Maryland Car Accident Attorney Blog

Maryland Car Accident Update: Washington, D.C., Area Drivers Sue Toyota over Alleged Acceleration Problem

April 25, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Defective equipment suits, also referred to as product liability lawsuits, against Japanese car manufacturer Toyota are cropping up all over the county. I and my colleagues have the skills and experience to represent individuals who believe their vehicle had a defect that led to an accident involving personal injury or death. Of course, nobody wants to be in an automobile wreck, but from time to time forces beyond a driver’s control can result in a terrible crash.

Head and neck injuries are typical of some high-speed traffic collisions, while bruises, cuts and minor lacerations may be the only injuries in a lower-speed car or semi-truck collision. Whatever the cause, injuries can be costly, not only from a financial standpoint but also over the longer term as some people never fully recover emotionally or physically from a horrible accident.

The latest spate of defective equipment claims against Toyota allege poor accelerator design in a variety of the manufacturer’s models. According to a recent news article, two local D.C. residents have filed suits against Toyota for accidents that left them in need of medical treatment.

Maryland Auto Accident News: Police Respond to Three Separate Car Crashes in Anne Arundel County, MD

April 22, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Accidents involving passenger cars, minivans and sport utility vehicles happen often and for a variety of reasons. Typically they are caused by driver error and many times can be the result of simple negligence. As a Maryland auto accident lawyer, I’ve seen my share of accident scenes and the human toll that can result from a violent traffic wreck involving cars or commercial tractor-trailer rigs.

Three automobile accidents recently caused injury to three persons in Ann Arundel County, MD. On crash occurred on Route 50 when a 30-year-old driver from Annapolis apparently lost control of his Chevy Suburban near Aris T. Allen Boulevard just before 7pm on a weekday evening. The man’s SUV reportedly hit an Acura in the middle lane.

As a result of the accident, the 56-year-old female driver of the Acura and a 27-year-old male passenger riding in the Suburban were both taken to Anne Arundel Medical Center with minor injuries. The driver of the Suburban, who police said was at fault in the accident, was flown by helicopter to the Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore.

Baltimore Car Accident News: Maryland Residents May See Auto Insurance Rates to Increase

April 19, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

As a Maryland auto accident attorney, I know how costs can add up for the average family. When a car, truck or motorcycle accident causes a wage earner to be hospitalized for injuries suffered during a crash, medical costs and lost earnings can put many families into a terrible bind. Because carrying auto insurance on your vehicle is required by law, premiums are another cost that simply cannot be avoided.

Recently, news out of Annapolis shows that the state legislature is working on a bill that would likely increase insurance premiums for nearly every one of the 61,000 Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund customers. At the time of the news article, the bill passed through the House despite the protestations of the Republican side.

The bill would require policyholders to carry a minimum security of $30,000 for individuals and $60,000 for multiple drivers. Currently those minimums are $20,000 and $40,000 respectively and have not changed since 1972 when MAIF was established following legislation that made auto insurance mandatory.

Maryland Car Accident Law News: Never Assume a Minor Car or Truck Crash Causes Only Minor Injuries

April 16, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Having seen a number of car, commercial truck and SUV collisions over the past few months, it’s important to remind anyone who has been involved in a recent traffic accident that bodily injuries sustained as a result of a crash should never be compared to the damage that your vehicle may have received.

Why do I say this? The reason is simple, many insurance companies will attempt to paint a victims level of injury with the same brush as that of the vehicle involved in the accident. There is rarely a correlation between the two. And even if there was, you should always consult with a qualified Maryland injury attorney before signing any documents related to the accident.

Having represented hundreds of car-crash victims, I and my staff know that it is very easy for the occupant of a passenger vehicle to become seriously hurt in a traffic accident even though the repairs to the vehicle itself are relatively minor.

Maryland Auto Accident News: Man Found Guilty in Fatal Pedestrian Accident near Glen Burnie Church

April 13, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Inattentive drivers can be just as dangerous as drunk drivers; that’s a fact. And while the law has punishments in place for those whose drinking and driving results in the severe injury or death of another individual, distracted or careless motorists must also be held accountable if their negligence causes harm. As a Baltimore automobile accident lawyer, my aim is to help victims and their families to recover medical costs and other damages caused by another person.

Recently, a resident of Linthicum Heights pled guilty to a single count of vehicular manslaughter resulting from the August 22 pedestrian accident that left 59-year-old Glen Burnie woman dead. On that day, Mary Bernice Collins was on her way to Holy Trinity Catholic Church for evening mass when she was hit. She was reportedly standing on a sidewalk when hit by a vehicle driven by 27-year-old Matthew Evan Norwood.

Following the collision, Norwood reportedly left the scene. Based on circuit court reports in Annapolis, Norwood accepted a plea agreement in exchange for the prosecutor’s office to drop seven other related charges, not the least of which was for hit-and-run.

Maryland Traffic Accident News: Prince George’s Policeman Dies from Injuries Sustained in Weather-related Car Crash

April 10, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

No matter where you live or work in Maryland, injuries and potential fatalities are always lurking on the road. Even those trained for the worst can be caught off guard by a traffic accident. Whether you drive a passenger car or commercial truck, a surprise on the road can put you or a family member in the hospital. As a Baltimore injury lawyer and auto accident attorney, I understand all too well the worst-case results of a vehicle collision on a highway, city street or rural route.

