Maryland Car Accident Attorney Blog

As automobile accident lawyers, Lebowitz-Mzhen, LLC 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

Fate doesn’t discriminate when it comes to sports heroes or entertainment celebrities, which is why it wasn’t too surprising to read that swimming sensation Michael Phelps was recently involved in a three-car accident in the metropolitan Baltimore. As a Maryland automobile accident lawyer, I have represented clients who have far less fame, but just as much claim to recompense for medical costs for injuries sustained or damages suffered as a result of a multi-vehicle collision.

In this case, the costs are most likely for bent metal and not for serious injuries, such as spinal cord injury, or wrongful death as occurs in high-speed automobile crashes. According to news articles, Phelps was driving his Cadillac Escalade through a downtown intersection when it was struck by another car whose driver apparently igonored a red traffic signal. Police said that the 28-year-old Maryland woman whose Honda Accord hit Phelps' SUV will be cited for running the red light.

Fortunately for Phelps he only suffered a minor injury to his right ankle during the vehicle collision, which reportedly will not affect his upcoming training. On the other hand, the Olympian must still go to court because he allegedly was driving on a suspended Michigan driver's license, which reportedly was due to Phelps not paying earlier fine for failing to show proof of insurance.

According to news articles, even though Phelps moved into a $1.7 million waterfront Baltimore condo about one year ago, he has yet to establish legal residency in Maryland. Because of this, police issued him a $40 citation. Also, Phelps had told police that he had consumed a beer about 75 minutes before the accident; however reports indicate that police ruled out alcohol as a contributing factor to the accident. This is fortunate for Phelps as well due to his 2004 conviction for driving while impaired -- he was sentenced to 18 months' probation at that time.

Michael Phelps says he drank one beer over an hour before car crash, NYDailyNews.com, August 17, 2009

As a Maryland automobile accident lawyer and motorist myself, I see examples daily of people exposing themselves to unnecessary personal injury -- and sometimes death -- from traffic-related accidents. The summer especially is a time of increased car-pedestrian accidents. In fact, just the other day while driving down a well-traveled four-lane street, I noted a homeowner pulling weeds from around a light pole just inches away from the curb. With her back to oncoming traffic, this person was apparently unaware of or unconcerned with the cars and trucks passing barely three feet away at 35 miles per hour, sometimes faster.

This incident reminded me of a recent news story about a man, a Good Samaritan of sorts, who was critically injured while observing another unrelated vehicle collision. Having represented people injured by a motor vehicle while on foot, I see this kind of scenario many times over in the courtroom. According to reports, a 44-year-old Clinton, MD, man was hit by a car earlier this summer on Route 32 near I-95 in Howard County.

Police reports showed that Franklin Trowell Jr. was on the eastbound shoulder of the road checking a vehicle accident that had just occurred at around four o’clock in the morning. Perhaps the victim should have exercised more caution, due to the darkness at that hour, however he apparently was more concerned about the other people involved in the earlier accident.

Suddenly without warning, Trowell was struck by a 1998 Chevrolet Cavalier driven by a Laurel man. According to police, 55-year-old Leonard Supsic lost control of the Cavalier, which left the roadway and hit Trowell.

When police and emergency personnel arrived they treated the man and transported him to the Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore, where he was listed in critical condition. The human body is no match against a 2,500-pound vehicle and these kinds of car-pedestrian accidents can result in personal injuries ranging from minor cuts and bruises to much more serious bone fractures, damaged internal organs, internal bleeding, as well as traumatic spinal and brain injuries.

To casually ignore the potential for injury or death at the hands of another motorist is hardly a responsible way to go about one’s everyday life. While feeling justified that others must watch out for you, being in the right might feel good initially, but once a traffic accident has occurred, being “dead right” is not the way most people would prefer to be remembered by their friends and family.

Clinton man in critical condition after being hit by car, BaltimoreSun.com, May 29, 2009

For anyone has had a loved die in a senseless traffic accident as a result of poor roadway design or traffic signal placement, it’s hard to imagine that local governments would be slow to remedy even the least dangerous traffic hazards. Still, as Maryland automobile accident lawyers, we at Lebowitz-Mhzen, LLC have represented clients who even the most casual observer would say had a legitimate claim against a local or state government for not doing its utmost to protect motorists.

