Maryland Car Accident Attorney Blog
As automobile accident lawyers, Lebowitz-Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers represents the victims of injury accidents as well as the families of those killed in fatal auto and truck crashes. While the cause of most single-car accidents is driver error, many times the reason can be traced to the failure of a vehicle part or component, such as tires, steering gear or suspension components. Regardless of the cause, there is a strong argument for having a qualified auto accident attorney by your side when pursuing a lawsuit against a company or an individual for medical costs and other damages as a result of a car accident.
A recent news story is typical of the kind of accident that raises the question of faulty equipment versus driver error. The death of a 19-year-old Keedysville youth killed near Downsville as a result of his car leaving the roadway on state route 632 is a typical scenario.
According to Maryland State Police, at approximately 1:25 a.m., Matthew Goetzinger was driving a 2006 Mitsubishi Lancer on the southbound lane of Maryland Route 632 with another passenger in the vehicle. The teenager was allegedly traveling at a high rate of speed when he lost control of his vehicle about a quarter-mile north of the Maryland 63 crossroad.
Police reports indicate that the vehicle crossed over the center line and, upon leaving the roadway, struck an embankment and then overturned. Although the driver was reportedly wearing his seatbelt, he was pronounced dead at the scene. There was no mention of whether defective equipment, driver error, excessive vehicle speed or a deadly combination of one or more of these factors may have triggered the fatal crash.
The passenger, 19-year-old Ryan Lewis of Boonsboro, MD, was injured in the wreck. After police and emergency workers arrived at the scene, Lewis was transported to Washington County Hospital where he was treated for minor injuries and subsequently released.
19-year-old from Keedysville killed in crash, Herald-Mail.com, August 21, 2009