Maryland Car Accident Attorney Blog

Baltimore Auto Accident News: Harford County Girl Dies in Fatal Head-on Collision with Light Truck

March 29, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Statistics tend to bear this out, but it should come as little surprise that younger drivers have a higher incidence of traffic accidents than more mature drivers. This is not an indictment of young people or their driving habits, but is simply a matter of fact that most every insurance company knows, as evidenced by the typically higher policy premiums charged to families with drivers in their 20s.

As Baltimore auto accident lawyers and personal injury attorneys, I and my colleagues know how easily a traffic accident can take a person’s life. Car crashes, like commercial trucking accidents and motorcycle wrecks, happen with uncomfortable frequency throughout the state of Maryland and the Washington, D.C. area as well. One simply way of increasing one’s odds of surviving a serious car or truck collision is to wear a seatbelt. Combined with airbags, this can make walking away from a crash many times more likely.

Unfortunately, safety belt use is not always observed by young and old alike; but as fate doesn’t discriminate, these unbelted drivers and passengers run the risk of severe injuries such as broken bones, deep lacerations, internal injuries, spinal cord damage and closed head trauma. Not long ago a teenage girl died after the car in which she was riding went out of control and crashed into an oncoming vehicle.

Maryland Man Dies in Hagerstown Traffic Accident when Pickup Truck Hits Bus on I-70

March 27, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

It’s a good bet that most people never consider the possibility of being injured while riding on public transit, yet traffic accidents involving city buses, commuter trains and taxi cabs occur every day across the country, in cities like Baltimore, Annapolis and even the District. Although safety measures are in place to help avoid injuries, collisions between buses, commercial trucks and passenger cars can and do happen with alarming frequency.

As a Maryland personal injury lawyer, I know that accidents involving buses, taxis and limousines can result in serious injuries, such as broken arms and legs, cracked collar bones and ribs, skull fractures and spinal injuries. Depending on the road conditions, a bus or taxi cab accident can even result in death — fatal wrecks like these are the most heart-rending and regrettable accidents, since the victims usually have a fair expectation of safety when being transported by professionals.

Not long ago, a Hagerstown driver died when his pickup truck collided with a city bus along Interstate 70 near Big Pool, MD. According to Maryland State Police, 69-year-old Ray Linebaugh was apparently traveling westbound in his 2004 Dodge Ram when for some reason the vehicle veered into the median, crossing over into the eastbound lanes of I-70 and collided with a Megabus that was broken down on the roadside with mechanical problems.

Police Say Calvert County Car Crash was Intentional; Assault Charges Filed against Maryland Driver

March 26, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

As most people might agree, intentional actions that result in injury to or death of another individual are certainly more heinous than those which occur as a result from a so-called accident or other outside influence. Still, anytime a person is killed or injured in an automobile or motorcycle accident, the party at fault should be held responsible for the collision, depending on the circumstances, of course.

As Maryland auto accident lawyers and personal injury attorneys, we know the extent that victims and their families must endure the consequences of a serious traffic collision. Regardless of the cause, the costs of such an event can be staggering to a family even of modest means, with the subsequent surgeries, rehabilitation time and possibly long-tern care. It’s only right that the responsible party be held accountable for that pain and suffering.

As many people know, these kinds of highway and urban crashes involve a range of vehicles, from small two-wheeled motorcycles to large and heavy 18-wheeled commercial trucks. Although it’s hard for most law-abiding and thoughtful people to imagine, some accidents are hardly that — they are intentional in the eyes of the law.

Maryland Car Accident News: Driver Convicted in Fatal Drug-related Auto Wreck in D.C.

March 23, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Any driver who knowingly gets behind the wheel of a motor vehicle — be it a passenger car, shuttle bus, or semi tractor-trailer rig — and operates that vehicle under the influence of alcohol, prescription drugs, or illegal substances is taking not only risking their own life and that of their passengers, but also is putting the lives of other motorists in jeopardy as well.

Being auto accident attorneys here in Baltimore, as well as personal injury lawyers for Maryland and the District, we understand the frustration, pain and anger that victims of car accidents and their families feel following a senseless traffic collision. As citizens and drivers, we all have a responsibility to operate our family cars, motorcycles, company vehicles and commercial trucks in a safe and legal manner — if not for ourselves and the safety of our family, at least for those innocent occupants in other vehicles.

