Fatal Traffic Accidents

Why Seatbelts? Occupant Safety Still Relies on Simplest of Devices in a Car Crash

August 14, 2012 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

We’ve all seen this happen; children, teens, 20-somethings or full-grown adults — who, we might remind, should know better — riding in moving vehicles without the benefit of a safety belt. Parents are responsible for their children wearing seatbelts or using approved safety seats in the family sedan, minivan or SUV, but what happens when the adults don’t use seat belts? Sometimes very bad things.

As Maryland personal injury attorneys, I and my team of legal professionals have seen more than our share of car, truck and motorcycle accident victims. What everyone of us knows is apparently a well-kept secret among a small, but unnerving percentage of the driving public. What could be so mysterious? That seatbelts save lives and reduce the potential for serious injury in the event of a bad roadway collision.

It may come as a surprise, but there are grown, thinking people who either through stubbornness, arrogance, or mere lack of foresight actively choose NOT to wear a safety belt when driving or riding in a motor vehicle. Never mind the fact that a high-speed crash between a couple passenger cars, or even a medium-speed impact with a commercial truck, can turn an unbelted occupant into a 150-pound missile heading right for the windshield.

Maryland Man Charged Following Car Crash and Fire that Killed Three Passengers in Montgomery County

August 6, 2012 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Aside from the old saying that crime doesn’t pay, we also know that nobody deserves to die in a car accident due to the actions of another individual. As Maryland personal injury lawyers, I and my staff of experienced legal professionals have a fair amount of insight into the range of catastrophic results that a traffic collision can impart to occupants of a motor vehicle that crashes at high speeds.

In our line of work, we know that fate, luck, destiny — or whatever term one chooses to describe the random effects of a serious accident — can have in store for the hapless victims of a car, truck or motorcycle wreck. Even for those people who travel on foot, pedestrian-related traffic accidents can happen more often than one would expect, either here in the Baltimore area, out in Columbia or Gaithersburg, or over in Washington, D.C. Anyone who has seen the aftermath of a car-pedestrian or car-bicycle collision knows that being hit by a 3,000-pound passenger car is not something one rebounds from quickly.

The other day we ran across a news article describing a car crash that involved a stolen vehicle and resulted in the deaths of three passengers. Whether or not those other occupants were accomplices, it would be a stretch to say that they deserved to die in the fiery wreckage following a police chase. According to news reports, an 18-year-old man was allegedly behind the wheel of a stolen vehicle when it left the roadway, slammed into a tree and then burst into flames.

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.

Use Care When Driving; Traffic Accidents Kill or Injure Marylanders Every Year

July 16, 2012 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Representing victims of automobile, motorcycle and commercial trucking accidents, we have seen the aftermath of these sometimes devastating traffic accidents. As Maryland personal injury attorneys, I and my staff of legal professionals understand that being involved in a traffic collision may be one of the most traumatic events a person has had to face in their lifetime. With serious injuries ranging from deep cuts and lacerations to internal injuries and closed-head trauma, many of these life-threatening conditions, a victim and his family are surely preoccupied with physical recovery.

But on top of all the medical treatments, physical rehabilitation and emotional counseling is the similarly large consideration of financial recovery. Depending on the type of insurance coverage and willingness of a carrier to cover a victim’s medical costs, there can many times be large gaps in monetary support for injuries sustained as the result of another individual’s negligent acts.

For those unlucky enough to end up with a chronic, long-term condition following a serious or near-fatal roadway collision, insurance may not satisfy the months or years of rehab and ongoing medical attention required to maintain a useful and rewarding life. In cases where costs exceed resources, it may be wise to contact a qualified personal injury lawyer for advice.

Court Finds Maryland Driver At-Fault in Fatal Carroll County Automobile Accident

July 3, 2012 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Being charged with negligence following a fatal car crash can seem worlds away from the events leading up to the incident itself. Many people cannot imagine themselves on the receiving end of a wrongful death civil suit, much less a criminal trial resulting from a traffic accident weeks or months prior. As Maryland personal injury attorneys, I and my colleagues see scenarios such as this one play out on a regular basis all across the state.

And so it is, that being possibility of being involved in a fatal car, truck or motorcycle collision is not so remote as many drivers might believe it to be. All it takes is a moment of indecision, inaction or thoughtlessness for a pleasant Sunday drive to turn into a nightmare scenario. Surely for the victims and their families, a fatal car or commercial trucking accident is nothing that can be expected, not planned for. But once it happens, the survivors’ world may be turned completely upside down.

Simply the loss of a loved one is enough to cause serious emotional pain on the part of the victim’s family. But the financial toll that the death of a mother or father can also send shockwaves through the family unit, especially those with toddlers or younger children who will never again see their loving parent’s face or feel their comforting touch.

