When you’ve been injured due to someone else’s negligence, finding the right personal injury lawyer can make all the difference in your recovery and financial compensation. At Zirkin & Schmerling, our experienced personal injury attorneys have successfully represented clients throughout Baltimore and Maryland for decades. We understand that personal injury cases can be overwhelming, which is why our team is committed to providing compassionate, skilled representation while you focus on healing from your injuries.
Our Baltimore personal injury lawyers have built a reputation for aggressive advocacy and successful outcomes in complex personal injury matters. Whether you’ve been involved in a serious accident, suffered from medical malpractice, experienced wrongful death in your family, or need representation for wrongful death litigation, our team will fight tirelessly to ensure you receive fair compensation for your losses.
Contact the law firm of Zirkin & Schmerling at 410-753-4611 today for your free consultation.
Types of Personal Injury Cases We Handle
At Zirkin & Schmerling, we handle a wide variety of personal injury cases throughout Baltimore and Maryland. Our injury attorneys have extensive experience in numerous areas of personal injury law, from motorcycle accidents to wrongful death, allowing us to provide comprehensive legal counsel to injury victims. While the following represents some of our most common case types, we encourage you to contact our law firm for a free consultation regardless of how your injury occurred.
Car Accidents
Car accidents are among the most common causes of personal injury in Baltimore, often resulting in serious injuries that require extensive medical treatment and time away from work. Our Baltimore personal injury lawyers have represented clients in automobile accident cases involving everything from minor fender-benders to catastrophic collisions. Our injury lawyers understand the legal process and how to negotiate with each insurance company to ensure our clients receive maximum compensation for their medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering damages after a car accident.
Semi-Truck Accidents
Accidents involving commercial vehicles often result in more serious injuries than typical car accidents due to the size and weight of these vehicles. Our experienced personal injury lawyer team has handled numerous truck collision cases, understanding the complex regulations that govern commercial trucking and the multiple parties that may be liable for your injuries. We work with accident reconstruction experts to build strong cases that hold trucking companies accountable for their negligence.
Slip and Fall Accidents
Slip and fall accidents can occur anywhere, from grocery stores to office buildings, and property owners have a legal duty to maintain safe conditions for visitors. Our personal injury attorneys have extensive experience handling premises liability cases involving falls on someone else’s property. We thoroughly investigate the circumstances surrounding your fall, gather evidence of dangerous conditions, and work to prove that the property owner’s negligence caused your injuries.
Dog Bite Injuries
Dog bites can cause significant physical harm and emotional trauma, particularly for children who are often the victims of these attacks. Our firm understands Maryland’s specific laws regarding dog owner liability. We work to document the extent of your injuries and ensure that you receive proper compensation for medical costs, scarring, and psychological trauma.
Rideshare Accidents
With the popularity of rideshare services like Uber and Lyft, accidents involving these vehicles have become increasingly common in Baltimore. Our personal injury lawyers understand the unique challenges these cases present, including complex insurance company coverage issues and determining liability when multiple parties may be involved. We have experience dealing with rideshare companies and their insurance company policies and know how to pursue compensation from all available sources.
Types of Semi-Truck Accidents We Represent
Commercial truck accidents can take many forms, each presenting unique challenges in terms of liability and the severity of injuries sustained. Our experienced personal injury lawyers have handled various types of accidents throughout Baltimore and Maryland. While the following represents some of the most common types of accidents we encounter, these aren’t the only types of semi-truck accidents our team represents.
Rollover
Rollover accidents involving semi-trucks are particularly dangerous due to the height and weight distribution of these vehicles. These accidents often occur when drivers take turns too quickly, encounter adverse weather conditions, or when cargo is improperly loaded. Our personal injury lawyers work with accident reconstruction experts to determine the cause of rollover accidents and identify all liable parties, which may include the truck driver, trucking company, cargo loading company, or vehicle manufacturer.
Underride
Underride accidents occur when a smaller vehicle slides underneath a semi-truck, often resulting in devastating injuries or wrongful death. These accidents can happen when trucks make sudden stops, fail to maintain proper lighting, or when safety equipment is inadequate or missing. Our injury attorneys understand the complex federal regulations governing truck safety equipment and use this knowledge to build strong cases for our clients.
T-Bone
T-bone or side-impact collisions with semi-trucks often occur at intersections when truck drivers fail to yield right-of-way or run a red light and crash into the side of another vehicle. These accidents can cause severe injuries due to the massive size difference between commercial trucks and passenger vehicles. Our team investigates these accidents thoroughly, examining traffic signals, witness testimony, and electronic logging devices to determine fault.
