Maryland Car Accident Attorney Blog
Earlier this week, a woman was killed when she was struck by an unmarked police car on Dual Highway in Washington County. According to a report by Herald Mail Media, the accident took place around 3:30 a.m. when a sheriff’s deputy was heading east on Dual Highway near the 1300 block.
The officer remained on the scene and called back up. Emergency personnel took the woman—a Hagerstown resident—to Meritus Medical Center where she died a few hours later from the injuries she sustained as a result of the accident. The accident is being investigated by the Washington County State Attorney’s Office, as well as by another undisclosed law enforcement agency. The officer involved in the accident has been placed on administrative leave pending the result of the investigation.
Pedestrian Accidents Frequent on Maryland Roads
This tragic accident was the second in a three week span on Dual Highway. Just a few weeks back, a Cumberland woman was struck and killed by a hit and run driver. She was also taken to Meritus Medical Center where she died a short time after arrival. The hit and run driver involved in that crash has still not been identified.
Recovering Compensation for Maryland Pedestrian Accidents
While the police are still reviewing the accident reconstruction data to determine what happened in the above described accident, it is a distinct possibility that the sheriff was not paying attention to the road at the time of the accident. In these cases involving negligence, the accident victim’s family is entitled to recover from the person who caused the accident, and potentially from the city, as the officer’s employer.
In order to prove a case of negligence, an accident victim must show four elements are met. First, the accident victim must show that the defendant owed a duty of care to the accident victim. In Maryland pedestrian accidents this is generally easy to meet because all drivers owe others around them a duty of care.
Second, the accident victim must show that the driver violated that duty. In many cases this where the meat of the litigation is. If a plaintiff can prove that the driver was operating their vehicle in a negligent manner, then the plaintiff can move on to the third element, which is causation.
The accident victim must also show that the negligence of the defendant actually caused the victim’s injuries, as opposed to a third-party. Finally, the accident victim must offer some proof of damages.
Have You Been Involved in a Maryland Pedestrian Accident?
If you or a loved one has recently been involved in a Maryland pedestrian accident, you may be entitled to compensation. To speak to an experienced Maryland personal injury attorney, and to further discuss the facts of your case, contact the Maryland personal injury law firm of Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers. The skilled lawyers at Lebowitz & Mzhen have the experience and dedication you need to effectively bring your Maryland personal injury case. Click here, or call 410-654-3600 to schedule your free initial consultation.
More Blog Posts:
Maryland Man Dies in Fatal Left-Turn Accident, Maryland Car Accident Attorney Blog, published March 27, 2014.
What Is a Diminished Value Car Insurance Claim?, Maryland Car Accident Attorney Blog, published April 1, 2014.