Maryland Car Accident Attorney Blog

The Dangers of Maryland Head-On Collisions

September 9, 2021 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Although rarer than fender-benders or sideswipe style crashes, head-on car accidents are frequently the deadliest types of car accidents that a driver could experience. Drivers should not underestimate the severity of these crashes, especially because they often have devastating and fatal consequences.

Often, these collisions take place unexpectedly and leave very little time or response for victims to swerve out of the way to avoid the accident. Because these crashes are so unpredictable, it is crucial that drivers take all the steps available to them to best protect themselves, which means exercising care while driving, but also making sure that their vehicle is well maintained and properly insured based on state requirements.

According to a recent news report, a fatal head-on collision left one woman dead and several injured. Based on a preliminary investigation by local authorities, a Chevrolet was traveling westbound when it crossed the center line and struck a Hyundai head-on. Investigators noted that the driver of the Chevrolet crossed the center line for unknown reasons. The driver of the Hyundai was transported to a local hospital where she later died from her injuries. Two minors traveling in the Hyundai were also sent to the hospital to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries. The driver of the Chevrolet refused medical treatment and investigators do not believe that drugs or alcohol were a factor in causing the crash at this time.

Maryland Police Investigating Fatal Maryland Pedestrian Crash

August 31, 2021 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

State Police in Maryland are investigating a fatal Maryland pedestrian crash that took place at Quantico. According to one news report, investigators indicated that a 30-year-old woman was standing in the road where she was involved in an argument and that she was hit by a vehicle. The police were called to the scene and found the woman in the roadway. She was pronounced dead on the scene. The crash reportedly occurred just before 1 a.m. Police continue to investigate the crash.

Victims of a Maryland pedestrian crash can seek damages from drivers or other parties at fault through filing a lawsuit in a Maryland court. If a driver is negligent—or purposely injures a pedestrian—they may be liable for damages including medical expenses, psychological suffering, physical therapy expenses, lost wages, and more.

A pedestrian crash is any crash that involves a person on foot, even if a driver exited the vehicle. According to 2018 statistics, a pedestrian was killed in a traffic crash on average every 84 minutes in the United States. Despite seeing less traffic in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Maryland Department of Transportation says that pedestrian fatalities were up in 2020, from 124 in 2019 to 134 in 2020. Crash fatalities in Maryland were at their highest in 12 years. The total number of crash fatalities in 2020 was the highest in Maryland since 2008. Pedestrian crashes often occur in urban areas. From 2009 to 2013, about 90 percent of crashes in Maryland involving a pedestrian took place in the metropolitan areas of Baltimore and Washington, D.C.

Maryland Multi-Vehicle Accident Leaves Three Dead

August 25, 2021 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Getting into a car accident can be an overwhelming experience for a number of reasons. Not only is it often an expensive, inconvenient, and stressful endeavor, but it can often be complicated, involve multiple parties, and be unclear who is at fault.

In multiple vehicle car accidents, this is often the case. With multiple drivers, passengers, and vehicles, it only multiplies the potential damages, information that needs to be exchanged, and recollections of how the accident took place. When these accidents happen, it can also make pursuing a legal claim seem daunting, which is why potential plaintiffs are advised to hire an experienced personal injury attorney to guide them through the process.

According to a recent local news report, local authorities are investigating a multiple vehicle accident that resulted in the deaths of three individuals. Maryland State Police’s preliminary investigation revealed that a Camaro was traveling eastbound when it attempted to pass another vehicle but struck a Toyota traveling westbound in the opposite direction. Both the driver of the Camaro and his passenger, along with the driver of the Toyota, were pronounced dead at the scene. There was also a third vehicle involved in the accident, but there was no need for further medical treatment of either the driver or its passenger. The investigation is still ongoing, but authorities believe that speed was a major contributing cause to the accident. In fact, the Camaro may have been traveling in excess of 100 miles per hour when the accident took place, authorities reported.

