Fatal Traffic Accidents

State of Maryland Bills Deceased Driver for Damage to Guardrail following Fatal Rte 32 Car Accident

September 17, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Some things that occur in this life are just not right, and everybody knows it. When an individual is seriously hurt or killed in a traffic accident, there are no words that one can say to the family of that victim, yet as friends, relatives and neighbors we try to offer some measure of comfort and condolence. Large organizations, while comprised of living, thinking and feeling persons, are less adept at providing a sympathetic ear or shoulder on which to cry.

As Maryland personal injury lawyers who serve the residents of Baltimore, Frederick, Hagerstown and the District, we see on a regular basis the pain and suffering that families and individual experience following horrendous trucking accidents, automobile collisions and motorcycle wrecks. The fact is, there are no words that can adequately ease the grief of a mother or father that has lost a son or daughter to a tragic roadway accident.

A while back, in May of this year, a young woman died in a fatal single-vehicle car crash along a stretch of Rte 32 in Columbia, MD. At the time, 21-year-old Sarah Stebbins was planning to enter Howard Community College in the fall. A 2008 graduate of Howard High School, Stebbins was a racing enthusiast and, according to news account, an award-winning equestrian rider; on the day of her death, Stebbins was coming home from her job at the Gray Pony Saddle and Tack Shop in Highland, Maryland.

According to news reports, the woman died when her vehicle crashed into a guardrail on Rte 32 after she apparently lost control of the vehicle. No mention was made in this latest news item whether or not the accident was a result of driver error or defective vehicle equipment. However, that is not the crux of the story.

Maryland Auto Accident News: Fatal Car Wreck on Baltimore-Washington Pkwy Kills Infant, Two Others

September 15, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

When it comes to personal injury, nobody wishes for it to happen, yet there are worse scenarios that can occur to a person or an entire family. As most every parent, grandparent or adult relative will tell you, it is hard to see a young child, sibling or grandchild injured in a senseless accident. Most parents would gladly take the place of an injured girl or boy rather than have that innocent person suffer the pain of injury for days or weeks, much less for a lifetime.

As Baltimore automobile and trucking accident attorneys, we can attest to the grief felt by family members following a terrible car, truck or motorcycle crash. And while most injuries heal over time, a fatal accident can be one of the most emotional events that a family can experience, especially when it involves the death of a youngster who hasn’t even known the world for long.

Nothing can bring back a life lost to a traffic collision; that is a fact. As Maryland personal injury lawyers, I and my colleagues can only hope to help the survivors cope with the loss of a child through legal means, if necessary. It goes without saying that cases involving a lost loved one are probably the most difficult, due to the wide range of emotion and the anger that the victim’s family tends to hold against the individual who may have caused the accident to begin with.

Whether one lives or works in Annapolis, Gaithersburg, Rockville or the Washington, D.C., area, personal injury cases, as well as those involving wrongful death, are more common than one might expect. Following a road accident or car wreck, medical bills must be paid, as do other recuperative therapies, if the victim is to be returned to health as soon as possible, if at all possible. Even when it comes to loss of life, the victim’s family may still be responsible for any hospital costs.

Maryland Personal Injury News: Pickup Truck Driver Hospitalized after Fatal St. Mary’s County Traffic Accident

September 8, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

If you follow the news long enough, some traffic accident reports stick out as being either incredibly unlikely or based in a reality that most of the driving public hopefully has never experienced. Chronic drunk drivers, for example, can operate their vehicles in an inebriated state completely without incident for what seems like years, while a first-time drunken driver may hit another vehicle minutes after leaving the bar, causing a traffic accident with sometimes fatal results.

Other drivers just seem to have very poor judgment when operating their cars, trucks or motorcycles and seem to be involved in fender-benders on what seems like a recurrent basis. These people, whose insurance rates must surely go through the roof after several occurrences, might end up causing a serious accident themselves; sometimes one of these drivers tangles with an 18-wheeler tractor-trailer rig on the highway and causes a tremendous wreck, from which he or she might not walk away.