Causes of Rideshare Accidents in Baltimore
Understanding the common causes of rideshare accidents is crucial for establishing liability in personal injury cases. Our personal injury lawyers have observed several recurring factors that contribute to accidents involving rideshare vehicles throughout the city.
Distracted Driving
Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of rideshare accidents in Baltimore. Rideshare drivers often rely on mobile apps for navigation, ride requests, and communication with passengers, which can take their attention away from the road. Our personal injury law firm has handled numerous cases where rideshare drivers were using their phones or GPS devices at the time of the accident. We work with technology experts to examine phone records and app usage data to prove distracted driving, while also investigating whether the rideshare company’s policies contributed to the driver’s distraction.
Driver Fatigue
Many rideshare drivers work long hours or multiple jobs, leading to dangerous levels of fatigue behind the wheel. Driver fatigue can impair reaction times, decision-making abilities, and overall driving performance. Our Baltimore personal injury lawyers investigate drivers’ work schedules, sleep patterns, and driving logs to establish when fatigue may have contributed to an accident. We also examine whether rideshare companies have adequate policies in place to prevent fatigued driving and hold these companies accountable when their lack of oversight contributes to accidents.
Speeding
Speeding is a common factor in rideshare accidents, often occurring when drivers rush to complete rides quickly or navigate through heavy Baltimore traffic. Our team uses various forms of evidence to prove speeding, including accident reconstruction and vehicle data recorders. We understand how speeding affects the severity of injuries and will demonstrate the connection between excessive speed and the extent of our clients’ damages.
Vehicle Problems
Inadequate vehicle maintenance or mechanical failures can lead to serious rideshare accidents. Our injury attorneys investigate whether proper maintenance was performed, whether known defects were ignored, and whether the vehicle was suitable for commercial use. We examine maintenance records, recall notices, and manufacturer data to determine if vehicle problems contributed to the accident. When mechanical failures are involved, we may pursue personal injury lawsuits against vehicle manufacturers, maintenance providers, or the rideshare company itself.
Types of Dog Bite Injuries
Dog attacks can result in various types of injuries, ranging from minor puncture wounds to life-threatening trauma. Our Baltimore personal injury lawyers have extensive experience handling these bite cases and understand the medical and legal complexities involved.
Broken Bones
Dog attacks can cause fractures and broken bones, particularly in the arms, hands, and legs, as injured victims attempt to protect themselves or are knocked down by large dogs. These injuries often require surgical intervention, physical therapy, and extended recovery periods.
Our personal injury law firm works with orthopedic specialists and other professionals to fully document bone injuries and their long-term effects. We understand how broken bones can impact a person’s ability to work and perform daily activities, ensuring that lost income and reduced earning capacity are included in negotiations.
Cuts and Lacerations
Animal bites frequently result in deep cuts and lacerations that may require stitches, skin grafts, or plastic surgery. These injuries can lead to permanent scarring and disfigurement, particularly when they occur on the face, hands, or other visible areas.
Our Baltimore personal injury lawyers work with plastic surgeons and dermatologists to document the extent of scarring and the need for future cosmetic procedures. We ensure that compensation includes not only current medical expenses but also future medical costs related to scar revision and ongoing treatment.
Crush Injury
Large dogs can cause significant crush injuries when they bite down with tremendous force, potentially damaging muscles, tendons, nerves, and blood vessels. These injuries can result in permanent disability, loss of function, and chronic pain. Our team collaborates to understand the full extent of crush injuries and their impact on our clients’ lives. We work to ensure that compensation reflects not only immediate medical bills but also long-term care needs and the impact on quality of life.
Amputation Injury
In severe dog attacks, injuries may be so extensive that amputation becomes necessary. These life-altering injuries require immediate emergency medical treatment, multiple surgeries, prosthetic devices, and extensive rehabilitation.
Our injury attorneys understand the devastating impact of amputation injuries on accident victims and their families. We work with medical experts, rehabilitation specialists, and life care planners to calculate the full cost of future medical care, assistive devices, and home modifications. Our team fights to ensure that compensation reflects the true lifetime costs of these catastrophic injuries.
Dog Bite Laws in Maryland
Understanding Maryland’s bite laws is essential for anyone who has been injured by a dog attack. Our Baltimore personal injury lawyers have extensive experience with Maryland’s specific legal framework governing dog owner liability. These laws determine how victims can pursue compensation and what must be proven to establish a successful personal injury claim.
One Bite Rule
Maryland follows what is commonly known as the “one bite rule,” which means that dog owners may be held liable for injuries caused by their dog if they knew or should have known about the dog’s dangerous propensities. This doesn’t mean the dog must have bitten someone before; rather, it means the owner had notice of the dog’s aggressive tendencies through previous incidents, growling, snapping, or other threatening behavior.
