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Anytime a person dies in a traffic accident it is a tragedy, but when a young person is killed in a car crash the hopes and dreams of that child’s family also die. An entire future erased in a matter of moments. As a Baltimore auto accident lawyer and personal injury attorney, one of the most painful experiences is meeting with the parents of a child lost to a senseless car or trucking crash.

As drivers we are all expected to take care and use caution when traveling Maryland’s highways and surface streets. Of course, accidents happen, but no one wants to experience a fatal crash that takes the life of a loved one. When an individual, young or old, is killed as a result of another person’s negligence, it may be appropriate to file a wrongful death claim.

These kinds of law suits allow members of a family to receive compensation for their loss. While the death of a child does not usually result in lost wages, compensation is still possible in such cases. For example, compensation can also be for loss of comfort, love and or companionship, not just and financial support. One must always keep in mind that death does not preclude recovery for any suffering or pain that the victim may have experienced prior to death as a result of another’s wrongful or negligent actions.

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.

Automobile collisions are not uncommon, even in these days of heightened safety awareness. As a Maryland auto accident attorney, I and my colleagues read of people being hurt in car and commercial truck crashes more often than one would expect. Although civilians are exposed to potential traffic hazards on a fairly regular basis, there is no argument that police officers on daily patrol face similar dangers almost continuously during their entire work day.

While car and truck collisions can be serious, the occupants are relatively well protected when compared to a person on foot or on a bicycle. Of course, the result of a car-pedestrian crash is never good for the person on foot. Broken bones, head trauma and neck or spinal injuries are quite common. Internal injuries, cuts and bruises are also typical in accidents involving people crossing roads and walking near traffic.

Not too long ago, a news article mentioned that two police officers were hurt in separate traffic accidents on the same day. According to reports, both officers were from the St. Mary’s County sheriff’s department and were injured on a Tuesday in unrelated vehicle accidents. Fortunately, both officers survived without severe injury.

We’ve said it here before, and we’ll say it again; Pedestrians and bicyclists are no match for a 3,000-pound motor vehicle even at low speeds. Physics cannot be changed and when a flesh and blood person is hit by a car, SUV or commercial vehicle, serious injuries are certain to result. And that’s if the individual is lucky enough to survive the crash — many people are killed outright when hit by a passenger car on the street.

Naturally, pedestrians and cars should remain apart whenever possible, but the reality of our modern age means that accidents are bound to happen from time to time. A recent news story made it rather clear that anyone can be caught in a pedestrian-auto accident even if the car is being driven by a highly trained professional, such as a police officer.

According to reports, a man in his 60s was hit by an unmarked police cruiser on a Monday night as he walked across Rte 4 in Prince Frederick. The accident happened just before 8pm when a Calvert County Sheriff’s Office deputy was passing through the area on what police call a routine patrol.

Once again the senseless loss of life hits the news. This time, Maryland State Police point to speeding and aggressive driving as the likely cause of a horrendous accident that left three adults and one toddler dead in the aftermath. Describing the crash, law enforcement authorities say that the multi-car crash was “uncommonly violent.”

As a Baltimore personal injury lawyer who represents victims of traffic collisions and other automotive accidents, I have helped individuals following bad accidents. This particular crash likely should never have happened. One can only feel for the families of those killed and hope that the survivors make full and rapid recoveries.

According to the news reports, the head-on collision and subsequent deaths and injuries began when a Nissan Cube stuffed with seven individuals was being driven in what police termed and aggressive manner northbound along Rte 113. Based on reports, the driver of the vehicle was traveling very fast and passing other cars on the road in posted “no-passing” zones.

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.

As a Maryland car accident and injury lawyer, I have seen the unfortunate results of far too many automobile crashes. While some traffic collisions are unavoidable, many could have been prevented if a driver had paid more attention to avert a car or trucking accident. Quite frequently, especially when driving is involved, simple common sense would have made the difference between life and death.

Sadly, we can’t predict when such factors will conspire to cause a car, truck or motorcycle wreck. But ultimately, people are responsible for their own actions. Take the issue of drinking and driving, which is a hot topic in most anyone’s book. Drunk drivers cause more than their share of costly and sometimes fatal traffic crashes. A news article not long ago illustrates what can happen when alcohol is mixed with motor vehicles.

According to reports, a 40-year-old driver from Hagerstown man was charged with drunken driving following a multi-vehicle accident along Md. 180 near Himes Ave. in Frederick, MD. The crash occurred on a Monday afternoon during the busy rush hour and was apparently made worse by rain and slippery road conditions.

Every so often a life-altering event occurs that makes people think: What would I do in a similar situation? The death of a family member is always a shock to the survivors and everyone involved can be affected a different way. As a Baltimore automobile accident attorney and Maryland personal injury lawyer, I understand that reaching a settlement that will best help the victim’s family is one of the most important goals in a wrongful death suit.

Not only medical costs, but lost wages and other financial matters left in the wake of an untimely death are all concerns for the surviving family members. A recent wrongful death suit was settled, according to news reports, leaving the family of the victim with only $100,000 for the apparent loss of a husband and provider.

Based on court records, the family of 57-year-old John Short accepted the $100,000 limit payable by another driver’s insurance company in the case of a fatal crash on the Bay Bridge back a couple of years ago. According to reports, Short died on August 10, 2008, when he steered his semi tractor-trailer rig off the bridge as he tried to avoid hitting an oncoming vehicle driven by 19-year-old Candy Baldwin.

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.

Across the nation, more than 4,000 people annually are injured by motor vehicles while walking on or near public roadways. Seeing that figure, it’s important to remember that Maryland has its share of pedestrian accidents involving cars, buses and commercial deliver vehicles. As Baltimore personal injury lawyers, I and my staff are experienced in the law and able to represent victims and their families in cases of severe or critical injury and even wrongful death.

While every person who ventures out in public must be cautious when crossing busy streets and intersections, drivers have an equal responsibility to look out for persons on foot as well as those riding on bicycles. Children are especially at risk, since they can be easily distracted when crossing roadways.

Sadly, accidents continue to occur, even with public awareness campaigns and traffic safety local enforcement. Not long ago, a youngster was hit by a car in Frederick County and severely hurt. According to local news reports, the 16-year-old boy was struck on a Friday evening along a stretch of Route 85 near Executive Way in Frederick.

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