Accident Settlement Calculator

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Maryland Car Accident Settlement Calculator

In Maryland, you generally have 3 years to file an injury lawsuit, any fault on your part can bar recovery, and drivers must carry at least $30,000/$60,000 in injury liability. Enter your numbers below to see what a Maryland claim may be worth and what you would actually take home.

⏳ Coming October 1, 2027: The cap rises by $15,000 every October 1 under Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. 11-108, so $995,000 for injuries from October 1, 2027. Upcoming changes

1

Your accident

How serious is the injury?
2

Your costs so far

That's all you need for a first estimate. Rough numbers are fine.

Optional: make the estimate more accurate fault, insurance, lawyer fee
3

Fault and future costs

4

Insurance

5

What comes out of it

Maryland rules in 30 seconds

If you were partly at faultAny fault on your part can mean you get $0
Details & exceptions

Maryland follows pure contributory negligence: if the injured person was negligent at all and that negligence contributed to the accident, they recover nothing from the negligent defendant. The rule comes from case law, not a statute. In Coleman v. Soccer Ass'n of Columbia, 432 Md. 679 (2013), Maryland's highest court declined to adopt comparative negligence and left any change to the General Assembly. Limited common-law exceptions (such as last clear chance) can let a negligent plaintiff recover in some cases. The 2026 bill to adopt comparative negligence for motor vehicle accidents involving vulnerable individuals (HB 466, carried over from HB 594 of 2025) was referred to interim study by the House Judiciary Committee on 2026-03-19 and was not enacted.

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Deadline to file a lawsuit3 years from the accident
Details & exceptions

Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. 5-101: 'A civil action at law shall be filed within three years from the date it accrues' unless another provision sets a different period. This general 3-year period covers both personal injury and property damage claims. Wrongful death: 3 years after the death (CJP 3-904(g)(1)). Claims against the State (Maryland Tort Claims Act): a written claim must be submitted to the State Treasurer within 1 year after the injury, and suit must be filed within 3 years after the cause of action arises, after the claim is finally denied (State Gov't 12-106); State liability is capped at $400,000 per single claimant per incident (State Gov't 12-104). Claims against local governments (Local Government Tort Claims Act): written notice within 1 year after the injury (CJP 5-304(b)), and damages are capped at $400,000 per individual claim and $800,000 per occurrence (CJP 5-303(a)(1)).

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Other driver's minimum insurance$30,000 per person, $60,000 per accident
Details & exceptions

Property damage minimum: $15,000. Md. Code, Transp. 17-103(b): security must cover claims for bodily injury or death of 'up to $30,000 for any one person and up to $60,000 for any two or more persons' and property damage 'of up to $15,000' per accident, plus interest and costs. The same section also requires the PIP benefits of Ins. 19-505 (unless waived) and the uninsured motorist benefits of Ins. 19-509/19-509.1. The Maryland Insurance Administration's August 2026 rate guide lists the same 30/60/15 minimums with $2,500 PIP and 30/60/15 UM. The bodily injury minimums rose from 20/40 to 30/60 under HB 825 (Ch. 441 of 2010) for policies issued, delivered or renewed on or after January 1, 2011 (per the DLS fiscal note and an MIA insurer page). HB 1098 (Ch. 395 of 2025) only created an affordability workgroup that studied minimum limits; no 2025 or 2026 law raising the minimums was found.

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Who pays your medical billsThe at-fault driver's insurance; your own PIP can pay first if you have itSee all no-fault states →
Cap on pain and sufferingYes, in most cases
Details & exceptions

Greater of $980,000 or 0× economic damages, up to $980,000. Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. 11-108 caps noneconomic damages (pain, suffering, inconvenience, physical impairment, disfigurement, loss of consortium, or other nonpecuniary injury) in any personal injury or wrongful death action, so it covers car accident claims. The cap was $500,000 for causes of action arising on or after October 1, 1994 and rises by $15,000 every October 1 starting in 1995. The cap is fixed by the date the cause of action arises (normally the accident date), not the filing or trial date. Computed from the statute: $965,000 for causes of action arising October 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026, and $980,000 for those arising October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027 (the DLS fiscal note for SB 584 of 2025 confirms $965,000 as of October 1, 2025; a secondary law firm chart lists $980,000 from October 1, 2026). The cap applies per direct victim and includes everyone claiming through that victim (for example a spouse's loss of consortium). In wrongful death actions with two or more claimants or beneficiaries, total noneconomic damages may not exceed 150% of the cap ($1,470,000 for causes arising October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027), regardless of the number of claimants. A survival action by the estate has its own separate cap. The jury is not told about the cap, and the court reduces any award above it (11-108(d)). There is no catastrophic-injury exception. Economic damages are not capped. Medical malpractice has a separate cap (CJP 3-2A-09). Bills to repeal the cap (HB 113/SB 584 of 2025, HB 476/SB 474 of 2026) were not enacted.

