Maryland Car Accident Attorney Blog

Maryland Traffic Safety Update: iPods, Bluetooth Headsets can Open the Door to Tragic Auto Accidents

February 4, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Traffic safety is always a hot topic, but more so these days as drivers in Maryland and around the country have more and more distractions that conspire to take their attention away from the most important task at had, safely driving their vehicle in traffic. As a Baltimore auto accident attorney and injury lawyer, my firm represents drivers, passengers and pedestrians injured through the negligence of other motorists.

Car and truck crashes can result from numerous causes, from outside influences such as poorly maintained pavement or bad weather, to mechanical problems such as worn out steering components or bald tires, all the way to driver error. One subset of driver error would have to be self-imposed distractions, such as fiddling with the radio or talking on a cell phone.

It’s no secret that cell phones are more and more being singled out as potentially dangerous instruments in the hands of motorists in Baltimore, Annapolis, Washington, D.C., and elsewhere in our area. Because it is everyone’s responsibility to watch out for dangers on the roads, drivers and pedestrians alike should consider the growing threat that all mobile devices pose to public safety.

Baltimore Car Accident News: Maryland Man Gets Nine Years for Fatal Drunk-driving Accident

February 2, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Every year, hundreds of people are killed in traffic accidents across the country. Many of these automobile accidents are caused by motorists who drink and drive. Here in Maryland, it’s not uncommon to see news stories about drunk drivers who cause serious as well as fatal injuries to occupants of other vehicles due to driving under the influence of alcohol. As a personal injury lawyer in the Baltimore area, I have seen the aftermath of these kinds of alcohol-related wrecks.

It make no difference whether you drive a passenger car, pickup truck, sport utility vehicle (SUV) or minivan, a serious collision can turn your life upside down. If you are a breadwinner for your family, being injured in a car crash will impact your household income due to lost wages as well as medical costs during recovery. A fatal crash can have devastating affect on families in Annapolis, Owings Mills, the District, and other communities around the state.

Not long ago, a Maryland resident was sentenced to nine years in jail for the fatal drunk driving death of an area mom. According to the news, the crash that killed 28-year-old Cristina L. Palese occurred on March 21, 2009, during the victim’s drive home from work at the Cadillac Ranch restaurant at National Harbor, MD.

Maryland State Trooper and Two Others Injured in Dorchester County Car Crash on Route 50

January 28, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

A serious traffic accident can happen to anyone, anytime and almost anywhere. A recent news report shows that not only everyday motorists can be hurt or killed in truck or car crashes, experienced and highly trained law enforcement professional can also be hurt. Injuries from highway collisions can range from bruises and minor cuts to head and brain injuries. It’s not uncommon for a person to be seriously injured and later die from those injuries in the hospital.

According to reports, 39-year-old Trooper Kenneth Myers Jr. and another Maryland State Trooper were carrying out traffic enforcement duties on Route 50 around mid-day on January 19 when the accident occurred. Police reports indicate that Myers, of the Easton State Police Barrack, was driving an unmarked police car eastbound on Route 50. The 2006 Ford Crown Victoria carrying the two troopers was chasing another vehicle that was exceeding the posted speed limit and traveling around 80mph.

Details at the time of the news reports were not completely clear, however it is known that Myers cruiser hit a 2004 Toyota Avalon driven by 75-year-old Marjorie MacSorely at the intersection of routes 50 and 731 shortly after noon, according to reports. Based on police statements, it appears that MacSorely’s vehicle pulled into the path of the oncoming police cruiser.

Maryland Highway Worked Injured in Construction Accident in Jefferson, MD.

January 24, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Vehicle accidents can and do occur everyday in Maryland. Whether you live in Baltimore, Annapolis, Owings Mills or the D.C. area, being hit or injured by any vehicle can cause serious physical harm and sometimes fatal injuries. Construction machinery in particular is dangerous and U.S. Government’s Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) has strict guidelines designed to improve the working conditions of men and women across the country.

