Fatal Traffic Accidents

Maryland Traffic Safety News: Fatal Highway Accidents Fall to 1950 Levels; Feds Credit Technology, Enhanced Enforcement

September 30, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

As Maryland automobile accident attorney, I respect the dedication of our state and the local municipalities in their ongoing fight to reduce traffic fatalities. And as a Baltimore injury attorney, I know that declining accident rates and motor vehicle deaths is a good thing even when the headlines don’t always indicate the progress of our traffic safety authorities.

According to a study lately from Washington, D.C., law enforcement departments from across the country definitely have some good news to boast about: Based on the latest data highway fatalities have dropped to one the lowest levels in more than half a century.

According to a recent article, law enforcement officials here and across the nation credit the reduction in car and truck accident deaths to a variety of enforcement technologies, coupled with strict drunk driving and drug DUI patrols and checkpoints. The news out of D.C. shows that deadly auto accidents along our public roads have drastically fallen to a level not seen since the 1950s.

Maryland Man Convicted of Alcohol-related Vehicular Homicide Gets Another 6 Years for Drinking Again

September 20, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Drinking and driving subjects everyone on the road to potential danger involving traffic accidents with injuries or even fatal car crashes. As Maryland personal injury attorneys and automobile accident lawyers, I and my colleagues work to help the victims of car accidents caused by another individual’s negligent behavior. Getting behind the wheel when intoxicated is one way to kill or hurt other drivers and passengers on the road.

According to a recent article, a 43-year-old alcoholic will get another six years in prison for taking a drink at a local gas station. Whether or not this was a so-called “moment of weakness,” the description would mean very little to a person injured by this man, should he not have been caught by police. According to news reports, the man was on probation after being convicted for automobile manslaughter back in 2005, but even that episode in his life didn’t seem to make enough of an impression to keep him from taking a sip of an alcoholic beverage.

Based on reports, Michael Thomas Spears pled guilty to violating his probation, which in this man’s case was spelled out as abstaining from alcohol. In his original vehicular manslaughter trial, it was argued that Spears’ negligence resulted in the death of 92-year-old Berkman Gatton and the partial blinding James Nichols, son of the elderly man.

Maryland Auto Accident News: Baltimore Woman Dies in Fatal Two-Car Crash along Interstate 70

September 18, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

A tragic automobile accident took the life of a Maryland resident not long ago along a stretch of Interstate 70. As a Baltimore personal injury attorney and auto accident lawyer, I know that many dozens of people are killed every year riding as passengers in another individual’s car, pickup truck or SUV.

Motor vehicle accidents, both passenger car and commercial truck crashes, take the lives of thousands of people every year in this country Maryland. The result of this crash is sadly typical of many traffic collisions. In addition to the person who was killed, three others where taken to area hospitals for medical treatment.

According to news reports, the accident happened a little after 2am when a Nissan Altima, driven by 51-year-old Terrance Goode, hit a Volkswagen Jetta on I-70. Based on Maryland State Police reports, the Jetta was being driven by 24-year-old Ashley Gilbert of Monrovia, MD.

Maryland Automobile Accident Report: Two Passengers Killed in Queen Anne’s County Car Crash

August 31, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Once again drinking and driving has been pointed to as a contributing factor in yet another car accident in Queen Anne’s County. As a Baltimore personal injury lawyer and car accident attorney, I know all too well how alcohol can play a big role in traffic collisions. The pain inflicted on others as a result of another person’s negligent behavior can be extensive and long lasting.

In this latest incident, two people died when the vehicle in which they were riding crashed along a stretch of Maryland’s Route 8. According to news accounts, the accident happened around 8am on a Sunday morning when 41-year-old Victor A. Smith of Annapolis apparently lost control of his BMW, which then crossed the center line into oncoming traffic.

