Drunk Driving Accidents

Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer in Maryland

Representing Maryland Crash Victims Since 1988, With 85+ Years of Combined Experience

Maryland averages approximately 7,000 alcohol-related crashes each year. Over a recent five-year period, those crashes killed an average of 159 people and injured 3,190 more. If you were hurt by an impaired driver, you need an attorney who handles injury cases exclusively and knows how to build a civil claim against the at-fault party and their insurer.

At Wilson & Parlett, we’ve represented injured Marylanders since 1988. Our attorneys bring over 85 years of combined experience to every case, and we handle injury matters throughout Maryland, Virginia, and Washington DC. Services are available in English and Spanish.

If you’re ready to talk, call us at (301) 231-1737. We offer a free, honest appraisal of your situation and handle every case on a contingency basis. You pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you.

Why Maryland Drunk Driving Victims Choose Wilson & Parlett

We focus exclusively on injury cases. Every attorney at our firm works on matters just like yours, not commercial contracts or estate planning on the side. That focus shapes how we investigate claims, how we negotiate with insurers, and how we prepare cases for Maryland Circuit Court when a fair settlement isn’t offered.

Our approach is built around the client relationship. You receive a free and honest appraisal at the outset, consistent communication throughout the process, and attorneys who are deeply connected in the local legal community with real negotiation experience in Maryland litigation and settlements. Many of our new clients come through referrals, which reflects the trust our previous clients place in us.

Contingency representation: You pay nothing unless we recover compensation. No upfront costs, no hourly fees.
Bilingual services: Our team assists clients in both English and Spanish.
Exclusive injury focus: We don’t divide our attention across unrelated practice areas.
Free initial appraisal: We’ll review your situation honestly before you commit to anything.

Injuries Common in Maryland Drunk Driving Crashes

High-speed, impaired-driving collisions tend to produce serious injuries. Some are apparent at the scene. Others, like internal bleeding or brain trauma, may not be detectable without imaging or neurological evaluation.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI): Can cause permanent cognitive, motor, and emotional impairments.
Spinal cord injuries: May result in temporary or permanent paralysis, depending on the severity and location of the damage.
Broken bones: Fractures to arms, legs, and ribs require extended recovery and often keep victims out of work for weeks or months.
Whiplash and soft tissue injuries: Frequently minimized by insurers, but can produce long-term pain and disability.
Knee injuries: Common in side-impact collisions. Treatment often requires surgery and physical therapy.
Psychological injuries: Depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are documented outcomes of serious crash trauma.
Wrongful death: High-speed drunk driving crashes carry a higher likelihood of being fatal, giving surviving family members grounds to pursue a wrongful death claim.

What to Do After a Drunk Driving Accident in Maryland

The actions you take in the hours and days after a crash directly affect your ability to recover compensation. Evidence disappears quickly, and insurers move fast.

Call 911 immediately. Law enforcement can document the accident and may conduct field sobriety and breathalyzer testing on the at-fault driver.
Seek medical attention right away. Some serious injuries, including internal bleeding and brain trauma, may not be apparent at the scene. A medical record also links your injuries to the crash.
Document the scene. Photograph vehicle positions, skid marks, traffic signs, and any visible open containers from multiple angles.
Gather information. Collect names, contact details, license plate numbers, and insurance information from all parties. Get witness contact information as well.
Don’t speculate about fault. Avoid admitting any degree of fault or describing your injuries to law enforcement at the scene.
Contact an attorney before talking to insurers. The other driver’s insurance company may reach out quickly. Speak with a Maryland drunk driving accident attorney first.

Compensation Available to Maryland Drunk Driving Accident Victims

A successful civil claim can recover a range of economic and non-economic losses. The specific damages recoverable depend on the facts of your case.

Economic Damages
Medical expenses, including emergency care, surgery, hospitalization, rehabilitation, and future treatment. Lost wages and diminished earning capacity over your working life. Property damage to your vehicle.

Non-Economic Damages
Physical pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and PTSD. These losses are real even when they don’t appear on a bill.

Wrongful Death Damages
When a drunk driving crash is fatal, surviving family members may pursue compensation for their own losses, including loss of financial support, companionship, and related expenses.

Punitive Damages
Maryland sets a high bar for punitive damages. Courts require proof of actual malice (meaning evil motive, intent to injure, ill will, or fraud) established by clear and convincing evidence. Drunk driving alone doesn’t satisfy this standard under Maryland law, which means punitive damages are rarely available in these cases. Our attorneys can evaluate whether specific facts in your case support pursuing them.

How Wilson & Parlett Handles Your Case

We start with a free consultation and a candid assessment of your claim. From there, our attorneys conduct an independent investigation: gathering the police report, breathalyzer results, witness statements, and medical records to build the strongest factual record possible.

We negotiate directly with the insurance company on your behalf. Insurers defending drunk drivers are experienced at limiting payouts, and having an attorney at the table changes the dynamic. If the insurer won’t offer a fair settlement, we’re prepared to file suit and litigate in Maryland Circuit Court.

