Maryland at a glance
Maryland allows three years for most civil actions.[1] Notice to a local government is due within one year.[2] Maryland still follows contributory negligence[3] and caps noneconomic damages.[4]
Filing deadlines
Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-101
A civil action at law shall be filed within three years from the date it accrues unless another provision of the Code provides a different period of time within which an action shall be commenced.
Source: [1]
In plain English, most injury lawsuits in Maryland must be filed within three years.[1]
Local governments: Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-304(b)(1)
an action for unliquidated damages may not be brought against a local government or its employees unless the notice of the claim required by this section is given within 1 year after the injury.
Source: [2]
Shared fault
Coleman v. Soccer Association of Columbia (Md. 2013)
We shall hold that, although this Court has the authority to change the common law rule of contributory negligence, we decline to abrogate Maryland’s long-established common law principle of contributory negligence.
Source: [3]
Under contributory negligence, an injured person whose own negligence helped cause the accident can be barred from recovering at all. Only a few jurisdictions still follow this rule.[5]
Damage caps
Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 11-108(b)(1)
In any action for damages for personal injury in which the cause of action arises on or after July 1, 1986, an award for noneconomic damages may not exceed $350,000.
Source: [4]
Later subsections raise the cap for later causes of action. The Department of Legislative Services reported that “as of October 1, 2024, the noneconomic damages cap for personal injury and wrongful death claims for a single claimant in Maryland is $950,000,” and that the law requires “the cap to increase by $15,000 on October 1 of each year.”[6]
Auto insurance requirements
The Maryland MVA lists minimum coverage of “$30,000 for bodily injury per person,” “$60,000 for bodily injury per accident” and “$15,000 for property damage.”[7] Maryland is not one of the no-fault states.[8]
What this page does not cover
This page covers the main deadlines, fault rule, damage limits and auto insurance requirements. Statutes also contain exceptions, such as rules for minors, people who are incapacitated and claims discovered later, and special rules apply to medical malpractice and workers’ compensation. Always read the full statute at the official source linked below.
Frequently asked questions
How long do I have to file a head injury lawsuit in Maryland?
In plain English, most injury lawsuits in Maryland must be filed within three years.[1]
This page provides general information about the law from the sources listed below. It is not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Laws vary by state and change over time. See our legal disclaimer.
Sources
- Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-101, as quoted in a Court of Appeals of Maryland opinion (2021). Maryland Judiciary. https://www.courts.state.md.us/data/opinions/coa/2021/38a20.pdf
- Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-304. Maryland General Assembly. https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=gcj§ion=5-304
- Coleman v. Soccer Association of Columbia, 432 Md. 679 (2013). Maryland Judiciary. https://www.mdcourts.gov/data/opinions/coa/2013/9a12.pdf
- Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 11-108. Maryland General Assembly. https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/meeting_material/2025/jud%20-%20133814321162478626%20-%20Dept.%20Legislative%20Services%20-%20Noneconomic%20Damages%20Report%201-14-2025.pdf
- Legal Information Institute, Wex. “Contributory negligence.” https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/contributory_negligence
- Maryland Department of Legislative Services. Noneconomic Damages Report (January 2025). https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/meeting_material/2025/jud%20-%20133814321162478626%20-%20Dept.%20Legislative%20Services%20-%20Noneconomic%20Damages%20Report%201-14-2025.pdf
- Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration. “Insurance Requirements.” https://mva.maryland.gov/vehicles/Pages/insurance-requirements.aspx
- Insurance Information Institute. “Background on: No-fault auto insurance.” https://www.iii.org/article/background-on-no-fault-auto-insurance
Sources last checked: October 11, 2026
