Maryland Car Accident Attorney Blog

Baltimore Car Accident News: Drunk Driving Blamed in Multi-car Injury Accident in Worcester County

February 23, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Injury accidents are commonplace on almost any roadway in Maryland. Whether it’s the city streets of Annapolis or D.C., the open highways across the state, or tight country roads, a car or truck crash can occur without warning. As a Maryland auto accident lawyer, I also know that drunken driving ups the ante when it comes to automobile collisions.

Not only does drinking and driving reduce a motorist’s reaction times, but it also dulls the cognitive portion of the brain, reducing a driver’s ability to make good and proper decisions. Mixing alcohol with a motor vehicle on a public road is just disaster waiting to happen. Yet this is what happens dozens of times every month. The pain and suffering that drunk drivers inflict on innocent motorists is already too high, yet police are constantly pulling these drivers over.

Unfortunately, sometimes it’s too late when a person driving under the influence of alcohol is taken into custody by law enforcement officer. A recent news report shows that as police try ever harder to limit the number of drunks on the road there is always one that gets through and causes an accident.

Baltimore Pedestrian-Car Accident News: Man Dies after Pickup Truck Hits Crowd at Lexington Market

February 21, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Three people were hurt and one man was killed in a tragic automobile accident in mid-January at a parking lot near the Lexington Market. Accidents of this kind can sometimes be attributed to faulty vehicle steering or brake systems. Occasionally, driver error or drunk driving can result in multiple personal injuries from being hit by a truck, SUV or passenger car.

As a Baltimore automobile accident and injury lawyer, I have seen first-hand the often severe injuries that a pedestrian can sustain as a result of being struck by a motor vehicle. When a crash of this kind occurs, with a crowd of people, many individuals can be hurt or even killed. According to a news article, a 72-year-old pedestrian died of his injuries after he and others were hit by a Ford F-150 pickup truck.

Police reports show that the woman driving the truck apparently suffered a seizure as she was driving through one of the market’s parking lots, just off North Eutaw Street. The driver subsequently lost control of the vehicle causing it to drive into a group of people. In the course of the crash, Donald L. Wheeler from Virginia sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Maryland Injury Accident News: Man and Young Girl Killed in Separate Train-related Pedestrian Accidents

February 18, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Here in Baltimore, we have a range of public transportation choices that make for convenient and relatively comfortable travel throughout the city and environs. Many of the transit lines are handled by light rail and commuter rail services. While these subway and rail lines are very helpful in getting around the city, dangers do lurk on every level crossing and pedestrian crossover. As a Maryland personal injury and auto accident attorney, I understand how a simple walk across railroad tracks can end tragically.

While the railroads provide a fair degree of safety and warning equipment, sometimes that is not enough. Especially for those persons who are distracted from the very real danger of a train collision and its potential for fatal results.

Two relatively recent deaths on railroad tracks in the city point up the importance of remaining aware of one’s surroundings, as well as not taking unnecessary risks whenever near a railroad right-of-way.

Maryland Auto Injury News: Baltimore Co. Police Identify Pedestrian Killed in Pulaski Highway Accident

February 16, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

We’ve stated it here before: Pedestrians hardly ever do well against a motor vehicle during a traffic accident. As motorists we all have a duty to watch out for persons on foot, but as pedestrians we must also be highly vigilant and aware of oncoming traffic. Even if you cross in a legal zone, such as a crosswalk, be sure all cars are stopped and it is safe. Being “dead” right will not make your family feel better after a fatal pedestrian collision.

Recently a news article indicated that the Baltimore County Police had finally realeased the identity of the man killed in a fatal pedestrian accident on Pulaski Highway. According to reports, police stated that the Middle River man who died was 40-year-old James Rayman, of the 9600 block of Pulaski Highway.

Police believe that the victim ran across the eastbound lanes of Pulaski Highway near the Colonial Motel just east of Middle River, then climbed over a nearly 4-foot tall concrete barrier separating the east- and westbound lanes. Police said Rayman then entered the fast lane and it was there that he was hit by a late-model Ford F-350 pickup truck.