In Washington County, MD, just such a situation is brewing. Although a reduced speed limit, as well as other changes have been made on Eastern Boulevard since June, news reports suggest that traffic safety in the area near a local YMCA entrance is not nearly what it should be.

According to reports, there had been three accidents on that stretch of road in the span of two months, one of them fatal. On June 16, four days after that fatal accident, the county’s highway department reportedly reduced the speed limit on Eastern Boulevard from 40 mph to 30 mph for about 600 feet on either side of the intersection in an effort to cause drivers to slow down.

Despite the addition to other roadway enhancements to slow drivers down and make it easier for cross-traffic to turn onto the roadway, local residents have complained to highway authorities to put in a traffic signal.

But according to local news reports, justification for a traffic light must be based on crash history. Sadly, federal guidelines state that an intersection must have a certain volume of traffic and a record of five or more reported crashes in a 12-month period that could have been prevented with a traffic light. And even if those conditions are met, the manual says a traffic light shouldn’t be considered until alternative solutions are tried, with sufficient observation and enforcement.

Based on Maryland State Highway Administration data, which shows there was one crash per year at the intersection in 2005, 2006 and 2007, nothing much is likely to be done. Others disagree with the data. Some local residents report that they have seen many more accidents than that.

Regardless, this is one example of where an experienced auto accident attorney can help the victims of a traffic accident. No matter the cause, it is always an excellent idea to consult a qualified legal professional for advice and counsel regarding any potential claims against another party.

Eastern Boulevard safety improvements help, but fall short, Herald-Mail.com, August 8, 2009

Speaking for myself, as a Maryland auto accident attorney, one of the most difficult things I’ve had to do in this job is try to comfort family members who have lost a loved on in a car or truck accident. Any accidental death is traumatic for those close to the victim, but automobile crashes are violent events and it’s so hard for the survivors to deal with the untimely death of a spouse, parent, child or sibling.

In Boston, Annapolis, Washington, D.C., or anywhere across this great state, our car accident lawyers come up against the harsh reality wrought by others’ mistakes. Recently, three members from the same family were involved in a horrendous single-vehicle crash that left two dead and a third in serious condition at a local hospital.

According to reports, a 57-year-old woman was driving her bother and her son eastbound on Maryland Route 4 near Lothian, MD, during the early evening hours of August 3. Police reports indicate that the vehicle was near Lower Pindell Road when it inexplicably left the roadway, struck a sign post, then rolled down an embankment and overturned into a stand of trees.

Until an accident investigation is completed, it is difficult to know if the crash was caused by faulty equipment, such as the car’s steering or suspension system, or if it was a case of driver error. A vehicle crash is bad enough, but when combined with a rollover scenario or impact with stationary objects, such as tree in this case, injuries to the occupants can range from broken bones to traumatic brain injury and spinal damage.

Whatever the cause in the particular accident, the result was devastating. Anne Arundel County Fire Department personnel had to cut the driver and her 67-year-old bother out of the mangled vehicle, but sadly both of them were pronounced dead at the scene. The driver’s 19-year-old son was still alive, but suffered multiple injuries. He was transported to Prince George's Hospital Center in Cheverly, where he was initially listed in serious condition. One thing is certain, the friends and relatives of these victims will have a difficult time coming to terms with their loss.

Two killed, one seriously injured in Lothian accident, BaltimoreSun.com, August 4, 2009

There are still three months left in Maryland’s boating season, and yet we have already exceeded last year’s total maritime deaths. As Maryland auto accident and personal injury lawyers, we at Lebowitz-Mzhen, LLC see this as a potentially alarming trend. Just like with automobile accidents, boating injuries and fatalities are typically a result of one or all of the following:

1) Driver inexperience or error
2) Drunken driving, or boating while intoxicated
3) Unfavorable water and/or weather conditions
4) Equipment failure

Injuries or fatalities that result because of the first three of these usually point to negligence on the part of the captain and/or the owner of the boat. The last one, equipment failure, could be attributable to the captain/owner, a repair or maintenance facility, or the manufacturer of the boat or specific piece of equipment. Whatever the reason for such as failure, if you or a loved one has been injured as a result of defective watercraft equipment, you should retain an attorney experienced in this type of personal injury law.

