Maryland Car Accident Attorney Blog

Three separate automobile accidents on a Monday morning resulted in one death and four people injured in Baltimore County recently. Maryland State Police responded to the accidents which included a fatal Pikeville side-swipe hit-and-run collision that killed a man on Interstate 695; the two other accidents, one on U.S. 40 and another in Garrison, MD, sent four people to area hospitals.

The hit-and-run crash happened shortly after 29-year-old Richardo Manchome of Pikesville pulled his Ford Pickup onto the should of the Beltway to check on an engine problem. According to police reports, the man was standing on the driver’s side of the vehicle while examining his truck’s engine when he was struck by another vehicle.

Apparently a car veered onto the shoulder where Manchome was standing, striking and throwing the man about 50 feet from his truck. When emergency crews arrived, the victim was declared dead at the scene.

Based on police reports, the car that struck and killed the Pikesville resident allegedly fled from the crash site. Witnesses reportedly described the vehicle as a black Honda or Acura. The suspect vehicle was thought to have exited the Beltway onto Route 40 east toward Baltimore. Police said the force of the impact likely caused considerable front-end damage and may have resulted in the in the car losing its right front fender. An investigation was underway.

Elsewhere, two other Baltimore County accidents sent four people to the hospital, three of them in critical condition, according to news reports. In the first accident, two men and a woman were ejected from a westbound pickup truck about 5:30am on U.S. 40. County police said all three victims landed in a lot at Martin's East near Holley Drive and were taken by ambulance to Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore in critical condition.

Less than three hours later, a man driving in the 9800 block of Reisterstown Road in Garrison hit a taxi, swerved into a utility pole, and then rolling over several times. According to police, Clemmis Tommy Futrell, 44, was flown to Shock Trauma. The man is expected to recover from his injuries.

Police seek driver in fatal hit-and-run on I-695, BaltimoreSun.com, January 11, 2010

Search For Driver In Fatal Hit & Run, WBAL.com, January 11, 2010

Traffic safety is always a hot topic, but more so these days as drivers in Maryland and around the country have more and more distractions that conspire to take their attention away from the most important task at had, safely driving their vehicle in traffic. As a Baltimore auto accident attorney and injury lawyer, my firm represents drivers, passengers and pedestrians injured through the negligence of other motorists.

Car and truck crashes can result from numerous causes, from outside influences such as poorly maintained pavement or bad weather, to mechanical problems such as worn out steering components or bald tires, all the way to driver error. One subset of driver error would have to be self-imposed distractions, such as fiddling with the radio or talking on a cell phone.

It’s no secret that cell phones are more and more being singled out as potentially dangerous instruments in the hands of motorists in Baltimore, Annapolis, Washington, D.C., and elsewhere in our area. Because it is everyone’s responsibility to watch out for dangers on the roads, drivers and pedestrians alike should consider the growing threat that all mobile devices pose to public safety.

More and more we hear news stories about people killed or injured as a result of apparent inattention when out in public. Safety may not be a concern when listening to an iPod while seated in a restaurant or movie theater, but move out to the parking lot, intersection or highway and you have a recipe for disaster, if not all-out tragedy.

Case in point, the teenager who was killed by a train while walking along railroad tracks on her way to school. According to reports, the Baltimore-area teen was walking with a friend while listening to music using earphones. Her friend, who was not using earphones, heard the train coming and was able to get out of harm's way. But the girl listening to the music was not so lucky. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

You can be certain that this situation also occurs on a daily basis with drivers on public roads. While it is against the law to wear headphones while driving, many people do. What this means is that it is too easy for these “plugged-in” drivers to ignore the sirens of emergency vehicles and other audible warning signals. Sometimes, those cars almost cause an accident as the ambulance of fire engine must steer out of the driver’s way.

Traffic accidents can and do cause death and serious, long-term injury. It is only common sense that drivers recognize the dangers of shutting off that all-important sense of hearing and make a change for the better. Drive safe and look out for yourself and your passengers. The life you save may be your own.

Safety issues arise as drivers, pedestrians plug in, tune out, Fredericksburg.com, January 10, 2010

Every year, hundreds of people are killed in traffic accidents across the country. Many of these automobile accidents are caused by motorists who drink and drive. Here in Maryland, it’s not uncommon to see news stories about drunk drivers who cause serious as well as fatal injuries to occupants of other vehicles due to driving under the influence of alcohol. As a personal injury lawyer in the Baltimore area, I have seen the aftermath of these kinds of alcohol-related wrecks.

