Maryland Car Accident Attorney Blog

Being injured through the negligence of another individual can be a painful, costly and sometimes life-changing event. Because we as adults have the advantage of many years of life experience, we can see the world for what it is -- an often dangerous place filled with pitfalls and potential risks. On the other hand, children -- especially those very young -- are generally unaware of many perils that surround them and their parents almost every day.

As relative innocents, very young children can be seen as being more or less blameless in their actions. When a child injures himself while playing with his friends or family, we immediately feel empathy for the youngster; hoping that he both recovers quickly from his injuries and that he learns from the incident, if only that he or she doesn’t repeat it in the future.

However, when a child is injured due to another person’s negligent or thoughtless actions, our reaction tends to be somewhat different. We may feel anger or resentment toward the individual who caused the incident. While the child may not know what occurred or who is to blame, the parents and society take it upon themselves to protect the child’s interests. Depending on the severity of the accident and extent of the child’s injuries, this is the point at which adults may retain the services of a personal injury attorney.

Continue reading "Maryland Injury Accident News: Young South Baltimore Boy Dies in Multi-vehicle Beltway Traffic Collision" »

Almost every driver on Maryland roads has heard the phrase, “Speed Kills,” but fewer among us know of someone who has actually died as a result of a speeding-related traffic accident. Over the years, as Maryland personal injury lawyers representing individuals hurt as a result of car, truck and motorcycle crashes, I and my legal staff have read of numerous roadway collisions where excessive speed was a contributing factor.

Whether you commute in the Baltimore area, or Howie, Gaithersburg or the District, no doubt many readers have seen the aftereffects of car and trucking-related wrecks in which one or more people have been injured or killed. Depending on the speed of such an accident -- not to mention the mass of the vehicles involved -- the injuries received by the victims can range from minor cuts and bruises to more serious compound fractures and back injuries. Some of the most serious and life-threatening injuries sustained by victims of highway wrecks include spinal cord damage and closed-head trauma.

The latter of these injuries can mean weeks or months, sometimes years, of recovery following the initial hospital stay. Some victims of high-speed interstate and rural route car accidents can become permanently disabled and unable to perform even the most basic daily functions. In such cases, an individual’s quality of life can be greatly impacted following the aftermath of a truck or passenger car crash that may have been caused simply by another driver’s inattention or perhaps outright negligent actions.

Continue reading "Baltimore Personal Injury News: Speeding Blamed in Fatal Howard County Traffic Accident that Killed Two Teenagers" »

We’ll be quite frank here: Automobile collisions are one of the most violent kinds of personal injury accidents out there, especially on our high-speed interstates and even on some secondary roads. In fact, as Maryland auto accident lawyers, I and my staff have seen the results of some very serious car, truck and motorcycle crashes. Many of these involved serious injuries -- from compound fractures and internal organ damage, to closed-head trauma and permanent paralysis; some collisions resulted in death of the victim.

Car and trucking-related accidents come in a variety of types and severity. While one would think that maybe a single-car or truck wreck would be less serious than a multiple-vehicle accident, single-vehicle accidents can be one of the worst, especially in the case of a rollover.

We’ve all seen the results of a rollover accident on the highway. Although one may not have realized it at the time some of these rollover accidents involve serious or fatal injuries to one or more of the vehicle occupants. How can this kind of accident, which affects many different vehicles yet tends to be more common in taller vehicles (such as SUVs, Minivans and van-based shuttle buses), be so deadly for the driver and passengers?

Continue reading "Maryland Personal Injury Update: Rollover Traffic Accidents Pose Serious Danger to SUV and Passenger Van Occupants" »

Many people subscribe to the adage, Bad things come in threes, but sadly this saying would apply to one news article we ran across a while back. Although many individuals are hurt or permanently injured in the Maryland and Washington, D.C., areas, it is true that a percentage of car, truck and motorcycle roadway collisions result in fatalities.

That said, it in no way lessens the shock and grief that tend to overwhelm a family members following the untimely death of a relative or close family friend. As Baltimore injury accident lawyers, I and my legal staff have developed a deep understanding of the pain and heartache that many of our clients have experienced following a tragic car or trucking-related wreck.