According to news reports, a Washington, D.C., driver was convicted in connection with a fatal automobile crash last year, which killed a 37-year-old Mary Wimbush and injured the woman’s four children. Based on court reports, a D.C. jury heard the case in which 35-year-old Ajene Jones said he remembered buying PCP-laced cigarettes on April 19, 2010, before getting into his Dodge Ram truck and heading south along a stretch of Alabama Avenue SE.

Police reports showed that the man apparently veered across the centerline and into the path of Wimbush’s oncoming Toyota Camry. Jones reportedly told the court that the next thing he remembered was regaining consciousness in the rear of ambulance. Based on news reports, local prosecutors said that the man was high on that illicit drug when his vehicle collided with the woman’s sedan.

Court records showed that Jones’ truck was going 52mph in a 25mph speed zone. The resulting collision caused Wimbush’s Toyota to spin 180 degrees; apparently the vehicle was so badly damaged that it took emergency responders almost an hour to cut the woman out of the car. She died as a result of the violent crash, while her children all suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

Court records indicate that Jones was convicted on a single count of vehicular manslaughter, as well as two counts of aggravated assault. That conviction came as a result of an Alford plea — meaning the defendant did not admit to any guilt, while at the same time acknowledging that the state had sufficient evidence to convict him.

Maryland Rollover Accident Update: New NHTSA Rule Looks to Reduce Occupants Ejected During Automobile Crashes

March 19, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Read almost any news story covering a serious rollover accident in Maryland or Washington, D.C., and you will likely learn about a victim who was killed or critically injured as a result of the traffic accident. Drivers who attempt maneuvers at high speeds in a sport utility vehicle or family minivan can sometimes find themselves out of control and possibly flipping the vehicle on its side.

A rollover car, truck or bus crash can cause terrible bodily harm to driver and passengers alike. In cases where passenger restraint devices fail to hold the occupants in place, head and neck injuries can easily result; traumatic brain injury is just one of a number of life-threatening outcomes of these rollover-type car or truck accidents.

As Maryland personal injury lawyers, I and my legal staff have been trained to help victims of car, truck and motorcycle collisions. Sadly, many rollover incidents can be fatal, and not only because of the injuries sustained when an occupant impacts the hard interior surfaces of the vehicle.

Many rollovers can cause one or more occupants to be ejected from the vehicle and onto the roadway. In fact, it is well known that drivers and passengers alike in greater danger of being killed or seriously injured if they are thrown from a vehicle during a crash. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has conducted studies that show vehicle occupants who experience partial or complete ejection from a passenger vehicle are three-times more likely to be killed as those who remain inside the car or truck.

The NHTSA has maintained over the years that seatbelt use is one of the primary ways that a passenger can avoid being ejected from a vehicle involved in a traffic accident. Even so, it was announced not long ago that the federal government has instituted a new law requiring car makers to develop additional countermeasures to help prevent unbelted adult passengers from being thrown from a car or SUV during a crash, according to news reports.

Going into effect in 2013, the new ruling will require every new car or truck under 10,000 lbs to be equipped with this anti-ejection countermeasures by 2018. What this means is that in less than eight years every new vehicle must be able to prevent an unbelted adult passenger from moving any further than 4 inches beyond a vehicle’s side window opening during a traffic accident.

Baltimore Automobile Accident News: Two Die in Head-on Washington, D.C., Car Crash on Canal Road

March 17, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

With millions of miles of expressways, highways, rural roads and cities streets crisscrossing the U.S. it should come as no surprise that not every one of these public thoroughfares has been engineered correctly. While most high-speed roadways are correctly designed, many secondary roads leave much to be desired when it comes to convenience and even outright safety.

As Baltimore personal injury attorneys and auto accident lawyers, we have seen the aftermath of enough car, commercial truck and motorcycle crashes to make the average person cringe at the thought of a loved one being involved in such collisions. Yet traffic wrecks — whether single- or multi-vehicle crashes — do happen on a daily basis here in Maryland.

It could be said that many motor vehicle collisions occur as a result of another driver’s negligence. But other factors can come into play, which sometimes make it difficult to attach blame to any one party, until further investigation is conducted. Defective vehicle equipment is one such cause of injury accidents and fatal traffic wrecks.

Mount Airy, Maryland, Man Found Not Guilty of Negligent Homicide in Fatal D.C. Pedestrian Accident

March 13, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

A sad fact is that traffic accidents involving pedestrians and motor vehicles hardly ever turn out well for the person on foot. When a man or woman is walking across the street and is struck by the full force of a vehicle traveling 25mph or more, the physical injuries can be quite extensive and also quite fatal. Even if an individual is only knocked over, just hitting one’s head on a hard concrete or asphalt roadway can cause brain trauma and possibly death.