According to news reports, 10 people have died on Maryland’s waterways, 11-percent more than last year, and despite safety campaigns and concentrated enforcement by Natural Resources Police. In the majority of the accidents -- including one last month involving an 11-year-old girl -- the victims were reportedly not wearing life jackets.

It is a general rule of law that the captain and/or the boat owner must exercise the utmost level of caution to prevent injuries from occurring to swimmers, passengers in the boat, or anyone else who may be in the surrounding area. This responsibility can extend to requiring passengers to wear floatation devices as required by law.

The current death toll in Maryland apparently also concerns NRP officers because of its geographical sweep, from Deep Creek Lake to Eastern Shore rivers. As is unfortunately too common, the most recent fatality in Baltimore County involved alcohol, according to police. Drinking and piloting a boat can be a deadly combination, as the current statistics indicate.

Since the 2004 and 2005 boating seasons, when the state recorded a total of 27 fatalities, NRP officers have lowered this total using increased patrols, especially on weekends and holidays. The combined total in 2007 and 2008 dropped to 19, which reportedly put Maryland in line with trends elsewhere. Part of the increase in fatalities this season may be lower gas prices, which encourage more boaters to go out on the water.

Continue reading " Maryland Boating Deaths Exceed Last Year's Total with Three Months Still Remaining " »

It seems there has been a spate of tragic car accidents in Maryland of late. The recent death of a well-known doctor in the Salisbury area is one such example, but also in the headlines was a very sad car crash that took the life of three women and an unborn baby. As Maryland automobile accident lawyers, Lebowitz-Mzhen LLC has represented many accident victims and their families in cases just like this one.

According to reports, 19-year-old Katrina Morrison, Lori Cardwell and Darlene Cardwell were all killed in a fiery traffic accident in Blatimore County as they were driving home from a visit down south where they attended the recent graduation of Morrison’s fiancé from Army basic training. News reports state that Morrison was carrying her fiancé’s baby, which also died in the crash.

It all happened in the early morning hours of July 27 as the three women were traveling in a Chevrolet Aveo through White Marsh, MD. At the intersection of Honeygo and White Marsh boulevards, the Aveo crossed into the path of a large street-sweeper and was hit T-bone style and pushed down the road for about 100 yards. According to Baltimore County fire officials, the three adults were all killed instantly in the collision as the car burst into flames.

Police reports indicate that the driver of the street-sweeper, which belonged to J&M Sweeping Services, was returning from a job in Towson, Maryland, to the company garage when the accident occurred. At the time of the news story, Baltimore County police did not know whether or not the car or the street-sweeper had the right-of-way, or if the larger vehicle had a possible equipment defect that made it impossible to avoid the accident.

If the Aveo did have the right of way, then there is a possibility that this incident could result in a wrongful death lawsuit on the part of the women’s families. In any case, it would be important to have the most experienced auto accident lawyers on the job for this case. The potential pain and suffering, as well as the families’ significant loss is too terrible for any family member to quantify, which is why you need a qualified legal professional to be your advocate during a time of great tragedy.

Pregnant 19-year-old Katarina Morrison killed in a car accident, Philly.com, July 29, 2009

Practicing in the Baltimore area, our Maryland auto accident lawyers see numerous victims of car, truck and SUV crashes caused by faulty equipment or driver error. While every fatal automobile accident is tragic, it is all the more heartbreaking when the victim is well know in the community. Recently, the chief of pediatrics at Peninsula Regional Medical Center in Salisbury was killed when his Mercedes unexpectedly left the roadway and hit a disabled truck and trailer on the shoulder of Route 50.

The accident occurred last Wednesday around 2:25 in the afternoon, when 50-year-old Dr. José Alvarado was driving east along Maryland’s Route 50 close to Sixty Foot Road near Pittsville, MD. Suddenly, and apparently without any warning, the man’s convertible went out of control and left the road. It hit a 21-foot long trailer that was hitched to a disabled truck on the roadside. The force of the crash was such that the trailer lost two of its axles in the collision.

According to reports, the Mercedes was terribly mangled in the crash that left Alvarado in critical condition. Emergency crews treated and transported him to the Shock-Trauma Center at University of Maryland Hospital. He died later that night.

Police had not yet determined a cause for the accident, however since the incident occurred in the daylight hours and did not, according to reports, involve any other moving vehicles on the road, it is possible that a blown tire or defective vehicle component may have resulted in the vehicle going out of control.