It make no difference whether you drive a passenger car, pickup truck, sport utility vehicle (SUV) or minivan, a serious collision can turn your life upside down. If you are a breadwinner for your family, being injured in a car crash will impact your household income due to lost wages as well as medical costs during recovery. A fatal crash can have devastating affect on families in Annapolis, Owings Mills, the District, and other communities around the state.

Not long ago, a Maryland resident was sentenced to nine years in jail for the fatal drunk driving death of an area mom. According to the news, the crash that killed 28-year-old Cristina L. Palese occurred on March 21, 2009, during the victim’s drive home from work at the Cadillac Ranch restaurant at National Harbor, MD.

Heading to her house in Springfield, the mother of two was nearing the Van Dorn Street exit on the inner loop when her Nissan Sentra was hit head-on by a Lincoln LS sedan driven by Travis J. Isaac, 26, of Woodbridge. Palese was killed instantly, while Isaac sustained a compound fracture to his leg. When his blood alcohol level was measured it came to 0.16 percent -- which is twice the legal limit in this state.

Issac, who already had a previous drunken driving conviction, was traveling the wrong way on the Capital Beltway when he killed Palese. The jury reportedly took two hours to convict Isaac for the offense that could have sent him to jail for a maximum of 20 years. During the sentencing phase the jury took nearly three hours to impose the nine-year jail sentence. According to the news reports, Isaac will be eligible for release when he is 33.

Drunk driver gets 9 years in fatal wrong-way Beltway crash, WashingtonPost.com, January 8, 2010

A serious traffic accident can happen to anyone, anytime and almost anywhere. A recent news report shows that not only everyday motorists can be hurt or killed in truck or car crashes, experienced and highly trained law enforcement professional can also be hurt. Injuries from highway collisions can range from bruises and minor cuts to head and brain injuries. It’s not uncommon for a person to be seriously injured and later die from those injuries in the hospital.

According to reports, 39-year-old Trooper Kenneth Myers Jr. and another Maryland State Trooper were carrying out traffic enforcement duties on Route 50 around mid-day on January 19 when the accident occurred. Police reports indicate that Myers, of the Easton State Police Barrack, was driving an unmarked police car eastbound on Route 50. The 2006 Ford Crown Victoria carrying the two troopers was chasing another vehicle that was exceeding the posted speed limit and traveling around 80mph.

Details at the time of the news reports were not completely clear, however it is known that Myers cruiser hit a 2004 Toyota Avalon driven by 75-year-old Marjorie MacSorely at the intersection of routes 50 and 731 shortly after noon, according to reports. Based on police statements, it appears that MacSorely’s vehicle pulled into the path of the oncoming police cruiser.

Police could say how fast Myers, who has been working for the state police for four years, was driving at the time of the vehicle collision. Crash scene investigators will be going over all of the evidence to determine the cause of the wreck, and it is not know if the Myers had activated the emergency signal equipement on his cruiser or if the patrol vehicle's lights were working correctly or faulty. Police spokesmen said that the crash was serious and “something that we certainly don't want to ever have happened,” said Greg Shipley of the Maryland State Police.

First responders to the crash scene treated Myers, who was then flown to the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore. According to reports, a second Maryland State Police helicopter transported MacSorely to Peninsula Regional Medical Center. The woman’s daughter, 50-year-old Kathy MacSorely of Trappe, MD, was taken to PRMC by ambulance.

All three victims were reported to be in stable condition at the time of the news article.

Trooper, 2 others stable after crash, DelmarvaNow.com, January 20, 2010

3 Injured in Route 50 Crash Involving Md. State Trooper, WBOC.com, January 21, 2010

Vehicle accidents can and do occur everyday in Maryland. Whether you live in Baltimore, Annapolis, Owings Mills or the D.C. area, being hit or injured by any vehicle can cause serious physical harm and sometimes fatal injuries. Construction machinery in particular is dangerous and U.S. Government’s Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) has strict guidelines designed to improve the working conditions of men and women across the country.

As a Maryland automobile injury attorney, I read daily of accidents, car crashes and truck wrecks that leave passengers and pedestrians alike in physical pain that can last for year. According to a recent article, a highway construction worker was seriously injured when an excavating machine hit him, injuring his leg and sending him to the hospital.

