Rollover Accidents

Baltimore Car Accident News: Automobile Wrecks Frequently Cause Head and Neck Injuries

March 20, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Being personal injury lawyers representing individuals in Maryland and Washington D.C., our office sees the sad results of car, truck and SUV accidents every month. Although many traffic collisions do not cause fatalities, these kinds of auto wrecks can produce serious and long-term injury to one or more passengers in a vehicle. Pedestrians as well can be affected by car and truck accidents in city centers.

Cuts and bruises are the most minor of injuries, but during high-speed collisions head, neck and spinal damage can easily be sustained by the occupants of a vehicle. While seatbelts and airbags do provide a fair amount of protection, severe and sometimes fatal injuries often do occur.

Tramatic Brain InjuriesHead injuries, many times referred to as traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are very commonplace in emergency rooms across Maryland and the rest of the U.S. More than a million people receive some kind of TBI every year as a result of a car, minivan, SUV or pickup truck crash. Traumatic brain injuries are usually caused by a blow to the head, quite uncommon in medium- to high-speed car or truck accidents. The impact from such a crash can cause a disruption of the brain’s neurological functions, the severity of which can range from a mild concussion to severe brain damage, coma, or even death.

Baltimore Traffic Accident Update: Fatal SUV and Car Crashes may Trigger Wrongful Death Law Suits

March 13, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

It is quite tragic when any person dies from a preventable accident. The sorrow and grief attached to an event such as a traffic collision or highway rollover accident can shock a family to its core. As a Maryland auto accident and personal injury lawyer, I have first-hand experience helping individuals and relatives recover from such a heartrending loss.

Whether you live in Frederick, Rockville Bowie or Hagerstown, the loss of a loved one from a car or truck wreck can leave deep wounds, both emotionally and financially. The pain can be even worse if that accident was found to be the result of another person’s negligence or thoughtless behavior. In cases such as this, it may be appropriate to file a wrongful death claim against the party that caused the accident in the first place.

Claims of this type give the family of the victim a chance to receive compensation for the loss of their loved one. While financial reparations can never substitute for the loss of love, companionship and intimacy after the death of a family member, the award for such a wrongful death claim can easy the suffering and help the family survive that huge loss.

It is must be repeated that the loss referred to here includes not only the deceased himself but also to the loss of the comfort, love and financial support that the individual would have provided to his family if the tragic event had not occurred in the first place.

Sadly, many automobile accidents do result in the death of one or more occupants. This can be dependent on the speed and road conditions at the time of the crash as well as the number of other vehicles involved. Variability of these factors can mean the difference between a simple fender-bender and a life-ending event, which can be caused by fatal head injuries or other effects. When another party is at fault, there is a chance that wrongful death is involved.

Please remember that the death of a loved one doesn’t does not take away the family’s rights to be compensated for their loss. Nor does it preclude recovery for the suffering and pain of the person who has died because of the wrongful or negligent act.

Maryland Auto Accident Update: Car Crash Injuries and Fatal Trauma can be Minimized through Seatbelt Use

March 7, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

No matter where you live or work in Maryland, be it Owings Mills, The District, Annapolis or Columbia, car wrecks, pickup truck crashes and SUV rollovers can happen without notice. In fact, traffic accidents across the state injure hundreds of people every year. Some of those injuries and even a few deaths could likely have been prevented had the occupants been wearing their seatbelts.

As an experienced auto accident lawyer in the Baltimore area, my years of helping others recover from injury accidents have taught me that certain habits can save lives; others, however, can sadly contribute to the loss of life on our public streets and highways. One habit I’m always happy to see is when a person buckles that safety belt. It’s a small part of every driver’s daily ritual, but it’s a significant one.

Seatbelt use is usually pointed at as one of the top reasons why people survive automobile wrecks. There are many out there, I suspect, who feel that airbags and other safety devices do a better job, but that’s not necessarily true — all of these systems work together to imporve passenger safety. As basic as they may seem, safety belts play a key role in protecting occupants in the case of severe traffic accidents, including head-on collisions, roll-over accidents and other potentially fatal crashes.

