Baltimore Personal Injury Lawyer

Handling Accident and Malpractice Cases in Baltimore City

    

Baltimore is generally a favorable jurisdiction for Plaintiff’s injury lawyers to try car and truck accident, medical malpractice, and other kinds of personal injury cases.  Historically, we have found that Baltimore City juries are more likely to make awards that are commensurate with Plaintiffs’ injuries.  Most personal injury lawyers in Maryland agree that the two best jurisdictions in the state for Plaintiffs are Baltimore City and Prince George’s County.

In fact, Baltimore’s reputation as a good place to try a case for Plaintiffs is well-known enough that the American Tort Reform Association (a pro business group that wants to limit personal injury lawsuits) named Baltimore, Maryland to its “Judicial Hellhole” watch list. They pointed to "high verdicts" in lead paint, asbestos, and medical malpractice cases. (Their version of "high" is what we believe is actually conservatively "fair.")

Demographics of a Baltimore Jury

Baltimore City is an independent incorporated municipality that is surrounded on all sides by Baltimore County.  It is a large, urban area with a population of 620,961 according to the 2010 Census.  In terms of racial/ethnic demographics, as a percentage of population, census data shows the following:

African-American/Black:  63.74%
American Indian/Alaska native:  0.37%
Asian: 2.34%
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander:  0.04%
“Other”: 1.82%
Hispanic/Latino:  2.09%
White: 29.60%
Persons of two or more races: 2.09%

The average per capita income is $23,333 and the median household income is $39,386.  49.8% of Baltimore residents are homeowners, with the median value of owner-occupied homes being $160,400.  21.3% of "Charm City" residents tragically live below the poverty line. 

The American Community Survey’s 2006-2010 Five Year Estimate for the highest level of education attained shows that for Baltimoreans over 25 years old:

4.4% did not complete the 9th grade
7.8% reached 9th through 12th grade, but did not receive a diploma
26.4% graduated from high school or earned a G.E.D
19.3% attended some college, but did not earn a degree
6.3% hold an Associate’s Degree
19.8% hold a Bachelor’s Degree
16.0% hold a Graduate or Professional degree

Baltimore City Circuit Court

The Circuit Court for Baltimore City is one of the largest in the state, with 33 judges.  The bench is very diverse and has a reputation for competence.  Although the court has a very crowded docket, civil trials in Maryland's biggest city usually go to trial as scheduled (unlike Baltimore County), and the court is very active in using Alternative Dispute Resolution procedures such as mediation and court-ordered settlement conferences to try to get cases settled before trial.  Although the court’s facilities are antiquated (the courthouses pre-date the telephone), the basic technology lawyers need is available, such as Wi-Fi internet and audiovisual equipment.  

While jury service in Baltimore is a unique burden (the accommodations are insufficient, the pay is remarkably low, the courthouse lacks on-site parking and jurors typically get called too often - every 18 months), the jurors view the process with an admirable seriousness and they typically work hard to arrive at a result that fairly compensates the Plaintiff’s injuries.

Baltimore City Jury Verdicts

This is a sampling of recent jury verdicts in Baltimore City from analysis of various sources, including our own cases. Due to the lack of scientific methodology (and maybe our pro-injury victim bias) these should not be viewed as a representative sampling of all jury verdicts in Baltimore City in personal injury cases:

• 2013: $1.42 Million Verdict. Pregnant Plaintiff goes to her doctor for an ultrasound which showed an ovarian cyst. During surgery to remove cyst, the doctor removes Plaintiff's right ovary and fallopian tube. After years of pain, she learns that the wrong ovary has been removed. Plaintiff's malpractice lawsuit contends the doctor knew of the mistake and chose not to tell the Plaintiff.
• 2012: Defense Verdict. Plaintiffs claim lead paint exposure caused them brain injuries. Baltimore City jury found defendants negligent but awards no money damages. Plaintiffs are awarded a new trial and the case is still pending.

Our attorneys have fought and won millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts in Baltimore. If you need a lawyer to fight for you in a serious injury case, call us at 800-553-8082 or get a free on-line case evaluation.

