Last week in Scaggsville, a major accident shut down portions of the highway for several hours and injured eight people. According to a report by one local news source, the accident occurred around 4:45 in the afternoon on Route 29 south, just north of Johns Hopkins Road.
Evidently, the driver of a Honda SUV was driving erratically and crashed into two other vehicles while driving north on Route 29. After crashing into the other vehicles, the SUV ended up airborne and crossed into the southbound lanes, where it landed on a Dodge truck. The SUV continued its path of destruction, eventually colliding with another truck before ultimately coming to a rest in the southbound lanes.
Thankfully, no one was killed. However, a total of eight people were injured in the accident. Four others were involved but escaped without injury. Of those injured, several were ejected when one of the vehicles rolled over, and several others were trapped inside their vehicles until emergency crews arrived and were able to extricate them.
Multi-Vehicle Accidents in Maryland
Multi-vehicle accidents are some of the most complex accidents we see on a routine basis because there can be several parties who are at fault. For example, in the accident described above, it certainly seems as though the driver of the SUV was at fault for causing a chain reaction that resulted in several smaller yet equally dangerous accidents.
However, that fact does not preempt the potential liability of the others drivers who were involved in the accident as well. For example, if one of the drivers was tailgating another car at the time of the accident, and a victim can show that the fact that the other driver was tailgating made the injuries worse than they otherwise would have been, the tailgating driver may be assigned some liability for the accident.
When it comes to determining fault in multi-vehicle accidents, it is probably best to consult with a dedicated personal injury attorney who has dealt with other similar accidents in the past. While each accident is certainly different, they all share some of the same characteristics and are all viewed under the same legal framework.
As complex as it may seem to determine liability in multi-vehicle accidents, what it really comes down to is who was negligent in causing or contributing to the accident.
Have You Been Involved in a Maryland Multi-Vehicle Accident?
If you have recently been involved in a multi-vehicle accident, you may be entitled to compensation from one or more of the other drivers involved. However, determining who was at fault for the accident may be more difficult than it appears. Often, physical evidence and experts are required to prove liability, and these matters are best left to an experienced attorney. The Maryland personal injury law firm of Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers has decades of combined experience litigating all kinds of Maryland accident cases and would be happy to speak to you about your potential case, free of charge. Call 410-654-3600 today to schedule a free initial consultation.
More Blog Posts:
McDonald’s Restaurant Permanently Closes After Driver Crashes Through the Drive Through, Maryland Car Accident Attorney Blog, published August 20, 2014.
Single-Vehicle Accident Takes the Life of One Fifteen-Year-Old and Injures Two Others, Maryland Car Accident Attorney Blog, published September 3, 2014.