If you recently lost a loved one in a tragic accident in Maryland, call WGK Personal Injury Lawyers at (410) 837-2144 or contact us online today. Your family deserves justice. An experienced Maryland wrongful death lawyer can help you fight to recover compensation for medical bills, loss of financial support, and the loss of your loved one’s company, support, and guidance.
Since we founded our law firm in 1977, grieving families in Maryland have trusted us to protect their interests. Collectively, our award-winning attorneys have over 100 years of experience in personal injury law. Our hard work has helped families like yours recover tens of millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts over the years.
Today, we’re ready to fight for you. Call our law offices in Maryland today to schedule a free consultation.
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Why Should I Trust WGK Personal Injury Lawyers To Handle My Maryland Wrongful Death Claim?
If someone else was responsible for your loved one’s death, WGK Personal Injury Lawyers can help you fight for justice. Money can’t bring your loved one back, but it can make a world of difference to your future and help your family with a sense of justice.
Our Maryland personal injury lawyers have decades of experience helping families recover compensation for their losses. We know how to stand up to big insurance companies and win.
While you worry about your family, our lawyers will handle the legal issues, including:
- Investigating to determine who caused your loved one’s death
- Consulting respected experts to strengthen your case
- Documenting your losses and calculating your claim’s value
- Standing up to insurance companies who will blame your loved one
- Negotiating with the insurance companies for a full settlement
- Filing a lawsuit and fighting for your family in court if necessary
You’ve already suffered an unimaginable loss. Our Maryland personal injury attorneys are here to protect your right to financial compensation. Contact our team today to get started.
Overview of Maryland’s Wrongful Death Laws
“Wrongful death” is defined in Maryland as an “act, neglect, or default” that would have allowed the victim to file a personal injury lawsuit had they lived.
Financial compensation is the only remedy in a wrongful death case. As in a criminal case, the civil court will evaluate the merits to determine whether the defendant is responsible for the decedent’s death.
However, the defendant in a civil case can be liable for damages even if they are not charged with a crime. They can also be responsible for damages if they were acquitted of a crime.
Wrongful death cases can be based on any actions that caused the victim’s wrongful death, including:
- Negligence in accident cases
- Medical malpractice
- Strict liability in cases involving defective products
- Intentional torts and criminal acts
At WGK Personal Injury Lawyers, we handle all types of wrongful death claims in Maryland. If you recently lost a loved one, contact our team for a free case review today. We’re always available to discuss your case.
Who Can File a Wrongful Death Claim in Maryland?
Only certain surviving family members can pursue an action for wrongful death in Maryland, including:
- A surviving spouse
- The deceased person’s children
- Parents of the decedent
If none of these beneficiaries exist, relatives (including relatives by marriage) who were financially dependent on the victim can sue for damages.
What Is My Maryland Wrongful Death Case Worth?
Putting a dollar value on the loss of a loved one can seem impossible. Without an experienced attorney by your side, you may have an extremely difficult time knowing whether a settlement offer is fair.
When our Maryland wrongful death attorneys evaluate your case, we’ll evaluate all relevant factors, including:
- Your financial costs, including medical treatment costs, funeral expenses, estate expenses, and more
- Your loved one’s age and life expectancy prior to death
- The identity and needs of surviving family and dependents, including children
- How the victim supported the family financially and emotionally
- The victim’s future earning potential
- How the loss has impacted your family
- The pain and trauma experienced by the victim prior to death
- Whether the victim shared any blame for the fatal accident
Details matter in cases involving fatal accidents. You can count on our lawyers to put in the time and energy necessary to assess the full value of your family’s losses. We often bring in experts who can testify about harder-to-value losses and your family’s future needs.
What Types of Damages Are Available if My Wrongful Death Case Is Successful?
Unlike in some states, damages in Maryland aren’t limited to a family’s economic losses in wrongful death cases. If the beneficiary is a spouse, minor child, or parent of a minor child, you can pursue compensation for both economic and non-economic damages.