Uninsured motorist coverageRequired
Details & exceptions

Md. Code, Ins. 19-509(c): every motor vehicle liability policy issued, sold or delivered in Maryland must contain uninsured motorist coverage. Under 19-509(a)(2), an 'uninsured motor vehicle' includes one whose available liability limits are less than the UM coverage, so the UM coverage also works as underinsured coverage. The coverage must be at least the Title 17 minimums (30/60 bodily injury, $15,000 property damage) and, for private passenger policies, equals the liability limits unless the insured waives a higher amount under 19-510. Enhanced underinsured motorist coverage (Ins. 19-509.1) pays up to its limit without reduction for what the at-fault driver's insurer paid. For private passenger policies issued on or after July 1, 2024, insurers must provide it at purchase unless the first named insured waives it in writing (the MIA says it became the default selection for new policies). Under Ch. 514 of 2023, a version effective June 30, 2029 changes this to an offer the insured may elect instead of standard UM.

Worked example: a typical Maryland car accident claim

Another driver turned left into you at an intersection in Maryland: $15,000 in medical bills, $5,000 in lost wages and a moderate injury that healed in a few months. The insurer says you were 20% at fault for speeding slightly, the other driver has a $100,000 policy, and your lawyer takes 33%.

  1. Economic damages$20,000Medical bills + expected future treatment + lost wages.
  2. Pain and suffering$20,000 – $40,000Multiplier method: economic damages × 2–3 for a moderate injury, minus the economic part itself.
  3. Total claim value$40,000 – $60,000Economic + pain and suffering.
  4. After your share of fault$0Maryland uses contributory negligence: if you are even slightly at fault, you may recover nothing (limited exceptions such as "last clear chance" exist).
  5. Limited by available insurance$0At-fault policy limit $100,000 + your UM/UIM $0.
  6. Estimated take-home$0Minus attorney fee (33%), case costs and medical liens.

You would likely get nothing. Under Maryland's fault rule, even 20% of the fault can bar the whole claim, so arguing the fault percentage down to zero is what matters most.

Typical figures (midpoint of a moderate injury multiplier), no medical liens. Run your own numbersor see the same crash in every state.

How much time do you have to file?

General personal injury deadline only. It can be shorter for claims against a city, county or state agency (often a written notice within months), and longer for minors. Check with a lawyer before relying on it.

Deadline traps in Maryland

The 3-year lawsuit deadline is not the only clock. These are the ones people miss:

Crash with a government vehicle or on a public road1 year

Within 1 year of the injury, send a written claim to the State Treasurer for State claims, or written notice to the county or city (as the statute specifies) for local claims. Suit against the State also needs a final denial and must be filed within 3 years.

Md. Code, State Gov't 12-106 (claims against the State)Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. 5-304 (Local Government Tort Claims Act notice)

If the injured person is a child

For a child, the 3-year clock generally starts at age 18, so the child usually has until age 21 to sue.

Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. 5-201 (minors and disability)

How fast a Maryland insurer must respond

Maryland regulations require insurers to acknowledge a claim and answer claimants' letters within 15 working days, and to affirm or deny coverage within 15 working days of complete claim forms. 'Claimant' includes third-party claimants.

COMAR 31.15.07.03, unfair claim settlement practices (Cornell LII)COMAR 31.15.07.02, definitions (Cornell LII)

If an insurer misses these deadlines, you can file a complaint with the state insurance department. Compare all states:insurance claim deadlines by state.