Not surprisingly, the emotional hurt is only one aspect of a serious injury or fatal traffic accident. For those families whose primary breadwinner is involved in a fatal car or truck crash, the loss of income in itself can place a terrible burden on a family that may already have been struggling in this current economy. Even when the news is not as grave for a an automobile accident victim, the weeks or months spent in a hospital -- unable to work or earn a living to his or her maximum potential -- can also bring a family’s economic survival into question.

Continue reading "Baltimore Auto Accident News: Three Separate Maryland Traffic Fatalities in St. Mary’s, Calvert and Charles Counties" »

Sad as it is to report, car, truck and motorcycle accidents will likely remain a fact of life as we continue to soldier on into the New Year. As Maryland personal injury lawyers, I and my legal staff do not expect that 2012 will deliver and better news in terms of traffic deaths and serious car and trucking-related collisions. Of course, as the economy slowly makes its eventual recovery, the increase in commerce and relative prosperity will likely mean an increase in commuting and business miles.; with that inevitable rise in traffic activity comes the very real potential for increased injury accidents.

On that note, we noticed that one of the last days of 2011 saw multiple injuries and traffic fatalities on Maryland roadways. From these kinds of car and truck wrecks, one usually sees a variety of injuries; from the lesser types, like minor scrapes, cuts, bruises, to more serious bodily injury, such as broken bones, compound fractures, as well as serious neck, spinal cord damage and closed-head injuries.

Of the latter, traumatic brain injury and spinal cord damage can result in months or years of costly medical care, recuperation and rehabilitation. For families living on the ragged edge of financial existence, an event such as a bad car or commercial truck-related crash can spell disaster, especially if the victim is one of the key bread-winners for that family. Costly medical care combined with lost wages can quickly ruin a family’s meager savings and result in all manner of financially-related misery.

Continue reading "Baltimore Traffic Accident News: Marylanders Killed, Injured in Multiple Car, Truck and Bus Crashes" »

Unless one is a police officer, traffic accident investigator, or traffic reporter, it’s difficult to know all of the dangerous and potentially deadly intersections and roadways throughout Maryland. In fact, it’s likely that no one person can really know the location of the majority of accident-prone areas across the state.

As Baltimore car, truck and motorcycle injury accident attorneys, even we are aware of just a fraction of the more dangerous intersections here in Baltimore, over in Gaithersburg and out in Washington, D.C. With all of the many and varied automobile and trucking-related traffic collisions that happen every year, only a computer database can really keep track of this information with any accuracy.

And so it was, until recently, that the average person could not know for certain if they were constantly exposing themselves and their families to danger by driving through a highly accident-prone area on the way to school, work or the movies. This has all changed with the advent of new, online traffic fatality mapping information offered by UK-based ITO World.

According to news articles, individuals can now see how safe (or dangerous) the steets they frequently drive on or cross as a pedestrian actually are. Since almost nobody stands at a street corner for hours each day to observe traffic collisions and pedestrian accidents, the database offered by ITO World let’s one decide if an obviously busy intersection is really a hazard to one’s health.

Continue reading "Baltimore Auto Injury News: Firm Helps Maryland Drivers Peer into the Dangerous World of Traffic Accidents" »

It’s a fact of life; as we age, some of us become less attentive and less able to react quickly to emergency situations. Almost anyone who follows the local news can understand this, since we see numerous reports every month describing older drivers and elderly pedestrians who are injured or killed in traffic collisions throughout Maryland and the District of Columbia.

As Baltimore automobile accident attorneys and Maryland personal injury lawyers, I and my staff know the heartbreak of families who have lost loved ones in tragic, and many times, avoidable car, truck and motorcycle crashes. Even those who survive a car or trucking-related traffic accident can face weeks or months of hospitalization and rehab treatment in order to get back some semblance of normalcy in their lives.

