Maryland Car Accident Attorney Blog

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.

Maryland Auto Accident News: Woman Dies, Other Injured in Head-on Crash along Seashore Highway

August 11, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Head-on collisions are one of the most terrible traffic accidents that can happen. Fatalities are quite common in such instances, while broken bones, head, neck and back injuries, and serious internal injuries are also commonplace. As a Baltimore personal injury attorney and Maryland automobile accident lawyer, I understand well the physical and emotional trauma that can result from such a violent car crash.

The reasons for head-on highway collisions vary as well. Driver error, intoxicated driving, distractions in the vehicle and external factors can lead to a serious and many times fatal accident. Outside of driver error, one possible reason for any kind of traffic accident can be defective vehicle equipment.

Defective automobile equipment and components, such as braking, steering or other critical systems, can fail unexpectedly and cause a driver to lose control of a car, SUV or commercial truck. Poorly designed or incorrectly manufactured car and truck parts can be the source of both serious and minor auto accidents.

Maryland Car Injury News: Columbia, MD, Man Gets Just 6 Months for Fatal Pedestrian Auto Accident

August 7, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

As Baltimore automobile accident attorney, I hear about numerous fatal car crashes that occur throughout Maryland every year. Some collisions happen as a result of driver error, while others are sometimes caused by defective vehicle equipment, such as poorly maintained brakes and tires, faulty safety components or defective suspension or steering systems.

Whatever the cause of a traffic accident, car-pedestrian collisions can be some of the worst, which also includes car-motorcycle and car-bicycle crashes. In all of these kinds of collisions, the person on foot or on two wheels has a very good chance of being severely hurt or even killed as a result.

A recent news article showed that one man, a Columbia resident, was sentenced to six months in jail following the death of an elderly woman he hit with his vehicle in November 2009. According to reports, 82-year-old Ayten Icgoren died the day after she was struck while trying to cross the street near the Owen Brown Village Center.

Baltimore Police Chief Sorry for Injuries Sustained by 5-Year-Old Maryland Boy in Traffic Accident

August 4, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

From time to time, as Maryland pedestrians, we all run the risk of being injured by a passenger car or commercial truck as a result of an unexpected traffic accident. But few people imagine that they will be injured by a policeman riding in a squad car. Kids are a whole different story, and their actions can result in serious and sometimes fatal injuries.

As a Baltimore and Washington, D.C., personal injury lawyer, I and my staff understand the physical pain and discomfort that can be associated with pedestrian-auto accidents. While nobody expects to be caught up in an accident with a motorcycle, SUV or minivan, fewer people still would picture themselves being hurt by a police car in their own neighborhood. However, this is apparently what happened to one poor child not long ago in North Baltimore.

According to news accounts, little Alvin Williams had his right leg broken when it was apparently run over by a Baltimore patrol car in July. The freak accident meant the 5-year-old boy would have to spend the balance of the summer with his leg in a cast, rather than playing with his friends. He likely suffered other injuries such as cuts and bruises during the accident.

Based on reports, the boy was playing with neighbors on a hot Tuesday evening when he reportedly ran across Sheridan Avenue as he followed another neighborhood kid. Police said that the youngster darted from between two parked cars and was subsequently hit by a police cruiser that had just turned off York Road. The department said that the officer did not see the child until it was too late.

The accident report shows that Alvin fell to the pavement after hitting the rear quarter panel of the police car cruiser, after which the vehicles back tire ran over the boy’s leg. According to witnesses, Alvin hit the front of the vehicle, fell down and was then run over by the cop’s front tire. While police claim the cruiser was traveling slowly, the boy’s grandfather said that the patrol car was “going at a good speed.” The grandfather also claims that the officer was distracted because he was looking for another person in the area.

Maryland Personal Injury News: Ford and Chrysler Join Toyota with Safety-related Automobile Recalls

July 29, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Additional recalls have been announced by several of the large automobile manufacturers; Ford, Chrysler and Toyota. The most recent safety recalls include 33,700 small commercial vans made by Ford Motor Company and are due to the vehicle’s headliner not being able to meet all required safety parameters specified for occupant head protection.