Next steps after a Maryland crash

Frequently asked questions

What is a typical car accident settlement in Maryland?
It depends on the bills, the injury and fault. Worked example: with $15,000 in medical bills, $5,000 in lost wages and a moderate injury, a Maryland claim is worth about $50,000 with no fault on your part, but at 20% fault Maryland's rule can bar it entirely.
Is Maryland an at-fault or no-fault state for car accidents?
Maryland's car insurance system: At-fault with add-on PIP.
Is there a cap on pain and suffering in Maryland car accident cases?
Greater of $980,000 or 0× economic damages, up to $980,000. Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. 11-108 caps noneconomic damages (pain, suffering, inconvenience, physical impairment, disfigurement, loss of consortium, or other nonpecuniary injury) in any personal injury or wrongful death action, so it covers car accident claims. The cap was $500,000 for causes of action arising on or after October 1, 1994 and rises by $15,000 every October 1 starting in 1995. The cap is fixed by the date the cause of action arises (normally the accident date), not the filing or trial date. Computed from the statute: $965,000 for causes of action arising October 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026, and $980,000 for those arising October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027 (the DLS fiscal note for SB 584 of 2025 confirms $965,000 as of October 1, 2025; a secondary law firm chart lists $980,000 from October 1, 2026). The cap applies per direct victim and includes everyone claiming through that victim (for example a spouse's loss of consortium). In wrongful death actions with two or more claimants or beneficiaries, total noneconomic damages may not exceed 150% of the cap ($1,470,000 for causes arising October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027), regardless of the number of claimants. A survival action by the estate has its own separate cap. The jury is not told about the cap, and the court reduces any award above it (11-108(d)). There is no catastrophic-injury exception. Economic damages are not capped. Medical malpractice has a separate cap (CJP 3-2A-09). Bills to repeal the cap (HB 113/SB 584 of 2025, HB 476/SB 474 of 2026) were not enacted.
What happens if I was partly at fault for an accident in Maryland?
Maryland follows contributory negligence: if you are found even slightly at fault, you may be barred from recovering damages, subject to narrow exceptions.
How long do I have to file a car accident lawsuit in Maryland?
Generally 3 years for personal injury and 3 years for property damage. Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. 5-101: 'A civil action at law shall be filed within three years from the date it accrues' unless another provision sets a different period. This general 3-year period covers both personal injury and property damage claims. Wrongful death: 3 years after the death (CJP 3-904(g)(1)). Claims against the State (Maryland Tort Claims Act): a written claim must be submitted to the State Treasurer within 1 year after the injury, and suit must be filed within 3 years after the cause of action arises, after the claim is finally denied (State Gov't 12-106); State liability is capped at $400,000 per single claimant per incident (State Gov't 12-104). Claims against local governments (Local Government Tort Claims Act): written notice within 1 year after the injury (CJP 5-304(b)), and damages are capped at $400,000 per individual claim and $800,000 per occurrence (CJP 5-303(a)(1)).
What is the minimum car insurance in Maryland?
$30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident for bodily injury, and $15,000 for property damage. Md. Code, Transp. 17-103(b): security must cover claims for bodily injury or death of 'up to $30,000 for any one person and up to $60,000 for any two or more persons' and property damage 'of up to $15,000' per accident, plus interest and costs. The same section also requires the PIP benefits of Ins. 19-505 (unless waived) and the uninsured motorist benefits of Ins. 19-509/19-509.1. The Maryland Insurance Administration's August 2026 rate guide lists the same 30/60/15 minimums with $2,500 PIP and 30/60/15 UM. The bodily injury minimums rose from 20/40 to 30/60 under HB 825 (Ch. 441 of 2010) for policies issued, delivered or renewed on or after January 1, 2011 (per the DLS fiscal note and an MIA insurer page). HB 1098 (Ch. 395 of 2025) only created an affordability workgroup that studied minimum limits; no 2025 or 2026 law raising the minimums was found.
What is the deadline to file a claim against the government in Maryland?
1 year. Within 1 year of the injury, send a written claim to the State Treasurer for State claims, or written notice to the county or city (as the statute specifies) for local claims. Suit against the State also needs a final denial and must be filed within 3 years.
How long does an insurance company have to respond to a claim in Maryland?
Maryland regulations require insurers to acknowledge a claim and answer claimants' letters within 15 working days, and to affirm or deny coverage within 15 working days of complete claim forms. 'Claimant' includes third-party claimants.

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Official sources