For the rest of us, we must exercise extreme caution when plying congested urban thoroughfares of cities like Annapolis, Washington, D.C., and Gaithersburg, as well as the high-speed expressways that connect them. From time to time, even the most competent drivers meet up with one of those so-called bad drivers with tragic consequences.

As Baltimore car accident attorneys and Maryland personal injury lawyers, I and my staff know what it means to have a family member killed by a drunk, inattentive or otherwise negligent driver. There really are no words that can ease the suffering of a family that has lost a father, mother or sibling in such a senseless traffic collision.

Not long ago, a resident of St. Mary’s County, MD, was involved in two traffic accidents along Rte 5 both within minutes of each other; the second of which left two Maryland women dead. According to news reports, the apparently negligent driver was a 34-year-old man from Callaway who was behind the wheel of a 2007 Chevy pickup truck.

Baltimore Auto Accident Update: Aggressive Driving Causes 50 Percent of All Maryland Traffic Collisions

August 30, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

As Maryland personal injury attorneys and drivers ourselves, it’s not hard to notice one the biggest threats to traffic safety on the road today. As many motorists already know, aggressive driving is a significant cause of many traffic wrecks these days. In fact, just standing on a street corner in Gaithersburg, Annapolis or even Washington, D.C., one can’t help but see some drivers behaving badly.

Whether a person is on the receiving end or not, it’s always a good idea to give an aggressive driver wide berth; and there’s a good reason to do this. According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), it has been estimated that the cause of over 50 percent of all fatal passenger car and commercial truck accidents can be traced back to some kind of aggressive driving.

Of course, anyone who has survived a serious car crash knows how easy it is to end up with medical complications as a result, not to mention risk of long-term medical conditions that can persist for the rest of one’s life. The cost of treatment for chronic medical issues and long-term care can be a continual burden to an individual, as well as the victim’s family for months if not years following the initial traffic accident.

As Baltimore car accident lawyers, we’ve seen our share of traffic accidents and the resulting carnage wrought by so-called aggressive drivers. Some may hope, futilely it would seem, that someday we all might see motorists sharing the road in complete harmony with each other. All we can say is that human nature being what it is, don’t hold your breath waiting for that day.

Baltimore Traffic Accident News: Two Dead in Fatal Early Morning Highway Collision in Cecil County, MD

August 27, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Faulty vehicle equipment is just one of the many causes of fatal and injury-related auto, truck and motorcycle wrecks here in Maryland. While failure of safety equipment and other critical vehicle control systems may only account for a small percentage of traffic fatalities, this is nonetheless a potential for tragic results on our highways and surface streets.

As Baltimore car accident attorneys and Washington, D.C., personal injury lawyers, I and my colleagues read news stories and see television reports of multi-vehicle crashes that take the lives of numerous individuals every year. While it is not a stretch to say that most car, bike and commercial truck accidents are the result of driver error, inattention or downright negligent behavior, roadway collisions can and do happen as a result of defective equipment.

Now, every car crash or 18-wheeler wreck can have tragic results, the mayhem caused by a catastrophic failure of a vehicle control system or safety component can be nearly instantaneous and affect numerous persons in several different cars or truck in the immediate vicinity of the affected vehicle.

If a defective part or multiple components are to blame for causing a driver’s loss of control and precipitating a traffic accident, that is something that police investigators and insurance company claims personnel must determine. The question then comes, was the failed component a result of poor design or manufacturing processes, or did it stop working due to bad maintenance practices or a deliberate act, such as a trucker disconnecting the front brakes to allegedly improve fuel mileage.

Among the list of potentially deadly maintenance issues are excessively worn tires, poorly made tire retreads, improperly secured fifth wheel coupling, and even failure to maintain marker lights and reflective tape. A recent crash along a stretch of Interstate 95 in Cecil County took the lives of two people when a semi tractor-trailer rig went out of control and smashed into a sport utility vehicle.

