Maryland Car Accident Attorney Blog
Single-vehicle accidents can be caused by a number of factors; from poor maintenance procedures to defective vehicle equipment. An automobile accident involving just one vehicle can also be related to driver error, such as a distraction of some sort — cell phone use or texting — even physical impairment, such as alcohol or drug use. As a Maryland auto accident lawyer, my firm works with the police to find the true cause of fatal or near-fatal accidents, and to learn if there is third-party involvement.
Any injuries sustained during a car crash can be severe enough to keep a person from earning a living and supporting his or her family. Medical expenses only add to the burden a family must endure during the victim’s convalescence. A recent news item shows just how easily someone’s life can be turned upside down in an instant.
According to news reports, police found a man lying on the eastbound shoulder of Interstate 68 on October 4 in the morning hours, an apparent victim of a single-vehicle crash. Investigators determined that the out-of-state driver had been ejected from his vehicle after it struck a guardrail sometime before 7am.
The accident took place near Hancock, MD, according to initial police reports. Brian Steven Justice, 42, of Clearville, Pennsylvania, was driving his Toyota Camry west along I-68 when for some reason it veered into the guardrail in the westbound center median at the 74-mile marker. Justice was apparently thrown from his vehicle, which no doubt contributed greatly to the severity of his injuries. When police arrived on the scene at 7:03am, officers called for emergency medical help.
Justice was treated and then flown by helicopter to Washington County Hospital with what Maryland State Police said were “very serious injuries.” According to reports, the man’s condition later that day was still critical. He was expected to be transferred to the Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore.
At the time of the report, a cause had yet to be determined, however is would seem that defective equipment cannot be ruled out. The Maryland State Police of the Hagerstown were involved in the investigation.
Pa. man seriously hurt in Interstate 68 crash, Herald-Mail.com, October 5, 2009