Deer in Roadway Causes Fatal Accident in Salisbury

Earlier this month in Salisbury, Maryland, a driver collided with a deer, resulting in a fatal accident that claimed one woman’s life and injured another. According to one local news report, the accident occurred on Nanticoke Road in Salisbury at around 6:35 in the evening.

Evidently, the driver of a Nissan Altima was heading westbound on Salisbury Road when she struck a deer. The deer went airborne and crashed into the front windshield of an oncoming vehicle. The deer actually went through the front windshield and hit the driver, who was thrown from the vehicle. She was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency workers. The cause of death was listed as a fatal head injury. It appears that she was not wearing her seatbelt at the time of the accident.

The driver of the Altima, the car that initially struck the deer, was taken to Peninsula Regional Medical Center, where she was treated for minor injuries and released later that evening. Police have declined to press any charges in relation to the fatal accident.

Accidents Involving Animals on Maryland Roads

Given that much of Maryland’s thousands of miles of roads are through rural areas, the possibility for animals to be present on the roadway almost always exists. This is especially true during times of day when animals are most active, specifically dusk and dawn.

The accident described above is somewhat unique in that the accident initially involved only one vehicle and the deer, but the deer was propelled into another vehicle. In cases such as this, there are numerous potential avenues of recovery for the family of the deceased driver.

First, the driver’s family may consider bringing a personal injury lawsuit against the driver who struck the deer, if the facts suggest negligence on her part. If the driver should have been able to avoid the deer, but was unable to because she was speeding, distracted, or intoxicated at the time, there may be liability on the other driver’s part.

However, if that is not the case, the victim’s family may be able to seek recovery through their loved one’s auto insurance policy. Generally speaking, an insurance policy will cover these types of accidents, given that they are due to no fault of the insured. To learn more about how to recover in Maryland car accident cases, speak to a Maryland car accident attorney.

Have You Been Involved in a Serious Maryland Car Accident?

If you or a loved one has recently been involved in any kind of serious Maryland car accident, you may be entitled to monetary compensation based on the other driver’s negligence. If the other driver is found to have not acted negligently, you may then have a claim under your own insurance. However, you cannot expect that an insurance company will willingly pay what is deserved. It is therefore best to have an experienced attorney representing you throughout the process to ensure that you are treated fairly. To learn more about recovering after an accident, and to speak to a dedicated personal injury attorney about your case, call 410-654-3600 today to set up a free consultation with an attorney.

More Blog Posts:

Sport Utility Vehicle Crashes into High-School Cafeteria, Maryland Car Accident Attorney Blog, published December 2, 2014.

Uninsured Driver Convicted for Maryland Girl’s Death, Maryland Car Accident Attorney Blog, published January 19, 2014.

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