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Baltimore Personal Injury Lawyer
Have you or a loved one been injured in a car accident in Baltimore? Are you struggling to get back on your feet because someone else was negligent? Since 1977, the Baltimore personal injury attorneys at WGK Personal Injury Lawyers have been helping people in Maryland get the money they are owed after an accident. Call us at (410) 837-2144 to learn more about your case
When you feel like you’ve been kicked to the curb by insurance companies, hospitals, or other entities that value money over your well-being, you want WGK Personal Injury Lawyers in your corner. We’ve been fierce advocates for accident victims for a long time – three generations, in fact.
Collectively, our attorneys have more than 80 years of experience and have recovered millions in compensation for clients just like you.
We are available to meet you in our downtown Baltimore law office. Our attorneys offer home and hospital visits as well as virtual consultations throughout Maryland. We’re available 24/7 to assist you.
Why Choose WGK Personal Injury Lawyers To Handle Your Baltimore, MD Personal Injury Case?
It’s The Last Thing Insurers Want
For more than 42 years, WGK Personal Injury Lawyers has been committed to representing injury victims across the city of Baltimore, MD. During that time, we’ve made a name for ourselves as passionate advocates. We’ve spent countless hours fighting against the biggest insurers, hospitals, defense firms, and multinational corporations – and emerging with huge settlements and verdicts for our clients. Today, our reputation is well known among our adversaries.
For that reason, insurers will want you to avoid calling an injury lawyer from our law firm for help after you get hurt. They know things will change the instant you get our family-owned law firm involved.
You Deserve To Benefit From Experts
Experts can make or break a personal injury case. The parties you are going up against will go to experts for help as they attempt to deny or devalue your claim. The only way to level the playing field is to have specialists working for you, too. And, that’s exactly what you can expect when you hire WGK Personal Injury Lawyers.
Our lawyers know the value that accident and injury specialists can bring to a case. So, we’ve spent decades cultivating relationships with some of the most respected and renowned experts in their field.
We’re Ready For Trial
Most personal injury cases in Baltimore settle. We will work diligently to negotiate a fair settlement on your behalf. However, we’ll never advise you to accept less than you deserve just to get a win. Instead, our trial attorneys will approach your case with care and prepare for every possibility – including the possibility of going to court.
Our law firm is known for being highly skilled at trial. We know how to take your case, craft it for a jury, and tell a winning story. That’s how we’ve secured significant verdicts for our clients. And, it’s our reputation and history of success that can benefit you in your case. Why? Interested parties will want to avoid a showdown with us before a judge or jury.
There’s No Fee Until We Win
We work on contingency, which means that there’s no fee unless and until we win your case.
Our Baltimore Law Firm Location
Visit our main office to meet with a member of our legal team.
WGK Personal Injury Lawyers
14 W Madison Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
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Hours: Open 24 hours daily
Proven Experience
Why Should I Hire A Baltimore Personal Injury Attorney?
You Don’t Want to Give the Insurance Company an Advantage
Insurance companies handle cases like yours every day. Adjusters know the claims process inside and out. They know that you probably don’t. As a result, they’ll have an advantage from the start.
Hiring a Baltimore personal injury lawyer levels the playing field. It forces insurers to deal with your claim in good faith. It shows them that you won’t be pushed around or manipulated – and that you’re serious about getting the money you deserve.
You’re More Likely to Win Your Case
It’s true. Accident victims who work with attorneys tend to win more often than those who don’t.
Hiring a personal injury lawyer is also associated with bigger wins. According to the Insurance Research Council, accident victims who are represented by a personal injury attorney tend to recover up to 3.5 times more money than claimants pursuing compensation on their own.
You’re Probably Going to Be Blamed
At-fault parties and their insurance providers will try to say that liability is unclear. In fact, they’ll point fingers and blame you.
Maryland operates contributory negligence. Therefore, sharing any degree of fault for an accident is an automatic bar to financial recovery. For example, you’ll be entitled to no compensation if you’re assigned just 1% of the blame.
