Maryland Fault Rule
Pure Contributory Negligence (Strict Bar): Maryland maintains strict pure contributory negligence. If a claimant bears even 1% responsibility for the collision, they cannot recover any damages from the other driver’s third-party liability insurance.
Statute of Limitations
3 Years (Md. Code Ann., Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-101): Claimants must finalize settlement agreements or initiate formal civil actions within 3 years of the collision date.
Statutory Insurance Minimums
30/60/15 ($30k bodily injury / $60k per accident / $15k property damage): These mandatory insurance minimums represent the maximum available coverage under standard policies unless the driver purchased higher optional coverage.
How Fault Apportionment Affects Claims in Maryland
When negotiating auto accident claims in Maryland, insurance adjusters calculate damages using an itemized formula that adds economic losses (medical bills, future treatment, lost earnings, property repair) to non-economic damages (pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life).
Reaffirmed by the Maryland Court of Appeals in Coleman v. Soccer Ass’n of Columbia, Maryland’s pure contributory negligence rule bars any claimant whose own failure to exercise reasonable care contributed in any degree to their injury. However, Maryland drivers can claim Personal Injury Protection (PIP) benefits (minimum $2,500) on their own policy regardless of fault. Understanding this threshold prevents accident victims from being pressured into unfair initial liability splits during adjusters' telephone recorded statements.