Maryland Auto Accident News: Another Aggressive Driving Accident in Baltimore County Sends Driver to Hospital

February 14, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Aggressive driving is the cause of many accidents on Maryland’s highways and city streets. Whether it’s road rage, joy-riding or just plain showing off, aggressive drivers can hurt or injure other innocent motorists without much concern for their own safety. As a personal injury attorney and car accident lawyer serving the residents of Baltimore and surrounding areas, I have seen the result of fast, thoughtless drivers over the years.

Car, truck and SUV accidents can easily result in multiple injuries to occupants and bystanders, especially in a dense urban setting. Regardless of the reasons, injuries from these kinds of accidents can include bruising and abrasions, broken bones, neck and back injuries and even fatal brain trauma.

A recent article points out how sometimes it is the aggressive driver himself who gets hurt during an accident of his own making. According to police, Clemmis Tommy Futrell, of the 3400 block of Winterberry Court, in Reisterstown, was changing lanes quickly while moving in and out of traffic along Reisterstown Road in the morning hours of January 11.

Maryland Pedestrian Injury Accident: Baltimore County School Crossing Guard Injured by Passing Pickup Truck

February 11, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Pedestrian injury accidents happen more often than people may imagine. As a personal injury lawyer serving Maryland, I know how much damage a passenger car, light truck or commercial vehicle can cause to a person on foot in the roadway. As motorists it is everyone’s responsibility to be aware of persons walking on crosswalks and alongside the roadway. Near schools, it is common to find crossing guards helping children negotiate the dangerous environment of urban traffic intersections.

Here in Baltimore County, there are numerous opportunities for pedestrian injury accidents. A car-pedestrian collision rarely goes well for the person on foot, with broken bones, cuts and bruises, as well as concussions and possible traumatic brain injuries. Recently a Baltimore Co. crossing guard was very lucky in that she only received minor injuries after a vehicle nearly side-swiped her during her duties helping kids across the street.

Based on new reports, Baltimore County Police were investigating a pickup truck-pedestrian accident not far from Johnnycake Elementary School in Catonsville, MD. According to news reports, the woman was in the process of preparing to stop traffic at the intersection of Criagmont and Bardswell roads when the accident occurred.

Aggressive Driving Causes SUV Roll-over Accident on Interstate 97, Sends One Driver to Hospital

February 9, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Roll-over crashes are often a result of high-speed accidents or overly quick steering maneuvers. Sport utility vehicles (or SUVs) are particularly susceptible to these kinds of accidents. To make things worse, many light trucks, such as SUVs and pickup trucks, are not always designed with enough strength in the roof structure. In the event of a roll-over, the roof can be crushed sufficiently to seriously injure or kill the driver or passengers.

As a Maryland auto accident lawyer, my job is to help people recover the costs of an accident caused by another person’s negligence. This includes not only other drivers who may be at fault, but also the automobile companies who design and manufacture the vehicles whose roofs don’t always protect the occupants.

A recent accident on Northbound I-97 is an example of this kind of accident. It’ also shows how aggressive driving can cause other motorists harm, not to mention injury to the perpetrator as well. According to police, a 39-year-old driver was seriously hurt when his GMC Yukon crashed and rolled over on the interstate after hitting an out-of-control car that had been allegedly speeding moments before.

Maryland Auto Accident News: Fatal Car Crash and Two Multiple Injury Accidents in Baltimore County

February 7, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Three separate automobile accidents on a Monday morning resulted in one death and four people injured in Baltimore County recently. Maryland State Police responded to the accidents which included a fatal Pikeville side-swipe hit-and-run collision that killed a man on Interstate 695; the two other accidents, one on U.S. 40 and another in Garrison, MD, sent four people to area hospitals.

The hit-and-run crash happened shortly after 29-year-old Richardo Manchome of Pikesville pulled his Ford Pickup onto the should of the Beltway to check on an engine problem. According to police reports, the man was standing on the driver’s side of the vehicle while examining his truck’s engine when he was struck by another vehicle.

Apparently a car veered onto the shoulder where Manchome was standing, striking and throwing the man about 50 feet from his truck. When emergency crews arrived, the victim was declared dead at the scene.

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.