The Smith had been driving his black BMW northbound along Route 8 near Great Neck Road in Stevensville when the accident occurred. As the car veered into southbound traffic, 46-year-old Agnes C. Phelps tried to avoid Smith’s BMW by pulling off to the side of the road and onto the shoulder, according to police reports. Even so, Phelps’ car was hit by the BMW, which then caused both vehicles to leave the roadway.

Baltimore Personal Injury News: Maryland Driver Killed in Beltway Car Accident

August 29, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

A single-vehicle passenger car accident can be the result of a number of factors, including defective vehicle components, bad weather, poorly maintained road surface, or driver error. As a Maryland car accident lawyer, I and my staff understand the pain and suffering that any serious traffic collision can inflict on drivers and passengers.

Whether the crash involves a single automobile, such as a sedan, minivan, SUV or pickup truck; a motorcycle or other two-wheeled motor vehicle; or a commercial truck, such as an 18-wheeler, box truck, or delivery van, the injuries sustained by the driver and/or passengers can be extensive depending on the circumstances.

Police investigators usually work to determine the cause of any serious accident to determine the contributing factors and ultimately who was at fault. In many cases, driver error is found to be the main reason for a car or truck crash — other factors can be listed such as excessive speed, alcohol or drug use, poor visibility, etc.

Maryland Teenager Killed in Car Accident After Being Rear-ended By Another Vehicle

August 27, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

The actions of one individual can sometimes have severe and irreversible consequences for many other people. A moment’s distraction on the road can cause a serious traffic accident the result of which can mean injury or death of another person. As a Baltimore injury accident attorney representing automobile accident victims and their families, I have the skills to help these individuals recover from what is certainly one of the most traumatic events in their lives.

Whether a collision is caused by a drunk driver, hit-and-run driver, underinsured or uninsured motorists, resulting injuries can range from whiplash and burns to spinal cord paralysis and permanent nerve damage. The saddest outcome is the death of an innocent driver whose only mistake was being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

A recent news article illustrated how the simplest accident can result in a tragic and awful outcome. According to reports, a Leonardtown teenager was killed while driving her vehicle along Point Lookout Road. Based on police reports, 16-year-old Shelby Wood was killed on a mid-July afternoon when her car was struck from behind by another vehicle.

Baltimore Car Accident News: Drug-impaired Drivers Injure Many, But Prosecution for DUI Difficult

August 25, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

It’s no secret that many traffic accidents are caused by impaired drivers. A subset of this group includes individuals who cause injury and death because they are intoxicated by alcohol, prescription medicine and illegal drugs (also referred to as controlled dangerous substances or CDS). People who are not fully in control of their faculties due to taking drugs or consuming alcohol can be the source of serious traffic collisions involving passenger cars, motorcycles and commercial trucks.

As a Maryland automobile accident attorney, I know the seriousness of injuries sustained by occupants of motor vehicles caught up in these kinds of impaired driving crashes or DUI-related accidents. What may be disconcerting to many people out there is that prosecuting these DUI offenders is not as simple as it may seem.

This is a shame, because thousands of people are killed or injured every year by the thoughtlessness of these individuals. From simple cuts and bruises to broken bones and permanent disability — even death — there is too much suffering imposed on so many by so few who lack a social conscience. Yet recourse against these irresponsible few is difficult according to experts.

A recent article points out the there is a delicate balance between individuals who have a legitimate need for prescription medication and the public good. More and more it is becoming common for drivers to be charged with driving under the influence of drugs following a car or commercial truck accident. According to law enforcement authorities, although drunk driving deaths have reportedly been dropping, there has been an increase in accidents caused by drivers impaired due to prescription painkillers, anti-anxiety medications, sleep aids and other powerful drugs.

The situation has become increasingly worrisome for police officials nationwide because, unlike the effects of beer, wine and hard liquor, there is no agreement on what level of drugs in the blood driving impairment occurs.

