Drunk Driving Accidents

Baltimore Auto Accident Update: Avoid the Deadly Mix of Alcohol and Driving

January 26, 2013 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Too frequently these days do we hear of roadway accidents resulting from drunken driving. There is an all too common scenario that crops up numerous times every week here in Maryland, where a motorist or members of a family are injured or killed by an individual who decided to get behind the wheel in an intoxicated condition. As Baltimore personal injury trial attorneys, the lawyers at Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers, understand the anguish that such an event brings to friends and relatives of the victims, as well as the pain and suffering endured by those who are actually hurt in a crash.

Those who are only injured are fortunately spared the ultimate fate of being killed by a drunk driver, but often one or more of the victims can experience a long, hard road to recovery, which may never be quite complete. Amputated limbs, partial paralysis, and even quadriplegia can result from severe traffic wrecks; these are not simple injuries and can complicate a person’s life forever.

Whether the cause is a drunken motorist in a passenger vehicle or a drug-impaired commercial truck driver working over his or her legally restricted hours, the tragedy of a DWI- or DUI-related traffic accident is that it probably could have been prevented. But once done, it cannot be undone. The survivors are the ones who must pick up the pieces and try to press on with their lives, now scarred by a disaster they never caused, but with which they must deal, probably for the rest of their lives.

Montgomery County Man Goes Away for Barely 5 Years Following Fatal PCP-related Traffic Collision

August 24, 2012 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Kill someone on the road these days and you may not be facing hard time, or so it would seem following the sentencing of a Burtonsville, MD, man who was charged with the death of one person in connection with a 2011 car accident. The charge in question was involuntary manslaughter, according to reports, which happened when the driver reportedly lost control of his vehicle before it struck a guard rail, left the roadway and smashed into a stand of trees back in June 2011.

As Maryland personal injury attorneys, I and my staff of experienced automobile and trucking-accident legal professionals are all too aware of the potential injuries, pain and suffering that victims and their families experience following a severe car, truck or motorcycle wreck. These can range from the mildest of injuries, such as bruises, cuts and abrasions, to neck and head injuries, as well as wrongful death at the hands of a negligent driver. It goes without saying, as usual, that medical costs these days can be quite high, especially for serious injuries that require extensive or costly medical procedures.

And one needn’t be hurt or killed by someone they do not know. Many victims have been riding in the vehicle driven by a negligent driver; someone they know or trusted with their life. Hurting, injuring or killing a stranger is tragic enough, but to cause harm to a relative or close friend is, frankly, unforgivable in many people’s eyes. We bring this up because of the case that was recently closed on a man who reportedly was instrumental in the death of one individuals and the injuring of two others traveling in his vehicle.

Driver Gets Three Years in Jail after Conviction for Fatal Olney DWI Car Accident

July 31, 2012 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

It never ceases to amaze us as we follow the number of alcohol- or drug-related traffic accidents, even in the light of increased DWI and DUI enforcement and multiple anti-drunk driving campaigns. Still, every year thousands of drivers, passengers, adults and children are hurt or killed as the direct result of drunken driving all across the United States. As Maryland personal injury lawyers, we understand that it is difficult to fight human nature, but at the same time one can only hope that people — drivers in particular — recognize the folly of driving while impaired by alcohol or prescription medication.

Not long ago we read that a 20-year-old man was sentenced to just three years in jail following the fatal car crash that killed several of the driver’s friends, thanks in large part to alcohol. Many people in that community seemed to be torn between feeling a modicum of forgiveness and throwing the book at the man for such a deadly and tragic car accident.

Reading of any fatal traffic wreck, be it a car accident, trucking-related collision or a motorcycle crash, is difficult for anyone who feels that after more than a century of automobile transportation the drivers of the 21st century should have a greater sense of responsibility when getting behind the wheel of a two-ton motor vehicle. But regardless of the number of professional driver training programs, parental admonitions, not to mention social stigma of being arrested or convicted of driving while intoxicated, it appears that a certain percentage of the motoring public has much yet to learn about personal responsibility.

