Walking along Owings Mills Boulevard, crossing Reisterstown Road near the shopping centers, or navigating the busy Metro station area should never put your life at risk. Yet pedestrian crashes in Maryland resulted in 153 deaths in 2023. When a driver's negligence leaves you injured and facing mounting medical bills, you need advocates who understand both the devastating impact on your life and the complexities of Maryland law. An Owings Mills pedestrian accident lawyer can help you pursue justice and secure the compensation you deserve for your recovery.
Furman Honick Law stands ready to fight for fair compensation after your pedestrian accident in Owings Mills. Our attorneys know the dangerous intersections throughout Baltimore County, the tactics insurance companies use to minimize payouts, and how to build compelling cases that hold negligent drivers accountable. Call (410) 844-6000 today for your free consultation.
Key Takeaways for Owings Mills Pedestrian Accident Cases
- Maryland law provides three years from your accident date to file a personal injury lawsuit, making prompt legal action critical for preserving your rights and evidence.
- Pedestrian accident victims may recover compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, loss of earning capacity, pain and suffering, property damage, disability and disfigurement damages, and loss of consortium.
- In November 2024, Baltimore County police responded to four fatal pedestrian crashes within five days, including one at Owings Mills Boulevard and I-795, highlighting ongoing dangers in our community.
- Evening hours and Fridays present heightened danger for pedestrians.
- Insurance companies may contact victims quickly with settlement offers that fall far short of covering long-term medical needs and the full scope of damages.
Why Choose Furman Honick Law for Your Owings Mills Pedestrian Accident Case
Our firm brings decades of combined experience fighting for injured pedestrians throughout Baltimore County. We understand that your accident represents more than just medical bills and property damage. The physical pain, emotional trauma, and financial uncertainty that follow a pedestrian crash can overwhelm even the strongest individuals and families. How much compensation can you receive depends on the severity of your injuries, medical expenses, lost wages, and the lasting impact on your quality of life.
Results Snapshot: We have recovered over $75 million for clients through verdicts and settlements.
Our attorneys, Dustin Furman and Allen E. Honick, are award-winning trial lawyers who prepare every case with the expectation of presenting it to a jury. This approach sends a clear message to insurance companies that we will pursue full and fair compensation.
Every pedestrian accident case receives personalized attention from our team. From your first consultation through the resolution of your case, you will work directly with experienced attorneys who listen to your concerns, answer your questions, and keep you informed about developments in your claim.
Our contingency-fee representation means you pay nothing until we win your case. This structure allows you to focus on healing and rehabilitation without worrying about upfront legal costs or hourly billing.
Understanding Compensation After an Owings Mills Pedestrian Accident
The value of your pedestrian accident claim depends on multiple factors that are unique to your situation. Maryland law recognizes both economic and non-economic damages that flow from another party's negligence.
Medical expenses represent one of the primary recoverable damages, including emergency care costs immediately following the accident and ongoing treatment expenses. Pedestrian injuries often require extensive medical intervention. Broken bones need surgical repair and months of physical therapy. Traumatic brain injuries demand neurological monitoring and cognitive rehabilitation. Spinal cord damage may necessitate lifelong care and assistive equipment. How long do you have to file an insurance claim depends on Maryland’s statute of limitations, which generally gives you three years from the accident date to take legal action.
Economic damages you may recover include:
- Past and future medical expenses, including emergency treatment, surgery, hospitalization, rehabilitation, and assistive devices
- Lost wages for time missed from work during recovery
- Loss of earning capacity if permanent injuries prevent you from returning to your previous occupation
- Property damage for personal items destroyed in the crash, including electronics, clothing, and other belongings
Non-economic damages address intangible losses:
- Pain and suffering for physical discomfort and emotional distress
- Permanent disability or disfigurement from scarring, amputations, or life-altering injuries
- Loss of consortium for spouses who lose companionship and support due to your injuries
Note: Maryland law caps non-economic damages (pain and suffering), with limits that adjust annually.
The insurance company will attempt to minimize the value of your claim. Adjusters may question the necessity of medical treatments, dispute the extent of your injuries, or argue that you will recover faster than your doctors predict. Having experienced legal representation helps protect you from these tactics and strengthens your pursuit of compensation that truly addresses your losses.
Dangerous Roads and Intersections for Owings Mills Pedestrians
Owings Mills sits as a suburb of Baltimore, served by the Baltimore Metro Subway's northern terminus. This combination of suburban residential areas, major commercial centers, and commuter traffic creates numerous hazards for people on foot.
