Single-vehicle Accidents

Baltimore Car Accident News: Multiple Injuries Reported in Single-Car Crash on Maryland Route 50

September 14, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Depending on the circumstances a seemingly simple error in judgment or apparently minor mechanical problem with a vehicle’s suspension or steering systems can lead to a serious crash and subsequent injuries to a car’s occupants. Occasionally, a traffic accident may involve fatalities as a result of a collision with a stationary object or another motor vehicle, such as another passenger car or, worse, a large semi tractor-trailer like a Peterbilt 18-wheeler or Kenworth big rig hauling dangerous or flammable cargo, such as heating oil or gasoline.

Serving the citizens of Baltimore, Annapolis, Washington, D.C., and other Maryland-area communities, I and my staff of experienced automobile accident and personal injury attorneys understand the pain and suffering that victims of traffic accidents may suffer from. I know that it only takes a moment of indecision, or a brief lapse in concentration to turn a pleasant ride into a deadly, life-altering episode.

A recent news report illustrated the potential of a single-car crash and how it affected a handful of people riding together in a vehicle. According to police, seven persons, all believed to be related, were sent to local hospitals following a crash on Route 50 in Anne Arundel County. Based on news reports, the crash occurred on a Saturday afternoon when the driver of a ’96 Mercedes-Benz for some reason lost control of the vehicle.

Maryland Driver Severely Injured After Being Thrown from SUV in Single-vehicle Frederick County Car Crash

September 4, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Seatbelts have been a hot topic over the years with Maryland and other states promoting increased safety belt usage through public service campaigns, traffic safety legislation and enhanced police enforcement. While it could be said that most drivers understand the benefit of seat belt use as it applies to preventing or reducing serious injury or death as a result of a car crash or truck accident, there remains a portion of the driving public that ignore the safety aspect of these simple yet highly effective devices.

Some of the blame for non-use of safety belts has been placed on the effectiveness of air bags in helping passenger car occupants avoid serious or life-threatening injuries in the case of traffic collisions. And although some airbags are meant to reduce the chance of a person being ejected from a vehicle during a minivan, light truck or car crash, many experts would likely agree that seat belts are better at keeping a person from being thrown from a motor vehicle.

As a Maryland personal injury lawyer and automobile accident attorney, I understand the tragic results of single- and multi-car traffic accidents. Single-vehicle crashes can be just as serious as those involving more than one car, sport utility vehicle or motorcycle hitting another car or commercial truck. And, being ejected from a vehicle as part of a serious crash can be much worse for an individual than the initial collision might have been.

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.

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.

Three Maryland Residents Injured as Honda SUV Crashes into Restaurant in Prince George’s County

July 20, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Apparently one needn’t be driving, riding in or even remotely thinking about operating a motor vehicle to be involved in a traffic accident. As a Baltimore automobile accident and injury lawyer, I have heard about some rather interesting car collisions in my time. From single-car wrecks and auto-pedestrian collisions to multiple-vehicle crashes and commercial trucking accidents, Maryland residents are hurt or killed on a surprisingly regular basis on and near our public roadways.

In what could be described as an automobile-restaurant collision, three individuals where hurt and a commercial eatery put temporarily out of business when a motorist apparently lost control of her sport utility vehicle in the Chestnut Hill Shopping Center parking lot and drove straight into the front of a local Vietnamese restaurant in Beltsville, MD.

News reports indicated that a number of customers and restaurant staff were inside the PHO 88 restaurant around half past noon when woman drove her Honda Pilot through the brick and glass storefront of the eatery. According to police reports, three male patrons, reportedly in their 30s, received minor injuries in the crash. The two ladies in the Honda were not injured, according to authorities.

Maryland Police: Fatal Injury Accident on I-83 Caused by 22-year-old Drunken Driver

July 14, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

An alleged illegal immigrant has been charged with negligent driving in connection with a fatal traffic accident on I-83 last month. The single-vehicle crash, which reportedly involved speeding and alcohol use, happened in the early morning hours of June 21. The passenger in that car was killed as a result of the wreck.

As a Baltimore personal injury lawyer and auto accident attorney, my staff has represented victims of car, SUV and truck accidents as well as their families and estates. A fatal car or truck accident leaves a huge hole in the victim’s family, both emotionally and financially. Especially in cases where the victim was the sole breadwinner, his spouse and children can be overwhelmed by the medical costs and loss of income.

Insurance companies may not be very cooperative or take a long time to pay any benefits, leaving the family to cover the mounting expenses at the risk of losing their home and other possessions during what is likely the worst time of their lives.

Maryland Auto Accident News: Child Killed; Seven Injured in SUV Rollover Accident on Perring Parkway

June 12, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Alcohol use is one of the biggest factors when it comes to traffic accidents. To say that an individual is not responsible for his actions when drunk is to ignore the fact that the very same person made a conscious decision to begin drinking in the first place. Regardless of a person’s intent when entering a bar or taking a drink at home prior to getting into a motor vehicle, the results of such actions can be long-lasting, if not permanent or even fatal.