We read recently of the tragic passing of one of Maryland’s finest, a Prince George’s police officer whose car hit some black ice during a spate of bad weather as he was responding to a call. The single-vehicle crash put the man in the hospital back on February 27. According to reports, 27-year-old Officer Thomas Paul Jensen died on March 9 from injuries he received during that crash.

Officer Jensen had been hospitalized in the Intensive Care Unit at Prince George’s Hospital Center since the crash that occurred when he lost control of his vehicle on a patch of black ice and collided with a telephone pole in College Park, said a police spokesman.

Baltimore Auto Accident Injury Law Update: Reckless Driving Bill Pending in Maryland Legislature

April 8, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Negligent drivers, whether they operate passenger vehicles or commercial delivery trucks or tractor-trailer rigs, should be help accountable for their actions behind the wheel. In Maryland, the penalties for reckless driving involving fatalities can appear to be hardly sufficient considering the results that are evident. Not a week goes by that it seems we hear at least one news story of a traffic fatality on one of this state’s busy roadways.

As a Baltimore automobile accident lawyer, I and my colleagues fight a seemingly never ending battle for car crash victims and their families. It makes not difference whether a person is hurt as a result of a semi truck hitting their car or another passenger vehicle slamming into their sedan, minivan or SUV. The pain and suffering sustained during the accident and afterward can be substantial.

Not long ago we reported on a bill introduced into the Maryland state legislature that would increase the penalties for drivers found guilty of reckless and negligent driving in instance where the driver’s action led to the death or serious injury of another individual. It’s heartening to know now that the bill has already received support in the form of a successful vote in the Senate and will soon be moving on to the House.

Baltimore Traffic Injury Accident News: Study Reveals Maryland’s Average to Low Risk for Speeding; Drunk Driving Fatalities

April 6, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Certainly there are no guarantees in life, but as motorists we do assume risks every time we get behind the wheel of our automobiles, motorcycles and SUVs. This being said, it would be comforting to know if we could expect a modicum of safety for ourselves and our families while traveling Maryland’s highways and byways. As Baltimore car accident lawyers, I and my colleagues know first-hand the worst-case scenarios that await some people.

A recent study by the Reader’s Digest gave us some hope for drivers throughout the state. According to the report, Maryland ranks in the top one-fifth of states with the lowest chances of a fatal alcohol-related traffic accident. Furthermore, when it comes to speeding-related deaths on our roads, the state falls just below the national average fatal.

What does this mean in real figures? According to the report, Maryland has about 0.28 drunk driving-related deaths per million vehicle miles, ranking it eighth and placing it in the top ten safest states for that category. For the United States as a whole, drunk driving deaths average 0.40 per million vehicle miles traveled.

Maryland Auto Accident News: Elkton Man Arrested in Connection with Fatal 2009 Drunk Driving Crash

April 4, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Fatal traffic accidents are a sad and unfortunately common occurrence on Maryland’s rural and interstate motorways. Every day, drivers from Annapolis, D.C., Baltimore and other cities and towns around the state face multiple dangers when taking to our roadways. This is seemingly the price we pay for living in such a mobile and active society. But many fatal traffic accidents can be prevented or avoided with some luck and a little preparation.

Even so, every few days we hear of a deadly car or truck collision that has claimed yet another life. These victims can be mothers, fathers, sons and daughters, even grandparents. Fate does not discriminate when it comes to traffic accidents. As Maryland auto injury lawyers, our office understands the emotional pain and hardship that accompanies every fatal automobile wreck. Sometimes the negligent party becomes a fugitive from justice, which makes a family’s loss that much more difficult to bear.

A news reports recently called this kind of accident to mind as a man wanted in a fatal drunk driving accident was identified by U.S. Customs agents at a northern boarder crossing. According to reports, Gerald D. Barnett was arrested in March on charges linked to a deadly car crash last year in June.

Maryland Auto Injury News: Three Persons Injured in Route 665 Rollover Accident near Annapolis

April 2, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Automobile wrecks, including trucking-related crashes, can cause severe injuries to drivers and passengers. Traffic accidents on high-speed roads can result in even worse injuries and sometimes fatalities. When it comes to vehicles with higher centers of gravity, a rollover accident is very possible depending on the circumstances. Head, neck and back injuries can result when an SUV, minivan or other large vehicle rolls over on the highway.

Being Maryland auto accident attorneys, my office sees numerous victims of rollover crashes every year. The cost of medical care and reticence on the part of insurance companies to pay claims only makes the physical injuries of a car, motorcycle or trucking-related accident that much more painful. Recovering from cuts and bruises, spinal damage and traumatic brain injury is just the start of a traffic accident victim’s path to normalcy.

Recently a double rollover accident caused injury to three individuals on Maryland’s Route 665 near Annapolis. According to news reports, the crash occurred in the late morning when two vehicles collided and rolled over on in the westbound lanes of Route 665. Based on information from the fire department officials, it took 12 firefighters almost 10 minutes to free a 31-year-old woman trapped inside one of the vehicles.