If you suffer an injury in Maryland, the state’s contributory negligence rule could have a major impact on your claim. This rule can be surprising if you are not prepared for it. Understanding how it works can help you see how it might affect your right to a successful personal injury claim and compensation.
What contributory negligence means
Contributory negligence is a legal rule that bars recovery if you share any fault in the accident. Even if the court finds you just one percent responsible for causing the incident, you cannot collect damages from the other party. For example, if you slip in a store but a court decides you were distracted by your phone, you may not recover anything even if the store failed to clean up a spill.
How it impacts your injury claim
Because of this rule, insurance companies often look for any evidence that you contributed to the accident. Even small actions like crossing a street outside a crosswalk or not wearing proper footwear may be used against you. This makes it harder to succeed in a personal injury claim compared to states with more flexible standards.
Protecting your right to compensation
Since this law is so strict, it is important to understand how your actions before and during an accident may affect your case. Being mindful of safety and collecting strong evidence about what happened can make a difference. The less room there is for a defense to argue fault, the stronger your claim may be.