Of course, the behavioral effects of legally prescribed drugs varies from one person to the next. Some drugs, such as anti-anxiety medications, can reduce driver’s level of alertness and reduce reaction time. Stimulants, on the other hand, can promote risk-taking and impair a person’s ability to judge distance. Then there is the issue of mixing prescription medication, taking these legal drugs with alcohol or even illicit drugs. All of which can make worsen a driver’s level of impairment, causing a sharp increase in the chances that a driver will cause a traffic accident.

Baltimore Auto Accident News: Abington, Maryland, Woman Dies in Single-car Accident on I-695

August 22, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Defective vehicle equipment can be the cause of many accidents however the reasons for the specific fault are not always apparent. A car, truck or motorcycle crash can happen out of a number of causes, such as poorly manufactured tires, damaged or neglected safety systems, poorly designed yet critical vehicle components, such as steering and suspension, or sometimes incorrect maintenance of certain mechanical parts.

As a Baltimore automobile and trucking accident lawyer, my main concern is for the victims of traffic collisions and victims’ families. The burden of medical costs and lost wages can combine to put a strain on family members at one of the worst times of their lives. Add to this the possible death of a primary breadwinner due to fatal vehicle crash and you have a recipe for tragedy beyond that of the original car accident.

Recently, an Abington, MD, resident was killed when her vehicle left the roadway along a stretch of Interstate 695. According to news reports, 48-year-old Danita Marie Hasselbarth was driving her 1994 Chevy Camaro north along Harford Road toward the Baltimore Beltway. Once on the merging ramp the woman’s car apparently started to drift off the right-hand side of the road onto the adjoining grassy area next to the roadway.

Maryland Auto Accident News: Woman from Hagerstown Killed in Head-on Car Crash Out West

August 20, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

As a Baltimore car and trucking accident lawyer, I am constantly aware of the preciousness of life. Looking at the news from day to day I am also reminded of the fragility and transitory nature of our lives here on Earth. This is especially true when it comes to the tens of thousands of unnecessary injuries and deaths that occur on our nation’s highways and city streets each year.

To anyone who picks up a newspaper or follows the evening news, it will come as no surprise that we as drivers live but scant moments away from possible death or severe injury. A recent news article brought that thought home lately when I read of a former Maryland resident who lost her life on a highway out West where she lived with her family.

According to reports, 40-year-old Kristen Ardinger Karn formerly of Hagerstown, MD, died recently following a tragic head-on car crash in Wyoming earlier this month. The accident occurred on a Monday morning while Karn was driving along a stretch of Highway 22 when her 2005 GMC Yukon was hit head-on by another vehicle.

Maryland Auto Injury News: Two Sunday Worshipers Killed in Tragic Church Parking Lot Car-Pedestrian Accident

August 18, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

While we would all like to think that a church might be one of the safest places, there is much to be said about the dangers lurking in any vehicular traffic situation, be it a parking lot, pedestrian crossing or even a quiet street. There are hidden threats that all of these places present to drivers and pedestrians alike. As a Baltimore automobile accident attorney, I’ve certainly examined my share of pedestrian, car and truck accident scenes, but finding a fatal accident outside a church on Sunday is probably the farthest from anyone’s imagination.

That said, there is a caveat to every person who has walked through a parking area or public roadway: Be careful out there. Especially in places that give us the most comfort and feeling of security, this is where many people drop their guard and possibly increase their risk of bodily harm. While fatal pedestrian accidents may be fewer near a place of worship, the mix of people and cars means that the danger always exists. Any death is tragic, but such deadly accidents should be avoidable if all concerned are doing their part to thwart trouble.

According to a news report, two older parishioners were killed and a third person injured when a sport utility vehicle driven by 63-year-old Mary G. Camilleri suddenly accelerated in reverse hitting the three people. According to a spokesperson for the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office, Camilleri’s vehicle slammed into another SUV and pushed it onto a sidewalk on North Seton Avenue. The vehicle then continued backwards and struck the pedestrians as they were attempting to cross the road. It came to a stop after hitting another parked car.