Sadly, older people have a harder time when it comes to recuperating from a serious traffic wreck; even relatively minor car or truck accidents can leave an elderly individual in critical condition with sometimes life-threatening complications as a result of their age. Pedestrian injuries precipitated by a car crash can be particularly deadly for an older person with broken bones, sometimes compound fractures, and serious closed-head injuries commonly being sustained.

Many families worry about their elderly parents who still drive. While there is no reason that a competent individual cannot continue to operate a motor vehicle into their 80s and 90s, the potential for accidents is known to increase for these individuals as a function of miles driven. Occasionally, very minor accidents -- such as striking a mailbox while backing out of the driveway or knocking off a sideview mirror while parking in one’s garage -- can portend worse incidents to come. It’s sometimes up to other family members to suggest to elderly drivers to perhaps scale back or even stop driving altogether.

Continue reading "Baltimore Auto Accident News: Maryland Driver Involved in Fatal Traffic Wreck that Killed Elderly Couple" »

Single-car or single-truck accidents can be the result of many factors. Top on the list is usually driver error, distraction or fatigue, followed by poor weather or road conditions, and even poor roadway design or bad badly placed signage. In some cases, a mechanical problem with the vehicle’s brakes, steering, suspension or other critical components may be partially to blame for a wreck.

When an accident happens on a low-speed surface street, the out come can range from minor injuries to death of the vehicle’s occupants. While higher speed interstate crashes can be serious as well, the lesser number of obstacles immediately adjacent to the roadway helps to reduce the number of fatal accidents. However, this is not to say that people don’t die on a regular basis as a result of bad highway collisions.

As Maryland personal injury lawyers, I and my legal staff are well-versed in handling injury and fatal car, truck and motorcycle crashes. Certainly, when a multiple vehicle accident occurs, one or more drivers may be to blame. Filing a wrongful death suit against another individual based on claims of negligent or thoughtless acts is not uncommon here in Baltimore, or over in Rockville, Gaithersburg or the District.

In the case of single-car or truck crashes, the injured party is typically the driver himself. If the driver was found to be at fault, having caused the accident, other passengers may decide to file a claim against that driver to recoup the costs of medical care or other claims of pain and suffering which directly resulted from that particular traffic wreck.

Continue reading "Maryland Auto Injury News: Baltimore Mans Dies in Single-vehicle Crash near I-695/I-795 Interchange" »

It's hard not to come across as trite, but the fact remains that automobile-related accidents can happen anywhere, anytime. And while caution is always a good defense, few drivers can be vigilant 100-percent of the time. It never fails to happen that when a motorist lets his or her guard down for just a moment, a roadway accident can be just around the corner.

Whether one drives to work or school every day, or just takes the family car to the supermarket once a week, as soon as we hit the road the odds begin to mount up. As Maryland personal injury lawyers, I and my colleagues know that for many people it is simply a matter of time before someone is involved in a injury-related road accident. Hopefully that is all; however, fatal car and commercial truck crashes are all part of the mix.

Occupants of passenger cars, SUVs and minivans are certainly more protected when compared to a motorcyclist involved in a traffic collision, but pedestrians and bicycle riders are part of the most vulnerable group when it comes to car accidents. Not only are people on foot or cycling not protected by a steel cage, but if and when they hit the ground, they are more likely to strike their head on a hard surface, like an asphalt roadway or concrete sidewalk.

Continue reading "Maryland Personal Injury News: Pedestrians Hit by Car in Fatal Home Depot Parking Lot Accident" »

It’s all over the news and on the lips of safety-conscious people across the nation; the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has urged state legislatures across the U.S. to move to ban any and all cellphone use in car and trucks on the nations roadways. While we occasionally hear of individual state legislators condemning the dangers of texting and hands-on cellphone use, it’s not often that a department of the federal government makes such a broad and sweeping recommendation regarding the safety of all drivers.

As Maryland personal injury lawyers, I and my staff have seen the results of auto, truck and motorcycle accidents caused by distracted drivers. The misery and suffering that a negligent act can inflict on a person and his or her family is far worse than any minor distraction that initially caused the traffic collision in the first place. Texting, cellphones and smart phones are just one more, albeit major, distraction that drivers deal with on a daily basis.