The intersection of Owings Mills Boulevard and I-795 claimed a pedestrian's life in November 2024 when a 24-year-old man was struck while attempting to cross in the early morning hours. This location presents particular dangers due to high-speed traffic merging onto and exiting from the interstate. Limited pedestrian infrastructure and poor lighting compound the risks during evening hours.
Reisterstown Road stands as one of the busiest corridors through Owings Mills. This major thoroughfare carries heavy traffic past shopping centers, restaurants, and residential neighborhoods. Drivers often exceed posted speed limits, fail to yield at crosswalks, and become distracted by the visual clutter of commercial signage.
The Foundry Row shopping complex attracts significant pedestrian traffic with major retailers including Wegmans. Parking lot accidents occur when drivers back out of spaces without checking for pedestrians or fail to stop at designated crossings. The Metro station area on Painters Mill Road sees concentrated pedestrian activity during commute times, creating a complex environment where crashes frequently occur. Can you sue for a pedestrian accident depends on proving that the driver’s negligence directly caused your injuries and resulting financial losses.
Common Causes of Owings Mills Pedestrian Accidents
Many pedestrian crashes in Owings Mills trace back to a predictable set of risk factors: distraction, speeding, failure to yield, and impairment—often compounded by low visibility and heavy traffic near shopping centers and the Metro..
Driver Negligence Takes Many Forms
Distracted driving has become an epidemic. Drivers who text, check emails, or scroll social media while behind the wheel fail to see pedestrians until impact occurs.
Speeding reduces reaction time and increases crash severity. When drivers exceed posted limits, they have less time to stop when pedestrians enter their path. Higher speeds also translate to greater force upon impact, causing more severe injuries and increasing fatality risk.
Failure to yield at crosswalks violates Maryland law and pedestrian safety. Drivers who roll through stop signs, run red lights, or ignore pedestrians waiting to cross deny people on foot their legal right of way.
Impairment and Visibility Issues
Drivers under the influence of alcohol or drugs experience slowed reflexes, impaired judgment, and reduced ability to process information about their surroundings, which all can contribute to accidents.
Left-turn crashes occur when drivers focus exclusively on oncoming traffic while turning and fail to scan crosswalks for pedestrians. Backing accidents happen in parking lots when drivers reverse without checking blind spots. What information should you collect after a pedestrian accident includes the driver’s contact and insurance details, witness statements, photos of the scene, and a copy of the police report.
Types of Injuries in Pedestrian Accidents
The human body has no protection against thousands of pounds of metal traveling at speed. Pedestrian accident injuries often prove catastrophic.
Severe injury categories include:
- Traumatic brain injuries that cause concussions, skull fractures, cognitive impairment, memory loss, and personality changes
- Spinal cord injuries that result in partial or complete paralysis, wheelchair dependency, and loss of sensation
- Broken bones that require surgical repair, including leg fractures, shattered pelvises, and rib fractures
- Internal injuries such as ruptured organs, internal bleeding, and damaged tissues that require emergency surgery
- Road rash and soft tissue damage that cause permanent scarring, nerve damage, and chronic pain
- Amputations when limbs suffer crushing injuries beyond surgical repair
These injuries require extensive medical treatment and may result in permanent disabilities that fundamentally change victims' lives, employment prospects, and daily activities.
Fighting Insurance Companies After Your Pedestrian Accident
Insurers often move quickly after a crash, sometimes before your diagnosis and long-term needs are clear. A careful, documented approach helps protect your benefits and avoids misunderstandings.
Early settlement offers can arrive before you know the full extent of your treatment or future care needs; consider waiting until your condition stabilizes. What compensation can you recover depends on your medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and long-term effects of your injuries, which a lawyer can calculate accurately before settlement.
You’re not required to give a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurer; letting counsel handle communications helps ensure accuracy.
Questions about medical bills or treatment necessity are common; an attorney can assemble records, explain your care, and negotiate toward a fair resolution.
What to Do After a Pedestrian Accident in Owings Mills
Your actions in the hours and days following your crash can significantly impact your legal claim.
