Personalized Attention And Powerful Legal Counsel

Pursuit Of Your Full Compensation For A Personal Injury Accident

Hochberg, Costello & Baron has decades of experience in litigating auto accident claims and other personal injury lawsuits throughout Towson, Baltimore and Central Maryland. Our accomplished trial lawyers have recovered millions of dollars and substantial verdicts over our many years of practice. Let us put our experience to work for you.

Start with a free consultation. If a careless driver caused your crash or you suffered an injury because of a property owner’s negligence, call our law office at 410-886-7573.

A History Of Helping The Injured

Hochberg, Costello & Baron has served the Baltimore area since 1955, including advocacy for people who have been injured through no fault of their own. We have recovered compensation for many types of personal injury claims, including:

  • Car accidents (intersection crashes, rear-end collisions, freeway accidents)
  • Collisions with trucks and commercial vehicles
  • Pedestrian and bicycle accidents
  • Premises liability claims, such as slip-and-fall injuries

We investigate promptly to preserve evidence and establish liability. Once we have calculated the value of your case, we engage with the insurance company to maximize the recovery of damages. In most cases, we are able to obtain a settlement, but we are prepared to go to trial if necessary to hold the negligent parties accountable for your losses and hardships.

The Elements Of A Personal Injury Case

There are two parts to a personal injury claim: liability and damages. There are four factors to prove negligence in establishing liability:

Duty – Duty may be defined as that which a reasonable person is obligated to do under normal circumstances. Maryland Code has numerous statutes regulating the operation of a motor vehicle. The mere violation of one of those statutes is not negligence. However, it is a strong indicator that a duty has been breached. We will perform the necessary research in order to prove this element.

Breach – The plaintiff must prove a breach of duty. Failure to yield the right of way, failure to keep a proper lookout, and failure to operate at a reasonable speed under the roadway, traffic and weather conditions are all breaches of a duty owed while operating a motor vehicle on the highway. These are factual disputes which are best resolved through evidence consisting of photographs and witness information.

Causation – When dealing with injuries causation is a medical issue and when dealing with property damage, a certified repair shop is. When necessary, a company may need to be hired to pursue a diminished value claim for the vehicle. Most claims hinge on the medical evidence presented to connect the causation of injuries to the accident. Medical providers must be able to state within a reasonable degree of medical probability that the injuries sustained were caused by the collision. Without such testimony, medical treatment and the bills incurred are not admissible into evidence.

Damages – The final element of the claim is damages. In Maryland, damages are measured by medical expenses (past, present and future), lost wages (past, present and future), and out-of-pocket expenses, and the largest part of the claim is usually physical pain and mental anguish. Medical records and lost wage verification forms are usually required in order to prove these damages.

In the case of a motor vehicle accident, we have to show that the defendant caused the injuries through their actions or carelessness. In a slip-and-fall accident, we have to show that the business, landlord or proprietor created a safety hazard or should have known of a dangerous condition yet failed to correct it or warn others.

Maryland Court Systems For Auto Accidents

In Maryland, we have two court systems, the Circuit Court and the District Court. The Circuit Court is the higher court in which the claim is usually tried before a jury with claim damages in excess of $75,000. These cases are usually more substantial in terms of injuries and financial harm. The District Court is the lower Court and may hear claims up to $30,000. These trials are only before a judge and are much less expensive to pursue as live medical testimony is not necessary and medical reports and bills and other documents may be admitted into evidence without authentication and confirmation.

Of course, your case may not go to trial at all. it depends on the facts of your case and whether the insurance company and the defense are willing to pay reasonable damages.

Let Us Take Care Of Everything

The attorneys of Hochberg, Costello & Baron have represented thousands of clients over the years and are well-equipped to provide excellent representation in the field of auto accidents and personal injury litigation. Our goal is to take the legal burdens off of you so that you can focus on recovering from your injuries. We handle all the paperwork and we deal with the insurance adjusters. Our lawyers can help you connect with good medical providers if you do not have your own doctors.

To speak with one of our lawyers in a free consultation, call 410-886-7573 or reach out by email. We handle cases on a contingency fee, so there are no up-front costs and you pay no attorney fees unless we recover compensation.