Do I need a lawyer after a car accident in Maryland?
Every rule below is quoted from Maryland law or a state agency, with a link. Checked September 17, 2026.
The short answer
We can't tell you whether you need a lawyer. We can show you the Maryland rules that usually decide it: how fault is split, how long you have, and how injury lawyers are allowed to charge. Many people with only car damage settle directly with the insurer. People with injuries, disputed fault or a claim near a deadline often talk to a lawyer first.
How fault changes your claim
If you were partly at fault
Maryland still follows contributory negligence, so if you are even slightly at fault for the crash, courts can bar you from recovering any money from the other driver.
“We shall hold that, although this Court has the authority to change the common law rule of contributory negligence, we decline to abrogate”
How long you have
- 3 years
- to sue for injuriesMd. Code Ann., Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-101
- 3 years
- to sue for car or property damageMd. Code Ann., Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-101
- 3 years
- for a family to sue after a deathMd. Code Ann., Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 3-904
- 1 year
- to notify the government if a public vehicle or road was involvedMd. Code Ann., Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-304 (local government); State Gov't § 12-106 (State)
Deadline to sue for injuries
You generally have 3 years from the date of the crash to file a lawsuit for your injuries.
“A civil action at law shall be filed within three years from the date it accrues unless another provision of the Code provides a different period of time”
If a government vehicle or road was involved
If a state or local government vehicle or a poorly maintained government road was involved, you must send a written notice of your claim within 1 year of the injury, before you can sue.
“an action for unliquidated damages may not be brought against a local government or its employees unless the notice of the claim required by this section is given within 1 year after the injury”
How injury lawyers charge in Maryland
Contingency fee rules
Maryland does not cap the percentage a personal injury lawyer can charge on a contingency fee, but the fee has to be reasonable and the agreement has to be in writing.
“An attorney shall not make an agreement for, charge, or collect an unreasonable fee or an unreasonable amount for expenses”
Questions to ask any lawyer before you sign
- What percentage do you charge, and does it change if the case goes to trial?
- Who pays case costs like records and expert fees if we lose?
- Will you handle my case yourself, or pass it to someone else?
- How long do cases like mine usually take here?
- What is the deadline for my claim, and when will you file?
If the insurer is the problem
File a complaint with the state
You can file a complaint against an insurance company with the Maryland Insurance Administration online or by phone, and should expect an answer in about 90 days.
“You should allow 90 days for a decision on your complaint, but feel free to call us at any time”
Sources on this page
Each one was opened and checked on September 17, 2026.
- Coleman v. Soccer Ass'n of Columbia, 432 Md. 679, 69 A.3d 1149 (2013)
- Maryland Insurance Administration, Consumer Guide to Auto Insurance
- Md. Code Ann., Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-101
- Md. Code Ann., Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-304 (local government); State Gov't § 12-106 (State)
- Md. Rule 19-301.5 (Attorneys' Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 1.5)
- Maryland Insurance Administration, File A Complaint
Know My Claim is not a law firm or a government agency, and this page is not legal advice. Laws change, so check the linked source before you rely on a deadline.