When you hire a personal injury lawyer in Baltimore, you’ll have an advocate in your corner who understands how to best protect you from these “blame the victim” tactics. They’ll be able to investigate your case, gather and analyze evidence, and take other steps to disprove allegations that you’re to blame. If you do nothing, there’s a good chance that you’ll get nothing from your personal injury claim.
You Deserve Time to Rest and Recover
Putting physical injuries aside, an unexpected accident can be traumatic. It can be incredibly jarring and upsetting. You need time to heal. That can be quite difficult to do if you’re attempting to navigate a contested legal claim for damages. When you hire a lawyer in Baltimore, they’ll handle your case from start to finish.
Your personal injury lawyer will investigate. They’ll handle the curveballs at-fault parties try to throw your way. They’ll do everything in their power to help you secure a meaningful and substantial monetary recovery. All the while, you have the opportunity to focus on yourself.
Personal Injury Cases We Handle in Baltimore, MD
Car Accidents
Driving can be dangerous. In fact, Baltimore is known for having some of the nation’s worst drivers. Unfortunately, insurance companies won’t rush to your aid after a crash. Contact our car accident lawyers in Baltimore, MD to discuss your personal injury claim.
view practice areaBicycle Accidents
Baltimore is one of the oldest cities in the United States. Its infrastructure was designed long before bicycles were used as a primary form of transportation.
This means that many roads don’t have bike lanes or safety barriers. In turn, cyclists are forced into traffic with larger vehicles. When accidents occur, its the rider who tends to suffer the consequences.
Our Baltimore bicycle accident attorneys know that cyclists often need compensation after an accident. We will work to help you maximize your recovery from all at-fault parties.
view practice areaWrongful Death
Accidents, unfortunately, can result in the worst outcome: death. While money won’t bring a loved one back, it can make a massive difference in the times to come.
Our wrongful death lawyers in Baltimore, MD are here to help you file a Maryland wrongful death claim and seek to recover from anyone who played a role in your loved one’s tragic death.
view practice areaSlip and Fall Accidents
After a slip and fall accident in Maryland, owners will go to huge lengths to deny culpability for your injuries.
So, you’ll have to have evidence to prove the owner was negligent in the maintenance and care of the premises. Our slip & fall lawyers in Baltimore, MD will dig deep as we conduct an exhaustive investigation into what happened.
We’ll speak with witnesses, obtain security footage, and work with experts to get the proof that’s necessary to get you the financial compensation you deserve.
view practice areaMotorcycle Accidents
Motorcyclists are often blamed for the accidents in which they’re involved. However, these claims of fault aren’t always true.
If you’ve been injured in a motorcycle accident in Maryland, our motorcycle accident lawyers in Baltimore, MD will fight to respond to these claims and protect your rights. Find out if you have a personal injury case by contacting our firm today.
view practice areaTruck Accidents
When a truck is involved in a collision, the consequences can be catastrophic.
Following an accident, the negligent truck driver and/or their employer must be held legally and financially responsible. Our Baltimore, MD truck accident attorneys will work diligently for you.
view practice areaUber Accidents
Taking an Uber might be convenient. However, it’s not the safest way to get around. Rideshare drivers are perhaps the most distracted motorists on the road.
Following an incident involving Uber drivers, recovering compensation can be complicated. This is true, in part, because rideshare companies will deny any responsibility for your injuries.
You deserve to get help from a Baltimore injury attorney who will aggressively pursue damages from all liable parties – including the driver, insurance companies, manufacturers, and others on the road.
Reach out to our Uber accident lawyers in Baltimore, MD.
view practice areaDog Bites
Even friendly dogs can be vicious. When a dog bites, it’s the owner who should shoulder the responsibility for any injuries or harm that results.