As Baltimore auto accident lawyers, I and my associates work to help victims and their families recover from tragic and life-changing car and truck collisions. Adding alcohol or prescription drug use into the equation turns an already sad event into a regrettable and heartrending experience for all of the affected parties.

Not long ago a news article caught our attention in which excessive vehicle speed and possibly alcohol consumption were likely factors in the fatal crash of an SUV along Perring Parkway. The single-vehicle accident occurred in the early evening hours on a Sunday, killing a six-year-old boy and injuring seven other passengers and the driver.

Baltimore Auto Accident News: Teenager Survives Maryland Car Crash in which Three Close Friends Died

June 11, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

She survived with just cuts and bruises, but Rachel Ankrom is far from fine after a harrowing late-night automobile accident on a Maryland interstate that left three of her friends dead after a nightmarish ordeal. As parents we all worry about our youngsters, teenagers and young adults barely out in the world who have less real-life experience than their mothers and fathers, so it’s natural that we worry about them.

As Baltimore car accident and injury lawyers, my office has represented families who have lost loved ones in tragic car, truck and motorcycle accidents. Whether you are young or old, there is no guarantee that any driver will avoid a deadly traffic accident. While most accidents don’t result in death, the chance of a fatal car, minivan or truck wreck is always present on our highways or rural roads.

A recent news story pointed out how terrible a car accident can be. Sadly, the crash mentioned here took the lives of three individuals, while only one of their group survived to talk about the experience. Based on news accounts, the 18-year-old survivor, Rachel Ankrom of Fayette City, was riding in a vehicle with her friends through Maryland on their way to Ocean City, MD, when the vehicle apparently went out of control.

Maryland Drivers Expect More Roadway-related Accidents; More Vehicle Repairs Due to Poor Road Conditions

May 27, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Negligence comes in many forms. Individuals who operate their vehicles in a thoughtless or aggressive manner can cause traffic accidents that result in personal injury. Similarly, the state government and local municipalities have a responsibility to the public’s general welfare, which should include proper maintenance of public roadways, pedestrian sidewalks and other public works-related projects.

Unfortunately, due to ever increasing budget cuts and other belt tightening measures, predictions are cropping up regarding the impact of poor roadway maintenance and its future effect on car, SUV and motorcycle crashes and other road accidents. When safety is compromised, unnecessary property damage and injury can be a result. Wrongful death can also be a result of individual or corporate negligence.

As Maryland personal injury lawyers, we travel the same city streets and rural roads that everyone does. Single-vehicle accidents can be caused by damaged pavement or deteriorating roadway and traffic control infrastructure. Sadly, it appears that the current economic downturn will cause more vehicle damage and could even result in some unnecessary fatalities.

According to a recent report from the U.S. Public Interest Research Group Education Fund, Maryland motorists already pay an added $425 in vehicle costs because of rough roads — this is more than 25 percent higher than the national average of $335. The report looks at how states applied federal funds for maintenance of their aging highways and bridges. While Maryland has a history of major road construction, the report makes a point to praise the state for targeting funds at repair of infrastructure ahead of funding new construction.

Reportedly, Maryland drivers have certainly felt the impact of poorly maintained roads. According to the report, in 2008 the state ranked 37th (in percentage of road quality) with 41 percent of roads in “less than good” condition. Compare that to the national average of 45 percent. What probably won’t come as a surprise to many drivers, Baltimore had the 15th-highest additional repair and vehicle accident costs due to poor roads — $589 per year.

One bright spot, if you can call it that was the finding that — as of December 2009 — only seven percent of Maryland’s bridges were categorized as “structurally deficient,” defined as having a major defect in either the supporting structure or a crack in the roadway. While anything short of 100-percent safe should be of concern, compared to the national average of 12 percent, Maryland is doing better than most states.

Baltimore Injury News: Bowie Resident Dies in Single-vehicle Car Crash on Maryland’s Route 301

May 19, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Single-vehicle auto wrecks can happen for a variety of reasons. While driver error is quite common, other causes can be attributed to these kinds of traffic accidents, with results ranging from simple cuts and bruises to head and spine trauma. Depending on the sped of the crash and other circumstances, fatalities are not uncommon.

Weather conditions as well as the state of the roadway can also be contributing factors in a car crash involving only one vehicle. As Maryland automobile accident lawyers, we are often called upon to represent individuals and their families in cases of defective vehicle equipment. Such cases can include failure of safety systems, broken or poorly maintained steering components, worn or damaged tires or suspension components.

Under the right circumstances, a defective vehicle component can prove to be an accident waiting to happen. At highway speeds, such component failures can result in death or severe injury to the driver and passengers. A recent accident along Route 301 near Mill Branch Road is a situation where defective equipment may be suspect.