Maryland Car Accident Attorney Blog

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" »

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" »

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" »

From the standpoint of most people who drive on Maryland’s roadways, drinking and driving is an activity that we all wish was a thing of the past. But, sadly, as Baltimore automobile and trucking accident lawyers, I and my legal staff know that drunken driving will likely be with us for some time to come. With human nature what it is, it can sometimes take a long while for individuals to see the light even after society as a whole has accepted an idea or renounced a certain practice.

Without a doubt, over the past several decades the mixture of cars and alcohol has been a major contributor to highway deaths across the country. Locally, in Baltimore, Frederick, Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, not to mention Washington, D.C., anti-drunk driving campaigns have slowly made inroads toward creating a safer driving environment for all concerned. Still, as we say, there is much work to be done to eliminate the threat.

Anyone who has been involved in a car or motorcycle accident caused by a drunken driver can relate to this subject on a very personal level. Anyone who has lost a loved one due to a fatal DWI or DUI traffic collision knows the pain and the emptiness that follows; a void in one’s life that can never truly be filled. While it is our job, as Maryland personal injury attorneys, to help provide a modicum of closure to those who have lost a loved one in a car or commercial truck accident, no amount of recompense can ever take the place of a deceased relative, spouse or child.

For the people who survive a serious automobile wreck, the injuries sustained -- such as head, neck and spinal cord injuries; internal injuries; broken bones and compound fractures -- the path to recovery is sometimes long and hard. And, it goes without saying, that medical costs for prolonged treatment and rehabilitation can quickly become a burden on a family, especially in cases where the injured party is a major income earner.

With all this understood, it seems odd that individuals continue to drink and drive, and thus expose others and themselves to potential physical harm and even death. A short while ago we read of a man who apparently could not take responsibility for his actions after crashing his vehicle into a utility pole along a portion of Kenilworth Avenue.

Described in police reports as uncooperative, the 29-year-old driver allegedly was speeding when he drove a black sedan into a pole on the roadside, trapping his passenger in the car until emergency responders could arrive to free the victim. Based on reports, the accident occurred at about 11pm on a Tuesday evening when the car hit the light pole on the southbound side of the roadway.

Riverdale Heights volunteer firefighters responded to the call, as did personnel from the Hyattsville Volunteer Fire Department. Police reports indicate that the driver initially had wanted to leave the crash site, however apparently decided to stay as emergency responders began to arrive.

According to news reports, the suspect allegedly denied the fact that he was at the wheel at the time of the accident, however a woman who was the only other occupant in the car claimed that the man was driving the entire time. The unnamed driver, who was later transported to a local hospital for treatment of undisclosed injuries, reportedly refused to take a breathalyzer test, and also declined to sign the citation issued by the officer in charge.

Ultimately, the man was charged with operating a motor vehicle without a driver’s license, speeding, DUI, driving while impaired, reckless and negligent driving, as well as a number of other violations. No mention was made as to the condition of the female passenger.

Driver Faces Litany of Charges After Car Slams Into Utility Poll, Patch.com, November 24, 2011

Personal responsibility is one of the more important facets of a civilized society. As we see every day, individuals who are negligent and cause damage to property or injury to another person are routinely expected to own up to their mistake and make amends to the victim and/or his family. This is the civilized thing to do; however, when someone does not follow the law, then the law provides avenues for the victims to recover damages resulting from that negligent or willful act.

As parents everywhere know, teenagers of driving age can be a concern almost daily. A driver’s license or even a driving permit represents, for many, freedom from the constraint of the home and parents. And while a driver’s license may be a rite of passage in our modern world, this new-found independence can be frightening for mothers and fathers.

A car, pickup truck or motorcycle can offer a young person much more than a way to get around, it can also become a social gathering point; but this may be where the danger starts for a young person just getting a taste of his or her independence -- as every mature adult understands, teenagers do not always possess the same commonsense that the rest of us take for granted after years of life experience.

As Maryland personal injury lawyers, we understand how a car full of teens can lead to distraction and potentially dangerous driving situations. Sadly, this potential scenario continues to be played out in the real world, with real world consequences, every year. Under normal circumstances, it’s not uncommon for young children and minors to be hurt as a result of auto and trucking accidents. Although kids are resilient, thousands of children are sent to hospitals nationwide each year because of poor or negligent driving.