Now, with the NTSB’s recommendation, it seems that the issue of traffic deaths caused by distracted driving (due to any kind of cellphone use) is going to be a serious topic of conversation and possible legislative efforts in the months and years to come. For anyone who wonders, the NTSB is usually associated with serious plane and train accidents, rather than with everyday automobile and trucking-related crashes, which they also investigate when necessary.

However, the 3,000-plus deaths attributed to distracted driving in 2010 -- as well as the close association that cellphones and smart phones have with driver distraction -- has placed this issue front and center with other serious safety-related discussions.

Continue reading "Maryland Auto Injury News: NTSB Urges Halt to Any Cellphone Use in Cars, Trucks" »

During the holidays it is difficult to imagine that some families will lose a loved one to a tragic and likely preventable traffic collision. At the very best, a car, truck or motorcycle accident means that some amount of property damage will occur, however there is usually some kind of physical injury associated with most interstate, rural and urban automobile and commercial trucking wrecks.

Cars, trucks, minivan and SUVs have become much safer over the years thanks to advances in automotive safety technology. But even the best safety systems cannot, to date, prevent vehicle occupants from being injured or killed in 100 percent of motor vehicle crashes. Energy absorbing designs and materials, air bags, self-adjusting seat belts and other occupant protection devices all contribute to safer cars and trucks, but speed and circumstances still conspire to injure, maim and kill thousands of innocent people every year across the U.S.

As Maryland personal injury attorneys, I and my legal staff understand the pain and suffering that can result from a severe car, bike or pedestrian accident. Whether one lives in Rockville, Baltimore, the District or Annapolis, the news papers and TV reports are peppered with stories of individuals hurt or fatally injured as a result of a traffic collision.

Besides the typical bumps and bruises that always seem to happen in a crash, dislocated joints, fractured legs, arms, ankles and wrists can also occur during a car crash. Usually the worst type of bodily injury is that sustained when an occupants head hits a solid object inside the vehicle. Closed-head trauma, also referred to as traumatic brain injury, can put a person in the hospital for weeks or months; sometimes years.

Continue reading "Harford County Auto Accident News: Maryland Driver Killed in Route 22 Head-on Car Crash" »

Not all personal injury lawsuits are filed against a driver of a car who hits another individual and causes bodily injury. Lawsuits against third-parties are often brought due to the circumstances that made the car, truck or motorcycle accident possible in the first place. For instance, it would not be unusual for a company that made faulty tires, brake system components or other safety-related replacement parts to be sued individually or together with a commercial trucking firm that installed the parts on their fleet vehicles.

While this aforementioned example is related to products liability suits, it is an example of how a third party can be sued by the victim(s) of am automobile or commercial trucking accident that may have been caused by the premature failure of such parts or components. Similarly, a third party that provided the conditions for an accident to occur may sometimes be sued, in addition to the person or entity that was directly responsible.

As Maryland personal injury lawyers and auto accident attorneys, we serve not only the residents of cities like Annapolis, Rockville and Gaithersburg, but also motorists and vehicle occupants who may have become injured in a traffic collision in Washington, D.C.

Once a person has been injured in an automobile or trucking wreck, it’s nearly impossible to turn back the clock to a time when that victim was well and free of bodily injury. Although many injuries can heal over time, such as minor cuts and bruises, the long-term effects of a head, neck and spinal injury can linger for months, if not years. Closed-head trauma is one such injury that can affect a person’s quality of life for years down the road.

Continue reading "Baltimore Personal Injury News: Negligence Suits Filed Against Maryland’s “All Good Music Festival” following Car Accident" »

Disparity in vehicle size can be a contributing factor when it comes to traffic accidents involving automobiles and other motor vehicles. Certainly most every driver has felt, at one time or another, a visceral twinge of fear or anxiety as they pass an 18-wheeler or other large commercial truck on the highway. The close quarters of some highways and surface streets can elevate that reaction among drivers and passengers of smaller, more vulnerable vehicles.

