Multi-vehicle Accidents

Maryland Auto Accident Update: NHTSA’s Revised Passenger Car Safety Ratings Look to Improve Occupant Safety

December 25, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

As Maryland auto injury attorneys serving individuals in cities such as Baltimore, Cumberland and Frederick, MD, as well as Washington, D.C., I and my colleagues look forward to a day when serious injuries and deaths from traffic-related accidents are a thing of the past. While that day may be well off, constant improvements in vehicle design and constantly evolving government safety regulations indicate some progress.

Because tens of thousands of people are killed on this nation’s roadways every year, there is always room for improvement. The cost from traumatic brain and spinal injuries sustained during a car crash can be astronomical for a family of limited means. Not only is medical care expensive, the cost to a family when one of the primary wage earners is laid up for an extended period can be financially devastating.

Protecting the occupants of a motor vehicle that is involved in a traffic collision on an expressway, country road or city street is the job of that motor vehicle’s passenger restraint system, as well as other safety components located throughout the car or truck. Granted, there’s a big difference in the protection offered by a car, SUV or minivan than what is provided to a motorcyclist involved in a similar road accident, but those occupants in a passenger car are still at risk nonetheless.

Recent changes in the 5-star safety ratings set fourth by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) may help to increase the level of protection that motor vehicle passengers can expect in the future. According to news reports,

Starting with 2011 models, new vehicle crash tests will likely make drivers and passengers alike feel safer and more secure when traveling in new cars. Based on reports, the new crash evaluation criteria include an enhanced 5-Star Safety Ratings System for new vehicles. The new testing now includes a side pole crash test and evaluation of in-vehicle crash prevention technologies. The latest criteria also marks the first use of female crash test dummies are to be used in crash scenarios.

As in the past, vehicles are rated from on a scale of one to five stars (one being lowest and five the highest). Under the old NHTSA guidelines, many vehicles received the maximum, 5-star rating, however that will likely change with the new system now in place. This is reportedly because the new standards are much more strict. In fact, many previous 5-star rated vehicles are likely to drop in the rankings under the new system.

Maryland Joyriders Crash into Second Car Killing Three People in Fatal Baltimore County Traffic Accident

December 17, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

As a Baltimore auto injury attorney and personal injury lawyer, I and my colleagues have seen all manner of severe and fatal automobile wrecks. Many crashes are caused by simple human error, while others can be the result of defective vehicle components, poor judgment, or worse, conscious decision to violate the laws of the State of Maryland.

Malicious or not, these kinds of terrible car accidents can and do claim innocent lives. Regardless of whether the accident involves an automobile, motorcycle of commercial truck, a driver who over-indulges in the consumption of alcohol, prescription medication or illegal narcotics before getting behind the wheel can many times be the cause of a deadly DUI crash. Other individuals, such as the two men implicated in a fatal car accident last month, actively choose to break the law and end up killing or maiming another person.

This latest crash combined a joyriding scenario with drinking and driving. The result was sad, yet not unexpected considering the potential for injury that high vehicle speeds and impaired vehicle operation can cause. According to the news, three innocent people are now dead as a result of a car theft gone wrong on a Sunday night.

Baltimore Traffic Safety Update: Watch Out, Maryland’s Aggressive Drivers Cause Half of All Automobile Accidents

December 6, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Over the past year we’ve seen lot of traffic accidents resulting from aggressive driving. While it might be a dream to hope for complete harmony on Maryland’s roadways, the fact of the matter is being civil and courteous to your fellow motorists makes for a safer and more event-free commute. Sadly, there is a portion of the driving public that either has no thought for others or is simply too focused on their own agenda to worry about another individual’s rights or safety.

As Baltimore auto injury attorneys, my firm has represented dozens of people injured as a result of another person’s negligence. Aggressive drivers, it is now known, account for a large number of car and truck wrecks every year here in Maryland and across the U.S. Regardless of whether you living in Hagerstown, Rockville or Frederick, MD, you probably take one or more of Maryland’s highways to get to work, school or to go shopping. And the chances of getting caught in an accident caused by an aggressive driver are pretty high these days.

