Fatal Traffic Accidents

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.

Baltimore Accident News: Maryland Teenage Dies in Traffic Accident Between Car and Garbage Truck

August 16, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Highway traffic accidents involving automobiles and heavy vehicles, such as 18-wheelers and commercial delivery trucks, can result in serious injury to the hapless occupants of the smaller passenger car. As a Maryland personal injury lawyer, I’ve seen trucking accidents that have killed some, yet miraculously allowed others to walk away. Mostly, however, these kinds of car-truck collisions can lead to tragic results.

A recent news article pointed out the fatal nature of such collisions on public roads. According to reports, a Westminster, MD, crash involving four separate vehicles took the life of a young Maryland teen this past month. Based on police reports, the collision happened on a stretch of Maryland’s Route 27 when a northbound Saturn driven by 19-year-old Nicholas Louis Vidi for some reason veered into the path of a southbound garbage truck. The young Sykesville resident reportedly died at the scene of the accident, which occurred in Carroll County just south of Kate Wagner Road.

As a result of the initial crash, two other vehicles following Vidi’s Saturn also were caught up in the accident. A Honda Civic driven by Barry Mulligan narrowly avoided Vidi’s Saturn, but was hit by a fourth car driven by Lori Ann Lowe of Westminster. Lowe and the driver of the garbage truck, Jeannette Zelaya of Westminster, were injured during the incident according to police.

Former High School Football Star Gets 18 Months for Fatal DWI Crash that Killed Teen

August 13, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Drinking and driving is one of the most common and most preventable causes of traffic accidents that modern society has faced. Deaths and injuries resulting from drunk drivers make the headlines of Maryland’s newspapers and local TV news programs more often than anyone would care to see.

Recently, a former high school football star from the River Hill school district was sentenced to a year and a half in jail after being convicted of a DWI-related traffic death late last year of a family friend. The accident happened in late November when now 23-year-old David Erdman was driving a 17-year-old friend, Steven Dankos, in his pickup truck in Howard County, Maryland.

A resident of Ellicott City, Edman pleaded guilty last May to negligent homicide as a result of driving while intoxicated. The charges stemmed from an early morning crash on November 30 when Erdman’s pickup hit several stone pillars. Dankos, who had been traveling in the bed of the pickup truck, was thrown from the vehicle to the ground. Police said that the vehicle was speeding at the time of the crash, which no doubt increased the severity of the accident.

Maryland Auto Accident News: Woman Dies, Other Injured in Head-on Crash along Seashore Highway

August 11, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Head-on collisions are one of the most terrible traffic accidents that can happen. Fatalities are quite common in such instances, while broken bones, head, neck and back injuries, and serious internal injuries are also commonplace. As a Baltimore personal injury attorney and Maryland automobile accident lawyer, I understand well the physical and emotional trauma that can result from such a violent car crash.

The reasons for head-on highway collisions vary as well. Driver error, intoxicated driving, distractions in the vehicle and external factors can lead to a serious and many times fatal accident. Outside of driver error, one possible reason for any kind of traffic accident can be defective vehicle equipment.

Defective automobile equipment and components, such as braking, steering or other critical systems, can fail unexpectedly and cause a driver to lose control of a car, SUV or commercial truck. Poorly designed or incorrectly manufactured car and truck parts can be the source of both serious and minor auto accidents.

Maryland Car Injury News: Columbia, MD, Man Gets Just 6 Months for Fatal Pedestrian Auto Accident

August 7, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

As Baltimore automobile accident attorney, I hear about numerous fatal car crashes that occur throughout Maryland every year. Some collisions happen as a result of driver error, while others are sometimes caused by defective vehicle equipment, such as poorly maintained brakes and tires, faulty safety components or defective suspension or steering systems.

Whatever the cause of a traffic accident, car-pedestrian collisions can be some of the worst, which also includes car-motorcycle and car-bicycle crashes. In all of these kinds of collisions, the person on foot or on two wheels has a very good chance of being severely hurt or even killed as a result.

A recent news article showed that one man, a Columbia resident, was sentenced to six months in jail following the death of an elderly woman he hit with his vehicle in November 2009. According to reports, 82-year-old Ayten Icgoren died the day after she was struck while trying to cross the street near the Owen Brown Village Center.

