Maryland Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog
Motorcycle accidents are caused by a variety of poor driving habits, most commonly distracted or inattentive driving. Each year, about a quarter of all serious or fatal traffic accidents are caused by distracted driving. While society does not condemn distracting driving, as it does drunk driving, the reality is that the two are about equal in the number of deaths they cause.
Whether an accident is caused by a distracted or drunk driver, or any other time a motorist is responsible for causing a serious or fatal motorcycle accident, the motorcyclist as well as his passenger may be entitled to monetary compensation based on the other driver’s negligence. To prove this kind of case in Maryland or Washington, D.C., an accident victim must be able to prove not just that the other motorist was at fault but also that the accident victim himself was not at all at fault in the accident. This is due to the doctrine of contributory negligence, which is in effect in both Maryland and Washington, D.C.
Man Killed in Florida Motorcycle Accident
Earlier this month, a state trooper in Tampa Bay, Florida was killed when the motorcycle he was operating was struck by an SUV. According to one news report, an SUV was stopped at an intersection waiting for traffic to clear. When the driver believed the intersection to be clear, she pulled out to cross the intersection. However, as she did so, she ended up striking the motorcycle, which was carrying an off-duty state trooper and his wife.
The initial collision between the SUV and the motorcycle knocked the motorcycle off the road and threw both riders from the bike. The trooper was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. The trooper’s wife was hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries. The driver of the SUV was not injured in the accident.
The driver of the SUV later consented to a blood test, which revealed there were no drugs or alcohol in her system at the time of the accident. Police are in the midst of an investigation and hope to uncover more information about the accident and how it occurred. At the time of the article’s publication, no charges were pending against the driver of the SUV.
Have You Been Involved in a Maryland Motorcycle Accident?
If you or a loved one has recently been involved in a serious Maryland motorcycle accident, you may be entitled to monetary compensation based on another driver’s negligence. In some cases, successful plaintiffs will recover amounts for past and future medical expenses, lost wages, and any pain and suffering caused by the accident. The skilled personal injury advocates at the Maryland-based law firm of Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers have decades of experience bringing cases on behalf of injured Marylanders, and we know what it takes to be successful in Maryland courts. Call 410-654-3600 to set up a free consultation today.
More Blog Posts:
Consider the Facts Before Placing the Blame on a Motorcyclist for a Motorcycle Accident, Maryland Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog, published April 5, 2016.
State Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Insurance Company in Multi-Vehicle Motorcycle Accident, Greatly Limiting Victims’ Damages, Maryland Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog, published April 19, 2016.