Our personal injury law firm conducts thorough investigations to uncover evidence of prior aggressive behavior, complaints to animal control, or other incidents that would put the owner on notice. We also examine whether the owner violated local leash laws or other regulations that could establish liability regardless of the dog’s prior behavior. Additionally, we investigate whether the attack occurred on the owner’s property or in a public place, as this can affect the liability that applies to the case.
The Four Elements of Negligence
In most personal injury cases, establishing negligence is crucial to obtaining fair compensation for injury victims. Our attorneys understand that proving negligence requires demonstrating four key elements, each of which must be established through evidence and legal argument. Understanding these elements helps clients appreciate why thorough investigation and skilled legal representation are essential to successful personal injury claims.
Duty of Care
The first element of negligence is establishing that the defendant owed a duty of care to the injured person. This duty varies depending on the relationship between the parties and the circumstances of the case. For example, drivers have a duty to operate their vehicles safely and follow traffic laws, property owners must maintain reasonably safe conditions for visitors, and physicians must provide care that meets accepted standards. Our Baltimore personal injury lawyers carefully analyze the specific circumstances of each case to identify all parties who may have owed a duty of care to our clients and ensure that all potential defendants are included in the legal process.
Breach of Duty
Once duty is established, we must prove that the defendant breached that duty through action or inaction. This involves demonstrating that the defendant’s conduct fell below the standard of care that a reasonable person would have exercised under similar circumstances. Our team gathers evidence such as expert opinions, surveillance footage, and documentation to show how the defendant’s behavior deviated from accepted standards. We work with experts in relevant fields to establish what a reasonable person would have done in the same situation and how the defendant’s conduct fell short of that standard.
Causation
Causation involves proving that the defendant’s breach of duty directly caused the plaintiff’s injuries. This element has two components: factual causation (but-for causation) and proximate causation (legal causation). Factual causation requires showing that the injury would not have occurred but for the defendant’s negligent conduct. Proximate causation requires demonstrating that the injury was a foreseeable consequence of the defendant’s actions. Our team works with accident reconstruction experts to establish clear causal connections between the defendant’s negligent conduct and our client’s injuries.
Damages
The final element requires proving that the plaintiff suffered actual damages as a result of the defendant’s negligence. Damages in personal injury cases can include medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, permanent disability, and loss of enjoyment of life. Our Baltimore personal injury lawyers work closely with medical professionals, economists, and life care planners to fully document all damages and ensure that nothing is overlooked. We understand that some damages, such as future medical expenses and lost earning capacity, require expert testimony to properly quantify and then present their findings to insurance companies or juries.
Medical Evidence Used To Establish Personal Injury Liability
Medical evidence plays a crucial role in personal injury cases, serving both to establish the extent of injuries and to prove causation between the defendant’s negligent conduct and the plaintiff’s harm. Our experienced lawyers gather and present compelling medical evidence that supports our clients’ claims. Understanding the types of medical evidence used in personal injury cases helps clients appreciate why prompt medical attention and thorough documentation are essential to successful outcomes.
Medical Records
Medical records form the foundation of most personal injury cases, providing detailed documentation of injuries, treatment, and prognosis. Our legal team obtains comprehensive medical records from all healthcare providers who treated our clients, including emergency room records, hospital charts, physician notes, diagnostic test results, and rehabilitation records.
We work with medical professionals to ensure that records document the connection between the accident and the injuries, as well as the necessity of all treatment received. Our attorney team knows how to organize and present medical records effectively, highlighting key information that supports our clients’ claims while addressing any gaps or inconsistencies that might be exploited by defense attorneys.
Medical Bills
Medical bills serve as concrete evidence of the financial impact of injuries and help establish the value of a personal injury claim. Our injury attorneys carefully review all expenses related to our clients’ injuries, including emergency room visits, hospital stays, surgeries, diagnostic tests, medications, physical therapy, and ongoing treatment.
We work with medical billing specialists to ensure that all charges are properly documented and that insurance adjustments are accurately reflected. Our team also works with life care planners and medical experts to project future medical costs, ensuring that negotiations or jury awards account for ongoing treatment needs and potential complications.
Expert Testimony
Expert testimony from medical professionals is often essential to establish causation and explain complex medical issues to insurance companies and juries. Our national trial lawyers work with a network of qualified medical experts, including physicians, surgeons, rehabilitation specialists, and other healthcare professionals who can provide authoritative opinions about our clients’ injuries and treatment.
These experts review medical records, examine our clients, and provide testimony about the nature and extent of injuries, the necessity of treatment, and the long-term prognosis. We carefully select experts whose credentials and experience are appropriate for each case, ensuring that their testimony will be persuasive and withstand cross-examination.