Maryland Personal Injury News: Ford and Chrysler Join Toyota with Safety-related Automobile Recalls

July 29, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Additional recalls have been announced by several of the large automobile manufacturers; Ford, Chrysler and Toyota. The most recent safety recalls include 33,700 small commercial vans made by Ford Motor Company and are due to the vehicle’s headliner not being able to meet all required safety parameters specified for occupant head protection.

As Maryland automobile accident attorneys, we have experience in recall-related injury claims in the Baltimore, MD, and Washington, D.C. areas. The Ford recall is just one of numerous safety-related recalls that can affect the ability of a vehicle occupant to survive a serious car or truck crash. According to reports, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says that the Ford defect increases the risk of injury to the driver or passengers in the event of a traffic accident.

Ford reportedly advised its dealers to stop delivery of its Transit Connect model, which include vans produced between December 2008 and May 2010. The hold on deliveries would supposedly be in force until a suitable revision of the vehicle’s headliner design could be produced and installed on those vehicles.

Maryland Man Struck and Killed on I-695 in Rosedale, MD, in Fatal Pedestrian Accident

July 27, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Being a Maryland personal injury lawyer and automobile accident attorney practicing in the Baltimore area, my firm has the experience and skill to represent individuals hurt as a result of another driver’s negligence. We also help families of victims killed in motorcycle crashes, passenger car wrecks, or commercial truck accidents. It goes without saying that fatal pedestrian accidents can be quite disturbing for the victims’ families.

While there are many factors to consider in every automobile accident case, it is important to remember that as drivers, we all have a responsibility to be observant when it comes to watching out for pedestrians. Certainly, when a person uses a designated crosswalk, there is a relative expectation of safety for the individuals crossing the roadway. Pedestrian accidents can and do happen with sometimes tragic results.

But every case is different, which is why we rely on police reports, eye witness testimony and other knowledgeable sources. A recent traffic accident shows what can happen under all the wrong circumstances. According to news reports, a 41-year-old Rosedale, MD, resident was unexpectedly killed along Interstate 695 when he was struck by a passing vehicle.

Man Gets 12 Years for Fatal Drunk Driving Traffic Accident that Killed Retired Maryland Couple

July 23, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

When it comes to automobile, truck and motorcycle accidents, negligence comes in many different forms. Whether a minor fender-bender or a full-blown fatal traffic collision, the responsible party should be held accountable for his or her actions. For those individuals who have caused the death of another person, no excuse should be acceptable; not to the family of the victims, nor to local law enforcement.

Drunk driving is certainly one of the more common causes of car crashes in the Baltimore area and elsewhere across our state. It’s a shame that so many people die every year due to abuse of alcohol. As Maryland car accident attorneys, I and my colleagues consider the pain and suffering of the families of victims, not to mention the costs and lost income caused by a bad automobile wreck.

A sad story caught our attention the other day involving a retired Maryland couple who died in a pointless out-of-state car crash. According to the news article, 56-year-old Thomas Cypress was charged with DUI manslaughter for the February 2009 crash that claimed the lives of Robert and Paulette Kirkpatrick. Following his trial in a Miami-Dade courtroom, Cypress was sentenced to 12 years in prison — a negotiated deal that spared the man a possible maximum 30-year sentence.

Maryland Injury News: Distracted Driving Blamed for Increasing Number of Fatal Teenage Automobile Accidents

July 17, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

As parents will no doubt attest, teenagers can be easily distracted by a wide range of external stimuli. While this may be amusing to some, and a frustration to their parents and teachers, it is serious business once these kids start to driver motor vehicles. Driver’s education can only go so far to warn these future drivers to be aware of potential and deadly distractions on the road. But apparently much more needs to be done, as recently released government data suggests.

As a Maryland and D.C. auto accident attorney, I understand the myriad of ways that a driver can become distracted on the road, the result of which is many times a traffic accident. New and inexperienced drivers can be especially susceptible to having their concentration diverted. In some cases, and more often than any parent of a teenage driver would like to think about, fatalities can result. In short, distracted driving may be killing more American teenagers than ever before.

According to U.S. Government data, more than 4,000 teenagers lose their lives in traffic accidents that are caused predominantly by “distracted driving.” This includes distractions from having too many noisy occupants in the vehicle to talking on a cellphone while operating a passenger car. However, a new bill recently introduced by Congress may help in reducing this terrible trend.