Maryland Car Accident Settlement Calculator

Maryland's contributory negligence doctrine applies full force to motor vehicle accidents. Even a minor finding of shared fault — such as a brief distraction or a rolling stop — can eliminate your right to any compensation. This strict standard means building an airtight liability case is the single most important factor in Maryland car accident claims.

Maryland gives you 3 years from the date of the incident to file a lawsuit, which is in line with the national average of 2.7 years. This is a standard timeframe, but acting sooner preserves evidence and strengthens your position. Maryland applies a discovery rule, meaning the clock may start when you discover (or should have discovered) the injury rather than when the incident occurred.

Maryland caps non-economic damages (pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life) at $980,000 for this type of case. This means that regardless of the severity of your non-economic losses, the maximum you can receive for those damages is $980,000. (Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. §11-108(b)(2))

Maryland requires all drivers to carry minimum liability insurance of $30K per person / $60K per accident in bodily injury coverage and $15K in property damage coverage (commonly written as 30/60/15). These minimums are above the national average, providing somewhat better baseline protection for accident victims. Maryland also requires uninsured motorist (UM) coverage of at least $30K per person, which protects you if the at-fault driver has no insurance. A Maryland auto policy includes personal injury protection (PIP) of at least $2,500 unless the first named insured waives it in writing (Md. Code, Ins. §§ 19-505, 19-506).

Claims against government entities in Maryland — such as accidents involving government vehicles, city buses, or dangerous road conditions maintained by a municipality — require a formal notice of claim within 180 days. This compressed timeline catches many accident victims off guard. If a government entity may be at fault, consulting an attorney immediately is critical to preserving your right to compensation.

Maryland lets a vehicle owner recover diminished value, the resale value a properly repaired car loses because of its accident history, from the at-fault driver on top of the cost of repairs. Under your own collision coverage, the answer in Maryland turns on the wording of your policy. Maryland's insurance regulator said in Bulletin 24-8 that lost value is a real element of damages against the at-fault driver and must be covered under mandatory uninsured motorist property damage coverage, while collision and comprehensive coverage depend on the policy's own wording. The diminished value guide in the related reading below carries the rule for every state and how to document the loss.