Continue reading "Maryland Auto Injury News: Two Teenagers Critically Injured in Single-Car Traffic Accident in Baltimore County" »

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" »

For drivers working or residing in cities such as Baltimore, Annapolis and Washington, D.C., nobody needs to be reminded that high traffic volumes and congestion are a constant problem with little chance of letting up in the future. With high traffic density a fact of daily commuter life, it’s no surprise that car, truck and motorcycle accidents continue to occur on a regular basis.

As Maryland car and trucking accident attorneys, we know the frustration of being stuck in traffic following a major accident. But as personal injury lawyers, we also know that the victims of those “inconvenient” car and truck collisions are facing much more severe and painful recoveries; certainly more extended than the hour or so of delay the rest of us experience when a tie-up occurs due to a roadway accident.

It’s a matter of record that the driver and occupants riding in sedans, minivans, sport utility vehicles and other small passenger cars can be seriously injured or killed in a high-speed wreck with another motor vehicle. Although Maryland motorists have faced the prospect of physical injury for decades ever since the first horseless carriage hit another vehicle, the fact remains: car accidents can result in broken bones, deep cuts and laceration, back injury and closed-head trauma.

Of course, when a traffic accident does occur -- whether between two cars, a truck and a bicycle, or a single-vehicle crash caused by a defective automotive component – the victims are often overwhelmed from the event. Still, if at all possible, it is important to make note of the facts following a car crash or commercial trucking wreck so that it is easier to determine if that motor vehicle collision was a result of a negligent act or the carelessness of another motorist.

Continue reading "Baltimore Car Accident Update: Things for Maryland Motorists to Remember following a Traffic Collision" »

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" »

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" »

As personal injury lawyers representing victims of traffic accidents in Maryland and Washington, D.C., we know that recovering from a serious car, truck or motorcycle wreck involves more than just being treated for severe or life-threatening injuries, but also means facing the possibility of persistent and sometimes chronic pain for months or years after the initial collision.

Nearly anyone who has been severely injured in an automobile or trucking-related traffic collision will likely tell you that the pain associated with certain injuries can continue on, long after the physical wounds have more or less healed. Nerve damage and other medical and neurological complications can make even day-to-day tasks painful and sometimes difficult to complete.

For anyone injured in a car, truck or pedestrian accident, these are concerns that should always be considered when pursuing a personal injury claim against another negligent party. An article published not long ago brought this topic to the fore, if only because it applies to many individuals in similar situations here in Maryland and around the rest of the country.

The report focuses on a Westminster, MD, man who has had to deal with what medical professionals refer to as chronic pain syndrome. Suffering from full-body complex regional pain syndrome, Michael Harris follows a regimen of aquatic therapy exercises, as well as other physical therapies, in an effort to alleviate the pain resulting from complications after an auto accident back in August 2007.

According to the article, Mr. Harris was apparently caught up in a 2007 car wreck when the vehicle in which he was riding was struck from behind by a drunken driver. The crash happened at an intersection along a stretch of Maryland Rte 140. The victim’s vehicle was reportedly stopped at the intersection waiting for a red light when the crash occurred.

As a result of the crash, Harris received several injuries, including a ruptured spinal disc. Some time after the wreck, doctors discovered that a piece of bone was impinging on the nerves in the man’s back, causing significant pain and discomfort. Harris apparently began to experience a number of associated symptoms, including tingling in his arms all the way to his fingertips, as well as numbness in his upper limbs. Unfortunately, these initial symptoms only got worse as time progressed following the car crash.

Subsequent pain throughout the man’s body included severe shooting pains felt all the way down his right leg, plus complaints of a sharp, “burning sensation” in other portions of his anatomy, as well as excessive sweating and changes in body temperature. His legs and hands also experienced swelling and color changes.

Continue reading "Maryland Automobile Accident Update: Surviving a Bad Car Crash Doesn’t Mean the Pain is Over" »

For some people, aging is accompanied by a progressive loss of physical and mental capabilities. Sadly, for People who cannot -- or will not -- relinquish their relative independence as a motorist with a car in the garage and places to go. In Maryland, older men and women every year must give up their driver’s licenses either after relatives urge them to stop driving or the state will not renew their operator’s license due to certain mental or physical impairments.