• 2012: $1,000,000 Settlement. A mother is pushing her 14 month-old son in a stroller on the sidewalk and is struck and killed by truck that overshot its U-turn. The child is uninjured. Some witnesses say when the truck was coming at her she pushed her child to safety. The accident happened in Baltimore County but our law firm fought for and won venue in Baltimore City. The case settled shortly after that victory. Our law firm handled this case.
• 2012: $7,079,064 Verdict. Plaintiff, a 31-year-old roofer is operating a truck on the Capital Beltway when he is rear-ended by the Defendant. Plaintiff suffers a back injury that rendered him unable to work. The jury awards over $1.8 million in lost income and $175,000 in medical bills. Due to the cap on non-economic damages in Maryland, the verdict is reduced to $2.7 million.

• 2012: $760,000 Wrongful Death Verdict. This wrongful death accident on Calvert Street in Baltimore earned national attention because Progressive fought the case as opposed to tendering their $100,000 uninsured motorist policy when many felt that they should have just paid their policy.
• 2012: $3,505,000 Wrongful Death Verdict. A 27 year-old gym teacher is on a motorcycle when he is struck and killed by police involved in a chase. The verdict is reduced to $200,000 by the criminally unfair Maryland Tort Claims Act.
• 2012: $21,000,000 Verdict. A Glen Burnie couple allege their son's doctors at Johns Hopkins should have performed a Caesarean section instead of a prolonged vaginal birth that lead to oxygen deprivation and cerebral palsy.
• 2012: $55,000 Settlement. A 14 year-old girl with cerebral palsy is despicably taunted and attacked at Calverton Middle School in Baltimore. She tragically loses an eye. Plaintiff's file suit against Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners for negligently failing to supervise.
• 2012: Defense Verdict. Plaintiff goes to University of Maryland Medical Center for a cervical diskectomy and fusion. After the surgery, plaintiff starts vomiting, and bleeding at the surgical site. Doctors discover a hematoma was causing an airway obstruction. Plaintiff's unsuccessful lawsuit alleges that the doctor's negligence caused her hematoma.
• 2012: $ 1,779,000 Verdict. Plaintiff, a railroad employee, brings a Federal Employers Liability Act lawsuit claiming cumulative trauma to his knees as a result of the defendant's use of the wrong-sized ballast in the train yards. A Baltimore City jury returns a $1,779,000 verdict for the plaintiff, less 20% comparative negligence as to plaintiff and 10% as to other causes (weight and age), resulting in a $1,245,300 net verdict.
• 2012: $390,000 Settlement. Plaintiff is traveling on a motorcycle on 795, taking the ramp to the Baltimore Beltway. A construction truck utilizes the emergency cut through and pulled into client's lane. Plaintiff fractures his elbow and his hip and has severe road rash. Our law firm handled this case.
• 2011: $1.05 Million Verdict. Plaintiff and her young son were struck an Eastern Petroleum truck. Plaintiff's son is not hurt but Plaintiff suffers a crush fracture in her right leg. The Defendant's offer $25,000 to settle the case. Our law firm handled this case.

Hiring a Lawyer for Your Serious Injury Claim in Baltimore

Because of our proximity to Baltimore City and because it is such a favorable jurisdiction for personal injury or medical malpractice victims, our lawyers handle a substantial number of our personal injury cases in Baltimore City. If you have been injured in an auto accident, truck accident, or by medical malpractice in or around Baltimore City, call us at 410-553-6000 or select here for a free consultation with a Baltimore car accident attorney or medical malpractice lawyer.

More on Baltimore Personal Injury Claims and Settlements

• Baltimore Personal Injury Lawyer Blog (lawyer blog discussing personal injury accident and medical malpractice cases in Baltimore City)
• Sample Scheduling Order in Baltimore City
• Sample Baltimore City Police Report (accident case)
• Claims Against Baltimore City (dealing with the City in personal injury cases)
• Getting 911 Records in Baltimore City
• Maryland Legal Aid

Other Jurisdictions

• Anne Arundel County
• Baltimore County
• Cecil County
• Charles County
• Frederick County
• Montgomery County
• Prince George's County
• Howard County

Malpractice Claims Against Baltimore Hospitals

• Harbor Hospital
• Mercy Hospital
• Union Memorial
• Johns Hopkins
• University Hospital
• Franklin Square (almost Baltimore)
• Maryland General Hospital

Our Baltimore Office

Because we have so many clients and lawsuits pending in Baltimore, we have opened a new downtown Baltimore office. You can find us at:

Baltimore Inner Harbor Center

400 East Pratt Street, 8th Floor

Baltimore, Maryland 21201

If you are looking for a Baltimore personal injury lawyer that knows their way around a courtroom in a serious accident or malpractice case, call us today at 410-553-6000 or get a free online no obligation consultation.