As Maryland automobile injury attorneys and drivers ourselves, I and my legal staff can relate to those feelings of danger when a semi tractor-trailer comes a little to close. But even smaller trucks, such as delivery vehicles and medium-duty work trucks can pose similar dangers without evoking the dread that larger motor vehicles do.

Because vehicle size usually correlates closely to vehicle mass, or weight, it’s not a stretch to say that some drivers worry every time they come near a big truck. But those medium-duty work trucks, though smaller than other large commercial vehicles, can also cause a great deal of damage in a traffic collision given the right circumstances; more than just a vehicle’s weight, the cargo that a truck may be hauling can pose significant danger in a roadway collision.

It’s not a stretch to imagine that a fully-loaded work truck can weight three to four times that of a small economy car. Given that amount of weight disparity, in a crash the passenger vehicle might end up sustaining serious damage; and the same goes for any occupants riding inside the car as well.

Continue reading "Glen Burnie Auto Accident News: One Person Dies in Two-vehicle Collision on Crain Hwy" »

As Baltimore auto accident attorneys, my firm represents individuals injured as a result of a car, motorcycle or trucking-related highway collision. Naturally, being Maryland personal injury lawyers, we understand the factors that can contribute to a serious or fatal traffic wreck. As such, we know that vehicle speed and mechanical issues (defective equipement problems), weather conditions, traffic patterns and other factors can have a significant bearing on whether or not a motor vehicle accident will be minor or, at worst, fatal.

Of course, as many individuals who have survived horrendous car and commercial truck wrecks already know, luck is also a significant factor in these kinds of severe roadway crashes. Regardless, injuries do occur and fatalities are also quite common for high-speed accidents and those where vehicles of vastly different weights are concerned.

As mentioned previously, vehicle speed is a key factor in determining the severity of a traffic accident. With every doubling of vehicle speed, the crash energy is essentially quadrupled. This is why the old saying, “speed kills” is not just a popular phrase with police and other safety experts. That said, as drivers ourselves, we can understand that the practical considerations of modern life necessitate highway speeds despite the increased danger should a collision occur.

Nevertheless, driving faster than conditions will permit or attempting maneuvers that the vehicle was not designed to handle at high speeds can be disastrous for the car and its occupants. Whether one lives in Rockville, Annapolis or the District, it’s likely that as a motorist you have witnessed the aftermath of some kind of traffic accident. Multiple-vehicle crashes are some of the most common, but single-car and truck wrecks are also frequent occurrences on the state’s roadways.

Continue reading "Maryland Auto Accident News: Police Say Excessive Speed Contributed to Fatal Calvert County SUV Crash" »

Fatal car crashes leave behind more than broken families; sometimes they can also spell the end of young and promising lives. As Baltimore personal injury attorneys, I and my colleagues have felt the very deep and profound sadness of loss from victims’ families and others who have known the deceased. Sadly, individuals who have been killed in a senseless auto, truck of motorcycle wreck will never again share time with their loved ones, and no amount of compensation can ever change that.

When a young person dies in a traffic accident, many who were close to that individual may ask themselves if anything could have been done to avoid or mitigate the collision. Second guessing and running “what if” scenarios in one’s mind are normal ways in which survivors may grieve, though in the end it may be better to celebrate the person’s life then to replay past events to the exclusion of all else.

As automobile accident lawyers, our job is to help families of victims recover costs for medical treatment, lost wages, and even attain compensation for the loss of companionship, love and comfort of that person. In fact, death does eliminate the right of a family to seek compensation for the loss of a loved one when wrongful death through the negligent act of another is the issue.

Continue reading "Maryland Personal Injury News: Two Die in Fatal Fells Point, MD, Car Accident" »

Highway deaths in and around Baltimore, Rockville, the District, and Frederick, MD, occur for dozens of reasons every month. Many of these fatal car, motorcycle and commercial trucking accidents could possibly be avoided or mitigated in one way or another, but sadly not all. Drunken driving contributes to a significant percentage of car, truck and motorcycle crashes, a result of which is a substantial number of occupant injuries including closed-head trauma, spinal cord damage, and internal injuries.