Our dog bite lawyers in Baltimore, MD will aggressively pursue compensation from the dog’s owner, as well as anyone else whose negligence might have put you in harm’s way.
view practice areaAnd More
At WGK Personal Injury Lawyers, we know that all injuries – big and small – can change the course of your life forever. We also know what an impact a financial award can have in the short term and for the future yet to come.
That’s why we’re committed to helping all injury victims in Maryland. We represent clients in injury cases involving defective products, medical negligence, workers’ compensation, workplace accidents, and more. Click below to see all our practice areas. To learn more, contact our Baltimore injury attorneys today.
view practice areaPersonal Injury FAQ
Proving Fault and Damages in a Baltimore, MD Personal Injury Case
In personal injury cases, the burden of proof rests with the plaintiff. In other words, the plaintiff has to be able to persuade a judge or jury that their version of events is true.
How convincing does the plaintiff’s story have to be? In Maryland, the standard of proof for these cases is a “preponderance of the evidence.” This standard is satisfied when the evidence suggests that the plaintiff’s story is more likely true than not.
Based on all of the evidence, testimony, and arguments, a fact finder simply has to believe that there’s a 51 percent chance or more that the plaintiff’s account is true.
Note, there are times when the burden of proof shifts. In Baltimore personal injury cases where a plaintiff builds their case on the grounds that a defendant was “negligent per se” – or negligent because they violated a safety law that was intended to prevent the type of harm that occurred – the burden begins with the plaintiff and then shifts to the defendant. The defendant is presumed to be negligent unless and until they can prove otherwise.
How Long Do I have to File My Personal Injury Case?
The amount of time you’ll have to bring a personal injury case will depend on your particular situation. However, in most cases, the statute of limitations in Maryland is three years. That means that you’ll have up to three years from the date of your accident to file a civil claim.
You could have more or less time to act. Know, however, that you will forfeit the right to recover from the at-fault party if you miss the deadline that applies to your personal injury case.
How Much Does it Cost to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer?
Most Baltimore personal injury attorneys work on contingency. In exchange for representation with no upfront fees, the attorney receives a percentage of a client’s financial award. While this can and does vary, most lawyers charge between 33.3 and 40 percent.
There are several factors that can influence what an attorney will charge for their services. This might include things like:
- How long the attorney has been practicing
- The type of claim you’re filing
- How easy or difficult your legal case is
- What the attorney believes your case might be worth, and
- How much time the attorney believes they’ll have to invest in your case.
Every personal injury law firm has a different fee structure. Be sure to talk about this before hiring them – they should be transparent about what it will cost to hire them and answer any questions you have.
What Neighborhoods in Baltimore does your law firm serve?
At WGK Personal Injury Lawyers, we serve all neighborhoods in Baltimore and surrounding areas, including:
- Canton (21224)
- Charles Village (21218)
- Downtown (21201)
- Hampden (21211)
- Little Italy (21202)
- Harbor East (21202)
- Inner Harbor (21230)
- Federal Hill-Montgomery (21230)
- Fells Point (21231)
- Mount Vernon (21201)
- Patterson Park (21224)
- Sharp Leadenhall (21320)
- Westside (21201)
What Should I Do After Being Injured?
Here are a few quick tips:
- Receive medical attention. Sometimes, injuries are not immediately apparent.
- Remain at the scene. Fleeing the scene could greatly hurt your case.
- Contact the authorities. This usually means calling 911.
- Do not accept blame. Statements of blame could be used against you later on.
How Do I Know if I Have a Personal Injury Claim in Baltimore?
There are two key factors to keep in mind:
- Did someone else cause you harm?
- Did you suffer damages as a result?
If the answer to these questions is yes, there’s a good chance you have a personal injury claim.
You might have to go through your or the other party’s insurance company initially, but not always.
Who Can Be Sued in a Baltimore Personal Injury Case?
Here are a few examples of parties that could be liable for your injury:
- Other individuals
- Businesses
- Governmental entities
How Much is My Personal Injury Case Worth?