Fractures, broken bones and lacerations are just some of the serious injuries that can happen when a pedestrian is hit by a car, motorcycle or commercial delivery truck. Internal injuries, neck and spinal cord damage, not to mention traumatic head injuries are only a few of the conditions that can result from such a crash.

As Maryland auto accident lawyers and Washington, D.C. personal injury attorneys, we understand the extent of bodily harm that can come to a person in such violent traffic accidents. Still, when an individual is injured or killed by a motorist, it isn’t always easy to prove negligence on the part of the driver.

Last month a man was acquitted in the case of a fatal pedestrian accident that happened in the District last November. Following a Sunday fundraising walk, 76-year-old Richard Greenstein and his wife were headed back to their vehicle near Madison and 12th streets NW when they were struck by a motorist attempting to back into a parking space.

According to news reports, 35-year-old Kevin Bucy had left his wife and four kids back at the Smithsonian’s Natural History Museum, traveling on foot about a half hour to retrieve the family’s minivan so he could pick them up and spare them the 30-minute walk.

As Greenstein and his 73-year-old wife were stepping into a crosswalk on Madison Street, Bucy’s minivan hit them. As a result of the impact, Greenstein reportedly died from a skull fracture and severe brain injury, while his wife was only slightly injured. Based on news reports, Bucy was found not guilty of negligent homicide in a D.C. courtroom. Had he been convicted, he could have gone to jail for five years.

Maryland Mother and Children Hit, Severely Injured By Taxicab Driver Speeding on Suspended License

March 10, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

The law requires passenger car drivers and commercial truckers, among others, to be properly licensed by the state. This is not just a way for Maryland and other states to create an income stream, it’s done to make public roads safe for all people. When a driver operates a motor vehicle on a suspended license, not only is he or she is breaking the law, that person could be endangering the safety of the road-going public.

The sad thing is that the same people who break the law and are punished by having their driver’s license suspended many times go right back driving illegally on the road. Every year, residents of Maryland and other states are injured or killed by people driving illegally on a suspended license, or no license at all.

As Baltimore car accident lawyers and personal injury attorneys, we have seen the outcome of terrible highway wrecks and serious automobile collisions caused by unlicensed and unfit drivers. Fatal traffic accidents occur every day, but those that are caused by another person’s negligence can result in a wrongful death lawsuit being filed against an individual.

Maryland Auto Injury News: D.C. Motorist Dies in Fatal Car Fire in Family’s Garage

March 8, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Accidents happen is the phrase many people use when it comes to auto accident, trucking crashes and motorcycle wrecks. But for a person to die in a non-traffic-related car fire, now that’s a real tragedy. As Baltimore injury accident lawyers representing victims who have been hurt or killed as a result of another person’s negligence, we have seen our share of pain and suffering.

Over the past year or so, car companies such as Toyota, General Motors and Ford have been plagued by numerous safety recalls. Many of these recalls have been initiated by the government following fatal accidents that have taken the lives of many innocent people. Elderly drivers, parents and children, even experienced police officers have died in what some people have said were accidents caused by defective or poorly-designed vehicle components or systems.

In cases involving defective equipment, a products liability suit may be indicated. Depending on the source of the defect, one or more parties may be named as defendants in the suit. For automobiles, a part can be designed by the auto company, but manufactured by a second or third tier supplier.

Baltimore Traffic Safety Update: Maryland Drivers Rank 9th in Nation for Reported Seatbelt Use

March 5, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

If you’re a Maryland driver, chances are you can count yourself among the tens of thousands of motorists who wear their safety belts regularly to reduce injury in the event of a traffic accident when traveling in their car, light truck, SUV or minivan. As Baltimore auto accident lawyers and personal injury attorneys, we are heartened to hear this and reminded that seat belts are one of the most important pieces of safety equipment found in motor vehicles.

Of course, air bags and other crash avoidance and mitigation technologies play large roles themselves in helping the occupants of cars and trucks better survive a serious passenger car or trucking traffic accident. Ask almost anyone who has lived through a multiple-vehicle collision or single car crash and you will probably find that he or she was wearing their seat belt at the time.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Maryland is one of the top-ten states in seatbelt usage. We rank ninth in the nation, says the CDC, when motorists were polled on whether or not they always use their safety belts. In fact, 89.6 percent of Maryland’s residents said they always use their seatbelt. This is a mere four percentage points away from first-ranked Oregon. And, residents in Washington, D.C., even scored higher at 93.7 percent, based on the CDC survey.