A local Annapolis bar was in the news recently as law enforcement and the public focused on the serving of alcohol to underage patrons. According to news articles, the Acme Bar and Grill is under fairly intense scrutiny for an episode that occurred this past summer. Based on reports, the bar allegedly served several underage customers on June 15, two of whom died in a motorcycle wreck just minutes after walking out of that drinking establishment.

The incident raised serious questions about the bar’s practices vis-à-vis serving underage individuals, in particular those who may go out and drive a motor vehicle while intoxicated. While personal responsibility is a fine ideal, the law stipulates that people under the age of 21 cannot be served liquor legally. Criminal charges are not unusual in cases like this where a young person has been injured or died after being sold alcohol at a bar, liquor store or restaurant.

According to news articles, last summer’s incident involved two people allegedly known to at least one of the bar’s staff to be underage. Events following the entry of 20-year-old
Craig Eney, Jr., and 19-year-old Kelcey Silva transpired rather quickly, based on police reports. After stopping by the bar around in the early morning hours of that fateful day, both individuals consumed sufficient alcohol to raise their blood-alcohol content (BAC) to levels exceeding the legal limit of 0.08 percent.

Continue reading "Annapolis Personal Injury News: Bar Sold Liquor to Underage Maryland Motorist Who Died in Fatal Accident" »

Disconcerting as it may be, a recently released study by the national Centers for Disease Control (CDC) shows that men are more inclined to operate car, trucks and motorcycles while under the influence of alcohol than are females. As Maryland personal injury attorneys, we are hardly surprised at the finding of this study, which clearly indicates that male drivers take to the road more often while intoxicated than most any other segment of the driving public.

Although is certain that not everyone who gets behind the wheel of a car, motorcycle or commercial motor vehicle is legally intoxicated, it can be said that many people who do operate motor vehicles while impaired to some degree may not actually realize the chance they take with their lives, much less the lives of innocent people all around them.

Here in Baltimore, as well as Gaithersburg, Rockville, Annapolis and Washington, D.C., even persons who are stopped by police and subsequently charged with drunken driving, may actually be surprised that they had a blood-alcohol content (or BAC) of 0.08-percent or more.

If only for this reason, the Maryland State Police and local law enforcement departments continually try to enforce our anti-drunk driving laws. Of course, a portion of those motorists arrested for driving while impaired are actually under the influence of doctor-prescribed medication; some are even high on illegal drugs.

Regarding the CDC’s report, men nationwide are reportedly four times more likely to drive drunk than women motorists. Based on news reports, the study released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates why men many times find themselves being ticketed for drunken driving more than women.

Continue reading "Maryland Auto Injury Update: Nationwide, Male Drivers More Likely to Drink and Drive than Females" »

An elderly woman died following a two-car accident in Kingsville, MD, after the vehicle she was operating was struck by another car along a stretch of Belair Rd. The driver of the second vehicle was seriously injured as a result of the crash and was able to leave the hospital soon after.

Now, we’ve seen the results of this type of fatal car crash before, but it doesn't make this or any other traffic accident less tragic or lamentable. While some older drivers make it through the majority of their lives without a single traffic collision, others -- whether through inattention, physical complications or other problem -- end up being involved in a serious or even fatal car or trucking wreck.

As Maryland personal injury lawyers, I and my staff are trained to represent victims and their families following a serious car, truck or motorcycle crash. Injuries from such accidents can range from mild to severe; even life-threatening. As with any motor vehicle collision, speed, roadway conditions, vehicle type and other factors, all have a bearing on the outcome of the crash.

In the case of car-to-car accidents, the occupants are enclosed in similarly sized vehicles, which is sometimes an advantage, but never a guarantee of survival. Even in wrecks involving two or more cars, SUVs or minivans, injuries such as broken bones and lacerations are not uncommon. Head, neck and back injuries are possible, all of which can have long term complications with lingering after affects for those who sustain such injuries.

Trucking collisions, especially those involving smaller passenger cars or pedestrians, can be particularly devastating, again depending on various factors. High-speed highway collisions can cause a passenger vehicle to be literally crushed by the much larger semi tractor-trailer or other heavy commercial truck. Vehicle fires and potentially fatal injuries are always possible following such roadway crashes.

