Maryland Car Accident Attorney Blog

According to news reports, Anne Arundel prosecutors' arguement that the death of a 73-year-old Howard Wright of Gambrills, MD, was likely the result of aggressive driving was apparenlty not sufficiently persuassive. As a result, the court recently sentenced an Annapolis resident to just six months in jail for killing the grandfather of six when his Toyota crashed head-on into the older man's classic car two years ago. The two-car crash, which happened along a curved portion of Defense Highway near Nob Hill Dr., was caused when the the Toyota driver crossed the centerline. Prosecutors claimed that the defendant, Savvas Andres Pantelides, was going 80mph in a 45mph zone when the vehicles collided.

Pantelides’ defense attorney said his client was going no faster than 55 mph in the 45 mph zone when his vehicle struck Wright’s 1936 Ford 5-window coupe on June 25, 2009. According to news reports, the now-20-year-old Pantelides entered an Alford guilty plea to one count of auto manslaughter. For those unfamiliar with the term, an Alford plea allows a defendant to maintain his innocence while at the same time admitting to the court that the prosecution has sufficient evidence to convict him or her (the Alford plea carries the same consequences as that of pleading guilty).

In an earlier report, during the entering of the defendant's plea, court records showed that the judge in the case would likely sentence Pantelides to six months for his part in the fatal car wreck. While this garnered disbelief from the victim’s family members, others believed it to be a fair sentence. Maintaining that the crash was an accident, Pantelides' father reportedly said that his son was sorry and that he never meant to hurt anyone.

According to news reports, Pantelides was allegedly traveling eastbound on Defense Highway just before 8pm when his 2003 Toyota Corolla collided head-on with Wright's westbound Ford coupe. As a result of the wreck, Wright died at the scene and Pantelides was flown to the Maryland Shock Trauma Center with serious injuries. The younger driver was reportedly in a coma for five days following the crash and spent another 55 days in the hospital; he has had to undergo nearly a dozen reconstructive surgeries on his legs and abdomen over the past year and a half.

Continue reading " Annapolis Man Gets 6 Months for Head-on Car Crash that Killed Anne Arundel Grandfather " »

Ask almost any survivor of a serious injury car crash and you’ll probably find that he or she went through extensive medical treatments and may have avoided life-threatening injuries such as head trauma, spinal cord damage or internal injuries. As personal injury attorneys serving the Maryland and Washington, D.C. area, we understand the pain, discomfort and financial cost that can be the inevitable consequence of a car, truck or motorcycle crash.

A while back, a story caught our eye regarding the long-awaited homecoming of a Westminster woman who was severely hurt during a traffic accident last September. According to news reports, 29-year-old Mary Medicus was involved in a terrible head-on collision with a drunk driver along a stretch of Interstate 795. At the time of the accident, Medicus and her father were reportedly traveling home from a music concert in Baltimore in the early morning hours just before the crash on September 10.

At about 3am, the family members’ vehicle was struck head-on by a drunken motorist driving his vehicle in the wrong direction on the interstate with no headlights. That man, Davis E. Patterson of Reisterstown, MD, was killed as a result of the wreck. Medicus was transporter to University of Maryland Shock Trauma after the crash and then spent the first of her three-month recovery in a coma.

Restricted to a hospital bed even now that she is home, Medicus said that she can’t believe she survived the ordeal. Her recovery has apparently been amazing since her injuries were so serious; following the crash, the woman’s skull was starting to separate from her spinal column, her legs were broken and she had a split breast bone. Her other injuries included shattered knees, crushed right heel and broken ribs on her right side.

Her medical treatments included 17 operations, yet doctors expect that she will need additional surgeries in the future. Medicus was told that she could have lost her right foot if it hadn’t been for the efforts of the Pikesville volunteer fire company, who rescued her from her smashed vehicle.