Aggressive Driving Causes SUV Roll-over Accident on Interstate 97, Sends One Driver to Hospital

February 9, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Roll-over crashes are often a result of high-speed accidents or overly quick steering maneuvers. Sport utility vehicles (or SUVs) are particularly susceptible to these kinds of accidents. To make things worse, many light trucks, such as SUVs and pickup trucks, are not always designed with enough strength in the roof structure. In the event of a roll-over, the roof can be crushed sufficiently to seriously injure or kill the driver or passengers.

As a Maryland auto accident lawyer, my job is to help people recover the costs of an accident caused by another person’s negligence. This includes not only other drivers who may be at fault, but also the automobile companies who design and manufacture the vehicles whose roofs don’t always protect the occupants.

A recent accident on Northbound I-97 is an example of this kind of accident. It’ also shows how aggressive driving can cause other motorists harm, not to mention injury to the perpetrator as well. According to police, a 39-year-old driver was seriously hurt when his GMC Yukon crashed and rolled over on the interstate after hitting an out-of-control car that had been allegedly speeding moments before.

Maryland Auto Injury Update: So-called Minor Car or SUV Accidents can Cause Serious Personal Injury

January 20, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Some have likely heard this said: “That wasn’t such a bad traffic accident; the damage to the vehicle was minimal.” If you haven’t, then you probably have not dealt with an insurance company as a plaintiff in an injury case. Having represented hundreds of victims of car, truck or sport utility vehicle (SUV) crashes, my firm understands that it is quite easy to be seriously hurt in an automobile accident even though the repairs to the vehicle don’t amount to much at all.

This is a case of major bodily injuries, yet relatively minor vehicle or property damage. Sadly, this familiar, yet deceptive argument is used very frequently by defense attorneys and insurance companies when auto collisions are concerned. And it’s one of the best reasons to consult a personal injury lawyer experienced in the area of auto accident law.

Whether you live in Baltimore, Annapolis, Columbia or the D.C. area, car accidents can occur most anywhere, some of them with devastating consequences. Insurance companies many times will try to downplay the extent of an accident to try to justify a reduced settlement to the injured parties. This is done sometimes by introducing evidence in the form of distorted, grainy or out-of-focus photos showing minor vehicle or property damage.

But this is done without offering any expert testimony regarding the direct and causal relationship between the extent of the property damage and the victim’s bodily injuries. Brain trauma as well as neck injuries can occur even when a vehicle has sustained minimal outward damage itself. Yet every year, hundreds of auto accident victims settle for less than what they deserve due to these kinds of tactics.

The purpose of the defense is to disprove, usually by false implication, what has been proven by medical evidence and expert testimony — typically by a licensed physician. It’s easy to forget how much energy is released – or inflicted on a victim’s body — as a result of a traffic accident. Yet insurance company attorneys will usually make no mention of the sudden and very high energy forces that are transmitted throughout a motor vehicle in the milliseconds following a collision.

Baltimore Auto Accident News: Single-car Washington County Car Crash Kills Maryland Teacher

January 16, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Everyday, families in and around Maryland lose loved ones who have made a difference in the lives of people throughout their community. Unfortunately, a traffic accident can suddenly and tragically put an end to anyone’s life in an instant. The emotional scars that losing a mother, daughter, friend or colleague can last for years, if not forever. As an injury lawyer practicing in the Baltimore area, I help families of victims recover damages from negligent parties who cause fatal car, truck or SUV crashes.

Sadly, any monetary damages can only alleviate the pain of loss. Nothing can bring a person back who has been killed by a careless motorist, drunk driver or deficient product safety. Recently, I was reminded of the senseless randomness of traffic accidents. According to a news article, Alisha Mae Deneen, young teacher from Washington County died in a single-car accident on I-81 at the railroad crossing north of Maugansville Road.

According to the State Police, the accident happened sometime prior to 5:30pm on New Year’s Day after a passer-by noticed the woman’s vehicle on the railroad tracks. Reports indicate that the 31-year-old Deneen was driving a 2009 Infiniti G37x, which apparently crossed the median, overturned and fell on to the tracks below. The exact time of the accident had not been determined at the time of the news article. Emergency personnel found the driver dead at the scene.

