As of January 1, 2025, Maryland's minimum auto liability limits went up to $30,000 per person and $60,000 per crash. That matters because there may be a little more coverage available now on some claims, but it does not extend your deadlines.

Most people assume this works one of two ways: either you had to go to the ER that same day or you're out of luck, or you can wait years and sort the bills out later. In Maryland, neither is quite right.

If your Bowie crash was last year, you may still have options. For an injury claim against the at-fault driver, Maryland's general deadline is 3 years from the crash date. But if you're trying to use PIP on your own auto policy for medical bills or lost wages, the notice deadline is usually much shorter - often within 1 year. That catches a lot of people.

The practical difference is this: delayed symptoms from a work-zone crash on I-95/I-495 do not automatically kill the claim, but a long gap in treatment gives the insurer an easy argument that something else caused your pain. They will say the lane shift, flagger stop, or rear-end didn't do it because you kept working and waited.

Do this now:

• Get your first crash-related visit scheduled immediately and tell the doctor exactly when symptoms started and how they changed.
• Ask for your complete records and itemized bills.
• Check your auto policy for PIP/MedPay and whether notice was given.
• If health insurance paid, find out whether there is a lien or reimbursement claim.
• Pull the crash report if police responded in Bowie or on a state road; for highway-zone wrecks, records may involve the Maryland State Police or State Highway Administration.

If you were treated on the Eastern Shore after crossing the Bay Bridge, limited trauma access can help explain why care was delayed. That kind of real-world timing issue matters if it's documented.