Fatal Traffic Accidents

Police Cadet Makes Illegal Turn and Kills Maryland Teacher

August 13, 2014 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Earlier this week in Washington DC, a Maryland school teacher lost her life when she was sideswiped by a police cadet making an improper turn out of an emergency crossover. According to a report by NBC Washington, the accident occurred on Friday morning on the Capital Beltway, near the Route 50 interchange.

Evidently, the 18-year-old cadet was driving an unmarked police SUV without the lights or sirens activated when he decided to use the emergency crossover from the Inner Loop to the Outer Loop. However, as he exited the crossover, he sideswiped a Lincoln, sending it into a nearby wall. The SUV driven by the officer then spun into a Subaru Outback.

The driver of the Lincoln, a 59-year-old Maryland school teacher, was taken to Prince George’s Hospital Center, where she was later pronounced dead. She left behind five children and four grandchildren. The driver of the Subaru was not injured in the collision.

Fatal Car Accident in Fort Washington Under Investigation

May 8, 2014 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Earlier this week in Prince George’s County, a fatal head-on collision occurred when one car crossed the center median and slammed into an oncoming car. According to a report by an ABC affiliate, the accident occurred early Monday morning on Route 210 near East Swan Creek Road. Evidently, a Cadillac was heading southbound on Route 210, Indian Head Highway, when it inexplicably began to shift lanes, eventually crossing into oncoming traffic.

As the Cadillac crossed into oncoming traffic, it crashed head-on into a BMW. Police and emergency crews immediately responded and took both adult male drivers to the hospital. The driver of the BMW was pronounced dead upon arrival. However, the driver of the Cadillac luckily suffered only non-life threatening injuries.

Police have not yet determined the cause of the accident, and an investigation is underway.

Maryland Man Dies in Fatal Left-Turn Accident

March 27, 2014 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Earlier this month in Lanham, Maryland, a man was killed while making a left turn. According to a report by the Washington Post, the man was driving on Fontana Road and attempted to make a left hand turn on to Annapolis Road when he was struck by an oncoming car. The accident occurred shortly after 1 a.m.

Police are still investigating the cause of the crash, however, a preliminary investigation indicates that the driver making the left hand turn failed to yield the right of way to the oncoming car. Police are currently looking into whether the speed of the other driver also played a role in the crash.

The man making the left turn was taken to the hospital where he later died of the injuries he sustained as a result of the crash. The other driver was also inured, however, he is expected to fully recover.

Three-Car Accident on Route 340 Kills Two, Injures Four

March 20, 2014 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Earlier this month, an accident on Route 340, near Frederick, MD, claimed two lives and injured four others. According to a report by Your4State.com, the accident occurred on a Saturday afternoon when one vehicle inexplicably crossed the median of the highway and collided with another vehicle head on. After the two vehicles crashed into each other, one of the cars collided with a third vehicle.

The drivers of the two cars that collided head on both were pronounced dead at the scene. Four other passengers, including two minors, were taken to the Johns Hopkins and Frederick Memorial hospitals with non-life threatening injures.

Police spent several hours on the scene of the accident, attempting to piece together what happened, and why it happened. One trooper on the scene described the investigative efforts as follows, “The investigation is very preliminary at this point. Essentially we’re mapping, diagramming the scene, taking photographic evidence, measuring skid marks, everything that we use to determine what actually occurred.”

A Series of Accidents in Prince George’s County Leaves Two Dead and One Injured

March 14, 2014 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Two people were killed and another critically injured in a series of auto accidents in Prince George’s County. According to a report by ABC 7, the accidents all occurred around Wednesday, March 5, 2014.

The First Accident

A violent collision occurred Wednesday night on the 8600 block of Contee Road when one vehicle crossed the center median for an unknown reason and slammed into another oncoming vehicle One of the drivers was thrown through the windshield. One of the drivers was pronounced dead at the scene. The other was taken to a nearby hospital where she is expected to recover. Police believe that speed was a factor in the accident.

The Second Accident

A man driving alone was killed when his car unexpectedly left the roadway and collided with an object on the side of the road. The accident occurred at Rhode Island Avenue and 38th Street in Mt. Rainier. The man was taken to the hospital, but died from the injuries he sustained as a result of the accident.

