There are instances where your life can change instantly. If you’re in the car, you may find that within a fraction of a second, your world can be flipped upside down if you’re involved in a car crash. However, you can minimize the damage when you wear a seat belt, as this safety measure can help prevent serious injury. If you were in an accident and suffered an injury, contacting Baltimore County car accident attorneys is essential to getting reparations.
What Happens if I Don’t Wear a Seat Belt?
When you get in your vehicle, you likely have a routine you go through before putting the car in drive. However, sometimes muscle memory fails, which can leave you unbuckled in a moving vehicle.
While the odds of getting in an accident seem slim, you should never take the chance. Wearing a seatbelt is crucial to staying safe should an accident occur. When you wear a seat belt, it is nearly impossible to be ejected from the car during a crash. However, failure to buckle up can leave you facing severe or life-threatening injuries that can result in being thrown from a vehicle.
Similarly, you can reduce the risk of head injury during an accident, as the seat belt keeps you secured to the seat. This means you likely won’t hit your head on the steering wheel or dashboard if you are hit. However, if you aren’t wearing a seat belt, you risk striking your head on various surfaces in the vehicle, which can result in concussions, brain injury, and skull or facial fractures.
Am I Eligible for Compensation Without A Seat Belt?
If you were injured in a car accident in Maryland, but you weren’t wearing a seat belt, you may not know that you are still eligible for financial compensation. Maryland is one of thirty states that does not consider failure to wear a seat belt contributory negligence.
In other states, failure to wear a seat belt can hurt your chances of obtaining the full amount of money in your case. However, Maryland law believes the injuries you’ve sustained were the result of the other driver’s negligence, and your failure to wear a seat belt did not contribute.
Nonetheless, it is crucial for your own safety and the safety of your passengers that you ensure everyone in the vehicle is buckled up before you start driving.
Should I Get a Lawyer?
If you’ve been injured in a car accident, whether wearing a seat belt or not, reaching out to an experienced lawyer is essential. They can help ensure you receive the full amount of compensation you deserve for your injuries at the hands of a negligent driver.
Our legal professionals at The Law Offices of Markey & Orsi are ready to help represent you in court. Reach out today for a free consultation.