Cecil County Man Found Guilty of DWI Death of Friend in 2010 DWI Car Crash

July 27, 2012 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

It took jurors just two hours to find a 61-year-old Elkton, MD, motorist guilty in the drunken driving death of his best friend during a traffic accident in 2010. The defendant was charged by authorities with negligent homicide by motor vehicle following the November 2010 crash that sent 66-year-old Kenneth Hampson to the hospital with fatal injuries; the victim died just hours later following the deadly alcohol-related collision.

As a Maryland personal injury attorney, my job and that of my staff of qualified legal professionals is to represent the victims of car, truck and motorcycle road accidents. Whether one is a driver, passenger or bystander, being hurt as a result of another person’s negligent actions can be grounds for a personal injury legal suit. Relatively minor injuries, such as cuts, bruises and lacerations, can be one thing, but serious bodily injury like compound fractures, internal organ damage, spinal cord injury or closed-head trauma can cause serious medical problems, not to mention life-threatening complications going forward.

The case described above is a good example of how a serious or fatal traffic wreck can happen just feet from one’s own home. It also shows that drinking and driving is not only foolhardy, but can be downright deadly, not only for the driver himself, but for the occupants of his vehicle as well. In this instance, the victim was riding with the defendant as a passenger in his car when the traffic collision occurred.

The Role of Emergency Medical Helicopters in Victim Survivability Rates following Automobile Crashes

June 18, 2012 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

With the number of serious traffic accidents in tens of thousands every year across this nation, it’s surprising that the death rate from car, truck and motorcycle accidents is not higher than it already is. While alcohol and drug use contributes to a vast number of injury- and fatality-related roadway collisions, the percentage of distracted driving incidents has been rising on its own as one of several major factors in modern-day automobile and commercial trucking wrecks.

As Maryland personal injury lawyers, we understand how even the most innocuous distraction — such as a crying child, spilled coffee or in-car conversation — can draw a driver’s attention away from the task at hand. More than a few motorists and their passengers have been killed thanks to a moments loss of focus on the highway.

While the number and frequency of auto and trucking accidents on our nation’s roads can at times be amazing, it is the actions of police, fire and other emergency personnel that can make the difference between a serious car or truck crash and a fatal one. Part of the response equation can involve the often cited medevac helicopter flights that ferry critically injured victims of traffic accidents from accident scenes all around the country to medical facilities for rapid, and hopefully life-saving treatment.

Two Maryland Residents Killed in Deadly St. Mary’s Co. Car Crash; Speeding, Alcohol Blamed

May 4, 2012 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

When it comes to fatal car, truck and motorcycle accidents, it’s a said commentary when the signs point to drinking and driving as one of the possible causes. There is no winner when a driver takes his or her own life in a senseless roadway collision, much less the lives of the passengers as well.

As Baltimore car and trucking accident attorneys, I and my legal staff find it difficult to reconcile the possibly thoughtless act of driving while intoxicated with the deaths of innocent individuals. Whatever the reason, a preventable car accident — fatal or otherwise — is a tragedy. As occupants in another person’s vehicle, we as passengers assume a fair amount of risk. Trust is a precious commodity; sometimes one that is spent all too quickly on the wrong person.

As personal injury lawyers in Maryland, we see numerous stories of men, women and children who are injured or killed in traffic accidents that might have been avoided had a passenger spoken up or the driver exercised some discretion. Driving under the influence of alcohol is not only illegal, it is dangerous and can be life-altering. For those who survive a car or truck crash, whether here in Maryland or over in Washington, D.C., the road to recovery can be long and hard.

Auto Injury News: Maryland Driver Arrested by Police Following Multiple Hit-and-Run Collisions in Annapolis

April 17, 2012 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Arguments for increased personal responsibility are always encouraging, whenever they crop up; however, human nature being what it is, there are numerous situations when individuals will “opt-out” of the civilized world and hide themselves for fear of being discovered by the police and society as a whole. Actions, as the saying goes, speak louder than words.