As Maryland automobile accident attorneys, we have experience in recall-related injury claims in the Baltimore, MD, and Washington, D.C. areas. The Ford recall is just one of numerous safety-related recalls that can affect the ability of a vehicle occupant to survive a serious car or truck crash. According to reports, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says that the Ford defect increases the risk of injury to the driver or passengers in the event of a traffic accident.

Ford reportedly advised its dealers to stop delivery of its Transit Connect model, which include vans produced between December 2008 and May 2010. The hold on deliveries would supposedly be in force until a suitable revision of the vehicle’s headliner design could be produced and installed on those vehicles.

Maryland Man Struck and Killed on I-695 in Rosedale, MD, in Fatal Pedestrian Accident

July 27, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Being a Maryland personal injury lawyer and automobile accident attorney practicing in the Baltimore area, my firm has the experience and skill to represent individuals hurt as a result of another driver’s negligence. We also help families of victims killed in motorcycle crashes, passenger car wrecks, or commercial truck accidents. It goes without saying that fatal pedestrian accidents can be quite disturbing for the victims’ families.

While there are many factors to consider in every automobile accident case, it is important to remember that as drivers, we all have a responsibility to be observant when it comes to watching out for pedestrians. Certainly, when a person uses a designated crosswalk, there is a relative expectation of safety for the individuals crossing the roadway. Pedestrian accidents can and do happen with sometimes tragic results.

But every case is different, which is why we rely on police reports, eye witness testimony and other knowledgeable sources. A recent traffic accident shows what can happen under all the wrong circumstances. According to news reports, a 41-year-old Rosedale, MD, resident was unexpectedly killed along Interstate 695 when he was struck by a passing vehicle.

Man Gets 12 Years for Fatal Drunk Driving Traffic Accident that Killed Retired Maryland Couple

July 23, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

When it comes to automobile, truck and motorcycle accidents, negligence comes in many different forms. Whether a minor fender-bender or a full-blown fatal traffic collision, the responsible party should be held accountable for his or her actions. For those individuals who have caused the death of another person, no excuse should be acceptable; not to the family of the victims, nor to local law enforcement.

Drunk driving is certainly one of the more common causes of car crashes in the Baltimore area and elsewhere across our state. It’s a shame that so many people die every year due to abuse of alcohol. As Maryland car accident attorneys, I and my colleagues consider the pain and suffering of the families of victims, not to mention the costs and lost income caused by a bad automobile wreck.

A sad story caught our attention the other day involving a retired Maryland couple who died in a pointless out-of-state car crash. According to the news article, 56-year-old Thomas Cypress was charged with DUI manslaughter for the February 2009 crash that claimed the lives of Robert and Paulette Kirkpatrick. Following his trial in a Miami-Dade courtroom, Cypress was sentenced to 12 years in prison — a negotiated deal that spared the man a possible maximum 30-year sentence.

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 Injury News: Distracted Driving Blamed for Increasing Number of Fatal Teenage Automobile Accidents

July 17, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

As parents will no doubt attest, teenagers can be easily distracted by a wide range of external stimuli. While this may be amusing to some, and a frustration to their parents and teachers, it is serious business once these kids start to driver motor vehicles. Driver’s education can only go so far to warn these future drivers to be aware of potential and deadly distractions on the road. But apparently much more needs to be done, as recently released government data suggests.

As a Maryland and D.C. auto accident attorney, I understand the myriad of ways that a driver can become distracted on the road, the result of which is many times a traffic accident. New and inexperienced drivers can be especially susceptible to having their concentration diverted. In some cases, and more often than any parent of a teenage driver would like to think about, fatalities can result. In short, distracted driving may be killing more American teenagers than ever before.

According to U.S. Government data, more than 4,000 teenagers lose their lives in traffic accidents that are caused predominantly by “distracted driving.” This includes distractions from having too many noisy occupants in the vehicle to talking on a cellphone while operating a passenger car. However, a new bill recently introduced by Congress may help in reducing this terrible trend.

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.