The accident happened at the intersection of intersection of Md. 17 and Md. 180 just after 3pm on January 5. The man was apparently working in a ditch when someone or something released a safety interlock on a piece of excavating machinery. The equipment may have rolled forward or somehow landed on the man’s leg.

According to the Maryland State Police, emergency personnel arrived at the scene and rendered treatment, after which the unidentified worked was flown to the R Cowley Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore. He was admitted to the facility a serious leg injury. Based on the news reports, the Maryland’s Occupational Safety and Health service is investigating the case.

Highway construction worker hurt in accident, Herald-Mail.com, January 6, 2010

Some have likely heard this said: “That wasn’t such a bad traffic accident; the damage to the vehicle was minimal.” If you haven’t, then you probably have not dealt with an insurance company as a plaintiff in an injury case. Having represented hundreds of victims of car, truck or sport utility vehicle (SUV) crashes, my firm understands that it is quite easy to be seriously hurt in an automobile accident even though the repairs to the vehicle don’t amount to much at all.

This is a case of major bodily injuries, yet relatively minor vehicle or property damage. Sadly, this familiar, yet deceptive argument is used very frequently by defense attorneys and insurance companies when auto collisions are concerned. And it’s one of the best reasons to consult a personal injury lawyer experienced in the area of auto accident law.

Whether you live in Baltimore, Annapolis, Columbia or the D.C. area, car accidents can occur most anywhere, some of them with devastating consequences. Insurance companies many times will try to downplay the extent of an accident to try to justify a reduced settlement to the injured parties. This is done sometimes by introducing evidence in the form of distorted, grainy or out-of-focus photos showing minor vehicle or property damage.

But this is done without offering any expert testimony regarding the direct and causal relationship between the extent of the property damage and the victim’s bodily injuries. Brain trauma as well as neck injuries can occur even when a vehicle has sustained minimal outward damage itself. Yet every year, hundreds of auto accident victims settle for less than what they deserve due to these kinds of tactics.

The purpose of the defense is to disprove, usually by false implication, what has been proven by medical evidence and expert testimony -- typically by a licensed physician. It’s easy to forget how much energy is released – or inflicted on a victim’s body -- as a result of a traffic accident. Yet insurance company attorneys will usually make no mention of the sudden and very high energy forces that are transmitted throughout a motor vehicle in the milliseconds following a collision.

Continue reading "Maryland Auto Injury Update: So-called Minor Car or SUV Accidents can Cause Serious Personal Injury" »

The year just past was marred by hundreds of traffic accidents throughout Maryland, some of which resulted in fatalities. One of the saddest was the death of a Stephen Decatur High School sophomore who was hit by a car as he and some friends tried to cross Route 50 near Ocean City. As a Baltimore personal injury and auto accident lawyer, my office understands the terrible grief that friends, families and communities feel at the loss of any youngster.

Unfortunately, traffic accidents involving pedestrians are often fatal and almost always severe. As drivers, we all must be especially vigilant when approaching people walking along the roadside or crossing the street. Cars, pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles (SUVs) are much more massive and quicker than a person on foot. Therefore additional caution should always be exercised whenever pedestrians are nearby.

According to news articles, the driver who hit the boy last year in May had a 0.10 percent blood-alcohol content at the time of the accident. Other than the drunken driving offense police had not issued any other charges in connection with the fatal crash. The man recently received six months in jail from a Worchester County court for his part in the accident.

According to the Maryland State Police, 16-year-old Matthew Barcase of Ocean Pines had crossed the westbound lanes and made it to the median before he was struck by a vehicle traveling east toward Ocean City. Police believe Barcase might have stumbled or tripped into the path of the oncoming vehicle. Barcase was taken to Atlantic General Hospital in Berlin where he was pronounced dead.

The driver of the vehicle that hit the young man, 29-year-old Luis Angel Rodriguez of Massapequa Park, N.Y., was indicted by a Worcester County grand jury in October on drunken driving charges.

In sentencing the man, Judge Theodore Eschenberg stated that he couldn’t treat the defendant’s arrest for drunk driving as a first offense. “Considering what the family wants, what the state wants, what the facts of the case suggest, I’m sentencing you to six months in the Worcester County Jail,” Eschenberg said. “No matter what sentence I give you, it’s not going to bring that young man back.”