From birth injuries to other forms of medical malpractice, Zirkin & Schmerling can represent you to pursue justice. Call our law firm at 410-753-4611 for a free consultation.
Emotional Distress Damages in a Personal Injury Claim
Emotional distress damages represent an important component of many personal injury claims, recognizing that accidents and injuries can cause significant psychological harm in addition to physical injuries. Our attorneys understand that emotional distress can be just as debilitating as physical harm and work to ensure that these damages are properly documented and included in settlement negotiations. These non-economic damages can include anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, sleep disturbances, and other psychological symptoms that result from traumatic accidents.
Supporting Evidence
Establishing emotional distress damages requires careful documentation and expert testimony from mental health professionals. Our team works with psychologists, psychiatrists, and other mental health experts who can evaluate our clients and provide professional opinions about the extent of emotional trauma.
We gather evidence such as medical records from mental health providers, testimony from family members and friends about changes in behavior, and documentation of how emotional distress has affected our clients’ ability to work and enjoy life. Our Baltimore personal injury attorneys understand that often the insurance company refuses these non-economic damages. Working with an experienced legal team is crucial when an insurance company attempts to minimize or deny valid emotional distress claims.
Potential Value
The value of emotional distress damages depends on various factors, including the severity of the underlying physical damage, the traumatic nature of the accident, the duration of psychological symptoms, and the impact on the person’s daily life and relationships.
Our experienced legal team works with medical professionals and economists to properly quantify these non-economic damages and ensure that our clients receive fair compensation for all aspects of their suffering. We understand that non-economic damages due to emotional distress are an integral part of many personal injury lawsuits and fight to ensure that insurance companies and juries understand the full impact of our clients’ injuries.
Emergency Services in Baltimore
When accidents occur in Baltimore, prompt access to emergency services can be crucial for preserving evidence and ensuring that accident victims receive appropriate care. Our Baltimore personal injury attorneys understand the importance of emergency services in personal injury cases and work closely with these agencies when gathering evidence and building cases for our clients. Having quick access to emergency contact information can be vital in the immediate aftermath of an accident.
Police: Baltimore Police Department
601 East Fayette Street, Baltimore, MD 21202
(410) 396-2020
Fire: Baltimore City Fire Department
401 East Fayette Street, Baltimore, MD 21202
(410) 396-5690
Hospital: The Johns Hopkins Hospital
1800 Orleans Street, Baltimore, MD 21287
(410) 955-5000
Court: Baltimore City Circuit Court
100 N. Calvert Street, Baltimore, MD 21202
(410) 333-3722
Living in Baltimore
Baltimore offers a rich cultural heritage and vibrant community that makes it a unique place to live and work. Understanding the local community helps our firm better serve clients throughout the Baltimore area and ensures we can effectively serve clients who call Maryland home. The city’s diverse neighborhoods, cultural attractions, and educational institutions create a dynamic environment that our legal team is proud to be part of.
Baltimore serves as an epicenter of art, culture, and history, offering residents and visitors numerous attractions and cultural experiences. From the historic Inner Harbor to world-class museums and theaters, the city provides a wealth of opportunities for recreation and enrichment. The city’s rich maritime history, diverse neighborhoods, and culinary scene make it a distinctive place to live and work.
Johns Hopkins University provides excellent insights into what makes Baltimore special, noting the city’s affordability, accessibility, and cultural diversity. The presence of prestigious institutions like Johns Hopkins creates an educated, dynamic community that values innovation and excellence. The city’s convenient location between Washington, D.C., and New York City, combined with its unique character and opportunities, makes it an attractive place for families and professionals.
Maryland Personal Injury Attorneys Ready To Fight
When you’re facing the aftermath of a severe accident or injury in Baltimore, choosing the right personal injury lawyer can make the difference between a successful recovery and ongoing financial hardship. At Zirkin & Schmerling, our trial attorneys have the knowledge, resources, and dedication needed to handle complex matters and fight for the compensation our clients deserve in their Baltimore personal injury case.
Our national trial lawyers have represented clients in a wide range of injury cases, from motorcycle accidents and medical malpractice cases to wrongful death and catastrophic injuries, with particular expertise in complex medical malpractice litigation. We work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay no attorney fees unless we successfully recover compensation for your injuries. Our team is committed to thorough investigation, skilled negotiation, and aggressive trial advocacy in personal injury and wrongful death cases through a personal injury lawsuit when necessary to ensure that our clients receive fair compensation for their medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other economic and non-economic damages.
Schedule your free consultation today by calling 410-753-4611 to discuss your personal injury claim with our experienced Baltimore injury attorneys. We’re here to help you navigate the legal process and fight for the financial recovery you deserve.