Maryland Car Accident Attorney Blog
In devastating news, two Maryland teenagers were pronounced dead on the scene of a crash after their sedan crashed into a tractor-trailer on a highway. The driver of the sedan and the right rear passenger were the two teens who died at the scene. The third teen, who was sitting in the front passenger side of the sedan was flown to a shock trauma unit, but later succumbed to his injuries. The 71-year-old tractor-trailer driver was not injured in the crash.
Although investigations are still occurring to determine what led to the crash, initial investigations appear to reveal that the sedan was merging onto a highway in Hagerstown at a high rate of speed when it crashed into the passenger cabin of the tractor-trailer. There were no obvious signs of impairment, although this is still under investigation. The highway area near the crash was closed for almost 5 hours as state police responded to and investigated the crash.
What Does It Mean to be the “At-fault” Driver of a Car Accident?
In legal terms, if someone is considered the at-fault driver in a personal injury lawsuit, you may be wondering what this exactly means. An at-fault driver is considered liable for the car accident, and is the driver who was found to be negligent. Driver negligence can range from speeding at the time of the accident, which contributed to the accident, to texting while driving. It can also include rear-ending another vehicle, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and other actions (or inactions) that caused the accident to occur.
In some instances, there may be more than one driver who is considered at-fault for various reasons. States vary how they address situations like this where there are more than one individuals who contributed to the accident, and this is dependent upon a state’s laws around negligence. In the state of Maryland, for example, Maryland is one of five jurisdictions in the United States that follows the contributory negligence doctrine. Under Contributory negligence, even if the jury finds that the plaintiff only contributed to the accident in a very small way (I.e. one percent contribution), the plaintiff will be barred from recovering damages for their injuries. So in other words, if a plaintiff was also to blame for a car accident and their own negligence also contributed to their injuries, they cannot legally recover damages for their injuries.
For many, this law can be daunting because you may have questions about what your chances are of successfully recovering damages. Connecting with an experienced attorney who has the skill and expertise in personal injury suits is therefore important. An experienced attorney can help you walk through your case.
Do You Need a Personal Injury Lawyer in Maryland After an Auto Accident?
If you or someone you love has been injured in a motor vehicle accident in Maryland, contact the dedicated and compassionate attorneys at Lebowitz & Mzhen, LLC. Our attorneys are experienced at helping clients navigate the complexities of Maryland negligence laws, and are ready to help you recover the damages you deserve. Navigating a lawsuit after an accident can be daunting, but you don’t have to do it alone. Call us today at 800-654-1949 to schedule a free initial consultation and talk about your case with us.