Two Fatal Maryland Car Accidents on Same Road in Baltimore Co. within Days

June 28, 2012 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Regardless of whether a car, truck or motorcycle wreck occurs here in the Greater Baltimore area, over in Gaithersburg, or out in the Washington, D.C., area, victims are likely to be injured and in need of medical care. Some serious injuries can present life-threatening complications, while other less fortunate individuals may die at the scene. One common thread is usually present: Many car and commercial trucking crashes could have been avoided if not for the negligent actions of another driver.

Aside from the inevitable hospital bills and costs of medical treatment, not to mention weeks or months of rehab for those seriously injured, the families of deceased victims have little to no consolation for their loss. Besides the obvious financial impact of losing a primary breadwinner to a senseless traffic wreck, widowed spouses their children suffer the emotional vacuum in the wake of a fatal car crash.

As Maryland personal injury attorneys, I and my colleagues understand all facets of loss regarding a fatal traffic accident. Wrongful death suits not only take into account the loss of income due to the death of a working mother or father, but also the loss of non-tangible “assets,” such as love and affection, as well as the nurturing presence of a parent no longer alive to care for and guide the growth of his or her children.

Maryland Driver Pleads Guilty to Death of Passenger Following Fatal Baltimore-Washington Pkwy Wreck

June 24, 2012 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Car, truck and motorcycle collisions happen all over our state, from Bowie and Rockville to Baltimore, Annapolis and over in Washington, D.C. The common thread that each of these incidents usually have in common is that people, innocent men, women and children are hurt during traffic accidents. Whether those injuries are minor (such as simple cuts, bruises and abrasions) or severe (e.g., compound fractures of the arm or leg, traumatic head injury or spinal cord damage) usually depends on a number of factors, such as speed of the vehicles, angle of the collision, age of the passengers, safety equipment in use on the vehicle involved.

As personal injury lawyers practicing in Maryland, we are trained to represent victims of automobile and commercial trucking accidents, as well as other instances of injury caused by a negligent individual or individuals. When severe or critical injuries are involved, we know that the victims’ families can quickly feel the financial pressure of various medical and hospital treatment costs. In addition to the obvious physical injuries, victims can also experience the emotional side effects of a serious car truck or pedestrian accident.

Nearly anyone who has had first-hand experience with a bad traffic collision would likely say that it is not an event that they would want to go through ever again. Especially in cases of high-speed or multi-vehicle collisions on an expressway or freeway, the impact energy can be much greater than that felt in a low-speed fender-bender. The point here is that bodily harm from a major car or truck crash can be many times more serious, and sometimes fatal, than a collision that takes place in a parking garage.

Passengers Beware: Serious Maryland Car Accidents Can Affect Not Only Drivers, But All Vehicle Occupants

June 22, 2012 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Listen to almost anyone who has been in a serious traffic accident, if they are even up to discussing it, and you may realize that victims of high-speed roadway collisions are subjected to a great deal of physical abuse in just a matter of moments. The kind of violent energy transfer from a moving vehicle to the human body in just a few microseconds can change a person’s life in the blink of an eye. As Maryland personal injury attorneys, I and my legal staff can appreciate the extent of physical and psychological trauma that an automobile or commercial trucking accident can have on the victims.

Automobile accidents, whether they occur in Gaithersburg, Columbia, Rockville or The District, can result in a range of injuries. From simple bumps and bruises to broken bones, internal injuries and closed-head trauma, there is nothing routine about a serious car, truck or motorcycle wreck. Even those who do everything to avoid and prepare for such an eventuality never quite expect the randomness with which a highway or urban auto collision can occur.

Being personal injury lawyers, trained in and experienced with representing victims of car and truck collisions, we understand how many families can be placed in a difficult financial position following a bad traffic wreck. Aside from the physical and emotional impact of a sudden and violent collision, individuals and entire families may be hit again with costs for extensive surgeries and other medical procedures, not to mention possible long-term rehabilitation, or worse, a lifetime of reduced mobility or other disability.

Young Mother Killed, Baby Injured in Police-related Car Chase in West Baltimore, MD

June 20, 2012 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Any death, especially a senseless one, is a tragedy no matter what the cause. There can be little argument about that. But the death of a young person who has yet to experience all that life has to offer, that is a tragic waste of life. Children who are hurt in automobile accidents or killed as a result of another individual’s negligence are certainly the most innocent of victims.

Here in the Baltimore area, as well as elsewhere across the state and even in Washington, D.C., it’s not difficult to see the aftermath of a car, truck or motorcycle accident without thinking of those injured in a serious traffic wreck. As Maryland personal injury lawyers, my firm is prepared to take up the fight for those who have been hurt in serious car or trucking-related accidents. When we see a child or young adult whose life has been unalterably changed, our sympathies go out to the entire family.

Of course, the legal aspects of a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit tend to be less compassionate than the thoughts and well-wishes of friends and relatives of the victims. Nevertheless, the law provides those injured by the negligent acts of another to sue for damages in hopes that in some small way the victims and their families can be made whole, or at least be given a fighting chance for a normal life after a tragic accident.