Car Splits in Half, Killing Two, After Getting into an Accident with a Taxi

January 27, 2014 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Earlier this week, an accident near the Landover Metro Station left an Acura split in half and both of its occupants dead. According to a report by WTOP, the driver of the Acura was heading in the opposite direction as a taxi when the driver of the Acura lost control and crossed into oncoming traffic. Apparently, the Acura collided with the taxi and then continued into a telephone pole that split the car in two.

Both the driver of the Acura and his passenger were pronounced dead at the scene. The taxi driver was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and is expected to recover. Police believe that speed played a part in the accident, as well as the slippery condition of the road.

Speed Is a Leading Cause of Fatal Maryland Car Accidents

It probably does not come as a surprise to anyone, but speeding is a leading cause of traffic accidents and traffic deaths in Maryland. According to some studies, speed is a factor in about one-third of all fatal accidents. While speeding is never a good or safe idea, it is even more dangerous when the road conditions are slick, icy, or snow-covered, as they have been for much of the past few months.

District Court Decision Affirms Importance of Knowing the Terms of your Car Insurance Policy

December 27, 2013 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

In a recent district court case in West Virginia, the court reached an opinion, which demonstrates the absolute importance of understanding the terms of your car insurance policy.

In the case, Lewis v. Likens, Dist. Court, SD W. Va. (2013), an elderly resident of an unlicensed nursing home facility was being driven by a volunteer of the home when the driver pulled out in front of a UPS tractor trailer, causing a collision that killed the resident.

The decedent’s daughter filed a lawsuit following the accident, alleging the volunteer’s liability for her wrongful death, and alleging that her own uninsured motorist policy should cover her mother, and that she sought to collect under that policy. She additionally sought a declaration that her mother resided primarily with her at the time of the collision, and that thus she would be covered by the terms of the policy.

U.S. Court of Appeals Affirms Judgment in Favor of Defendant in Maryland Contributory Negligence Case

December 18, 2013 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit reached a decision this year regarding Maryland’s contributory negligence bar to recovery in any personal injury action.

In the case, Saravia v. Chen, U.S. Ct. App., 4th Cir. (2013), the plaintiffs filed a negligence and wrongful death action following a fatal car accident. At trial, the district court granted the summary motion of defendants (a bus driver and his employer), concluding that the decedent’s contributory negligence barred any recovery.

On appeal, the plaintiffs argued that the district court erred in granting summary judgment on several bases.

Husband Sues Wife’s Employer for Wrongful Death Following Tragic Car Accident

November 19, 2013 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

In an unorthodox twist to the typical car accident fatality case, an Ohio man is suing his wife’s former employer, claiming that they are responsible for causing the single vehicle accident that killed her.

The lawsuit, Jasper et. al v. Jewish Hospital et. al, details the hospital’s procedures of regularly requiring the woman, and other nurses, to work in excess of their regularly scheduled hours. Additionally, because the woman had special certifications, she was regularly called in during her supposed off time to conduct trainings, or to work when the hospital was understaffed, which was reportedly often.

According to the complaint, on March 16, 2013, “Ms. Jasper was killed when her vehicle suddenly departed from the road, ramped an embankment, became airborne, and crashed into a tree while driving home from her shift at the Hospital.” The attorney representing the woman’s husband, children, and estate, said in a statement that they believe she many have fallen asleep just before her car left the road.

Man Attempting to Flee Maryland Traffic Stop Killed After Being Ejected From Car

November 12, 2013 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

A Delaware man was killed in Maryland earlier this month after he was ejected from the car he was driving in an attempt to flee a traffic stop.

The incident occurred just after 2:30 a.m. on a Wednesday morning, when a trooper on patrol radared a Chevy Malibu traveling at 66 mph in a 50 mph. The trooper then activated the emergency equipment on his marked car, and pulled the vehicle over.

As the officer approached the car and began talking with the driver, another vehicle pulled up behind the trooper’s car. The driver stated that the other car contained his girlfriend. At that point, while the trooper was still conversing with the driver of the Malibu, the driver sped off, attempting to flee the traffic stop. Police have stated that the man’s license was revoked, and that he was wanted on a traffic warrant.