Continue reading " Baltimore Auto Accident Update: Westminster, MD, Driver Returns Home following 3-Month Hospital Stay " »

Drivers who attempt to operate their vehicles while under the influence of alcohol have been a source of pain and heartache for decades. Not only do these motorists cause countless injury accidents, they also contribute the unacceptably high traffic death toll on our nation’s roadways. As a Baltimore personal injury lawyers and automobile accident attorneys, we have seen this first-hand over the years.

But alcohol-related accidents are not the only problem. According to published statistics drugged driving could probably become much more common. Add this trend to the already significant amount of alcohol DWI-related accidents and you have a recipe for the continuation of senseless and potentially tragic car and commercial truck wrecks. It’s a problem that is fast becoming a concern for law enforcement authorities and proponents of traffic safety.

As a law firm that represents victims of car collisions and motorcycle accidents in Maryland and Washington, D.C., we are hardly surprised by the hardly inconsequential figures that show drivers in the District are very likely to encounter another motorist driving under the influence of prescription medication or other controlled substance. Known as drug DUI, this dangerous phenomenon if left unchecked could lead to increased instances of fatal single-car accidents and multiple-vehicle traffic wrecks as time goes by.

Based on a news article, three out of 10 motorists who die in car accidents in Washington, D.C., test positive for some type of drug, including over-the-counter medicines and illegal drugs. In Maryland, that number is even higher at about 25 percent. Sadly, the statistics show that drivers in this state are more likely to be driving under the influence of drugs than the rest of the country, which the article states averages around one in five.

It’s important to point out that not every victim testing positive for drugs had significant amounts of a drug in his or her system, according to reports. Nevertheless, this should certainly be a wake-up call for every driver who values safe travel on our public roads and who wishes to protect their family and loved ones from harm due to the possible negligence of another motorist.

Continue reading " Maryland Auto Injury Update: Beware District Roads and Chance of Car Accidents Caused of Drugged Drivers " »

For Maryland drivers who find themselves caught up in a sudden and possibly serious injury accident on one of the state’s highways, rural roads or urban streets, the pain of injuries sustained during a car crash are sometimes equaled only by the cost of medical treatment for same. As Baltimore personal injury lawyers and car, motorcycle and trucking accident attorneys, I and my staff understand the uphill battle that injured parties can sometimes face.

From the standpoint of the negligent party, be it a taxi or livery driver, a trucker behind the wheel of an 18-wheel rig, or a passenger car driver who may have been texting or otherwise impaired by drugs or alcohol, they already have representation, their insurance company. That’s right, many a negligent driver -- the man or woman who caused the collision and subsequent serious injuries to others -- is almost always represented by a lawyer on behalf of an insurance company.

As an auto accident attorney, I know that negligent drivers have the strength of a large insurance company on their side. The job of corporate attorneys is to keep the plaintiff from receiving fair compensation for any injuries the victim(s) may have sustained as a result of the negligent driver’s actions.

Our job, as experienced personal injury attorneys is to represent our clients who have suffered serious medical conditions and, as a result, incurred costly hospital treatment and extended rehabilitation and physical therapy bills. From soft tissue injuries to spinal damage and life-threatening traumatic brain injury, the results of a car, motorcycle or trucking-related traffic accident can have lasting and negative effects on a victim and his or her family.

Other injuries that can result from a serious highway crash include: fractures of the shoulder, arm or wrist; herniated spinal discs; tearing of the rotator cuff, partial or permanent paralysis; broken femur, tibia or ankle; ruptured spleen or injury to the other internal organs.

As practicing lawyers in the Washington, D.C. and Baltimore area, as well as other cities and towns throughout Maryland, we see the range of physical and emotional harm caused by senseless and many times preventable car and truck accidents. If you or a loved one is hurt or seriously injured as a result of another’s negligence, seek the advice of a qualified attorney to better understand your options.

Single-vehicle accidents can be caused by a number of factors, not the least of which is human error. While lapses in judgment or loss of concentration on the highway can lead to a serious auto wreck, mechanical problems can also cause a driver to lose control of a vehicle. In those types of cases, defective vehicle equipment is a likely reason for a crash.