As a Maryland automobile injury attorney, I read daily of accidents, car crashes and truck wrecks that leave passengers and pedestrians alike in physical pain that can last for year. According to a recent article, a highway construction worker was seriously injured when an excavating machine hit him, injuring his leg and sending him to the hospital.

The accident happened at the intersection of intersection of Md. 17 and Md. 180 just after 3pm on January 5. The man was apparently working in a ditch when someone or something released a safety interlock on a piece of excavating machinery. The equipment may have rolled forward or somehow landed on the man’s leg.

Maryland Auto Injury Update: So-called Minor Car or SUV Accidents can Cause Serious Personal Injury

January 20, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Some have likely heard this said: “That wasn’t such a bad traffic accident; the damage to the vehicle was minimal.” If you haven’t, then you probably have not dealt with an insurance company as a plaintiff in an injury case. Having represented hundreds of victims of car, truck or sport utility vehicle (SUV) crashes, my firm understands that it is quite easy to be seriously hurt in an automobile accident even though the repairs to the vehicle don’t amount to much at all.

This is a case of major bodily injuries, yet relatively minor vehicle or property damage. Sadly, this familiar, yet deceptive argument is used very frequently by defense attorneys and insurance companies when auto collisions are concerned. And it’s one of the best reasons to consult a personal injury lawyer experienced in the area of auto accident law.

Whether you live in Baltimore, Annapolis, Columbia or the D.C. area, car accidents can occur most anywhere, some of them with devastating consequences. Insurance companies many times will try to downplay the extent of an accident to try to justify a reduced settlement to the injured parties. This is done sometimes by introducing evidence in the form of distorted, grainy or out-of-focus photos showing minor vehicle or property damage.

But this is done without offering any expert testimony regarding the direct and causal relationship between the extent of the property damage and the victim’s bodily injuries. Brain trauma as well as neck injuries can occur even when a vehicle has sustained minimal outward damage itself. Yet every year, hundreds of auto accident victims settle for less than what they deserve due to these kinds of tactics.

The purpose of the defense is to disprove, usually by false implication, what has been proven by medical evidence and expert testimony — typically by a licensed physician. It’s easy to forget how much energy is released – or inflicted on a victim’s body — as a result of a traffic accident. Yet insurance company attorneys will usually make no mention of the sudden and very high energy forces that are transmitted throughout a motor vehicle in the milliseconds following a collision.

Man Gets Six Months for Fatal DWI Traffic Accident that Killed Maryland High School Student

January 19, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

The year just past was marred by hundreds of traffic accidents throughout Maryland, some of which resulted in fatalities. One of the saddest was the death of a Stephen Decatur High School sophomore who was hit by a car as he and some friends tried to cross Route 50 near Ocean City. As a Baltimore personal injury and auto accident lawyer, my office understands the terrible grief that friends, families and communities feel at the loss of any youngster.

Unfortunately, traffic accidents involving pedestrians are often fatal and almost always severe. As drivers, we all must be especially vigilant when approaching people walking along the roadside or crossing the street. Cars, pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles (SUVs) are much more massive and quicker than a person on foot. Therefore additional caution should always be exercised whenever pedestrians are nearby.

According to news articles, the driver who hit the boy last year in May had a 0.10 percent blood-alcohol content at the time of the accident. Other than the drunken driving offense police had not issued any other charges in connection with the fatal crash. The man recently received six months in jail from a Worchester County court for his part in the accident.

Baltimore Auto Accident News: Single-car Washington County Car Crash Kills Maryland Teacher

January 16, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Everyday, families in and around Maryland lose loved ones who have made a difference in the lives of people throughout their community. Unfortunately, a traffic accident can suddenly and tragically put an end to anyone’s life in an instant. The emotional scars that losing a mother, daughter, friend or colleague can last for years, if not forever. As an injury lawyer practicing in the Baltimore area, I help families of victims recover damages from negligent parties who cause fatal car, truck or SUV crashes.

