the collision while the circumstances remain fresh.
Photograph the Accident Scene
Take photographs of vehicle damage, the roadway, traffic controls, visible debris, skid marks, and surrounding conditions when doing so is safe. Photos from different angles may provide more context than a single close-up image of vehicle damage.
If the crash occurred at or near a Baltimore intersection, photographs may also capture lane markings, signs, signals, construction areas, or other roadway features that could become relevant later.
Identify Witnesses
Independent witnesses may have information about what happened before the collision. Obtain their contact information if they are willing to provide it.
A witness may leave the area before you realize their account could be relevant, so recording their information at the scene can be useful.
Report the Car Accident
Maryland law imposes reporting requirements for certain crashes, including accidents involving bodily injury or death. Maryland Transportation Article § 20-107 requires a driver involved in a traffic crash causing injury or death to report the matter in writing to the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration within 15 days.
If police respond to the scene, provide the information requested and obtain the report information when available. A police crash report may document the location, vehicles, drivers, witnesses, apparent circumstances, and other information gathered by the responding officer. It can become an important record when an insurance claim or personal injury case is later evaluated.
A police report is not necessarily the final word on how responsibility should be determined. Additional evidence may provide information that was unavailable to the officer at the scene.
Seek Medical Care and Follow Medical Recommendations
If you are wondering what to do after an accident in Maryland when you have been injured, medical care and documentation should remain priorities. Prompt evaluation creates a record connecting the crash to the injury, and that record is what an insurer and, later, a court work from.
Follow medical recommendations and keep the records that come out of them. Those records and the bills attached to them are the documentary backbone of an injury claim.
It can also help to keep track of how the injury affects work and ordinary activities. Lost time from work, changes in daily responsibilities, and limitations caused by an injury may become relevant when evaluating a personal injury claim.
Notify Your Insurer
After a collision, notify the appropriate insurance company according to the requirements of your policy. Maryland Insurance Administration provides consumer information about automobile insurance, including how coverage works and how consumers can file claims.
Maryland automobile insurance can involve several forms of coverage. Under Maryland Transportation Article § 17-103, drivers must carry at least $30,000 in bodily injury coverage per person, $60,000 per accident, and $15,000 for property damage, with uninsured motorist protection at matching limits.
Personal injury protection, or PIP, is a separate no-fault benefit of at least $2,500 that covers medical costs and part of lost income regardless of who caused the crash. Policyholders may hold different arrangements permitted by law.
The availability and amount of coverage depend on the policy and circumstances. Your Baltimore car accident attorney can help review the declarations page and other policy documents to identify the coverage available after a crash.
Contact a Baltimore Car Accident Lawyer
Not every collision requires legal representation, but legal guidance may be particularly useful when injuries are serious, responsibility is disputed, multiple parties are involved, or the insurance issues are difficult to resolve.
A lawyer may review the accident evidence, medical records, insurance information, and financial losses to determine what issues could affect a potential claim. This can be particularly relevant after crashes involving traumatic brain injuries, spinal injuries, permanent disabilities, or wrongful death.
For someone dealing with a significant injury, a Baltimore car accident lawyer can answer your questions about pursuing a potential claim.
How Long Do You Have To File a Car Accident Claim in Maryland?
Maryland generally provides three years to file a civil action, measured from the date the claim arises, which in a car accident case is usually the date of the crash. That rule appears in Maryland Courts and Judicial Proceedings Article § 5-101, unless another provision sets a different period.
Accordingly, Maryland gives you three years to file a car accident claim in many circumstances, but that does not mean three years will apply to every possible claim. Generally, different rules can apply depending on the parties involved and the nature of the legal action.
Waiting can also make evidence more difficult to obtain. Witnesses may become harder to locate, records may require additional effort to collect, and memories can become less precise.
Get a Clearer Picture of Your Options After a Baltimore Crash
The days following a collision can involve medical appointments, vehicle repairs, insurance communications, and questions about what happens next. Keeping accurate records and understanding the issues that may affect a claim can make the process more manageable.
If your collision caused a significant injury or raised questions about responsibility, contact a Baltimore car accident lawyer before speaking with the insurance company. The Law Office of David Ellin can examine the circumstances of the accident and discuss whether legal representation may be appropriate for your situation. A conversation early on can bring some clarity to an otherwise overwhelming stretch of days.
FAQs - What to Do After a Car Accident in Baltimore
Should I keep my damaged vehicle after a Baltimore crash?
Vehicle damage can provide evidence about the force and direction of a collision, so preserving photographs and relevant repair records can be useful. If an insurer wants to inspect or move the vehicle, documentation of its condition before repairs can help preserve information about the damage.
Can I still pursue a claim if there is no police report?
The absence of a police report does not necessarily mean that a personal injury claim cannot be pursued. Other evidence, such as videos, medical records, witness accounts, vehicle damage, and insurance records, may help establish what occurred.
What if my employer says I cannot return to work?
An accident-related inability to work can create financial consequences that may become relevant to a personal injury claim. Employment records, wage information, medical documentation, and other evidence may help establish the effect of the injury on your work.
How much is my Baltimore car accident claim?
The value of a Baltimore auto accident claim depends on the facts and losses involved. What your case may be worth depends on several factors, including the scope of the injuries, medical treatment, lost income, future needs, property damage, and evidence concerning responsibility. A claim involving a short-term injury may have very different damages from one involving a permanent disability or long-term medical care.
What if the other driver does not have insurance?
Uninsured motorist coverage may apply when an at-fault driver is uninsured or in certain hit-and-run situations. The Maryland Insurance Administration requires automobile policies to provide uninsured motorist protection. Your attorney can review the applicable insurance policy and pursue compensation for the resulting bodily injuries, property damage, and losses.