As a Maryland car accident lawyer, I realize that every traffic wreck has its own characteristics, which means that no two accidents can be treated quite the same. All the more reason to enlist the services of a qualified legal professional, especially in situations where someone has lost their life in tragic wreck possibly caused by another individual’s negligence.

A short time ago, a young woman was killed on I-70 in Howard County when she apparently lost control of her vehicle while trying to avoid another, slower moving vehicle. According to police reports, 24-year-old Ashley Marie Matthews was driving a Ford Explorer carrying her and two other passengers. The sport utility vehicle (SUV) was traveling west on I-70 in Ellicott City when it came upon an unidentified white-colored SUV, which was reportedly going slower than Matthew’s Ford.

Apparently in an attempt to avoid hitting the other vehicle, Matthews tried to steer her truck around the other vehicle but could not maintain control of the Ford, according to Maryland State Police. As a result, the Explorer apparently rolled over fatally injuring the driver and seriously injuring the other two passengers.

Emergency responders arriving at the crash site declared Matthews dead at the scene. The other two passengers, 27-year-old Brandon Phillip Gaskins and 22-year-old Trevell Leigh Brooks, were taken transported to Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore for treatment. At the time of the news report, Gaskins was listed in serious condition; Brooks reportedly had non-life-threatening injuries. Based on initial police findings, alcohol and speed were likely major factors in the crash.

State police identify I-70 crash victim, BaltimoreSun.com, January 2, 2011

Having seen our share of auto-accident injuries over the years, I and my colleagues understand the damage and suffering that can result from a poor driving decision or other individual choice. In the more serious of injury accidents, a car crash can cause prolonged of even permanent damage to a person’s head, neck or lower spine.

As a Maryland personal injury attorney and car accident lawyer, I know how easy it is for a simple error in judgment to lead to a potentially life-threatening outcome. Drivers and passengers in automobiles, city buses and commercial trucks have from time to time died as a result of another’s negligent behavior.

Whether a serious traffic wreck occurs in Baltimore, Annapolis, the District or anywhere else across Maryland, the results can be difficult for the victims and their families going forward. A recent incident in Glen Burnie County illustrates what can happen when a driver is possible impaired due to use of controlled substances. Illegal drugs and even doctor-prescribed prescription medication can increase the chances of a bad collision depending on the individual circumstances.

The accident in this case involved a total of four cars and ended with one driver dead and several other people injured. According to county police, alleged drug use may have contributed to a chain-reaction crash that killed 24-year-old William Edward Gruber III on a Thursday morning.

Based on police reports, Gruber was driving a 1991 Honda Accord eastbound on East Ordnance Rd just before 8am when fore some reason the man’s vehicle rear-ended a Chevrolet Monte Carlo, driven by 59-year-old Linda Darnell Bohlen Lassiter, which was waiting to make a left turn onto Blades Lane. The force of the crash pushed the Chevy into the rear of Dodge pickup truck also waiting to make a left turn.

As a result of the initial collision between Gruber's Honda and the Chevy caused the man’s Honda to spin across into westbound lanes of the roadway, where it was hit an oncoming Dodge Caravan driven by 58-year-old Elizabeth Mund of Pasadena, MD.

Continue reading " Maryland Automobile Injury News: Drug Use Suspected in Fatal 4-Vehicle Glen Bernie Co. Traffic Accident " »

While many people will be quick to advise a fast exit from a disabled vehicle on the highway or busy beltway, it’s important to realize that injury accidents can happen even when a vehicle is stopped on the roadside. Car and commercial trucks collisions happen daily in Baltimore, Frederick, Rockville and all across this state, and as Maryland auto accident attorneys and personal injury lawyers we can surely say that danger of injury or death still exists when your car, SUV or minivan is stranded on the shoulder of an expressway or heavily traveled rural route.

