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Your Bethesda Personal Injury Attorney
The short answer. In Maryland a civil action must generally be filed within three years from the date it accrues (Md. Code, Courts and Judicial Proceedings § 5-101). A minor or a mentally incompetent claimant may file within the lesser of three years or the normal period after the disability ends (Courts and Judicial Proceedings 5-201). The trial court for Montgomery County sits in Rockville, at 50 Maryland Avenue, Rockville, MD 20850. To talk it through, send the form on this page and we will work to connect you with an attorney in our network.
If you are reading this after an accident in Bethesda, you are probably tired, sore and unsure whom to trust. That is normal. A few rules learned early can keep you from making choices that are hard to undo.
We match people with attorneys; we do not advise on cases. Treat what follows as a plain language guide to Maryland law drawn from the statutes. When you want to talk to an attorney, the form at the top of this page is the way to start.
Questions To Ask A Bethesda Injury Attorney
Ask these in any first conversation:
- The deadline. Ask the attorney to name the exact last day to file for your claim. Maryland’s general limit for a civil action is three years (Courts and Judicial Proceedings § 5-101).
- The damage limit. Ask how the statutory cap on noneconomic damages applies to someone with your injuries (Courts and Judicial Proceedings § 11-108).
- Your share of fault. Ask whether any fault on your part could bar the claim, since Maryland has long followed contributory negligence (Coleman v. Soccer Association of Columbia, 432 Md. 679 (2013)).
- The people. Ask who will be in touch with you and how quickly they return calls.
- The money terms. Ask how fees are calculated and which costs come out of a recovery.
Personal Injury Types of Cases
Motor Vehicle Accidents
As long as the person that was operating the vehicle that injured you was negligent in some way, you can could have a claim for compensation. This can include.
- Car Accidents
- Truck Accidents
- Bicycle Accidents
- 18 wheeler Accidents
- Motorcycle crashes
- Drunk Driving
- Distracted Driving
- Aggressive Driving
- and other types of motor vehicle accidents
Work Place Accidents
These types of personal injury lawsuits involve more that just a employee and employer. If you feel like your place of employment was negligent in some way, you might have a claim for compensation. These types of accidents can include.
- Slip and Fall
- Unsafe working conditions
- Unmaintained equipment
- Auto Accidents
- Death
- Electrical Hazards
- Occupational illnesses like COPD, contagious diseases, and asbestosis
- personal injuries at work
Premises Liability
Many premises liability claims are from a property owner’s duty to maintain a property in the way that does not endanger others. There are may ways a property owner can violate this duty.
- Broken Stairs
- Unlit alleyways
- Slippery Floors
- Surfaces that are uneven
- Places to receive burns
- Places to receive chemical exposure
- Dog bites
- and other dangerous conditions
Wrongful Death
When negligence leads to fatal injuries, a wrongful death suit can help the surviving family members hold the negligent company, persons, and or person accountable for what was done. A wrongful death case can involve different types of compensation from other personal injury claims. After a fatal accident, family members can ask an attorney to review what compensation the surviving loved ones may have a right to. These types of accidents can include.
- Auto Accident
- Maritime Accident
- Drowning
- Electrocution
- Falls
- Helicopter Accident
- Fire
- Firearm
- and other types of wrongful deaths
Injured in Bethesda? Get matched with an attorney now.
How Your Own Mistakes Can Affect A Claim
People often assume that being partly at fault only lowers an award. In Maryland that is not always so. The state follows the common law rule of contributory negligence, which can bar a recovery when the injured person’s own negligence contributed to the harm. The Court of Appeals of Maryland reaffirmed the rule in Coleman v. Soccer Association of Columbia, 432 Md. 679 (2013), declining to abrogate it.
Because that decision dates from 2013, confirm with an attorney how the rule is applied today. Until then, be careful about statements to insurers on what you were doing, how fast you were going or whether you were watching the road.