Maryland Auto Injury News: Man Hurt in SUV Crash, Rollover Accident in Frederick County

January 9, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

No matter if you’re from Annapolis, Washington, D.C., Baltimore or anywhere else in Maryland, more than one person has seen the result of a roll-over accident on a highway or rural road. Roll-over crashes are particularly common with sport utility vehicles (or SUVs), which have a high center of gravity and can tip over much more easily than a sedan or other low-slung passenger car. Minivans can also be involved in roll-over crashes in Maryland, meaning multiple passengers can be hurt or killed as a result.

As Maryland car accident attorneys, I and my colleagues have represented dozens upon dozens of victims of motor vehicle collisions, including roll-over accidents. Seatbelts, of course, save lives and I stand by their use. But in a roll-over situation, not even a seatbelt can save a person 100 percent of the time.

A recent article pointed up the danger of driving not only an SUV, but also mixing possible drug or alcohol use with vehicle operation. According to reports, an out-of-state motorist was involved in a single-vehicle accident along U.S. 15 near U.S 40. The accident occurred just after 4pm on January 7 when 37-year-old Michael Edward Brooks apparently swerved his sport utility vehicle off the southbound lane of U.S. 15.

Maryland Man Dies from Injuries Sustained in Single-car Accident on MD-194

October 3, 2009 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Single-vehicle traffic accidents can be both serious and deadly. In Maryland, we see numerous car crashes involving just one vehicle, and many times a rollover is involved. Sad to say, but many passenger vehicles, such as pickup trucks and SUVs, do not always provide the necessary protection in the case of vehicle rollover. Being experienced auto accident lawyers, we are able to represent victims and their families in cases where a car or truck crashes due to defective equipment or poorly-maintained roadways.

In a recent news article, a Walkersville man was killed this past Friday in the late afternoon. According to Maryland State Police, officers responded to a single-car crash along MD-194 at Stauffer Road. Initial police reports indicate that the driver, Roger Robinette, was speeding along that stretch of road when he apparently and lost control of the vehicle.

According to reports, Robinette’s car went airborne then rolled over on impact, coming to rest in a nearby cornfield. During the crash, the driver was thrown from the vehicle, which caused him to sustain life-threatening injuries.

Maryland Route 4 Single-vehicle Car Accident Kills Two in Anne Arundel County

September 18, 2009 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

A teenage driver was severely injured and his two passengers killed when the vehicle they were riding in crashed off Maryland’s Route 4 in Anne Arundel County last month. According to reports, the Bradley Buta, 19, was at the wheel and driving near Lowell Pindall Road when the incident took place.

The crash happened just before 6pm not far from the Calvert County line. Police investigators believe that the young driver somehow lost control of the 2003 Toyota Highlander he was driving, after which the vehicle went off the road and struck a traffic sign. The impact then caused the SUV to flip and roll into the nearby woods.

After emergency crews arrived, the driver was taken to Prince George’s Hospital Center with serious, but not life-threatening injuries. His two passengers were not as lucky. Katherine Marie Buta, 57, and Douglas Donald Houglund, 67, were both pronounced dead at the scene.

Potentially Fatal Calvert County, Maryland, Auto Accident Highlights Benefit of Seatbelt Use

August 6, 2009 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Whether you’re from Baltimore, Annapolis, Columbia or anywhere else in Maryland, as an experienced auto accident lawyer I have a good idea what saves lives and limits injuries when it comes to traffic accidents. Seatbelts would be at the top of my list. It doesn’t matter what kind of vehicle you drive – SUV, pickup truck, luxury automobile or economy car, wearing your seatbelt can make the difference between life and death in the case of a car crash.

A recent police report made it quite clear that seatbelt use is not just a good idea, it’s essential to protecting yourself as a driver or passenger. An object lesson would be the single-vehicle crash that happened last month in Prince Frederick, MD.

According to reports, a man and woman were seriously injured on Sandy Point Road when the vehicle in which they were riding went out of control and hit a tree. The accident happened in the early morning hours of July 1. The Calvert County Sheriff’s Office Patrol Division and Crash Reconstruction Team (CRT) responded soon after to the scene.