As Baltimore auto and trucking accident lawyers, we have been witness to numerous individual victims of passenger car, commercial truck and motorcycle collisions. What never ceases to amaze is how these victims manage to press on with their lives following what are typically violent and painful incidents that interrupt and sometimes permanently change the course of these individuals’ lives. Despite the pain and discomfort, victims of bike, truck and motorcycle accidents must persevere if they are to have a hope of returning to a normal semblance of life, at least as they knew it before the tragedy of a serious roadway wreck.

The other side of the coin is, of course, the negligent individuals whose actions placed their victims in a particular physical or medical situation. Many of these people do, in fact, own up to their mistakes or negligent acts that cause injury to another person. But there are certainly others who fail to admit fault and who, through the legal system, must be forced to account for their deeds. Of these individuals, there are some who run from their responsibility as well as the law. A few are never caught; others are arrested, eventually.

Baltimore Auto Accident News: Three Separate Maryland Traffic Fatalities in St. Mary’s, Calvert and Charles Counties

January 22, 2012 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Many people subscribe to the adage, Bad things come in threes, but sadly this saying would apply to one news article we ran across a while back. Although many individuals are hurt or permanently injured in the Maryland and Washington, D.C., areas, it is true that a percentage of car, truck and motorcycle roadway collisions result in fatalities.

That said, it in no way lessens the shock and grief that tend to overwhelm a family members following the untimely death of a relative or close family friend. As Baltimore injury accident lawyers, I and my legal staff have developed a deep understanding of the pain and heartache that many of our clients have experienced following a tragic car or trucking-related wreck.

Not surprisingly, the emotional hurt is only one aspect of a serious injury or fatal traffic accident. For those families whose primary breadwinner is involved in a fatal car or truck crash, the loss of income in itself can place a terrible burden on a family that may already have been struggling in this current economy. Even when the news is not as grave for a an automobile accident victim, the weeks or months spent in a hospital — unable to work or earn a living to his or her maximum potential — can also bring a family’s economic survival into question.

Maryland Auto Injury News: Driver Survives, Two Others Die in Fatal Montgomery County Traffic Accident

January 19, 2012 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Another alcohol-related car crash has taken the lives of two people in Montgomery County, MD — barely a day into the New Year, according to news reports. As Baltimore automobile and motorcycle accident attorneys, I and my colleagues understand the anguish that victims families go through following a fatal traffic wreck. Most unfortunate, from the standpoint of these grieving relatives, is the possibility that accidents of this sort may have been avoided (or the severity of the collision significantly reduced) had the driver been more thoughtful.

As a Maryland personal injury lawyer, I and my colleagues have had the opportunity to represent numerous individuals injured as a result of another person’s negligence. In the case of fatal accidents, the victim’s family may sometimes bring a wrongful death lawsuit against the person they believe caused the crash, or at least played a significant part in the tragic event.

Naturally, whenever an individual is killed or dies in an untimely fashion, the entire episode becomes an emotional experience for the victim’s family and relatives. Even under the best circumstances — for example, when a person passes away due to natural causes – that individual’s wife or husband, their children can be facing an uncertain future, especially in cases where financial hardship has become a way of life.

Montgomery County Auto Accident News: Maryland Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Fatal DUI Crash

January 10, 2012 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Our judicial system has ways of dealing with those who have violated the laws put in place to make our land a safe and civilized place in which to live. Some individuals, whether through malice of forethought or through negligent actions, cross the line between good and bad; those people are often caught and brought to justice, where they face the penalties laid out by lawmakers and their fellow citizens.

As a Maryland personal injury lawyer, I have seen many families torn apart by the thoughtless actions of other people. Fatal traffic accidents, in particular, are instances where a life can be taken due only to the lack of consideration on the part of another driver. Whether the result of drinking and driving, distracted driving, aggressive or other thoughtless operation of motor vehicle, once a person is killed in a car or truck accident there is no bring that individual back to life.

A person found guilty of causing a fatal car, truck or motorcycle accident due to alcohol or drug use can many times be sent to jail for his or her offense. This may help the victims’ families feel that justice has been done, but the void left behind by the loss of those deceased family members can never truly be filled. When a person who killed a loved one out of negligence receives what the families of some victims deem a partial or incomplete criminal sentence, those family members may decide to bring a wrongful death lawsuit against the negligent individual.