That said, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Not only do motorists risk life and limb whenever they get out of their vehicle, but in the event of a serious accident medical bills and lost wages can put a terrible pinch on an average family’s bank account. Not long ago, two people were killed outside of their cars in the Washington, D.C. area. This only illustrates, in the saddest of terms, my point about being extremely cautious when venturing out of the relative safety of a disabled motor vehicle.

According to new reports, one of the fatal car accidents occurred just after 1am on the Baltimore-Washington Pkwy in the Laurel area. In that instance, the driver did what many people (mainly men, we suspect) would do in a similar situation. Based on U.S. Park Police reports, a driver was in the process of pushing his vehicle along the southbound stretch of the parkway when he was struck from behind by another vehicle.

The victim’s vehicle apparently had a mechanical problem, which prompted the man to get out the vehicle and try to push it out of the way of other traffic. Police stated that the crash happened between Rte 197 and 1Rte 98.

A second incident, which occurred later that day, took place along Dulles Toll Rd. near Tysons Corner. According to news reports, two drivers were in the road apparently assessing the damage to the individuals’ vehicles -- a pickup truck and a taxi cab -- which had collided in a minor traffic accident in the center lane of the eastbound side of the roadway.

As the men were talking, a third vehicle, an SUV, hit the two damaged vehicles. The driver of the pickup truck, Kenneth Edward Wright of Frederick, was apparently standing very close to point of collision. He was fatally injured in the crash.

According to police authorities, motorists who find themselves in a broken down vehicle should get off the road and call police. As evidenced from these tragic events, that advice should be taken seriously by anyone who finds themselves in a similar situation.

Two people killed outside vehicles on D.C. area highways, WashingtonPost.com, November 19, 2010

While it may be a too little too late, be advised that the latest spate of winter weather has caused thousands of traffic accidents throughout Maryland and the rest of the east coast. Car and truck crashes have accounted for numerous injury accidents over the past couple months in cities like Frederick, Annapolis and Washington, D.C. As a Baltimore auto injury accident lawyer, my concern is that driving conditions will continue to exacerbate what can be serious automobile and commercial truck wrecks throughout the area.

There are, of course, proper techniques to drive in snowy and icy road conditions. Although no amount of training can guarantee an accident-free commute, applying some tips from driver training organizations can go a long way toward improving one’s chances of arriving at a destination without serious injury.

Already, through the 2010 calendar year, the College of Southern Maryland (CSM) reportedly had a number of driving instructors who trained more than 8,000 students in the important skill of operating a motor vehicle. Even with this practical knowledge, however, many new drivers have had little or no experience with piloting a vehicle through snow, ice and sleet conditions.

While some students are “lucky” enough to have taken a driver’s ed class during the winter months, and thus received hands-on experience maneuvering a car through ice and snow, their numbers are few, according to experts. While most new drivers are schooled mainly in the art of changing lanes and merging into busy expressway traffic, most are unprepared for executing those same maneuvers when visibility is limited and road grip is greatly reduced by a coating of snow or ice.

For those who need a refresher course, here a few tips for winter driving from CSM’s driving instructors:

1) When stuck in snow, avoid spinning your wheels, which only melts the snow and turns it into ice. Use the lowest possible transmission gear and apply the accelerator gently. If your driver wheels start to spin again, let up on the gas and try again once the wheels have ceased spinning. When all else fails, call someone for assistance.

Continue reading " Maryland Accident News: Hazardous Winter Driving Can Lead to Injury Accidents as well as Property Damage " »

Anyone who reads the morning paper or clicks on the local news should be no stranger to the stories of so-called rollover traffic accidents that appear on a fairly frequent basis all around the state. With the large number of sport utility vehicles (SUVs) plying Maryland’s highways and rural roads, rollover automobile crashes are not uncommon. As such, serious injuries and occasional fatalities are also quite common in this type of traffic accident scenario.

As a Baltimore personal injury lawyer, my firm has seen its share of victims from these kinds of violent car crashes. A fair percentage of rollover accidents involve a single vehicle, though multi-vehicle collisions can also precipitate a rollover, depending on the situation and road conditions at the time of the accident.