As Baltimore automobile and trucking accident lawyers, we understand the hard choices that families must make when an aged relative has had one to many minor car accidents, or their ability to remember how to get home suggests a potential for a serious traffic accident down the road. For many people in urban areas such as Annapolis, Baltimore and Washington, D.C., giving up driving may be easier with mass transit readily available; those in rural areas may have a more difficult transition.

Despite the potential dangers, many older seniors and elderly people continue to drive beyond a time when they can reasonably be expected to operate a vehicle with sufficient safety. It is at this point that they can become a danger to themselves and a potential menace on the road. As Maryland personal injury attorneys, we sympathize with the plight of the aged when it comes to driving, but it goes without saying that public safety many times must take precedence over an individual’s desire to keep driving despite loss of ability.

A while back, we were reminded of how easily an elderly driver can get themselves into a possibly life-threatening traffic accident. According to news articles, a car crash in Howard County ended with a woman and her vehicle underwater in a neighborhood pool. Based on police reports, the wreck occurred in the early morning hours on a Saturday in Columbia, MD.

Continue reading "Baltimore Personal Injury News: Driver Escapes Drowning in Howard County after Driving Car into Pool" »

Anyone who has ever survived a vehicle fire -- whether the result of a car, truck or motorcycle accident, or because of a defective vehicle component – can truly be considered lucky. It’s one thing to be injured in a traffic collision and have to wait for emergency personal or EMS crews to rescue that person from a disables vehicle, but to be trapped or otherwise unable to get away from a burning passenger car or commercial vehicle is an ordeal not soon forgotten.

As Maryland personal injury lawyers, I and my staff have viewed the aftermath of enough car and truck fires to understand the devastating potential that a vehicular conflagration can present. With gallons of gasoline or diesel fuel leaking from a fuel tank or fuel line, the simplest spark from static electricity or other source can ignite the flammable liquid, causing the entire vehicle to be engulfed in flames within mintues, of not seconds.

Time is of the essence in situations like this. Police and firefighters know the dangers, but will risk their own lives to rescue a helpless occupant of a burning sedan, minivan or sport utility vehicle. It’s just another example of the selfless sacrifice witnessed everyday across this country.

Although car accidents are one such cause of vehicle fires, there are others; such as fires at gasoline pump islands at service stations. While gas stations are designed for maximum safety, it doesn’t take much for a simple accident -- such as a pump not shutting off automatically -- to result in pouring several quarts of volatile fuel onto a vehicle and its driver.

Continue reading "Baltimore Auto Injury Update: Burn Injuries Due to Car Fires can be Life-threatening" »

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" »

Some things that occur in this life are just not right, and everybody knows it. When an individual is seriously hurt or killed in a traffic accident, there are no words that one can say to the family of that victim, yet as friends, relatives and neighbors we try to offer some measure of comfort and condolence. Large organizations, while comprised of living, thinking and feeling persons, are less adept at providing a sympathetic ear or shoulder on which to cry.

As Maryland personal injury lawyers who serve the residents of Baltimore, Frederick, Hagerstown and the District, we see on a regular basis the pain and suffering that families and individual experience following horrendous trucking accidents, automobile collisions and motorcycle wrecks. The fact is, there are no words that can adequately ease the grief of a mother or father that has lost a son or daughter to a tragic roadway accident.

A while back, in May of this year, a young woman died in a fatal single-vehicle car crash along a stretch of Rte 32 in Columbia, MD. At the time, 21-year-old Sarah Stebbins was planning to enter Howard Community College in the fall. A 2008 graduate of Howard High School, Stebbins was a racing enthusiast and, according to news account, an award-winning equestrian rider; on the day of her death, Stebbins was coming home from her job at the Gray Pony Saddle and Tack Shop in Highland, Maryland.

According to news reports, the woman died when her vehicle crashed into a guardrail on Rte 32 after she apparently lost control of the vehicle. No mention was made in this latest news item whether or not the accident was a result of driver error or defective vehicle equipment. However, that is not the crux of the story.

