Copyright © 2025 Gelb & Gelb, P.C. All rights reserved.
When vehicles strike pedestrians, pedestrians run a significant risk of sustaining severe or even fatal injuries in the crash. If you or a relative sustain injuries or died after being hit by a vehicle, consulting with a Prince George’s County pedestrian accident lawyer could help you obtain compensation for the losses you suffered in the accident.
Roger Gelb could explain the laws that could apply in a potential case you may have against the at-fault party. After analyzing the particular circumstances of your case, a qualified personal injury attorney could file a personal injury claim on your behalf and aggressively represent your interests during negotiation settlements or at trial.
In many instances, pedestrian accidents occur because drivers fail to exercise reasonable care while driving. When drivers operate their vehicles carelessly, and this carelessness causes a pedestrian accident, those injured in an accident may have a valid negligence claim against the driver. Drivers could be found at-fault in a negligence action if they engage in one or more of these unsafe driving behaviors in the moments leading up to a crash:
Factors other than driver error may also cause a pedestrian accident to occur. For instance, if a driver’s vehicle malfunctions and the driver is otherwise driving safely, the injured pedestrian or family members of a deceased pedestrian may have a claim against the vehicle or parts manufacturer. Additionally, if pedestrians’ actions, such as failing to observe walking signs, jaywalking, or crossing roads in an unsafe manner, contribute to causing the accident, they may be found partially to blame for the accident. If pedestrians are assigned any degree of fault for causing an accident, Maryland’s contributory negligence rule precludes pedestrians from recovering compensation, even if drivers are also to blame for the accident.
A Prince George’s County pedestrian accident attorney who is well-versed in the nuances of personal injury law could advise pedestrian accident claimants if they may have valid personal injury claims against one or more parties and file those claims on their behalf. Further, a skilled attorney could assess the likelihood of Maryland’s contributory negligence rule applying in a particular pedestrian accident case and would work to gather evidence to refute any claims that it would apply.
Maryland law permits injured pedestrians to file personal injury lawsuits against those responsible for their injuries to obtain compensation. Maryland Courts and Judicial Proceedings Code § 3-904 also allows certain family members of pedestrians who are killed in an accident to file wrongful death actions to obtain compensation for losses they sustain because of their loved one’s death.
However, Prince George’s County claimants who fail to file their lawsuits within the timeframe specified by Maryland statute may lose their right to compensation, even if they have an otherwise viable claim against one or more parties. Maryland Courts and Judicial Proceedings Code § 5-101 requires injured pedestrians to file their lawsuits within three years of the accident. Those bringing wrongful death claims have three years from the date of the pedestrian’s death to file a lawsuit.
If you or a relative were injured or killed in a pedestrian accident, a Prince George’s County pedestrian accident lawyer could help you receive fair compensation for injuries or losses. A local attorney could review your case, advise you on whether you have a potential claim against one or more parties, and file claims on your behalf within the timeframes specified by Maryland law.
Contact a Prince George’s County pedestrian accident lawyer at Gelb & Gelb, P.C. today for an initial review of your case.
Copyright © 2025 Gelb & Gelb, P.C. All rights reserved.