One thing remains relatively consistent for this category of auto wreck; the occupants are at high risk for severe and even fatal injury. This is due the rolling action of the vehicle, which can dislodge an occupant from their seated position and throw the individual against solid objects within the vehicle. Brain trauma, head and neck injuries, and other bodily injury can also result during such events.

Older SUVs in particular may not have sufficient strength in the A-pillar area, which can be crushed and cause the driver or front passenger to come into contact with the roof of the truck. In other cases, an occupant can even be ejected from the vehicle and thrown onto the roadway.

Depending on various factors, a rollover can seriously injure one or all of the occupants. Not long ago, a Middletown family was involved in a tragic crash that killed the father and critically injured his wife and hurt their two young kids. According to news reports, 30-year-old Paul V. Haxton driving his family in their 2005 Trailblazer around 6pm when the vehicle failed to negotiate a curve in the road.

The truck reportedly left the roadway and ran into a ditch. Based on police reports, the SUV hit a cement culvert, overturning and then rolling several times. In the process, the man and his wife, 29-year-old Trina Haxton who was sitting in the front passenger seat, were both ejected from the truck.

According to the news report, the father was pronounced dead at the scene. The mother survived the crash and was taken by helicopter to Baltimore Shock Trauma where she was listed in critical condition. The couple’s two children, 4-year-old Lyndsey and 6-year-old Hayley, were sitting in the back seat and reportedly suffered only minor injuries -- they were both taken to Kent General Hospital for medical treatment and later released, according to police.

Middletown man dies in Christmas Eve crash, DelmarvaNow.com, December 25, 2010

It seems that some roads and stretches of interstate highways experience a preponderance of traffic accidents. Whether this is due to bad road maintenance, poor signage or other traffic related safety defect is hard to say. Human error can also make it difficult to point to any specific factor that makes a street or roadway appear to be dangerous for drivers and occupants of motor vehicles.

Regardless, when a driver makes a mistake that results in the injury or death of another individual, that person could be found to be negligent in a court of law. Especially in cases of fatal automobile crashes, wrongful death suits are sometimes brought against a motorist by the victim’s family.

As Baltimore personal injury lawyers and auto accident attorneys, our job is to represent car crash victims and their families. Situations that involve the loss of a loved one are particularly heartbreaking, especially when the accident could have been avoided -- senseless car, commercial truck and motorcycle crashes happen far too frequently for anyone to be comfortable with.

Not long ago four people were injured in Baltimore Co. along a stretch of Eastern Boulevard not three miles from the site of another fatal car accident, which occurred just a day prior. According to news reports, the crash involved three different vehicles at the intersection of Eastern Blvd. and Diamond Point Rd. All four people required medical attention, according to police.

The crash happened just before 3pm on a Wednesday afternoon. Police reports indicate that a 1999 Ford Explorer in an eastbound lane executed a left-hand turn directly into the path of an oncoming Oldsmobile heading west on Eastern Blvd. According to police, the force of the collision forced the 1996 Olds across the westbound lanes striking a third vehicle and the curb of the roadway.

A passenger in the Oldsmobile, 28-year-old Tollara Sellman of Baltimore, was taken by medivac helicopter to Maryland Shock Trauma. The driver of the Ford, 32-year-old Christopher R. Butler, was transported to Johns Hopkins Bayview for treatment of undisclosed injuries. The driver of the Olds, David Williams of Brandywine, and his passenger, Malik Oliver of Baltimore were also taken to Bayview. The motorist in the third vehicle was reportedly uninjured as a result of the crash.

At the time of the news article, the cause of the collision was still under investigation, however police did say that a fatal accident the day before occurred just over 2 miles away on another busy stretch of Eastern Boulevard. In that accident, charges were apparently still pending against the driver of a delivery truck that ran a red light, slamming into a passenger car and killing an elderly man who was operating the vehicle.