Continue reading "State of Maryland Bills Deceased Driver for Damage to Guardrail following Fatal Rte 32 Car Accident" »

When it comes to personal injury, nobody wishes for it to happen, yet there are worse scenarios that can occur to a person or an entire family. As most every parent, grandparent or adult relative will tell you, it is hard to see a young child, sibling or grandchild injured in a senseless accident. Most parents would gladly take the place of an injured girl or boy rather than have that innocent person suffer the pain of injury for days or weeks, much less for a lifetime.

As Baltimore automobile and trucking accident attorneys, we can attest to the grief felt by family members following a terrible car, truck or motorcycle crash. And while most injuries heal over time, a fatal accident can be one of the most emotional events that a family can experience, especially when it involves the death of a youngster who hasn’t even known the world for long.

Nothing can bring back a life lost to a traffic collision; that is a fact. As Maryland personal injury lawyers, I and my colleagues can only hope to help the survivors cope with the loss of a child through legal means, if necessary. It goes without saying that cases involving a lost loved one are probably the most difficult, due to the wide range of emotion and the anger that the victim’s family tends to hold against the individual who may have caused the accident to begin with.

Whether one lives or works in Annapolis, Gaithersburg, Rockville or the Washington, D.C., area, personal injury cases, as well as those involving wrongful death, are more common than one might expect. Following a road accident or car wreck, medical bills must be paid, as do other recuperative therapies, if the victim is to be returned to health as soon as possible, if at all possible. Even when it comes to loss of life, the victim's family may still be responsible for any hospital costs.

Continue reading "Maryland Auto Accident News: Fatal Car Wreck on Baltimore-Washington Pkwy Kills Infant, Two Others" »

How often have we all read the words, “Accident victims were evacuated to local hospitals by Medevac helicopter,” yet it’s not often that people give much thought to the life-saving advantages of a medical chopper flight to a not-so-local hospital. While many readers might consider medevac services truly useful only when an individual is injured in car accident that occurs in a remote part of the countryside, such as a state park or other more rural setting, it’s not uncommon to have emergency responders call for a medical evacuation chopper in instances where the best medical care more than a 30-minute ambulance ride from the scene of a severe car or pedestrian traffic accident.

The fact is, medevac helicopters can get a person injured in an auto accident to the right medical facility for treatment of specific or life-threatening injuries. It can be said that in a percentage of accidents, just taking an injured driver or passenger to the closest hospital may not be in that person’s best interest. This is especially clear in cases of traumatic brain injury -- also known as closed-head injury -- where the nearest local medical facility is poorly equipped for such specific and critical care.

As Baltimore auto accident lawyers and Maryland personal injury attorneys, I and my staff understand the importance of getting a car, truck or motorcycle accident victim stabilized as quickly as possible to avoid future complications. So many factors come into play following a highway collision that only the medical personnel at the scene can assess each victim and determine the most immediate and effective care.

Continue reading "Baltimore Auto Accident News: Medevac Choppers Help Get Victims of Traffic Accidents to Hospitals Quickly" »

Although it’s difficult to imagine, at least for those who haven’t been in a car crash, a single-vehicle accident can be quite serious for those involved. And while the circumstances of a single-car or single-truck wreck are unique, the results are typically similar depending on the severity of the crash and the type of vehicle involved.

As personal injury attorneys serving residents of Baltimore, Frederick, Hagerstown and Washington, D.C., we have experience in helping victims of car, truck and motorcycle accidents. It’s probably true that a single-vehicle auto accident can cause as much damage and bodily harm as a multi-vehicle collision, naturally when more than one vehicle is involved the number of occupants caught up in a crash can up the ante from an injury standpoint.

In single-vehicle accidents, again depending on the circumstances, police and auto accident lawyers look at all the possible causes. While driver error is certainly at the top of the list, other factors such as weather, road conditions and even the vehicle’s mechanical condition are considered as potential contributing factors. In the case of mechanical problems, there is always a chance that a faulty component or other critical part may have caused the accident, or at least exacerbated the outcome for the victims.

Faulty safety equipment, such as airbags, seatbelts and car seats, can result in more serious injuries than typical for a car in perfect operating condition. Poorly maintained vehicle equipment, such as tires and brakes, may have contributed to the accident by not allowing the driver to avoid a collision or cause the vehicle to go out of control and result in a secondary crash.