One important distinction: drunk driving cases often involve a criminal prosecution running parallel to your civil claim. A criminal conviction can support your civil case, but it isn’t required. The civil standard of proof is lower, and we pursue your claim on that track regardless of how the criminal proceedings resolve.

Talk to a Maryland Drunk Driving Accident Attorney at No Cost

Retaining legal counsel early gives our attorneys the best opportunity to preserve evidence and protect your right to compensation. Maryland’s contributory negligence rule makes timing and legal strategy critical. Every step from the accident forward matters.

We serve clients throughout Maryland in both English and Spanish. There are no upfront fees and no payment unless we recover compensation for you. Call Wilson & Parlett today at (301) 231-1737 to schedule your free consultation.

Maryland DUI & DWI Law: What Injured Victims Need to Know

Maryland draws a legal distinction between driving under the influence (DUI) and driving while impaired (DWI). A DUI charge applies when a driver’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is 0.08% or higher. A DWI charge applies at a BAC of 0.07%, a lower threshold that still establishes impairment under Maryland law.

Stricter rules apply to certain driver categories. Drivers under 21 face license suspension at a BAC of 0.02% or higher under Maryland’s zero-tolerance policy. Commercial drivers, including truck drivers, are held to a 0.04% limit regardless of age.

Noah’s Law, formally the Drunk Driving Reduction Act of 2016, requires ignition interlock devices for all DUI convictions. A 2024 amendment effective October 1, 2024, extended this requirement to drivers who receive probation before judgment (PBJ), closing a gap that had previously allowed some convicted drivers to avoid interlock installation.

For injured victims, the criminal charge matters but doesn’t control. A DUI charge or conviction is strong supporting evidence in a civil claim, but the civil standard of proof is lower than the criminal standard. Our attorneys don’t need to wait for a criminal conviction to pursue your civil case.

Proving Negligence in a Maryland Drunk Driving Civil Claim

To recover compensation, a plaintiff must establish four elements of negligence. All four must be present. If any one is missing, the claim fails.

Duty of care: Every driver owes a legal duty to operate their vehicle safely. This duty is implied by Maryland law.
Breach of duty: Operating a vehicle while impaired by alcohol breaches that duty.
Causation: The breach must have caused the accident.
Damages: The accident must have caused real, compensable injuries and losses.

In drunk driving cases, the at-fault driver’s DUI charge and breathalyzer results are typically admissible in Maryland civil proceedings. A plaintiff doesn’t need to prove the driver exceeded a specific BAC threshold to establish negligence. Impairment below 0.08% can still support a civil claim if the other elements are met. Our attorneys gather the police report, lab results, witness statements, and medical records to build that case.

Maryland’s Contributory Negligence Rule

Maryland applies one of the strictest fault standards in the country: pure contributory negligence. Under this rule, a plaintiff found even 1% at fault is completely barred from recovering any compensation. There is no sliding scale. Any shared fault extinguishes the claim entirely.

This gives insurance adjusters a powerful incentive to look for any action by the victim they can characterize as contributing to the crash. They may suggest the victim was speeding, failed to avoid the collision, or otherwise shared blame. Our attorneys investigate the crash independently and build a factual record that protects the victim’s standing as a non-negligent party. Victims shouldn’t speculate about fault or discuss the accident with the other driver’s insurer without counsel present.

Who Can Be Held Liable for a Maryland Drunk Driving Accident

The impaired driver is the primary defendant in a civil personal injury claim. But in some cases, other parties may also bear civil liability.

Family members or friends who knowingly allowed an impaired person to drive may be named as defendants. If the drunk driver was using another person’s vehicle with the owner’s knowledge of the driver’s impairment, the vehicle owner may share liability. Identifying all potentially liable parties is particularly important when the drunk driver didn’t survive the crash or lacks sufficient insurance coverage to cover the victim’s losses.

In some circumstances, a licensed alcohol vendor may bear civil liability if they served a visibly intoxicated patron who then caused an accident. Whether this avenue applies is worth investigating in cases where the driver was drinking at a commercial establishment before the crash.

The Maryland Civil Courts Process for Drunk Driving Claims

DUI criminal prosecutions are heard in Maryland District Courts. Civil personal injury claims are filed and litigated in Maryland Circuit Courts. The two proceedings run on separate tracks. A victim can pursue a civil claim regardless of whether the criminal case results in a conviction or is still pending.

Maryland’s statute of limitations for personal injury cases, including drunk driving accidents, is generally three years from the date of the accident. Missing that deadline typically extinguishes the right to pursue compensation. Specific circumstances can affect the applicable deadline, so consulting an attorney as early as possible after the crash is the safest course.

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What Sets Us Apart?

Focusing Exclusively on Injury Victims

Advocating for injury victims is not just part of what we do—it’s all we do.
Building Personal Relationships with Clients

We’re committed to understanding each client’s unique story and needs.
85+ Years of Combined Legal Experience

Leverage decades of knowledge and skill dedicated to injury law.

Clear and Upfront Expectations

From the start, we set realistic expectations to ensure no surprises.
Transparent and Honest Communication

We believe in open, straightforward communication every step of the way.
No Recovery, No Fee Guarantee

We only get paid if you win, so you can focus on your recovery, not legal fees.