Highway accidents involving stationary vehicles, such as the truck and trailer combination with which Alvarado’s vehicle collided, can be very deadly. Couple that with the fact that the doctor was driving a convertible, which has much less protection for the driver and passengers, and you have a large opportunity for a tragic outcome. Head injuries and traumatic brain injures are also possible with open-topped vehicles, versus sedans and other closed-type models.

Continue reading " Salisbury Doctor Killed in Car Crash on Route 50 near Pittsville, Maryland " »

Whether you’re from Baltimore, Annapolis, Columbia or anywhere else in Maryland, as an experienced auto accident lawyer I have a good idea what saves lives and limits injuries when it comes to traffic accidents. Seatbelts would be at the top of my list. It doesn’t matter what kind of vehicle you drive – SUV, pickup truck, luxury automobile or economy car, wearing your seatbelt can make the difference between life and death in the case of a car crash.

A recent police report made it quite clear that seatbelt use is not just a good idea, it’s essential to protecting yourself as a driver or passenger. An object lesson would be the single-vehicle crash that happened last month in Prince Frederick, MD.

According to reports, a man and woman were seriously injured on Sandy Point Road when the vehicle in which they were riding went out of control and hit a tree. The accident happened in the early morning hours of July 1. The Calvert County Sheriff's Office Patrol Division and Crash Reconstruction Team (CRT) responded soon after to the scene.

A 1997 Mazda Protégé 4-door sedan, driven by 29-year-old Jason Louis Copsey was traveling westbound on Sandy Point Road in the area of Sixes Road. As the vehicle entered a sweeping right turn in the roadway, Copsey apparently lost control of the car and failed to make the turn. Leaving the road, the Mazda crashed into a tree to one side of the road. The impact caused the vehicle to roll over several times.

Rollover accidents are quite dramatic and can result in serious injuries to the occupants, including broken bones and lacerations, as well as head and spine trauma and internal injuries. The results can be worse if the occupants are not wearing their seatbelts. For those who think that airbags do the same job as a seatbelt, this is not usually the case.

In this instance, the front-seat passenger, 38-year-old Heather Lynne Hutchins of Prince Frederick, was wearing her seatbelt and came out of the accident with just minor injuries. However the driver, who was not using his seatbelt at the time of the crash, was partially ejected from the vehicle as it rolled. As a consequence, the man received life-threatening injuries and was transported to Prince Georges County Shock Trauma.

Although alcohol is a suspected factor in this particular crash, the condition of the two occupants shows that wearing a seatbelt will improve your chances of avoiding serious injury during an automobile accident. I always remind my friends and family to buckle up regardless of whether it’s a short trip to the grocery store or a weekend getaway out of state.

Calvert County Sheriff's Reports, SoMd.com, July 25, 2009

Automotive safety equipment is not supposed to hurt or kill you, yet that is what appears to be the risk with nearly half a million Honda and Acura models being driven in Baltimore and other cities in and around Maryland. According to reports, the defective component is part of the vehicles’ steering wheel airbag system and could cause serious injury or even death to the driver or passengers of these sedans.

Already one fatality and several other lesser injuries have been tied to the airbag defect. Honda announced back in November 2008 that it would be recalling some of its 2001 model year Accord and Civic sedans, but has recently added an additional 440,000 vehicles to the recall.

The potentially life-threatening defect is part of the airbag inflation system in these top-selling Japanese sedans. According to news reports, the inflator assembly can rupture as a result of excessive air pressure, which then can cause metal fragments to shoot through the airbag and possibly hit the occupants.

As a Maryland auto accident and personal injury lawyer, this type of vehicle problem can only make an automobile crash worse by possibly hurting the victims even further. Nobody expects that an automotive safety device will actually cause them harm, but in this case it could happen. As a result, Honda is now recalling the affected vehicles.

The safety recall covers certain 2001 and 2002 Accords, 2001 Civics and some 2002 and 2003 model Acura TL sedans. The driver's side airbag is the defective component on the affected vehicles. Owners can check to see if their vehicle is affected by visiting Honda’s owner website and logging on. Honda has said that it is encouraging owners to wait until they receive a recall notice before going to a dealership, since it may take a while for the inflator units to be in stock.

Honda recalls 440,000 cars for airbag risk, MSNBC.com, July 31, 2009