Whatever the cause, the police investigators typically look for the causes of an accident and other factors that may have contributed to the severity of the wreck. Insurance companies will always have their own people looking into the cause of a car, bike or commercial trucking accident. The evidence that turns up will likely drive the course of the investigation, insurance claims and subsequent law suits, if any.

Continue reading "Baltimore Auto Accident News: Maryland Woman Dies in Single-car Anne Arundel County Rollover Crash" »

Reckless driving is one of the many causes of car and truck accidents throughout Maryland and the United States as a whole. Call it what you will; road rage, street racing, driving while angry, or just plain aggressive driving, this kind of behavior on public roads is the main ingredient of a recipe that can only serve up injury and potential death.

As personal injury lawyers serving the residents of Frederick, Baltimore, Hagerstown and Washington, D.C., we represent the victims of automobile accidents from all across the state. Besides so-called minor injuries such as superficial cuts, abrasions and bruises, many victims of traffic accidents can suffer more serious and life-threatening injuries like closed head trauma, damage to internal organs and spinal cord injuries.

Sadly, some victims die from their injuries even after they have reached a hospital. These people usually did nothing more than be in the wrong place at the wrong time, and for that indiscretion they and their families pay the ultimate price. In such cases, a wrongful death claim against the negligent party is not out of the ordinary.

A little while ago, a Maryland teenager from Halethorpe, MD, was the subject of scrutiny when police indicated that the young man was allegedly racing with another vehicle along a southbound stretch of Ridge Rd in Anne Arundel County. According to police, 16-year-old Buck J. Benny ignored the pleas of his passengers to slow down during a Wednesday night drive home from Patapsco Valley State Park. The vehicle, a Plymouth Acclaim, was filled with a number of the teen’s friends and relatives, including a three-year-old toddler sitting on the lap of one occupant.

Continue reading "Anne Arundel Accident News: Reckless Driving Blamed in Single-Car Crash that Killed 3-Year-Old" »

Whenever we ride with others in a motor vehicle we place great faith in the abilities and judgment of the driver. For most of us, we cannot imagine that a close friend, business acquaintance or family member would ever put our life in jeopardy, much less his or her own. And yet every day across this country individuals are killed or maimed by the negligence of someone they know and trust.

As Baltimore auto accident attorneys and Maryland personal injury lawyers, we know that the seemingly inconsequential decision to get into a passenger car or climb onto the back of a motorcycle with a friend or relative can sometimes turn out to be a life-changing event. These kinds of road accidents can result in injuries ranging from minor cuts, bruises and abrasions, to more serious broken legs and arms, neck injuries and life-threatening closed-head trauma.

Not long ago, three people died in a single-car accident along a stretch of road in Olney when a James Madison University student somehow lost control of his vehicle and struck a tree. According to news reports, Kevin Coffay was arrested by police following the crash and charged on four felony counts.

The 20-year-old JMU junior reportedly was charged with failure to remain at the scene of an injury accident and failure to immediately stop at the scene of a fatal accident, among others. All tolled, the man could end up facing more than 10 years in prison as a result fo the crash.

Based on police reports, the accident occurred around 3am on a Sunday morning in Montgomery Co. Coffay was reportedly driving eastbound on Olney-Laytonsville Rd. when his Toyota Corolla, carrying four other passengers, left the road for some reason. The car subsequently crashed into a couple trees and a utility pole.

As a result of the collision, one of the passengers, 18-year-old Spencer Datt, was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency responders. Two others, 20-year-old John Hoover and 18-year-old Haeley McGuire were transported to local hospitals but were pronounced dead not long afterward. The fourth passenger, Charles Nardella, 19, survived with non-life-threatening injuries.

Coffay reportedly fled from the crash site but was located about three hours later by police. Officers who questioned the suspect stated that Coffay had been at two separate parties prior to the accident. Police also said that he smelled of alcohol at the time of his arrest. According to reports, Coffay was admitted to a hospital for treatment of minor injuries and later jailed pending trail. Bond was set at $500,000.

Three Killed in Maryland Crash, WHSV.com, May 16, 2011

JMU student driver arrested after car crash in Maryland, BreezeJMU.org, May 15, 2011

Two teens, 20-year-old killed when car crashes into tree in Olney, BaltimoreSun.com, May 16, 2011