Single-vehicle Accidents

Baltimore Auto Accident News: Maryland Woman Gets 4 Years for Death of Passenger in Fatal Crash

May 4, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Negligence on the part of one driver can result in the injury and death of one or many innocent people. As Maryland injury accident lawyers, I and my colleagues feel deeply for the families of automobile accident victims, especially in cases where loved ones have died as a result of a car, truck or motorcycle wreck. Of course, there is no amount of money that can bring a person back to life, but the recovery of medical expenses and any court-ordered award for pain and suffering can help a family get back to the job of living.

With this in mind, a wrongful death lawsuit is one way a family can punish an individual whose negligent actions brought about the untimely death of a loved one. These victims can be other drivers, innocent bystanders, and even passengers in the defendant’s own vehicle. Whether you live in Rockville, Gaithersburg, Annapolis or Washington, D.C., car, bus and commercial trucking collisions happen all too frequently. The results can be devastating, with even the survivors suffering long-term disability due to spinal cord damage, neck injury or traumatic brain injury.

Drunken driving is probably one of the most common causes of preventable traffic accidents, which take lives, destroy property and scar families for years to come. The choice of a driver to get behind the wheel in an impaired state is as much a function of poor judgment as trying to beat a red light, or speeding in dense traffic. It’s a sad fact that a driver’s bad choices on the road can and do result in injury and death to others around them.

Not long ago, an article caught our eye that illustrates how quickly one individual’s poor judgment can take the life of another vibrant and lively human being. According to news reports, a 33-year-old Laurel, MD, woman received more than fours years in jail (plus 3 years of supervised release) for the drunken driving-related death of a 31-year-old passenger in October of 2009. That passenger was a basketball player for Howard University, as well as James Madison.

Maryland Injury News: Aggressive Driving Cited in Fatal Car Crash that Killed Baltimore County Woman

April 30, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

As a Baltimore automobile and trucking accident lawyer, I understand how easily a car crash can happen. Whether one is traveling on a city street in Annapolis, Washington, D.C., or Rockville, or if you are on the Beltway, even the simplest of mistakes or driving errors can result in a serious injury accident. As a motorist myself, I know that obeying our traffic laws is one way to help avoid the effects of a tragic car wreck.

Unfortunately, there are drivers among us who for one reason or another choose to tempt fate and drive in a less than safe manner. Exceeding the posted speed limit, weaving in and out of traffic, or driving without regard to the safety of other motorists can lead to a bad traffic wreck involving one or many vehicles. An aside here, some motorists are at higher risk when they become caught up in a traffic accident, namely motorcycle riders, due to less protection against bodily injury.

In any event, aggressive driving of almost any kind can not only precipitate a serious collision, but can also exacerbate the effects of a crash. From compound fractures of the arms and legs, to internal bleeding and closed-head injuries, a high-speed accident can surely result in serious medical complications, and sometimes even death. Some argue that surviving a motor vehicle accident may be worse, especially in cases where spinal cord damage occurs, leaving the victim paralyzed sometimes for life.

A news article pointed out the extreme downside of aggressive driving. Sadly for one Dundalk resident, her haste one evening on the Beltway apparently resulted in her own death. The only fortunate thing that can be said is nobody else was seriously injured as a result of that woman’s actions.

Maryland Driver Dies in Baltimore County Single-vehicle Traffic Accident; Police Suspect Drunk Driving

April 26, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Although a person’s chances of being killed in a car crash are less than the odds of an individual being severely injured as a result of an automobile collision, it’s a fact that thousands of people die in traffic accidents every year in the U.S. In cities like Annapolis, Rockville, Gaithersburg and Washington, D.C., fatal motor vehicle wrecks make up a definite percentage of all highway accidents.

While being injured or killed in a multi-car pileup is not uncommon, there are situations where a driver or passenger can die in a single-vehicle crash. When a passenger dies in a one-car wreck, the circumstances may call for an investigation, which can ultimately lead to a wrongful death lawsuit on the victim’s behalf.

As Maryland personal injury lawyers and practicing auto accident attorneys, we understand the heartache associated with a fatal traffic accident. Families of victims experience a huge loss, emotionally and financially, when the main breadwinner is killed as a result of another driver’s negligence. Nothing can truly make a family whole after such a devastating loss, but with medical bills and lost wages, a grieving family needs all of the help it can get.