Personal injury cases vary widely. Here are a few factors that can influence a case’s value:
- Severity of injury
- Type of injury
- Who the other side is (private individual, business, governmental entity)
- Amount of evidence available
Giving You a Powerful Voice
Despite what they might say, insurance companies, hospitals, and multinational corporations aren’t on your side. They’re in the business of making money. So, when you suffer an avoidable injury and ask to be compensated, these entities will go to great lengths to deny your request. They’ll invest considerable financial and legal resources to do so. When you are on your own, it’s easy to be outgunned. Fortunately, we are here to help.
WGK Personal Injury Lawyers wants to give you a voice. We want to give you power. We want to help you stand up to these money-making machines and demand what’s rightfully yours. Our accident and injury lawyers in Baltimore have been helping clients for more than a century and have a proven track record of success.
How is Fault Established in a Maryland Personal Injury Case?
Negligence
In Baltimore, most personal injury cases are based on the argument that the plaintiff (victim) was harmed because the defendant (allegedly at-fault party) was negligent. Negligence basically means that a party’s actions weren’t reasonable under the circumstances and, as a result, caused the plaintiff to get hurt. There are four primary elements of a negligence claim:
- Duty: The at-fault party must have owed the injury victim a duty of care. A duty of care means that the defendant has a responsibility to act reasonably and avoid putting others at an increased risk of suffering harm. They must exercise the degree of care and caution that a reasonable person would use in similar circumstances.
When does a defendant assume a duty of care? It depends. Generally speaking, there are times when we all owe one another a duty of care. For instance, if you’re driving a car, you have to do so in a way that is safe and doesn’t put others in harm’s way. There are times when a duty is established based on the special relationship between two people. This can happen when you visit the doctor or enter someone else’s property by invitation.
- Breach: Once it’s established that the defendant did, in fact, owe the victim a duty of care, it must be proven that this duty of care was breached in some way. In other words, the defendant failed to act reasonably and put the plaintiff at risk of harm.
A defendant can breach a duty of care by through action (e.g., driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol) or inaction (e.g., not taking the keys away from a friend who is visibly impaired and unable to drive safely).
- Causation: It’s not enough for a party to breach their duty of care. Their behavior must have caused the plaintiff’s injury. Maryland law requires two types of causation to be present.
“Cause in fact” means that the plaintiff would not have gotten hurt “but for” the defendant’s actions (or inaction). This element is fairly straightforward.
Then there’s “proximate cause,” which is often more difficult to establish. Proximate cause is used to narrow the scope of causation. An at-fault party will only be responsible for injuries that are a foreseeable consequence of their injuries. In other words, the cause of a victim’s injury cannot be too disconnected from the defendant’s actions.
- Damages: Finally, the plaintiff must be able to prove that they have suffered damages (economic or non-economic). Damages can be monetary (e.g., the cost of replacing damaged property, medical bills, lost wages), physical (e.g., disfigurement, scarring), and/or emotional (e.g., pain and suffering, depression, PTSD, loss of enjoyment of life).
An accident victim will win their personal injury case in Baltimore if they can prove all four elements by a preponderance of the evidence.
Negligence Per Se
Sometimes plaintiffs in personal injury matters don’t have to go through the trouble of proving that a party was negligent. Negligence per se occurs when a party violates a safety law and causes an injury or harm that the law was designed to prevent.
In order to establish negligence per se, an accident victim must show that the law the defendant violated was specifically intended to prevent (a) the party’s specific conduct and (b) the victim experienced. It doesn’t matter whether the defendant knew about the law or statute. The fact that it exists and was violated is sufficient.
Once the doctrine of negligence per se is invoked, the burden of proof shifts to the defendant. If they can’t offer a legitimate excuse or disprove the allegations, they’ll be considered negligent and responsible for the plaintiff’s injuries.