Finally, it goes without saying that motorcycle, bicycle and pedestrian accidents can result in traumatic brain injury, as well as spinal damage and other critical bodily injuries. As a victim of a bike or pedestrian traffic accident, surviving is just the first step on a long road to recovery for many people. Anyone who can literally walk away from such violent traffic collisions can truly count themselves among the lucky ones.

Continue reading "Baltimore County Auto Accident News: Elderly Maryland Driver Dies in Fatal Two-Car Roadway Collision" »

Drinking and driving is a quick way to put oneself into the hospital, or worse. There is no end to the good arguments for curbing drunk driving, while there is no legitimate rationale to defend the practice. Every year, tens of thousands of people are hurt or killed by drunken drivers, including the offenders themselves. Even when there are no other factors that might contribute to a crash, just being impaired can be a cause in and of itself for a serious or fatal traffic accident.

As Maryland personal injury lawyers, I and my staff understand how circumstances can conspire to create the opportunity for a tragic car, truck or motorcycle accident. How a driver reacts when such conditions occur can make the difference between a simple fender-bender, a serious roadway collision, or a fatal car or commercial truck wreck. A driver who actively drinks and drives only increases the chances of his or her being less able to respond quickly to an accident situation.

One type of automobile crash can be caused by a failure of a car or truck's safety or critical operating systems, such as steering or braking component failure or malfunction. When a defective component that is critical to controlling a vehicle fails, the driver may not be able to avoid an accident. Being drunk at the time of a catastrophic mechanical failure only makes it more difficult to react to the event.

Continue reading "Maryland Auto Accident News: Police Suspect Faulty Wheel and Alcohol in Baltimore Beltway Single-car Crash" »

It’s a sad reality that older people, especially elderly men and women, can die more easily in a car or commercial trucking accident than can younger persons. While older folks have the advantage of greater driving experience, when it comes to unavoidable traffic accidents, the odds of a young driver or passenger surviving a serious car or truck crash is likely better than that of an elderly motorist.

As Maryland personal injury attorneys, we see victims of traffic accidents ranging in age from the very young to senior citizens. These people, from infants and children to parent, grandparents and the elderly, all have one thing in common; they were injured though the thoughtless or negligent actions of another driver.

While different people are affected differently during car and truck wrecks, the unfortunate truth is that many receive serious to near-fatal injuries as a result of a traffic collision. Head and neck injuries are quite common, while broken bones, compound fractures and internal injuries are also not uncommon. Depending on vehicle speed, road and weather conditions, as well as occupant position within a vehicle, fatalities can result during a front, side or rear-impact scenario.

Tangling with a large box truck, city bus, or 18-wheel tractor-trailer can also contribute to the severity of a roadway collision. Whatever the cause, the aftermath in terms of injury, medical costs and financial impact to the family as a whole can be devastating on so many levels. In the case of fatal highway wrecks, no amount of compensation can bring back a lost loved one, but recovering the cost of sometimes exorbitant medical bills and lost wages can give the survivors a better chance to continue with their own lives.

Not long ago, an older couple was tragically killed in a traffic accident in Benedict, MD. According to news reports, a multi-vehicle crash along a stretch of Rte 231 just west of the Patuxent River Bridge involved four separate vehicles and injured a handful of others, in addition to killing the two victims in one of the automobiles.

As Baltimore car, truck and motorcycle accident attorneys, we represent victims of auto accidents in Maryland and the Washington, D.C., area. In this particular instance, the Friday morning accident, which occurred just before noon, involved a rather small car carrying the two victims and a rental truck belonging to the Penske rental firm. Based on reports, Franz and Evelyn Sommer, aged 84 and 67 respectively, were riding in a 2011 Ford Focus when it was hit from behind by the box truck while waiting to turn left from the eastbound lanes at the intersection of Rte 231 and Dicandia Dorsey Place.

Continue reading "Two Marylanders Killed in Multi-vehicle Car Wreck following Head-on Collision in Charles County" »