Maryland Pedestrian Accident News: LaPlata Man Killed in Fatal Charles County Hit-and-Run Collision

April 22, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

If it seems that there have been a lot of auto-pedestrian traffic accidents these days, you wouldn’t be wrong. And for anyone living in Baltimore, Annapolis, the District or Rockville, it should come as no surprise at all that our city streets are veritable killing fields when it comes to persons on foot or riding bicycles. This is only a guess, but these serious and sometimes deadly pedestrian collisions are only going to get worse before people really sit up and take notice.

As Maryland automobile and trucking accident attorneys, we’re continually dismayed by the number of fatal and near-fatal car, truck and motorcycle accidents in this state. Folks hurt or killed while traveling on foot have sadly become just another column in the sad tally of traffic wrecks across Maryland. A smaller, but no less important group, would be those individuals struck by hit-and-run drivers.

Scanning the various news sources recently, we saw an article detailing yet another in a string of these hit-and-run accidents that have killed another of Maryland’s residents. This particular incident took place in Charles County, where a 57-year-old LaPlata man lost his life to an apparently thoughtless and negligent driver.

Baltimore Injury News: Maryland Woman Gets 2 Years in Prison for Fatal Drunken Driving Crash

April 20, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Vehicular homicide is a very serious charge, compounded in some cases by a additional charges of drinking and driving or driving under the influence of prescription medication or illegal drugs. In such cases, it’s conceivable that the family of the victim may bring a wrongful death civil suit against the individual for their negligent actions in the death of the family’s loved one.

As Maryland personal injury lawyers, we have seen the progression of litigation, from the initial traffic accident to courtroom. With the cost of medical care these days, a tragic automobile or trucking wreck can place extreme financial stress on the victim’s family, especially in cases of long-term physical injury, permanent disability and other life-long and life-altering conditions.

Last month, a U.S. District Court jury found 23-year-old motorist guilty of killing her friend, Ashley Roberta, and injuring Washington, D.C., soccer player Charlie Davies in an October 2009 single-vehicle traffic accident. According to news articles, Maria A. Espinoza pled guilty late last year to charges of involuntary manslaughter as well as maiming while driving in an intoxicated state prior to the deadly crash.

The accident occurred in the early morning hours after the three friends left a nightclub in the District. Based on court records, the three individuals got into an Infiniti FX35 with Espinoza at the wheel and headed south along the George Washington Memorial Pkwy. Espinoza was reportedly unfamiliar with the area and apparently wasn’t certain how to get to the road and how to get to Davies’s hotel in Crystal City, according to court documents.

Using a GPS device to find the hotel, Espinoza missed an exit; while looking away from the road to recalculate their route, the defendant apparently lost control of the vehicle, which veered off the road and hit a guardrail. The force of the collision reportedly split the vehicle in two; the rear of the Infiniti rolled down a 17-foot embankment, fatally injuring Roberta who died at the scene.

Maryland Auto Accident Update: Recovering from Traumatic Brain Injuries can be Frustrating, Yet Also Amazing

March 31, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Bodily injuries suffered as a result of an automobile accident can range from minor cuts and bruises, to broken bones and closed-head injuries. The latter, also referred to as traumatic brain injuries, can spell serious trouble for victims of traffic collisions. Yet as scary as head trauma can be, the recovery can turn out to be quite amazing, according to some experts.

As a Baltimore car and truck accident lawyer and Maryland personal injury attorney, I and my colleagues have seen the aftermath of many car, truck and motorcycle wrecks, as well as the human toll. But as the story of U.S. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords has shown, the road to recovery from traumatic brain injury can be just this side of miraculous.

While it’s surely too early to tell — according to medical professionals a patient’s progress in this area is best measured at the six- to 12-month mark following a closed-head injury — Ms. Giffords progress shows that there is hope for many people who have suffered serious trauma to the brain.

Maryland Rollover Accident Update: New NHTSA Rule Looks to Reduce Occupants Ejected During Automobile Crashes

March 19, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Read almost any news story covering a serious rollover accident in Maryland or Washington, D.C., and you will likely learn about a victim who was killed or critically injured as a result of the traffic accident. Drivers who attempt maneuvers at high speeds in a sport utility vehicle or family minivan can sometimes find themselves out of control and possibly flipping the vehicle on its side.

A rollover car, truck or bus crash can cause terrible bodily harm to driver and passengers alike. In cases where passenger restraint devices fail to hold the occupants in place, head and neck injuries can easily result; traumatic brain injury is just one of a number of life-threatening outcomes of these rollover-type car or truck accidents.

