Single-vehicle Accidents

Maryland Auto Injury News: Drinking and Driving Suspected in Fatal Rockville, MD, Traffic Accident

December 3, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

With the holidays not far away, this may be a good time to remind everyone to be especially cautious when driving this winter. From the standpoint of traffic accidents, after-work parties, holiday gatherings and other festivities always invite some amount of alcohol consumption. While most Maryland residents are aware of the way in which beer, wine and hard liquor can impair a driver’s judgment, some individuals choose to ignore that fact and drive anyway.

As a Baltimore automobile accident and personal injury lawyer, I and my colleagues have seen the results of more than enough DWI and DUI accidents to know that it’s not worth the risk to drive while under the influence of alcohol. Passenger car crashes, motorcycle wrecks and commercial trucking collisions have all been caused from time to time by a drunken or drug-impaired driver.

The seriousness of any accident will typically impact the number and extent of any injuries sustained by the occupants of each vehicle involved in the collision. Depending on the kind of accident — head-on crash, rollover, side-impact collision, etc. — passengers can receive mild to severe injuries. From minor cuts and bruises to heavy concussions and spinal trauma, the potential for extensive and prolonged medical treatment is always present.

Baltimore Automobile Injury News: Motorist Dies after Losing Control and Crashing Corvette in Carroll County

November 15, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Accidents happen for numerous and varied reasons. The ones that occur due to driver error are quite common and can range from simple fender-benders to deadly high-speed head-on collisions. As a Maryland personal injury lawyer working to help victims of automobile, trucking and motorcycle accidents, I know the pain and sadness that comes in the wake of a tragic and fatal traffic wreck.

When a person is believed to be at fault, it’s sometimes easier for a victim’s family to focus their anger. On the other hand, sometimes there isn’t an immediately known reason for a terrible car accident that takes the life of a loved one. Defective vehicle equipment, which usually comes under the heading of product liability, has no face and can sometimes be difficult to come to terms with.

No matter what the cause, when a person dies in a single-vehicle crash, questions loom both for the family and for the authorities. Police and other forensic investigators can usually get to the bottom of the cause for a loss of vehicle control. It’s not unheard of for a car or truck’s braking system to have proven faulty or poorly maintained. With such a critical safety system compromised by another’s negligence, a mechanical failure can quickly escalate into a fatal car or trucking accident.

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 Auto Accident News: Baby Critically Injured in Single-vehicle Crash in Prince George’s County

October 26, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Defective vehicle equipment is not the only cause of single-car, truck and motorcycle crashes, but it is one of many reasons for these kinds of traffic accidents. As a Maryland auto and trucking accident attorney, I know how a simple problem or event can escalate into a major collision with life-threatening consequences. Elderly adults, teens and toddlers are all potential victims of automobile accidents here in Baltimore, over in the District and all across the state.

Children are the most innocent of victims when it comes to car and truck collisions. They have little control over anything that happens in a vehicle, yet they can be the ones who suffer the most from violent auto accident. This is why we, as parents and relatives, must all do our part to protect young children from the dangers that are always present on our roadways.

Despite how much we try, accidents will likely always occur and jeopardize the happiness of our children. According to a news report, a one-year-old baby was injured not long ago in a single-car wreck that happened in Prince George’s County. Based on police reports, the accident took place on a Monday around 4pm along Floral Park Road when a ’93 Ford Probe went out of control and hit a tree or some other kind of stationary obstacle by the roadside.

Baltimore Accident News: Worchester County Driver Charged with Drunken Driving after Single-car Crash and Fire

October 21, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Having represented numerous auto accident victims as a Maryland personal injury attorney, nothing much surprises me or my colleagues and staff. While news of a single-vehicle crash these days might make people think of claims against Toyota for issues of mechanical problems and unexpected acceleration, not all individual car crashes can be pinned on defective vehicle equipment.

Driver error or simple negligence can also be a cause of many accidents, not only here in Baltimore, but in Washington, D.C., Annapolis and Frederick, MD. In cases where an individual is hurt or killed as a passenger of a vehicle may open the door for a civil suit against the driver, depending on possible negligent behavior prior to a traffic accident.

Drunk driving, driving while distracted (such as texting), or driving under the influence (DUI) of prescription medication can all be contributing factors in a car, truck or motorcycle accident. A recent news article pointed out the dangers of motor vehicle collisions, even single-car accidents.

Single-vehicle Anne Arundel County Car Crash Sends Three People to Maryland Shock Trauma Center

October 9, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

As a Baltimore automobile and trucking accident attorney, I know how mixing alcohol and motor vehicles leads to bad results. Some people might argue that drinking and driving leads to unintended consequences, but at some point we must draw the line and consider personal responsibility. Every year tens of thousands of people are unnecessarily injured or killed in alcohol-related car, truck and motorcycle collisions. I won’t call these kinds of crashes “accidents” because drinking beer, wine or hard liquor is a conscious decision.