Sadly, any monetary damages can only alleviate the pain of loss. Nothing can bring a person back who has been killed by a careless motorist, drunk driver or deficient product safety. Recently, I was reminded of the senseless randomness of traffic accidents. According to a news article, Alisha Mae Deneen, young teacher from Washington County died in a single-car accident on I-81 at the railroad crossing north of Maugansville Road.

According to the State Police, the accident happened sometime prior to 5:30pm on New Year’s Day after a passer-by noticed the woman’s vehicle on the railroad tracks. Reports indicate that the 31-year-old Deneen was driving a 2009 Infiniti G37x, which apparently crossed the median, overturned and fell on to the tracks below. The exact time of the accident had not been determined at the time of the news article. Emergency personnel found the driver dead at the scene.

Baltimore Automobile Injury News: Maryland Ranked Higher in Auto Safety than Most of the Nation

January 12, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

As a Baltimore auto injury attorney, I wouldn’t get too complacent just yet, but it’s heartening to read that our state received high marks for traffic safety recently. Fatalities and injuries from car crashes represent a fair percentage of our annual accident statistics here in Maryland. But according to a recent report, we can rest a bit easier knowing that we scored pretty high in the area of traffic safety.

According to news reports, Maryland is ranked among the top four states on a yearly “report card” put out by the group known as Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety (AHAS). According to the AHAS, the recently adopted anti-text-messaging legislation now in effect gave us a big boost in the rankings. This law alone could co a long way toward cutting the number of automobile crashes.

Maryland reportedly gets credit for adopting nearly 12 of the AHAS’s 15 “model laws,” which it recommends every state take on. Achieving a fourth-place ranking was apparently nothing to sneeze at since the group has raised its requirements year over year.

Maryland Car Accident News: Bus Passengers Injured after Baltimore Traffic Collision

January 11, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Depending on the speed of a car or truck accident, injuries to the occupants of the vehicles can be substantial. Seatbelts, also known as safety belts, provide a first line of defense against severe injury or death. Bus accidents are particularly dangerous since passengers rarely use or even have seatbelts available to them. Being a Maryland auto accident and personal injury lawyer, I know how critical using seatbelts is to passenger survival.

According to a recent news report, eight people were injured as a result of a bus-car crash in Baltimore, MD. The motor vehicle accident occurred in the early morning of December 19. Based on that report, Maryland police personnel along with EMS emergency crews arrived at the accident scene not long after the crash. The bus involved in the wreck was carrying individuals with special needs, according to police.

The crash, which took place at 8am on the 3200 block of Philadelphia Road in Baltimore, was apparently caused by a small passenger sedan that had rear-ended a taxi, which had stopped on the road prior to the accident. Police reported that following the collision, the sedan subsequently crossed the road’s center line, heading into the oncoming traffic lane where it struck the special needs bus.

Maryland Auto Injury News: Man Hurt in SUV Crash, Rollover Accident in Frederick County

January 9, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

No matter if you’re from Annapolis, Washington, D.C., Baltimore or anywhere else in Maryland, more than one person has seen the result of a roll-over accident on a highway or rural road. Roll-over crashes are particularly common with sport utility vehicles (or SUVs), which have a high center of gravity and can tip over much more easily than a sedan or other low-slung passenger car. Minivans can also be involved in roll-over crashes in Maryland, meaning multiple passengers can be hurt or killed as a result.

As Maryland car accident attorneys, I and my colleagues have represented dozens upon dozens of victims of motor vehicle collisions, including roll-over accidents. Seatbelts, of course, save lives and I stand by their use. But in a roll-over situation, not even a seatbelt can save a person 100 percent of the time.

A recent article pointed up the danger of driving not only an SUV, but also mixing possible drug or alcohol use with vehicle operation. According to reports, an out-of-state motorist was involved in a single-vehicle accident along U.S. 15 near U.S 40. The accident occurred just after 4pm on January 7 when 37-year-old Michael Edward Brooks apparently swerved his sport utility vehicle off the southbound lane of U.S. 15.