As Maryland personal injury lawyers, I and my legal staff have been trained to help victims of car, truck and motorcycle collisions. Sadly, many rollover incidents can be fatal, and not only because of the injuries sustained when an occupant impacts the hard interior surfaces of the vehicle.

Many rollovers can cause one or more occupants to be ejected from the vehicle and onto the roadway. In fact, it is well known that drivers and passengers alike in greater danger of being killed or seriously injured if they are thrown from a vehicle during a crash. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has conducted studies that show vehicle occupants who experience partial or complete ejection from a passenger vehicle are three-times more likely to be killed as those who remain inside the car or truck.

The NHTSA has maintained over the years that seatbelt use is one of the primary ways that a passenger can avoid being ejected from a vehicle involved in a traffic accident. Even so, it was announced not long ago that the federal government has instituted a new law requiring car makers to develop additional countermeasures to help prevent unbelted adult passengers from being thrown from a car or SUV during a crash, according to news reports.

Going into effect in 2013, the new ruling will require every new car or truck under 10,000 lbs to be equipped with this anti-ejection countermeasures by 2018. What this means is that in less than eight years every new vehicle must be able to prevent an unbelted adult passenger from moving any further than 4 inches beyond a vehicle’s side window opening during a traffic accident.

Maryland Auto Injury News: D.C. Motorist Dies in Fatal Car Fire in Family’s Garage

March 8, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Accidents happen is the phrase many people use when it comes to auto accident, trucking crashes and motorcycle wrecks. But for a person to die in a non-traffic-related car fire, now that’s a real tragedy. As Baltimore injury accident lawyers representing victims who have been hurt or killed as a result of another person’s negligence, we have seen our share of pain and suffering.

Over the past year or so, car companies such as Toyota, General Motors and Ford have been plagued by numerous safety recalls. Many of these recalls have been initiated by the government following fatal accidents that have taken the lives of many innocent people. Elderly drivers, parents and children, even experienced police officers have died in what some people have said were accidents caused by defective or poorly-designed vehicle components or systems.

In cases involving defective equipment, a products liability suit may be indicated. Depending on the source of the defect, one or more parties may be named as defendants in the suit. For automobiles, a part can be designed by the auto company, but manufactured by a second or third tier supplier.

Baltimore Car Accident News: Driver Dies in Fatal Beltsville, Maryland, Automobile Traffic Wreck

February 28, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Faulty brakes, poorly designed suspension systems and incorrectly maintained running gear are just a few of the potential causes of fatal car or truck crashes. And, the odds of having a deadly single-vehicle traffic accident typically increases as the car, truck or motorcycle speed rises. While many one-car wrecks can be the result of driver error, police crash investigators typically consider the possibility of defective vehicle equipment when reconstructing a motor vehicle accident.

As Maryland personal injury attorneys and Baltimore auto accident lawyers, each of our staff works to represent the victims of car collisions and the families of individual killed as a result of another person’s negligence. Whether an accident occurs in the District, Hagerstown, Frederick, Salisbury, or any of the dozens of towns and cities across the state, the human toll of a commercial truck wreck or passenger car collision can be just as devastating.

A story not long ago described a crash that involved only one car, but claimed the life of the driver. Although police were still investigating the incident at the time of the news story, authorities had already ruled out drugs or alcohol as factors in the crash. Defective equipment, such as a broken steering linkage or blown-out tire could have contributed to such an accident, but there was nothing stated in the article to indicate that this was the case.

Baltimore Personal Injury News: Rockville Car Wash Employee Killed when SUV Runs Man Over

February 8, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

As we have said numerous times before, auto, truck and motorcycle accidents can happen almost anywhere, anytime. Car-pedestrian accidents while generally fewer can also occur randomly, although fatal crosswalk and bus stop accidents are probably the most common. But people have been hit by cars while standing on the sidewalk, walking through a parking lot or even while visiting a local business.

As a Maryland personal injury attorney, I fully understand the severity of such pedestrian accidents and how they can impact a family, not only in cases of tragic and fatal automobile wrecks, but also in terms of pedestrian-car injury accidents where the victim is left with multiple medical complications due as a result of another individual’s negligence.

Broken bones can be the least of one’s problems following a collision between a car or truck and a pedestrian. Spinal damage and brain trauma can cause long-term physical and cognitive issues, with loss of motor skills and trouble with memory that can make an independent and so-called normal life virtually impossible.