Source: https://ataslaw.com/injured-car-accident-caused-frederick-county-police-officer-frederick-county-employees/
Timestamp: 2019-03-25 21:57:10
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Injured in a car accident caused by a Frederick County police officer or other Frederick County employees - Auto Accident Attorney Baltimore, MD
HomeAutomobile Accident ClaimsInjured in a car accident caused by a Frederick County police officer or other Frederick County employees
If you are in a car accident caused by a Frederick County police officer or other Frederick County employees, there are procedures you must follow in order to be compensated for the damage to your car, loss of use of your car, (rental car) injuries to your body as well as lost wages, medical expenses and pain and suffering. Dealing with Frederick County in order to resolve these issues can be a slow, tedious process. If you do not pursue your claim in a timely manner and do not file to correct forms, your claim could be lost.
Claims against Frederick County should originate with sending a certified letter return receipt requested to
An adjustor will eventually be assigned by Frederick County to adjust your claim. However, this process can take weeks or months, so that it may be quicker to start the process to fix your vehicle under the collision section of your own insurance and let your insurance deal with Frederick County to be reimbursed for the property damage. If, you do not have collision coverage, then you will have to deal with Frederick County directly, however this will not likely be a quick process. In addition, unlike an insurance company Frederick County will not provide and pay for a rental vehicle upfront and your will have to make arrangements for a rental vehicle on your own if you do not have rental on your own insurance policy.
Your rights to file a claim and the limits on what you can recover when you file a claim against Frederick County for a car accident caused by one of their employees depends upon what department the employee works for and who is sued.
Non- police officer car accident- covers all Frederick County employees except police and fire department personnel
Suit can be filed against the employee if you have the employees name and address. Suit can also be filed against Frederick County under a theory of respondent superior meaning the Frederick County employee is an agent of Frederick County.
Frederick County and the employee liability is limited under the Local Government Tort Claims Act section 5-303 of the Annotated Code of Maryland Courts and Judicial Proceedings Article.
Police officer car accident– Frederick County liability depends on who is sued, whether the police officer was operating an emergency vehicle, whether officer was negligent or grossly negligent.
Claims are paid by Frederick County and suits can be filed against Frederick County and must be filed against the negligent police officer when the officer is on a non- emergency call. It may be preferable to have police officers as the sole defendants if they live in a friendly tort jurisdiction or venue where the judges or juries may award more money than the county where the accident happened.
Claims paid by Frederick County filed against the negligent police officer when the officer is on a non- emergency call are subject to the Local Government Tort Claims Act section 5-303 of the Annotated Code of Maryland Courts and Judicial Proceedings Article.( $ 400,000 per an individual claim, and $ 800,000 per total claims)
If a Frederick County police officer was driving a police vehicle on an emergency call at the time of the collision, then, because of a separate statute, a plaintiff would sue only Frederick County because Frederick County owns the police vehicles. See CJ § 5-639. See Mayor & City Council of Baltimore v. Hart, 395 Md. 394, 910 A.2d 463 (2006). Injured party can- not sue the police officer operating an emergency vehicle. The injured party is severely limited in the amount that can be recovered when the police officer operating an emergency vehicle to the amount of $30,000.00 dollars per person, $60,000.00 per occurrence and $15,000.00 in property damage. Courts and Judicial Proceedings Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland- Section 5-524 provides, in pertinent part:
emergency vehicle must be equipped with a device capable of giving an audible signal. Md. Code (1977, 1987 Repl.Vol.), Transportation Art., § 22-218(a).21-106. Emergency vehicles(a) Circumstances for which privileges granted. — Subject to the conditions stated in this section, the driver of an emergency vehicle registered in any state may exercise the privileges set forth in this section while:(1) Responding to an emergency call;(2) Pursuing a violator or suspected violator of the law; or
When is Frederick County liable for a car accident caused by the negligence of the driver of an emergency vehicle. Since emergency vehicles do not have to follow all of the rules of the road, a different standard applies compared to the rest of the drivers on the road.
If a Frederick County police officer was driving a police vehicle on an emergency call at the time of the collision but was driving in a grossly negligent or intentionally reckless manner, then you can personally sue the police officer. In Nast v. Lockett, 312 Md. 343, 352, 539 A.2d 1113 (1988), the Court cautioned that only conduct that is of an extraordinary or outrageous character will be sufficient to supply the requisite state of mind. Reckless driving is not enough; there must be reckless disregard for human life. Id. at 352, 539 A.2d 1113.See Maryland Code (1973, 2013 Repl. Vol.), § 5-639 of the Courts and Judicial Proceedings Article. These claims then become subject to Local Government Tort Claims Act section 5-303 of the Annotated Code of Maryland Courts and Judicial Proceedings Article. (a) Limitation on liability. — The liability of a local government may not exceed $ 400,000 per an individual claim, and $ 800,000 per total claims that arise from the same occurrence for damages resulting from tortious acts or omissions, including liability arising under subsection (b) of this section. (b) When government liable. — (1) Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, a local government shall be liable for any judgment against its employee for damages resulting from tortious acts or omissions committed by the employee within the scope of employment with the local government. However, Frederick County may only pay the Maryland minimum of 30,000, 60,000., 15,000. If the officer was driving the vehicle in the course of “emergency service” at the time of the accident, the officer would be immune from liability absent malice or gross negligence, see CJP sec. 5-639(b), but the “owner or lessee” of the vehicle would be liable for any negligence to the extent of Maryland’s minimum financial responsibility limits, see CJP Sec.5-639(c)
Frederick County Fire Truck-same rules as county police except the Frederick County as well as the driver of the fire truck can always be sued under any of the scenarios whether operating in an emergency or not. Fire department personnel are always employees of the Frederick County.
In order to file any claim against Frederick County or one of it’s employees including police or fire personnel, there are certain administrative requirements that must be followed exactly as outlined below or your claim may be barred.
The claim against the Frederick County police officer is also subject to the Local Government Tort Claims Act (see CJ § 5-301(d)(21)), so the claimant has to give a timely and proper notice to the Department and the recovery is limited to $400,000 per person and $800,000 per occurrence (see CJ § 5-303 and 5-304).
If you do not put the county on notice within the one year requirement you may still be able to proceed if you can make a good cause showing under Courts and Judicial Proceedings article of the annotated code of Maryland 5-304d. In Madore v. Frederick County, 34 MD App. 340, 367 A.2d 54 (1976) Court said:
(iii) Anne Arundel County, Frederick County, Frederick County, Harford County, or Prince George’s County, the notice shall be given to the county solicitor or county attorney.
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