When the Clock Starts and Stops
The general limit for a civil action at law in Maryland is three years from when it accrues, unless the Code provides a different period (Courts and Judicial Proceedings § 5-101). For a death, an action under the wrongful death subtitle is filed within three years after the death of the injured person, with exceptions in the statute (Courts and Judicial Proceedings § 3-904).
A minor or a mentally incompetent claimant may file within the lesser of three years or the applicable period of limitations after the disability is removed (Courts and Judicial Proceedings § 5-201). That section does not apply if the limitations period still has more than three years to run when the disability ends.
Wrongful Death Claims in Maryland
Maryland’s wrongful death statute, Courts and Judicial Proceedings § 3-904, names who benefits: the wife, husband, parent and child of the deceased person, and, if there are none, a person related by blood or marriage who was substantially dependent on the deceased. There is a limit of one action for the death of any person.
The damages are divided in shares directed by the verdict, and they are not confined to the financial loss. In the cases the statute names, such as the death of a spouse or a minor child, they can include emotional pain, loss of companionship and loss of guidance.
The Court and Hospitals Behind a Bethesda Claim
Montgomery County is the county the Census Bureau assigns to Bethesda. The Maryland court directory lists the circuit court (6th Judicial Circuit) for Montgomery County in Rockville, at 50 Maryland Avenue, Rockville, MD 20850. Suburban Hospital (JHM) in Bethesda appears on the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems list of trauma centers as a Level II trauma center.
Keep copies of everything the hospital or clinic gives you, ask for an itemized bill, and note each appointment as it happens. If you moved between facilities, collect the records from each one.
How The Intake Process Works In Bethesda
Fill in the form at the top of this page. NeedAnAttorney.net reviews your details and works to match you with an attorney in our network who may handle cases in Maryland. The form is free to use, and sending it does not mean you have hired anyone.
Until someone calls, make a simple record: what happened, the date and time, names of anyone who saw it, the treatment you have had, and the days you missed from work. Keep every bill and letter in one place.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which hospital is closest to Bethesda?
Suburban Hospital in Bethesda is the closest Maryland acute care or critical access hospital on the federal hospital list, 0.8 miles away in a straight line, an acute care hospital. Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring is 4.9 miles away and Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center in Rockville is 8.7 miles away. VA and military hospitals are not included. In an emergency call 911 first; not every hospital has an emergency room.
What other places near Bethesda have their own page here?
North Bethesda is 3.4 miles north of Bethesda, Silver Spring is 5.4 miles east and Rockville is 6.9 miles north, by straight line from the Census coordinates.
Does it cost anything to use this page to find an attorney?
No. The form is free, and many injury matters are handled on a contingency fee. Ask for the fee agreement in writing.
What are the first steps after an accident?
See a doctor, report the accident to the right party, take photographs, and write down the details soon after. Then keep every bill and record together.
What is the Maryland statute of limitations for an injury claim?
Generally three years (Courts and Judicial Proceedings § 5-101). For a wrongful death, the three years generally run from the date of death, with exceptions (Courts and Judicial Proceedings § 3-904).
Does Maryland bar me from recovering if I share the blame?
It can. Maryland has long followed contributory negligence, and in Coleman v. Soccer Association of Columbia, 432 Md. 679 (2013) the highest court declined to abrogate it. Ask an attorney how it applies to you.
Is there a limit on noneconomic damages in Maryland?
Yes. Courts and Judicial Proceedings § 11-108 caps noneconomic damages at $980,000 for causes of action arising from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027, and the cap grows by $15,000 every October 1.
Who benefits from a Maryland wrongful death action?
Under Courts and Judicial Proceedings § 3-904, the spouse, parents and children of the deceased benefit, or a substantially dependent relative by blood or marriage if there are none. Only one action lies for a death.
Injury Attorney Pages For Other Maryland Communities
If your injury happened outside Bethesda, one of these pages may fit better.