4 Injured—2 from Essex—in Eastern Blvd. Collision, Patch.com, December 9, 2010

When a traffic accident happens -- whether it involves two passenger vehicles, a car and a motorcycle or a small motor vehicle and a much larger commercial truck -- the results can be tragic for the driver and occupants of either motor vehicle, although the smaller vehicle typically sustains the worst damage. One of the more difficult aspects of any highway or urban accident is when a death occurs in the aftermath.

As experienced personal injury attorneys and auto accident lawyers serving residents of Maryland and the District, we recognize how painful and costly a car or truck crash can actually be. While the initial medical treatment can be very expensive, not to mention absolutely necessary following crashes that are very nearly fatal, the recovery period and rehabilitation costs down the road can add up as well.

No one needs to be reminded that hospitalization can place serious financial stress on many families, especially in the current economy. While insurance companies will try to cut their loses and make a quick settlement, it is always wise to consult with an experienced auto injury attorney who knows the law. It’s easy to see one’s medical costs now, but future treatment for chronic problems arising from a car or truck wreck may not be as obvious.

In cases where a person is killed in a car accident caused by another person’s negligence, no amount of money can bring the deceased back to life. But the emotional pain and suffering experienced by the victim’s family and loved ones remains long after that person is laid to rest.

Not long ago, a 77-year-old woman was killed in a traffic accident that happened near Hollywood, MD, along a stretch of Rte 235 when another driver apparently failed to yield the right of way to the car in which the victim was a passenger. According to news reports, Constance Petrella was riding in the front passenger seat of a 2002 Hyundai driven by her husband, Emanuel, when a van pulled into their path of travel.

Based on police reports, the La Plata resident was critically injured in the accident when a 1990 Chevy van driven by 81-year-old William Jones Sr. pulled out in front of the couple’s vehicle. Petrella was choppered away from the crash scene to Prince George's Hospital Center, while her husband was taken to St. Mary's Hospital.

Sadly, according to reports, the woman died a couple days later at the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore. At the time of the news report, the St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office was still investigating the accident. In the meantime,
Jones, who did not require hospital treatment, was issued a traffic citation for failing to yield the right of way. According to police at the time of the article, there was no indication that speed, alcohol or drugs were contributing factors in the collision.

Crash kills La Plata woman, SoMDNews.com, December 10, 2010

Car, truck and motorcycle accidents happen with alarming frequency these days. In an editorial that asks the question of whether the police in Baltimore have trouble driving well, the author says that the answer depends on who one asks. Not surprisingly, we all expect police officers to maintain exemplary driving records, on- and off-duty. And why not? We expect that most every law enforcement officer receives extensive training in high-performance driving. And, we know that traffic patrol officers spend many hours each day driving hundreds of miles as part of their job.

Still, there is the reality that police officers are human, and just like most of us, they can suffer from the same distractions and potentially deadly driving situations that civilian motorists face. As the editorial writer suggests, pointing to a couple single-vehicle car crashes involving Baltimore officers this past fall, these accidents raise doubts about the quality of training, management and culture of the Baltimore force.

Surprisingly, the columnist said that while he received numerous complains about his column, he heard nothing from the Baltimore PD brass, nor the city’s commissioner of police.

One retired police officer responded to the author’s article, suggesting that sometimes things just go wrong. This is true, as many a Maryland motorist would likely attest; dangerous situations do occur from deer running into the road to another driver’s actions causing distraction at an inopportune moment. As a Maryland auto accident lawyer, I know that the range of possible factors that can lead to a car or motorcycle wreck are too numerous to list here.

To be fair, police officers take an oath to serve and protect the public, yet we ask of them almost super-human abilities. When an officer is racing to the scene of a traffic accident involving a minivan or passenger car and a commercial truck, time can be of the essence and seconds can litterly mean the difference between a serious injury and an untimely and tragic traffic death.

Continue reading " Baltimore Traffic Safety News: Maryland Negligent Car Accidents Can Involve Police and Civilian Drivers " »