Examples of the types of compensation your family may be entitled to receive include:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Funeral costs and burial expenses
- Loss of financial support
- Loss of the value of the victim’s household services and childcare duties
- Loss of consortium, or loss of a spouse’s companionship and society
- Loss of parental care, advice, guidance and counseling
- Mental anguish, pain, and suffering
The types of damages that are available will depend on the facts and circumstances. The identities of the surviving beneficiaries are a primary consideration.
However, the general circumstances are also important. If the defendant’s acts were intentional or extremely reckless, the judge may also award punitive damages. These damages are awarded solely to punish defendants for particularly shocking actions and behavior.
Does Maryland Limit the Value of My Damages Claim?
Your family can pursue compensation for the full value of your economic losses. However, non-economic damages are subject to a statewide cap. In 2024, that cap is $890,000 per beneficiary. The amount increases by $15,000 each year. It also increases in cases involving multiple beneficiaries.
How Much Does It Cost To Hire a Wrongful Death Lawyer in Maryland?
Our lawyers at WGK Personal Injury Lawyers work on a contingency fee basis. We don’t charge any attorney’s fees when you hire us.
Instead, we take our fees as a percentage of your verdict or insurance settlement. In other words, you can get quality legal representation without paying anything out of your own pocket. And, from there, we only get paid if you do.
How Can Maryland’s Shared Fault Laws Impact My Right to Compensation if My Loved One Is Being Blamed?
Every state has its own laws regarding shared fault in personal injury and wrongful death cases. Most states allocate blame between all parties and reduce a victim’s compensation according to their share of blame–sometimes to zero.
Maryland’s contributory negligence system is more harsh. If your loved one is found to be even 1% responsible for their own death, your family loses your right to seek compensation entirely.
Insurance companies often try to manipulate this law to their advantage. Our lawyers in Maryland are here to defend your loved one’s reputation and protect your family’s legal rights. If someone is trying to pin the blame on the victim, contact us today for a free case evaluation.
How Common Are Fatal Accidents in Maryland?
Overall, 566 people were killed in fatal traffic accidents across the State of Maryland in 2022. According to the Zero Deaths Maryland Project, 379 people lost their lives in motorcycle wrecks between 2017 and 2021. According to BLS statistics, another 80 workers in Maryland were killed on the job in 2021.
We Handle All Types of Wrongful Death Claims in Maryland
At WGK Personal Injury Lawyers, we often handle wrongful death cases involving:
- Car accidents
- Slip and fall accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Construction accidents
- Workplace accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Truck accidents
- Bus accidents
- Uber or Lyft accidents
- Boating accidents
- Poisonings
- Drug overdose
- Dog bites
- Defective products
- Medical malpractice
- Nursing home abuse and neglect
- Criminal acts, including firearm violence
Our team is experienced in handling complex legal disputes. If you lost a loved one, don’t hesitate to reach out to our legal team for advice today.
How Do I Establish My Right to Compensation After Losing a Loved One in an Accident?
You must prove that someone else was responsible for your loved one’s death to recover damages.
Most wrongful death cases involve negligence, meaning that you must prove:
- The defendant had a legal duty of care
- They breached that duty through some act or omission
- The breach was the direct cause of your loved one’s death
- The damages your family has suffered
While you focus on your family, our lawyers will collect the evidence necessary to build your case. We’ll talk to witnesses, examine accident reports, and even locate video surveillance and photo evidence.
How Long Do I Have To File a Wrongful Death Lawsuit in Maryland?
You must file a lawsuit for damages within three years of your loved one’s death. After three years pass, your family forfeits your right to seek compensation from the at-fault parties.
There are exceptions to this three-year time limit, but only in certain cases. Contact us as soon as you can to protect your legal rights.
Contact an Experienced Maryland Wrongful Death Lawyer for a Free Consultation
Are you struggling after the unexpected death of a loved one in Maryland? Contact WGK Personal Injury Lawyers to learn about the benefits of legal representation. An experienced Maryland wrongful death lawyer can help you fight for justice.
