Maryland Car Accident Attorney Blog
Many fatalities resulting from passenger car and commercial trucking-related accidents come about due to a closed-head injury suffered by the victim or victims. Also known as a traumatic brain injury, the cause can be attributed to the victim’s head striking a solid object, such as the vehicle’s steering wheel, dashboard, A-pillar, or other non-moveable fixture within the car or truck.
Of course, in the case of motorcycle accidents, the road itself or another vehicle can become a blunt-force “weapon” when the rider falls from the bike or is throw by the impact. Helmets are useful and certainly nothing to be taken for granted, but even the best helmet cannot fully guarantee that a biker will walk away from a really bad traffic accident.
As Maryland injury lawyers, I and my colleagues understand the effects of closed-head trauma. We know that a hard enough blow to the head can easily disrupt the brain’s critical functions to the point of partial or complete paralysis, or even death. Commonly associated with passenger car collisions, commercial truck crashes and motorcycle accidents, cases of closed-head trauma have also been tied to sports-related injuries, such as concussions, which have been increasingly highlighted in the news over the past few years.
While many people have died as a result of a serious head injury, many more end up suffering through life with a range of physical, mental and emotional problems that may never adequately heal. Because these kinds of injuries can often be life-changing, victims of closed-head events should seriously consider contacting a qualified personal injury lawyer to better understand their rights under the law. This is especially important when another person or entity was responsible for the accident that led to the victim’s injury.
In cases where the victim did not survive the traffic collision or died as a result of the injuries sustained in the crash, an experienced automobile accident attorney should be able to assist the family in recovering damages on the victim’s behalf. Depending on the circumstances, family members may also be able to file a wrongful death claim, which may include damages for the loss of the deceased’s companionship, love and comfort. Pain and suffering can also be included in such cases, which a personal injury attorney will be able to spell out in detail.
Situations like this come to mind whenever we read of tragic fatal roadway collisions in the news. One such incident occurred in Carroll County a few months back. According to news articles, an Owings Mills woman died in the aftermath of a three-car crash in the Finksburg, MD, area. The crash occurred sometime around 5pm on a Tuesday afternoon near the Baltimore and Carroll County borderline.
Based on information provided by the Maryland State Police, the 32-year-old victim was headed eastbound along Rte 140 in a Toyota Corolla when an oncoming pickup truck reportedly crossed over the centerline and struck the woman’s car. The Corolla then collided with Mercedes, also going east, before rolling over onto the shoulder of the roadway. Emergency personnel arriving at the crash site apparently tried in vain to help the victim, who was pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver of the pickup truck reportedly suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was flown by chopper to Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore. The driver of the Mercedes had only minor injuries and refused treatment at the scene. At the time of the news article, police had not yet determined if any charges would be filed against the pickup truck driver.
Owings Mills woman killed in three-car crash in Finksburg, BaltimoreSun.com, December 4, 2012