Take immediate steps to protect your health and rights:
- Seek immediate medical attention even if injuries seem minor, as adrenaline masks pain and some serious injuries show delayed symptoms
- Report the accident to police if officers were not called to the scene; if police didn't respond, the driver must file a crash report with the MVA within 15 days under Transportation §20-107
- Document everything, including medical records, bills, prescription receipts, pay stubs showing lost wages, and photographs of injuries
- Gather evidence from the accident scene, such as photos of crosswalks, traffic signals, road conditions, and witness contact information
- Preserve damaged clothing and personal items as tangible evidence of impact force
Follow all medical advice and attend every appointment. Insurance companies might argue that victims who miss appointments or stop treatment were not really injured. Consistent medical care demonstrates the ongoing nature of your injuries and creates documentation supporting your claim.
Contact an experienced pedestrian accident attorney before speaking with insurance adjusters. Early legal representation protects you from making statements that could harm your claim and ensures someone is working to preserve evidence while you focus on healing. If your crash involved a government vehicle or entity, special notice deadlines may apply that are much shorter than the standard three-year statute of limitations.
FAQ for Owings Mills Pedestrian Accident Claims
How long do I have to file a pedestrian accident lawsuit in Maryland?
Maryland law provides three years from your accident date to file a personal injury lawsuit. This deadline applies to most pedestrian accident cases. Missing this statute of limitations means losing your right to pursue compensation through the courts. While three years may seem like ample time, building a strong case requires extensive investigation, evidence gathering, and medical documentation. Starting the legal process early gives your attorney time to develop the strongest possible claim.
Important exception: If your crash involved a city, county, or state vehicle or employee, much shorter written notice deadlines apply. Claims against local governments often require notice within one year under Courts and Judicial Proceedings §5-304, while claims against the State require notice to the Treasurer under State Government §12-106. Missing these deadlines can destroy an otherwise valid case.
What if the driver who hit me does not have insurance?
Maryland requires vehicle owners to carry minimum auto insurance of $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident for bodily injury, plus $15,000 for property damage. However, some drivers operate vehicles illegally without coverage. Your own Uninsured Motorist (UM) coverage provides protection in these situations. This portion of your auto insurance policy pays for injuries caused by drivers who lack insurance or who flee the scene in hit-and-run crashes.
Even if you were walking and not driving, your auto insurance UM coverage typically extends to pedestrian injuries. Many Maryland policies also include Personal Injury Protection (PIP) unless you signed a waiver. We'll help you identify all available insurance coverage and manage these claims to pursue the compensation you need.
Can I recover compensation if the accident happened at night?
Evening hours present heightened danger for pedestrians, but darkness does not prevent you from pursuing a claim. Drivers owe a duty to operate their vehicles safely regardless of lighting conditions. This means using headlights properly, reducing speed when visibility is limited, and remaining alert for pedestrians who may be less visible. If a driver struck you at night, your attorney will investigate whether the driver failed to use headlights, was traveling too fast for conditions, or violated other duties.
What happens if I was not in a crosswalk when the accident occurred?
Even if you were not using a designated crosswalk, Maryland law requires drivers to exercise due care to avoid striking any pedestrian. An experienced attorney will investigate the accident thoroughly to determine if driver negligence remains the cause of your injuries and if you have a viable legal claim.
How does Maryland determine who is at fault for a pedestrian accident?
Fault depends on establishing driver negligence and comparing it to your actions as the pedestrian. Negligence exists when a driver fails to exercise reasonable care, such as speeding, driving distracted, or running a red light. Skilled legal counsel can investigate and protect your claim.
Get the Legal Help You Deserve
The aftermath of a pedestrian accident brings physical pain, emotional trauma, and financial stress that no one should face alone. Insurance companies will move quickly to minimize their liability, but you deserve advocates who fight just as hard for your rights.
Furman Honick Law has the experience, resources, and commitment to pursue fair compensation for your pedestrian accident injuries. We understand Maryland law, know how to build compelling cases that hold negligent drivers accountable, and have recovered tens of millions of dollars for injured clients throughout Baltimore County.
Do not wait to protect your legal rights. The three-year statute of limitations begins running from your accident date, and valuable evidence can disappear with each passing day. Surveillance footage gets recorded over, witnesses' memories fade, and physical evidence from the scene changes or vanishes.
Call Furman Honick Law today at (410) 844-6000 for your free, confidential consultation. We will review your case, answer your questions, explain your legal options, and help you understand the compensation available under Maryland law. You pay nothing until we recover compensation on your behalf. Let us fight for the justice and financial recovery you deserve while you focus on healing from your injuries.