Gross Negligence
Driving a few miles per hour over the speed limit on a highway on the outskirts of Baltimore might be considered negligence. Doubling the speed limit on a city street during rush hour would likely be considered gross negligence. Gross negligence is conduct that’s way more than mere carelessness. It’s behavior that’s reckless, voluntary, or exhibits a conscious disregard for others.
Why is gross negligence important if you can establish fault by simply proving negligence? Gross negligence can open the door to higher awards of compensation. In some cases, punitive damages might even be on the table.
Strict Liability
There are times when a defendant can be liable for a plaintiff’s injuries regardless of how much care, attention, or caution they exercised. This is thanks to something called “strict liability.” Strict liability is imposed by state law in very specific circumstances. It’s most often applied in dog bite and product liability cases.
For instance, under Maryland state law, an owner is strictly liable for harm caused by their dog, regardless of whether the owner knew the dog was vicious and despite any steps the owner took to prevent the dog from attacking. Similarly, companies can be strictly liable if their products are defective or unreasonably dangerous, even if the company took great care in designing, manufacturing, or marketing those products.
What Compensation Can I Recover From a Personal Injury Lawsuit in Maryland?
Economic Damages
When you file a personal injury claim in Baltimore, you can ask to be reimbursed and paid for any verifiable financial costs and expenses that you experience. These are known as economic damages, and can include money for present and future:
- Hospitalization
- Surgery, medical equipment, medication, follow-up care, and other medical bills
- Rehabilitation or therapy
- Nursing care
- Property damage
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning capacity, and
- Disability.
By receiving economic damages in a personal injury lawsuit, it should be as if you were never injured, at all. Maryland does not have a cap (or limit) on them. However, you must be able to prove your losses with bills, invoices, receipts, pay stubs, tax returns, or other documents.
Non-Economic Damages
Some injuries can’t be seen. That doesn’t mean that those injuries aren’t real, don’t carry costs, and don’t have a significant impact on your life. In Maryland, non-economic damages are paid to help compensate for these personal injuries. Examples of non-economic damages include:
- Emotional distress, including anxiety, depression, insomnia, and PTSD
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Disfigurement
- Scarring, and
- Pain and suffering damages.
These damages can be very difficult to value in terms of dollars and cents. That’s why it’s critically important to have an experienced personal injury attorney helping you to get all of the money you deserve.
Note that Maryland does cap non-economic awards. For 2020, the cap is $935,000. In a wrongful death action where there are at least two beneficiaries, the cap is $1,402,500.
Punitive Damages
Unlike economic and non-economic awards, punitive damages aren’t paid to make you whole after an accident. They’re not paid to compensate you for your suffering. Rather, punitive damages are paid for the singular purpose of punishing the defendant.
Punitive damages aren’t available in all personal injury cases. They’re reserved for situations where a defendant’s conduct is malicious. Most often, the defendant must have actively intended and attempted to cause harm or death.
Unlike many other states, Maryland doesn’t have a cap on punitive awards.
Areas We Serve in Baltimore County
Towson, Parkville, Mays Chapel, Carney, Overlea, Pikesville, Lochearn, Arbutus, Essex, Milford Mill, Perry Hall, Cockeysville, Rossvile, Rosedale, and surrounding areas.
Hire Our Award-Winning Personal Injury Attorneys
Experienced Attorneys Fighting For You
Have you recently been injured in a serious accident in Baltimore, MD? Do you feel like insurance companies are trying to make things more difficult than they have to be? They probably are. That’s because they are more interested in money than in your well being.
At WGK Personal Injury Lawyers, that’s simply unacceptable. Contact our law office to find out how our Baltimore personal injury lawyers can help you get the money you deserve. Our law firm will work by your side as we fight to maximize your recovery. You’ll benefit from professionals who truly care about you and will stop at nothing to help you get through this tough situation.
Your first consultation is 100 percent free. Don’t hesitate to give our law firm a call to arrange a time to discuss your case today. We assist clients throughout Maryland and offer virtual case reviews.