Sadly, even with strict anti-drunken driving laws and heavy police enforcement, night after night many Maryland drivers get behind the wheel of their automobiles and drive while intoxicated. Some of them will cause a car crash. Some will be hurt as a result. Others will either injure or kill another innocent person. Those victims and their families are the direct recipients of a drinker’s negligent decision to operate that vehicle while impaired.

Not long ago, an Anne Arundel County man was critically injured during a car crash in Arnold, MD. Police claim that a variety of factors may have been to blame, including excessive speed and possibly alcohol consumption. According to news reports, the driver and two other occupants of a 2010 Cadillac were all injured in the early hours on a Sunday morning when the driver apparently lost control of the vehicle, which then hit a tree on the side of the road.

Baltimore Car Accident Update: Deer Season Brings Its Own Dangers for Maryland Drivers

October 5, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Well, it’s the time of the year when more and more deer are out and about on Maryland’s rural and county roads. As a Maryland auto accident lawyer, I know that this time of year drivers must be ever vigilant when it comes to bucks and does frolicking near the roadside.

Hitting an animal as large as a full-grown deer can cause a great deal of damage to a passenger car; such can and truck crashes are certainly sad for the animal, but can be extremely dangerous for the driver and passengers of a car or light truck. While many deer hits only result in property damage, the risk still exists for consequential damage or bodily injury, especially if the driver loses control of the vehicle and hits another object such as a tree or roadside guardrail.

In such collisions, one can expect injuries ranging from simple bruises and minor cuts to even more serious bodily harm like head trauma or spinal fracture, not to mention back internal injuries.

Baltimore Car Accident News: 19-Year-Old Maryland Driver Injured after SUV Leaves Road, Hits Tree

September 26, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Single-vehicle accidents number in thousands across the country every year. As a Baltimore and Washington, D.C., automobile accident attorney and personal injury lawyer, I have seen, up close, the aftermath of multi-vehicle and single-car wrecks. Just because there is no other vehicle involved, such as a semi tractor-trailer or other large vehicle, many people could be excused for thinking that these kinds of one-car accidents are less serious — they would often be wrong.

Serious bodily injury and even death can occur as a result of a single-vehicle accident. Not long ago, a Boonsboro, MD, driver was charged in connection with SUV accident that sent him and two passengers to the hospital. According to news articles, the crash happened just before midnight on a Saturday along a stretch of Alternate U.S. 40, just east of Maryland Avenue.

Police reports indicate that the accident, which occurred between Middletown and Frederick, Maryland, was possibly the result of reckless driving. Although details were sketchy, police statements indicate that the driver, 19-year-old Job Smith, may have ignored traffic signs in the area prior to his SUV leaving the roadway and colliding with a tree.

Maryland Automobile Injury News: Multiple Injuries Following Rollover Accident in Anne Arundel County, MD

September 22, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

A rollover accident, no matter what the circumstances, adds an extra level of danger and potential injury for the occupants of that vehicle. While minivans, SUVs and pickup trucks are prime candidates for rollover accidents due to their inherently higher center of gravity, even passenger sedans and other relatively short vehicles have been known to roll over during a traffic accident.

When a rollover crash occurs, the relatively weak roof supporting structure of some vehicles can collapse, causing injury to the driver and other occupants of the car or truck. Traumatic head and neck injuries can be sustained in such wrecks, both of which can cause life-threatening or life-altering medical conditions. Fatalities are quite common in such accidents.

As a Maryland auto accident lawyer, I and my staff have the skills to represent victims of such accidents who wish to recover costs such as medical expenses, lost wages and other financial troubles caused as a result of this kind of horrendous crash.

Baltimore Auto Injury News: Maryland Man Seriously Hurt in Sharpsburg Car Crash and Rollover Accident

September 16, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Rollover accidents can result in rather serious, if not life-threatening injuries. As Maryland personal injury lawyers and car accident attorneys, I and my staff have seen dozens of automobile, motorcycle and trucking accident victims throughout our careers.

Most traffic accidents result in some kind of bodily injury, but when it comes to rollovers, head and neck injuries are much more common. Depending on the circumstances, an occupant who is not belted-in can occasionally be ejected from the vehicle during the crash, which usually means severe injuries and many times can result in an untimely death.

It’s a sad fact that a family who loses a bread-winner — such as a single working mom or a father who is trying to hold down multiple jobs to support the family — has a much harder time of it when a motor vehicle fatality takes a life. That moment can come quickly and unexpectedly — there is never a good time for any life altering car accident to happen, especially to the survivors.