Kellie T. Barnes, Attorney at Law helps women in Maryland that have been injured in car accidents. There’s never a good time to be in a car accident, but it takes on much bigger stakes if you’re pregnant. And this is something that only women have to deal with and think about. My team can help you through it. Set up a free consultation today.
Should I Get a Lawyer?
There’s not a more fragile time for a woman than pregnancy. There’s not just physical changes, either. The hormones involved and circumstances heighten everything. And that can be magnified in dangerous situations like car accidents. Even a seemingly minor collision can turn into a serious medical emergency in a flash, not just for you, but for your baby.
So it’s easy to see why you should think about getting a lawyer. My team can help you through things by:
- Looking into the accident to see who’s really responsible.
- Getting the right medical evidence from both your injury treatment and pregnancy-related care.
- Handling insurance calls so you can focus on your health and your baby.
- Taking your case to court if we have to.
Basically, we make sure this doesn’t get brushed off as “just another car accident” when your pregnancy makes the consequences very different. Once you’ve decided to get help, the next step is understanding what makes a strong claim—and what you can do to set it up.
Documentation That Helps Pregnancy-Related Car Accidents
The actual framework of a car accident claim doesn’t change when you’re pregnant—even though the intensity of it does. You’re still going to need things that show what happened and how it’s impacted you. But again, you’ll want to focus it on your pregnancy and its effects. Here’s what can help you do that:
- Medical records. Every appointment, prescription, ultrasound, or follow-up visit counts after a car accident during pregnancy. That includes ER treatment, OB/GYN visits, labor and delivery monitoring, maternal fetal specialist appointments, and any restrictions your doctor places on you afterward.
- Your own notes. Your story matters more than people realize. In the days and weeks after the accident, write down things like cramping, pain, reduced fetal movement, anxiety, trouble sleeping, activity restrictions, missed work, or any changes to your normal routine
- Accident reports. The accident report can help establish how the accident happened, who was involved, and what was documented at the scene. We’ll help you get the report and go through it carefully to make sure it actually matches what happened.
- Pictures/videos. Even in these kinds of situations, pictures/videos remain some of the strongest evidence you can have. If you’re able, take pictures of the scene, the damage to your vehicle, the road conditions, any visible injuries, and even seatbelt bruising if it shows up later.
Again, this is a situation that no expectant mother wants to be in. But the reality is that you still have to get behind the wheel while pregnant to drive to work and to doctor’s appointments. That unfortunately increases the chances of a car accident, but this information will give your claim a solid foundation.
How Are Pregnant Women Usually Involved in Car Accidents in Maryland?
It’s true that a car accident doesn’t discriminate. You’re just as likely to be involved in one while pregnant in Maryland as anyone else. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t more common scenarios that you need to watch out for:
- Accidents on commutes, school drop-off, or while driving to doctor’s appointments.
- T-bone collisions when moving through intersections during errands.
- Accidents caused by distracted drivers on busier roads around doctor’s offices and hospitals.
- Parking lot accidents in hospitals, shopping centers, pharmacies, or grocery stores.
The hard truth is that it doesn’t matter how careful you are when you’re driving—and you’re being very careful if you’re pregnant. You can be in any number of potential scenarios where you’re in an accident and your health (and the health of your baby) is threatened.
Filing a Car Accident Claim While Pregnant
There isn’t more of a worst-case scenario than being pregnant and being in a car accident. But the actual claims process—and your options—are the same as any other car accident. You basically have two main options:
- Filing an insurance claim.
- Filing a lawsuit.
Once your claim is filed, the focus shifts to your damages—the real-life losses the accident left you with. When you’re pregnant, that can be a bit harder to quantify. But generally, damages can include things like:
- Current and future medical bills, including those relating to your OB/GYN and fetal monitoring
- Lost income or reduced earning ability
- Car repair or replacement costs
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment in daily life
- Pregnancy complications or pregnancy loss in serious cases
In Maryland, you have three years from the date of the accident to file a claim. Miss that deadline, and even the strongest case can be barred from moving forward. But deadlines and paperwork only tell part of the story. The truth is, many of these accidents happen during the normal day-to-day routines pregnant women still have to handle—commuting, errands, appointments, and family responsibilities. And with that, there’s still a hurdle to clear: liability.
Does Liability Change When I’m Hurt in a Car Accident While Pregnant?
Liability is one of the hardest things to figure out after a car accident. It’s not hard to see why—there are a lot of different factors in play. That means it’s rarely clear.
And then your pregnancy claims add another layer because insurance companies often question whether the additional monitoring or treatment was “really necessary.”
But liability in general doesn’t change. If someone was acting in an unsafe or careless way and caused your car accident, they’re legally responsible for the fallout. That usually falls on:
- Other drivers
- Vehicle or parts makers
- City or state government agencies
Because of Maryland’s contributory negligence rule, proving fault clearly is critical. Even a tiny bit of misplaced blame could block your recovery. But one way or the other, at no point do you have to go through this alone. My firm will be by your side from the very beginning.
Reach Out for Help If You’ve Been in a Maryland Car Accident While Pregnant
Everybody understands that being pregnant is challenging, even under the best of circumstances. So it’s easy to see why adding the stress, pain, and emotional uncertainty of a car accident can be way too much to handle.
At Kellie T. Barnes Attorney At Law, we understand how different these cases can be from a standard injury claim. We’ll help you understand your rights, what happened, and what your options are moving forward. Set up a free consultation today to get started.