It’s a fact that the American Automobile Association (AAA) estimated that more than half of all fatal passenger car and commercial truck crashes were the result of some type of aggressive driving. Those who survive such accidents can end up with serious injuries as well as long-term medical problems, the cost of which can be a continuing burden on the individual and his or her family for years after the actual crash.

Maryland Auto Accident News: Alcohol Suspected in Fatal US 29 Traffic Accident in Prince George’s County

November 24, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Drunk driving is a known killer on Maryland’s highways and surface streets. And as long as alcohol is available to adults there will, sadly, be drunken driving accidents on our roadways. As a Maryland automobile accident attorney, I see reports every week of innocent people hurt, injured or killed as a result of another driver’s negligence.

In the case of driving while intoxicated (DWI) or driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol and prescription medication, drivers have a responsibility not to get behind the wheel of a motor vehicle when they are impaired. That’s why we have the concept of designated drivers; to help prevent serious and sometimes deadly drinking-related car, truck and motorcycle accidents from happening.

Some might say it’s a matter of conscience, but it should really be a matter of personal responsibility to oneself and the rest of society. Yet there are drivers every day who take the wheel of a potentially deadly two-ton weapon when they know full well that they have had too much to drink. Many get from Point A to Point B without killing someone; others aren’t as lucky. The innocent drivers who are killed or injured are always the unlucky ones.

Maryland Car Accident Report: Teenager Dies in Fatal Allegany County Crash on US 220

November 17, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Anytime a person dies in a traffic accident it is a tragedy, but when a young person is killed in a car crash the hopes and dreams of that child’s family also die. An entire future erased in a matter of moments. As a Baltimore auto accident lawyer and personal injury attorney, one of the most painful experiences is meeting with the parents of a child lost to a senseless car or trucking crash.

As drivers we are all expected to take care and use caution when traveling Maryland’s highways and surface streets. Of course, accidents happen, but no one wants to experience a fatal crash that takes the life of a loved one. When an individual, young or old, is killed as a result of another person’s negligence, it may be appropriate to file a wrongful death claim.

These kinds of law suits allow members of a family to receive compensation for their loss. While the death of a child does not usually result in lost wages, compensation is still possible in such cases. For example, compensation can also be for loss of comfort, love and or companionship, not just and financial support. One must always keep in mind that death does not preclude recovery for any suffering or pain that the victim may have experienced prior to death as a result of another’s wrongful or negligent actions.

Maryland Auto Injury Update: Four Killed in Fatal Crash; Speeding and Aggressive Driving Blamed

November 8, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Once again the senseless loss of life hits the news. This time, Maryland State Police point to speeding and aggressive driving as the likely cause of a horrendous accident that left three adults and one toddler dead in the aftermath. Describing the crash, law enforcement authorities say that the multi-car crash was “uncommonly violent.”

As a Baltimore personal injury lawyer who represents victims of traffic collisions and other automotive accidents, I have helped individuals following bad accidents. This particular crash likely should never have happened. One can only feel for the families of those killed and hope that the survivors make full and rapid recoveries.

According to the news reports, the head-on collision and subsequent deaths and injuries began when a Nissan Cube stuffed with seven individuals was being driven in what police termed and aggressive manner northbound along Rte 113. Based on reports, the driver of the vehicle was traveling very fast and passing other cars on the road in posted “no-passing” zones.

Maryland Automobile Accident News: Law Suits Claim Toyota Knew About Dangerous Acceleration Risk in 2003

November 6, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Defective automotive equipment can be just as deadly as a drunken driver when it comes to traffic accidents and fatalities on Maryland roadways. As a Baltimore car accident lawyer and personal injury attorney, I understand how poorly designed or maintained safety systems on cars, trucks and commercial motor vehicles can result in catastrophic roadway crashes leading to injuries and possible death.