Passenger Injuries After a Maryland Car Accident

August 18, 2021 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

After a car accident, injury victims may experience a slew of physical and psychological trauma, resulting in lengthy and costly medical treatment. Moreover, Maryland accident claims tend to be more complex than other states because of strict contributory negligence laws. Under this standard, a victim who holds any responsibility for the accident cannot recover any damages.

Fortunately, in the overwhelming majority of cases, passengers do not have control over the vehicle, and as such, they are unlikely to be liable for the accident. However, while contributory negligence may not be an issue, other factors may complicate Maryland accident claims.

While drivers are more likely to die in an accident than passengers, thousands of passengers suffer injuries every year. Recent reports by the Maryland Department of Transportation indicate that nearly 50,000 people suffer injuries on Maryland roads every year. Passengers are particularly vulnerable because they have zero to little control over the actions or negligence of the driver or other motorists.

Two Drivers Killed After Tragic Maryland Car Accident

August 11, 2021 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Sometimes, the wait at a traffic light can feel like a lifetime—but this is never grounds for disobeying traffic signals. When drivers willfully run a red light, they not only place themselves, but everyone on the road, in danger. On particularly busy traffic days, cars may be moving through a busy intersection, and running a red light or speeding through a yellow light at the last second could result in deadly consequences and significant injuries for everyone involved. Those who choose to recklessly operate their vehicles and cause these issues can be held accountable in a variety of ways under Maryland laws.

A recent local news report discusses a major car accident and fire that left two Maryland drivers dead. An initial investigation revealed that a Subaru was speeding northbound and ran a red light. The Subaru subsequently crashed into a Ford, which was crossing the intersection at a green light. Upon impact, the Ford caught on fire. When local deputies arrived on the scene, one vehicle was engulfed in flames with at least one occupant was still inside. Both occupants of the Ford were pronounced dead at the scene, and the driver of the Subaru suffered significant injuries and was transferred to a local hospital. Although an investigation is still ongoing into the circumstances surrounding the crash, local authorities believe that speed and failure to obey traffic lights were primary contributing factors to the collision.

In Maryland, stop light and stop sign violations are typically misdemeanors that carry a $140 fine. If a stoplight or stop sign violation leads to an accident, the fine is increased to $180.

Maryland Car Accident Leaves Three Dead

July 31, 2021 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Despite great improvements in the safety of cars and roadway infrastructure, motor vehicle accidents remain the number one cause of death in the United States for those aged 1-54. Many of these accidents are preventable. Just last week, for example, three people died in a Maryland crash where alcohol was a suspected factor.

The accident took place in Anne Arundel County on a Saturday night. In this single-car crash, an SUV heading westbound was spotted barreling down the road before suddenly exiting the road, flipping upside down, and smashing into a tree. Tragically, all three people in the SUV died on the scene. The youngest was just 31 years old.

Although the most direct causes of the crash appear to have been excessive speed and the driver’s failure to stay in his lane, officials also believe that alcohol was a contributing factor.

Wrong-Way Driver Causes Fatal Maryland Car Accident

July 25, 2021 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

A recent car accident tragically resulted in the death of a 55-year-old man dead at the scene and left the other driver with non-life-threatening injuries. According to a local news report, a Nissan was traveling in the wrong direction early on one Sunday morning when it collided with another vehicle. The fatal accident occurred on Route 340 west near St. Mark’s Road. Preliminary accident reports indicate that the 24-year-old woman who was driving the Nissan may have been under the influence of alcohol. The accident resulted in a road closure for approximately four hours.

While alcohol may have played a role in this accident, head-on collision crashes could happen because of a variety of reasons. Whether a driver is distracted, fell asleep at the wheel, was driving aggressively, or under the influence of alcohol or drugs, physical evidence typically will be found at the scene of head-on collisions. This physical evidence must be gathered promptly in order to be used in lawsuits against the driver-at-fault. In Maryland, if the driver acted negligently or in a reckless manner, filing a personal injury wrongful death lawsuit may be an option. These claims can be filed for financial compensation to assist families who are grieving the loss of their loved one and/or to assist a family with financial obligations. Because wrongful death lawsuits have a three-year statute of limitation, claims must be filed within three years of the date of the deceased’s death.

