Governments at all levels are heavily involved in the daily lives of Marylanders.
Government agencies own property that members of the public use. Government agencies also do a number of activities in the communities they serve, some being riskier than others.
Also, many government employees drive alongside others on the highways and roads of Anne Arundel County.
It is no surprise that Maryland’s state government and its agencies, as well as local government agencies and the federal government, sometimes are responsible for serious accidents.
Although the investigation is still underway, one possible recent example is a tragic car accident involving a teenager and two police officers.
Even though they have to respond to emergencies, the police in this state have to do what they can to avoid accidents while driving. Like any other driver, police may be accountable for negligent driving. In this recent case, a teenage motorist died after the accident.
Filing a claim with a government agency means a victim must follow a special law
Even though victims can hold it responsible for an accident, suing a government agency will usually require the injured victim to follow some special laws.
For example, to sue the State of Maryland or one of its agencies, the victim will have to follow the Maryland Tort Claims Act.
An important provision of this law is that, within one year of the accident, a victim must file an appropriate claim with the Maryland State Treasurer.
If the victim skips this step or does not meet the deadline, they can have their case dismissed even if it otherwise had merit to it.
On the other hand, once the victim files this claim, they still may have to file their formal lawsuit and do so before any other legal deadlines.
Even if they ultimately win their lawsuit, the most victims can recover after an accident is $400,000.
A personal injury victim may hold the government accountable for their role in their injuries, but doing so can taking some important legal steps. Victims make sure they understand their rights and what they need to do to preserve them.