Baltimore Injury Accident News: Elderly Maryland Resident Dies in Anne Arundel County Two-car Traffic Collision

August 22, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

When it comes to surviving a serious car, motorcycle or commercial truck accident, fate does not discriminate between young or old, man or woman, driver or passenger. Depending on the type of accident, injuries can range from minor to severe, or somewhere in between. In the worst of cases, fatal results are not uncommon, especially in so-called “T-bone” collisions or head-on automobile wrecks.

As Maryland car accident lawyers and personal injury attorneys, I and my colleagues understand how the suddenness of a bad car, truck or motorcycle crash can change a person’s life forever. In the blink of an eye, a perfectly healthy individual can be set on a path of pain, reduced mobility or even permanent disability. And the costs associated with medical treatment and ongoing physical therapy and rehab can be staggering.

Representing residents of Baltimore, Gaithersburg, Rockville and the District, our job is to help victims recover damages caused as a result of another person’s negligence. In cases of fatal car, truck and pedestrian accidents it is not uncommon for the family of the victim to file a wrongful death claim against one or more parties on behalf of their deceased loved one.

And while nothing can bring back a person killed in a senseless and tragic traffic collision, there are instances where justice served can provide a grieving family some level of closure following an unexpected death. Not too long ago, an elderly woman was killed when the vehicle in which she was riding was hit by another motorist who allegedly ran a red light, causing fatal injuries and leaving her husband to face life alone.

Baltimore Auto Accident News: Maryland Woman Dies in Single-car Anne Arundel County Rollover Crash

August 11, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Although it’s difficult to imagine, at least for those who haven’t been in a car crash, a single-vehicle accident can be quite serious for those involved. And while the circumstances of a single-car or single-truck wreck are unique, the results are typically similar depending on the severity of the crash and the type of vehicle involved.

As personal injury attorneys serving residents of Baltimore, Frederick, Hagerstown and Washington, D.C., we have experience in helping victims of car, truck and motorcycle accidents. It’s probably true that a single-vehicle auto accident can cause as much damage and bodily harm as a multi-vehicle collision, naturally when more than one vehicle is involved the number of occupants caught up in a crash can up the ante from an injury standpoint.

In single-vehicle accidents, again depending on the circumstances, police and auto accident lawyers look at all the possible causes. While driver error is certainly at the top of the list, other factors such as weather, road conditions and even the vehicle’s mechanical condition are considered as potential contributing factors. In the case of mechanical problems, there is always a chance that a faulty component or other critical part may have caused the accident, or at least exacerbated the outcome for the victims.

Faulty safety equipment, such as airbags, seatbelts and car seats, can result in more serious injuries than typical for a car in perfect operating condition. Poorly maintained vehicle equipment, such as tires and brakes, may have contributed to the accident by not allowing the driver to avoid a collision or cause the vehicle to go out of control and result in a secondary crash.

Whatever the cause, the police investigators typically look for the causes of an accident and other factors that may have contributed to the severity of the wreck. Insurance companies will always have their own people looking into the cause of a car, bike or commercial trucking accident. The evidence that turns up will likely drive the course of the investigation, insurance claims and subsequent law suits, if any.

Baltimore Personal Injury News: Pasadena, MD, Man Dies in Glen Burnie Traffic Accident

August 8, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

During the summer months is when we tend to see a greater frequency of car-motorcycle accidents here in Maryland. Of course, most every motorcycle rider knows that his or her chosen pastime can be fraught with risks, but when managed well those risks can be minimized, though not always eliminated. Much of what anybody on the road depends is the skills and alertness of other drivers; hopefully for most of us, motorists, truckers and bikers alike all do their part to be vigilant and safety conscious.

Unfortunately, as we all know too well, this is not always the case. As personal injury lawyers serving the residents of Maryland and Washington, D.C., I and my colleagues see our share of serious and sometimes fatal bike, auto and commercial truck wrecks in the news every week. Especially in the case of bikers, the stakes are high as far as bodily injury goes.