Wrongful death claims are filed in civil court, and navigating such a lawsuit can be tricky. Maryland is a contributory negligence state, which means under Maryland law, if the plaintiff was even slightly at fault for the accident, they will not be able to recover anything from the lawsuit. As a result, defendants may work diligently to prove that the other party was not completely in their own lane at the time of the crash, for example. Having an experienced personal injury attorney on your side could be the difference between being able to successfully recover and being barred from recovery. Potential plaintiffs should work with dedicated attorneys who are ready to build the strongest case for their clients and get the optimal result for victims who have suffered injury or lost a loved one.

How Maryland Car Insurance Laws Can Help Accident Victims

July 16, 2021 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Knowing the ins and outs of Maryland’s car insurance laws can help you stay financially protected should you become the victim of an accident.

For example, despite Maryland laws requiring drivers to carry car insurance, a recent report showed that about 14 percent of drivers in the state are still uninsured. The unfortunate person who is injured in a motor vehicle accident by an uninsured driver may still be financially protected, however, if she has purchased the right kind of insurance.

Like in most states, Maryland drivers must carry basic liability insurance to help cover the cost of injuries and damage to other people and their belongings in connection with an accident.

Maryland Car Accident Injures Two Over Holiday Weekend

July 10, 2021 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Lots of Maryland families travel for the Independence Day weekend. Whether driving to a barbeque, a firework show, or to the shore for the long weekend, holiday travel carries a higher risk for involvement in a motor vehicle accident. In fact, statistics show that the Fourth of July weekend is the deadliest weekend of the year in terms of roadway fatalities.

This year, on the Friday before Independence Day, Maryland police responded to a rush-hour crash in which two people were injured. According to reports, both vehicles in the accident incurred substantial damage. Apparently, both drivers in the two-car accident were trapped in their respective vehicles until firefighters arrived to extract them. Although one of the drivers was treated locally, the other driver required air transport to a shock trauma unit.

After the accident, police temporarily closed the roadway to reconstruct the scene. Although information about the status of the drivers and the cause of the accident has not yet been released to the public, these details may become available in the coming weeks and months.

Determining Causation After a Maryland Multi-Vehicle Crash

July 1, 2021 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

After a Maryland multi-vehicle accident, determining who caused the crash can be difficult. In some cases, there may be multiple contributing causes of the crash. If a plaintiff files a Maryland negligence against one or more defendants involved in the crash, the plaintiff must show that a defendant’s wrongful action or inaction was a cause-in-fact and a legal cause of the plaintiff’s injuries. Cause-in-fact means proving that a defendant’s conduct actually caused the injury, whereas legal cause means proving that a defendant should be held liable for the plaintiff’s injury.

If two or more independent negligent acts caused the plaintiff’s injuries, Maryland courts will determine whether a defendant’s conduct was a “substantial factor” in bringing about the plaintiff’s injuries. Even if a defendant’s conduct was a substantial factor in causing the plaintiff’s injuries, the harm must have been sufficiently related to the defendant’s negligent conduct. That is, Maryland courts will consider the foreseeability of the harm and the relationship between the defendant’s conduct and the harm. Maryland courts may decline to hold a defendant liable due to policy considerations and fairness. In addition, because Maryland follows the doctrine of contributory negligence, if a plaintiff is found to be even partially at fault for their own injuries in a Maryland negligence case, the plaintiff cannot recover compensation in court. Maryland is one of the few states in the United States that continues to apply the doctrine of contributory negligence. This means that plaintiffs often have to defend against claims that they were negligent in order to succeed in court.

The plaintiff must prove all elements of the case, including causation, by a preponderance of the evidence—that the defendant’s actions were more likely than not the cause of the plaintiff’s injuries. The plaintiff may prove the case through either direct or circumstantial evidence and the plaintiff must identify specific actions or inactions of the defendant that were negligent.