Maryland Car Accident Settlement Calculator
Get a rough estimate of what a Maryland car-accident injury claim might be worth, based on your medical bills and losses. This is an estimate to understand the factors — not a prediction or an offer.
This is a rough estimate, not a prediction or an offer.
No tool can predict a settlement. This uses the common "multiplier method" to show the factors that drive value and a wide range — actual outcomes depend on the facts, the available insurance limits, the venue, and negotiation. Consult a Maryland car-accident attorney about your case.
Enter your medical bills and losses to see an estimated range
The multiplier method (pain-and-suffering as a multiple of your medical bills) is a common starting point, not a guarantee. A real recovery is also capped by the available insurance (the at-fault driver's limits, or your own UM/UIM coverage). Most car-accident cases settle; an attorney is the only way to value your specific claim. This tool is not legal advice and RecordingLaw.com is not a law firm.
How the Estimate Works
No tool can predict a car-accident settlement — every case is different and the number depends on the facts, the available insurance, the venue, and negotiation. This calculator applies the multiplier method: it adds your economic damages (medical bills, lost wages, vehicle damage), then estimates pain and suffering as a multiple of your medical bills (about 1.5× for minor injuries up to 5× or more for catastrophic ones), and shows a wide range. It then applies Maryland's fault rule and flags the insurance limits that cap a real payout.
Maryland Is an add-on PIP state
Maryland is an at-fault (tort) state with mandatory ADD-ON PIP. It is NOT one of the traditional no-fault states. Each auto policy must provide Personal Injury Protection (PIP) under Md. Code, Insurance § 19-505, but PIP is add-on first-party medical/wage coverage that does NOT bar suit and imposes NO threshold to recover pain-and-suffering damages from the at-fault driver. An injured party recovers from the at-fault driver's liability insurer under ordinary tort/negligence rules and can collect PIP plus a tort recovery without any lawsuit threshold.
Minimum Insurance & UM/UIM in Maryland
A settlement is only collectible up to the available insurance. Maryland's minimum required liability coverage is $30,000 per person / $60,000 per accident for bodily injury and $15,000 for property damage. Many drivers carry only the minimum, so a large claim can exceed the at-fault driver's policy. Mandatory minimum liability limits are 30/60/15: $30,000 bodily injury per person, $60,000 bodily injury per accident, and $15,000 property damage. Set by Md. Code, Transportation § 17-103 and Insurance § 19-509.
Uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM): if the other driver had no insurance or fled the scene, your recovery comes from your own UM/UIM coverage. In Maryland, UM/UIM is required to carry. Uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage is mandatory under Md. Code, Insurance § 19-509. It must be carried at limits equal to the policy's liability limits unless the insured affirmatively elects lower limits (down to the 30/60/15 state minimum) in writing; it cannot be rejected entirely. Maryland also requires insurers to offer Enhanced Underinsured Motorist (EUIM) coverage (for policies issued/renewed on or after 7/1/2018), which the insured may accept or waive in writing.
Fault & Your Recovery: pure contributory negligence
Maryland follows pure contributory negligence. Being even 1% at fault can bar recovery entirely — one of the harshest rules in the country, and a reason fault is heavily contested here.
Deadline to File a Maryland Car-Accident Claim
Maryland generally requires a car-accident injury lawsuit to be filed within 3 years of the crash (the statute of limitations). The personal-injury SOL is 3 years from the date of injury under Md. Code, Courts & Judicial Proceedings § 5-101 (general 3-year civil limitations period), which governs auto-accident negligence claims. Property-damage claims also fall under the same 3-year period. Miss it and your claim is usually barred no matter how strong it is, so do not wait to talk to an attorney.
- Maryland is an AT-FAULT (tort) state, not a no-fault state. You pursue the at-fault driver's liability insurer under ordinary negligence rules, with no injury threshold required to recover pain and suffering.
- Maryland uses mandatory add-on PIP (Ins. § 19-505): every policy includes at least $2,500 in first-party medical/wage benefits regardless of fault, though the named insured may reject it in writing (Ins. § 19-506).
- Minimum required liability coverage is 30/60/15: $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident for bodily injury, plus $15,000 for property damage.
- Uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage is required and defaults to your liability limits; you can lower it in writing but not eliminate it. Enhanced UIM (EUIM) is offered and may be waived.
- Maryland follows PURE CONTRIBUTORY NEGLIGENCE: if you are even 1% at fault, you can be barred from recovering from the other driver. Maryland is one of only a handful of jurisdictions (about four states plus D.C.) with this harsh rule.
- You generally have 3 years from the accident date to file a personal-injury lawsuit (Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-101).
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is my Maryland car accident claim worth?
No one can tell you a number in advance. A rough estimate adds your economic damages (medical bills, lost wages, vehicle damage) and applies a pain-and-suffering multiplier, then adjusts for fault under Maryland's pure contributory negligence rule. The real value also depends on the available insurance limits — an attorney is the only way to value your specific case.
Is Maryland a no-fault state?
Maryland is an at-fault (tort) state with mandatory ADD-ON PIP. It is NOT one of the traditional no-fault states. Each auto policy must provide Personal Injury Protection (PIP) under Md. Code, Insurance § 19-505, but PIP is add-on first-party medical/wage coverage that does NOT bar suit and imposes NO threshold to recover pain-and-suffering damages from the at-fault driver. An injured party recovers from the at-fault driver's liability insurer under ordinary tort/negligence rules and can collect PIP plus a tort recovery without any lawsuit threshold.
Does my own fault reduce my Maryland settlement?
Yes. Maryland follows pure contributory negligence. Being even 1% at fault can bar recovery.
How long do I have to file in Maryland?
Generally 3 years from the crash. The personal-injury SOL is 3 years from the date of injury under Md. Code, Courts & Judicial Proceedings § 5-101 (general 3-year civil limitations period), which governs auto-accident negligence claims. Property-damage claims also fall under the same 3-year period.
Is this calculator accurate?
It is a rough estimate to show the factors that drive value — not a prediction or an offer. Real settlements vary enormously and are capped by the available insurance. Treat any number here as a ballpark and consult a Maryland car-accident attorney.
Disclaimer
This estimator is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice or a prediction of any outcome. RecordingLaw.com is not a law firm. The value of a car-accident claim can only be assessed by a licensed attorney reviewing your specific facts.