Motorist Jailed 6 Months In Pedestrian Fatality, MdCoastDispatch.com, January 15, 2010

Decatur student struck, killed; driver charged with DUI, OceanCityToday.com, January 1, 2010

Everyday, families in and around Maryland lose loved ones who have made a difference in the lives of people throughout their community. Unfortunately, a traffic accident can suddenly and tragically put an end to anyone’s life in an instant. The emotional scars that losing a mother, daughter, friend or colleague can last for years, if not forever. As an injury lawyer practicing in the Baltimore area, I help families of victims recover damages from negligent parties who cause fatal car, truck or SUV crashes.

Sadly, any monetary damages can only alleviate the pain of loss. Nothing can bring a person back who has been killed by a careless motorist, drunk driver or deficient product safety. Recently, I was reminded of the senseless randomness of traffic accidents. According to a news article, Alisha Mae Deneen, young teacher from Washington County died in a single-car accident on I-81 at the railroad crossing north of Maugansville Road.

According to the State Police, the accident happened sometime prior to 5:30pm on New Year’s Day after a passer-by noticed the woman’s vehicle on the railroad tracks. Reports indicate that the 31-year-old Deneen was driving a 2009 Infiniti G37x, which apparently crossed the median, overturned and fell on to the tracks below. The exact time of the accident had not been determined at the time of the news article. Emergency personnel found the driver dead at the scene.

A single-vehicle crash can be caused by any number of reasons, from driver error or defective equipment to an animal crossing in front of the vehicle or even debris on the roadway itself. Whatever the cause, police investigators will determine it in time. Meanwhile, Deneen’s family, as well as the students at Clear Spring Elementary School where she taught, will likely miss her dearly.

Deneen remembered for smile, rapport with students, Herald-Mail.com, January 3, 2010

As a Baltimore auto injury attorney, I wouldn’t get too complacent just yet, but it’s heartening to read that our state received high marks for traffic safety recently. Fatalities and injuries from car crashes represent a fair percentage of our annual accident statistics here in Maryland. But according to a recent report, we can rest a bit easier knowing that we scored pretty high in the area of traffic safety.

According to news reports, Maryland is ranked among the top four states on a yearly “report card” put out by the group known as Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety (AHAS). According to the AHAS, the recently adopted anti-text-messaging legislation now in effect gave us a big boost in the rankings. This law alone could co a long way toward cutting the number of automobile crashes.

Maryland reportedly gets credit for adopting nearly 12 of the AHAS’s 15 “model laws,” which it recommends every state take on. Achieving a fourth-place ranking was apparently nothing to sneeze at since the group has raised its requirements year over year.

As a matter of fact, the number one ranked area in the AHAS’s report card was Washington, D.C., which was credited with adopting more than 13 of the model laws. South Dakota was at the bottom of the list with only three of the recommended laws on its books.

Of the 15 model laws listed by the AHAS, mandatory requirements for safety-related devices such as seatbelts, motorcycle helmets and child safety seats are some. Also included are laws applying to teen driving, distracted driving and drunken driving. An interesting fact: Back in 2001, only 10 states in the Union had 0.08 percent blood-alcohol limit on the books. By 2005, every state set 0.08 as the legal limit for drunk driving arrests.

Areas in which the group said Maryland fell short were its failure to set 16 as the minimum age for a learner's permit, although the state did raise that from 15 years about nine months ago; passenger and cell phone restrictions on teen drivers and an ignition interlock requirement for any motorist convicted of drunk driving.

Based on reports, Maryland’s adoption of a texting ban, as well as raising the minimum age for an unrestricted license to 18 year old, brought the state up from last year’s number 18 ranking to fourth this year.

Maryland ranks high on safety report card, BaltimoreSun.com, January 12, 2010

Depending on the speed of a car or truck accident, injuries to the occupants of the vehicles can be substantial. Seatbelts, also known as safety belts, provide a first line of defense against severe injury or death. Bus accidents are particularly dangerous since passengers rarely use or even have seatbelts available to them. Being a Maryland auto accident and personal injury lawyer, I know how critical using seatbelts is to passenger survival.

According to a recent news report, eight people were injured as a result of a bus-car crash in Baltimore, MD. The motor vehicle accident occurred in the early morning of December 19. Based on that report, Maryland police personnel along with EMS emergency crews arrived at the accident scene not long after the crash. The bus involved in the wreck was carrying individuals with special needs, according to police.