Both the vehicle manufacturers and the maintenance facilities for those vehicles must do their part to ensure that all systems work as designed. Defective equipment can ihis include braking systems, steering components, lights and seatbelts, among others. If any system fails to work properly it could cause an accident or make any future accident more dangerous for the occupants, not to mention those motorists in the vicinity of a serious crash.

According to news articles, a law suit against the Japanese auto maker, Toyota, claims that the company knew as far back as 2003 about the possible acceleration risk on some of its vehicles. Based on reports, a Toyota technician stated in 2003 that sudden acceleration is an “extremely dangerous problem.” This was a full six years prior to the first of many recalls that the company has had to issue.

Maryland State Police Suspect Drunk Driver Responsible for Frederick 4-Car Crash on Md. 180

November 3, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

As a Maryland car accident and injury lawyer, I have seen the unfortunate results of far too many automobile crashes. While some traffic collisions are unavoidable, many could have been prevented if a driver had paid more attention to avert a car or trucking accident. Quite frequently, especially when driving is involved, simple common sense would have made the difference between life and death.

Sadly, we can’t predict when such factors will conspire to cause a car, truck or motorcycle wreck. But ultimately, people are responsible for their own actions. Take the issue of drinking and driving, which is a hot topic in most anyone’s book. Drunk drivers cause more than their share of costly and sometimes fatal traffic crashes. A news article not long ago illustrates what can happen when alcohol is mixed with motor vehicles.

According to reports, a 40-year-old driver from Hagerstown man was charged with drunken driving following a multi-vehicle accident along Md. 180 near Himes Ave. in Frederick, MD. The crash occurred on a Monday afternoon during the busy rush hour and was apparently made worse by rain and slippery road conditions.

Maryland Auto Injury News: Man’s Family Accepts $100,000 Award from Fatal 2008 Bay Bridge Accident

October 31, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Every so often a life-altering event occurs that makes people think: What would I do in a similar situation? The death of a family member is always a shock to the survivors and everyone involved can be affected a different way. As a Baltimore automobile accident attorney and Maryland personal injury lawyer, I understand that reaching a settlement that will best help the victim’s family is one of the most important goals in a wrongful death suit.

Not only medical costs, but lost wages and other financial matters left in the wake of an untimely death are all concerns for the surviving family members. A recent wrongful death suit was settled, according to news reports, leaving the family of the victim with only $100,000 for the apparent loss of a husband and provider.

Based on court records, the family of 57-year-old John Short accepted the $100,000 limit payable by another driver’s insurance company in the case of a fatal crash on the Bay Bridge back a couple of years ago. According to reports, Short died on August 10, 2008, when he steered his semi tractor-trailer rig off the bridge as he tried to avoid hitting an oncoming vehicle driven by 19-year-old Candy Baldwin.

Maryland Auto Injury Accident News: Baltimore County Woman Dies in Fatal Anne Arundel Parkway Crash

October 14, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Defective vehicle equipment can be one cause of fatal or near-fatal automobile accidents. As a Maryland car accident attorney and personal injury lawyer, the potential for injury in a highway collision is quiet high when a critical vehicle system, such as steering or brakes, fails to function properly. As drivers, we rely on our vehicles to be not only trouble free, but remain safe for long periods of time and over tens of thousands of miles.

While many car and truck accidents are caused by another person’s negligence, instances of defective equipment can and do occur raising the question of product liability in the minds of victims and their attorneys. Not long ago, a Baltimore County resident was tragically killed when her vehicle was struck by another car whose driver apparently lost control of it.

According to news reports, the accident happened along a stretch of the Baltimore-Washington Parkway in Anne Arundel County at about 8:30pm on a Wednesday evening. Maryland State Troopers arriving at the scene determined that a ‘98 Toyota Camry traveling south crossed the median and hit a northbound ‘96 Chevrolet Metro driven by Stacy Alvater.