Maryland Car Accident Attorney Blog
Police are investigating a fatal Maryland car accident that killed a pedestrian on a recent afternoon in Prince George’s County. According to one news source, the pedestrian was reportedly running across the I-495 highway where his vehicle was disabled on the shoulder. Traffic had slowed as the pedestrian was crossing the highway when one vehicle struck the pedestrian in the left lane. After the crash, the pedestrian was transported to a local hospital but unfortunately, he died at the hospital. He was 26 years old.
A pedestrian crash is a crash involving any person on foot, including a driver who has exited the vehicle. According to the most recent statistics from Maryland’s Department of Transportation, there were 123 pedestrian fatalities in 2019. There were 6,283 pedestrians killed in traffic crashes throughout the country in 2018, which was the most deaths in almost 30 years. That means that a pedestrian was killed in a traffic crash on average every 84 minutes. That year pedestrian deaths made up 17 percent of all traffic fatalities. The use of alcohol on the part of either the driver or the pedestrian was reported in 48 percent of all fatal pedestrian crashes in 2018. Pedestrian crashes are likely to occur in urban areas. Between 2009 and 2013 about 90 percent of crashes involving a pedestrian in Maryland took place in Baltimore and Washington, D.C. metropolitan areas.
Notably, although vehicle traffic has decreased overall during the COVID-19 pandemic, pedestrian and bicycle traffic has increased. To avoid pedestrian crashes, drivers should be on the lookout for pedestrians at all times and should slow down when approaching a crosswalk.
Can Pedestrians Hurt in an Accident Bring a Personal Injury Case Against a Driver?
Yes, in the event that a pedestrian is injured by a driver, the pedestrian may be able to recover financial compensation if the driver failed to exercise reasonable care. However, if the pedestrian was negligent, the pedestrian may be barred from recovering compensation. In Maryland, if a pedestrian files a negligence claim and is found to be partially at fault for his or her own injuries, the pedestrian is barred from recovering under Maryland law. If a defendant driver is claiming that a pedestrian (or another plaintiff) acted negligently, the driver has the burden of providing evidence of the plaintiff’s negligence. Similarly, in a Maryland wrongful death claim, a defendant may argue that the decedent was partially or wholly at fault, which would also bar the wrongful death claim.
Contact a Maryland Car Accident Lawyer
Victims who have been injured in a Maryland car crash may be entitled to compensation for their injuries. The lawyers at Lebowitz & Mzhen, LLC have more than two decades of experience representing Maryland accident victims in cases throughout the state. Their personal injury attorneys understand the struggles that you are facing and will do everything they can to reduce the stress on you as much as possible so that you can get your life back on track. To set up a free consultation, call Lebowitz & Mzhen at 1-800-654-1949 or fill out their online contact form. Calling is free, and because we work on a contingency basis, you will not be responsible for any legal fees unless we can help you recover for your injuries.