The crash, which took place at 8am on the 3200 block of Philadelphia Road in Baltimore, was apparently caused by a small passenger sedan that had rear-ended a taxi, which had stopped on the road prior to the accident. Police reported that following the collision, the sedan subsequently crossed the road’s center line, heading into the oncoming traffic lane where it struck the special needs bus.

There were eight victims who sustained injuries in the crash. Emergency crews helped to transport eight people to local medical facilities for treatment of their injuries. Two of the eight victims were transported via ambulance to the Shock Trauma center. Two more victims were transported to Bayview Medical Center, while four others were transported to Upper Chesapeake for treatment by medical personnel.

The identity of the driver in the passenger car was not immediately know, nor were the extent of that person’s injuries. As for the others injured in the accident, healthcare officials at the various medical facilities had not released the identities or the condition of those delivered to hospitals in the area.

8 Injured In Collision Involving Bus, WBALTV.com, December 29, 2009

No matter if you’re from Annapolis, Washington, D.C., Baltimore or anywhere else in Maryland, more than one person has seen the result of a roll-over accident on a highway or rural road. Roll-over crashes are particularly common with sport utility vehicles (or SUVs), which have a high center of gravity and can tip over much more easily than a sedan or other low-slung passenger car. Minivans can also be involved in roll-over crashes in Maryland, meaning multiple passengers can be hurt or killed as a result.

As Maryland car accident attorneys, I and my colleagues have represented dozens upon dozens of victims of motor vehicle collisions, including roll-over accidents. Seatbelts, of course, save lives and I stand by their use. But in a roll-over situation, not even a seatbelt can save a person 100 percent of the time.

A recent article pointed up the danger of driving not only an SUV, but also mixing possible drug or alcohol use with vehicle operation. According to reports, an out-of-state motorist was involved in a single-vehicle accident along U.S. 15 near U.S 40. The accident occurred just after 4pm on January 7 when 37-year-old Michael Edward Brooks apparently swerved his sport utility vehicle off the southbound lane of U.S. 15.

The man’s SUV ended up at the bottom of an embankment near West Patrick Street in Frederick County, according to Maryland State Police. After rescue personnel arrived at the scene, the Pennsylvania resident was treated and then flown to Washington County Hospital with several injuries he received when the vehicle overturned during the accident. Fortunately for the driver, it appears that none of his injuries were life-threatening.

Due to the nature of the crash, police investigators checked the interior of the vehicle and found some type of illegal paraphernalia, however charges were still pending at the time of the news report. Emergency workers also rescued the man’s injured dog, which was trapped inside from the SUV. Rescue workers attached to the Independent Hose Company turned the dog over to the Frederick County Animal Control.

SUV driver injured in crash, FrederickNewsPost.com, January 08, 2010

Product liability suits arise out of faulty or poorly designed parts or components. In the case of automobile accidents, defective vehicle equipment, such as tires, steering system parts, brakes or air bags can either result in injury or death, or exacerbate the effects of a car or truck crash. As Maryland auto injury attorneys, my firm understands that car and truck collisions happen for all kinds of reasons including defective equipment.

A defective automobile part or component can cause a driver to lose control of his or her vehicle resulting in a possible traffic accident and personal injury. Depending on what system or safety equipment failed, the resulting wreck can cause injuries from cuts and bruises to serious internal bleeding, damaged organs and even fatal brain or spinal trauma.

According to reports, a 36-year-old Baltimore County resident lost his life when his truck went out of control, slid down an embankment on Mount Carmel Road and crashed. According to police, Richard Winkler III, of the 3200 block of Mount Carmel Road, was driving his 1990 Chevy pickup in the westbound lane near Masemore Road in Parkton just after 11pm when the truck crossed the center line, overturned and rolled down an embankment.

Emergency crews attempted to rescue and revive the man, however he was pronounced dead at the scene. It was unknown at the time if the roll-over was to blame for the man’s death or if he died as the truck hit the bottom of the embankment. Police were unsure, at the time of the report, whether or not the accident was caused by the record-breaking snowfall in the area or if it was due to defective vehicle equipment or driver area. An investigation was no doubt needed to determine the cause.

Man dies after crashing his truck in Parkton, BaltimoreSun.com, December 22, 2009