A motorcyclist who tangles with a larger motor vehicle such as an SUV, minivan or commercial delivery truck can receive any number of injuries ranging from lacerations and contusions to neck, back and closed-head trauma, otherwise known as traumatic brain injury. Recovery from the latter types of injuries can be a long and costly road for the victim as well as his or her family. In some cases, the individual may never be the same, having been permanently disabled due to another driver’s negligence.

Maryland Personal Injury News: Glen Burnie Man Killed in Car Accident with Unlicensed Teen Driver

August 6, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

It’s one thing for an unlicensed or uninsured individual to drive a motor vehicle unlawfully on a public road without incident, but it’s a totally different story when someone who is untrained, uninsured or otherwise unauthorized to drive and then crash that car, truck or motorcycle on the street. To cause an accident as an unlicensed or uninsured driver is not uncommon, but to have an accident that results in a fatality is serious business.

For accidents caused by an uninsured or under-insured driver, the injured party typically files an insurance claim through their own insurance company, which provides coverage for such events under the heading termed uninsured motorists (UM) or under-insured motorists (UIM).

As Baltimore car accident attorneys and Maryland personal injury lawyers, we understand that being issued a driver’s license by the State is a privilege that tens of thousands of Marylanders enjoy because they practiced, studied and passed driving tests designed to prove their competence behind the wheel. But this privilege to drive on public roads does not extend to unlicensed individuals.

Causing a fatality with a motor vehicle and not having a license or proper authority to operate a vehicle on a public road can result in serious consequences. Maryland law enforcement and the state’s court system take vehicular homicides very seriously. More often than not, an unlicensed person poses a greater danger to others on the road when compared to those persons who have been legitimately licensed to operate a passenger car or commercial truck by the State of Maryland.

Unlicensed drivers can and do pose a hazard to pedestrians and occupants of other cars and trucks. The danger these people present is real as evidenced by a fatal car crash that occurred not long ago in Anne Arundel County. And while this incident may have started out as an “innocent” prank or even a “harmless” impulse, the result was tragic to say the least.

According to police reports, the teenagers involved appear to have taken a relative’s vehicle without permission and driven it on public roads in the middle of the night without proper licensing and likely without proper training. Who’s to blame? That is the question. Are the teen’s parents? The relative whose vehicle was taken? These and other questions must now be answered by the authorities and sorted out in a court of law. At the same time, a man has been killed in another senseless traffic accident.

Baltimore Automobile Injury Accident News: Charles County Driver Killed in Fatal Three-Car Traffic Wreck

July 30, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

All manner of individuals travel Maryland’s roadways every day, each of them trusting in their own way that the drivers of all the other vehicles with whom they share the road are each paying attention and doing the right thing. As Baltimore personal injury lawyers and auto/trucking accident attorneys, we know of what we speak; traffic accidents do occur frequently on Maryland highways and surface streets. And these crashes, both minor and serious, happen to young and old, men and women; a traffic wreck is, in a word, indiscriminate when it comes to choosing its victims.

Of course, this does not mean that accidents happen without cause, it’s simply that the causes, which vary widely, can be the result of human error, poor roadway design, or even through mechanical defect. In cases where negligence is potentially the reason, that is when litigation is sometimes called for. Whether a car, truck or motorcycle wreck results in property damage, serious injury, or the death of another individual depends on the circumstances and occasionally the luck or lack thereof on the part of the various victims.

When a person operates a vehicle in a negligent or uncaring manner — due to impairment, distraction, or reckless and aggressive driving — that individual risks setting into motion events that can affect many innocent lives. There are countless news articles printed every day that detail the results of bad driving habits or just plain thoughtlessness. Whatever the cause, be it here in Baltimore, Rockville or the District, people are bound to be hurt or killed. The results can rock families and communities to their core, and cause the victims a lifetime of pain and discomfort.