Earlier this month, a 22-year-old man was killed in a fatal motorcycle accident involving one other vehicle. According to one local news report, the accident occurred in Timonium, Maryland on a Wednesday morning, around 11 a.m.Evidently, the motorcyclist was heading north on York Road. Another motorist, operating a Buick Regal, was heading south on the same road when he attempted to make a left-hand turn in front of the motorcyclist. The Buick did not have time to complete his turn, and the motorcyclist crashed into the side of the passenger vehicle.
The motorcyclist was taken to Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead a short time after admission. The driver of the Buick, a 73-year-old woman, was taken to St. Joseph’s Medical Center and treated for minor injuries. Police are still conducting an investigation into the accident. It is not clear at this point if the driver of the Buick has been issued any citation for her role in the fatal accident.
Left-Turn Accidents Are a Common Cause of Fatal Motorcycle Accidents
Accidents involving a passenger vehicle or truck making a left-hand turn in front of a motorcycle constitute a large portion of the fatal motorcycle accidents we see each year. In fact, some studies have concluded that left-hand turn accidents account for slightly less than half of all fatal motorcycle accidents. Most of these accidents involve a driver’s inability to correctly gauge the speed at which a motorcyclist is traveling when they choose to initiate their left-hand turn.
Liability in Left-Turn Accidents
In Maryland, the innocent victim of a motorcycle accident is entitled to monetary compensation from the driver responsible. However, Maryland does have a strict system in place for determining who is able to recover. In fact, no accident victim who is found to be even the slightest bit at fault in the accident resulting in their injuries is permitted to recover under Maryland law.
In left-turn accidents in particular, defendant motorists are likely to claim that the motorcyclist was speeding at the time of the accident, which prevented the motorist from properly assessing the motorcyclist’s speed. While this may be a potential defense for the motorist, it is their burden to prove that a motorcyclist was speeding at the time of the accident. To learn more about the burdens in motorcycle injury cases and what must be proven in order to be successful, contact a dedicated Maryland motorcycle injury attorney.
Have You Been Injured in a Maryland Motorcycle Accident?
If you or a loved one has recently been involved in any kind of serious or fatal Maryland motorcycle accident, you may be entitled to monetary compensation for your injuries or for your losses. However, keep in mind that motorists and their insurance companies are unlikely to concede fault and will likely fight the case against them in hopes of shifting at least some liability onto you, the accident victim. Ensure that you are treated fairly by contacting a dedicated and experienced attorney of your own to represent you in the case. Call 410-654-3600 to set up a free consultation with an experienced personal injury advocate who can fully represent your interests in any upcoming legal action.
More Blog Posts:
Chain-Reaction Crash in Prince Frederick Injures Several, Including Motorcyclist, Maryland Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog, published July 3, 2015.
Maryland Motorcyclist Killed in Gaithersburg U-Turn Accident, Maryland Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog, published July 24, 2015.