Earlier this month near Middletown, a motorcyclist died when he was involved in a two-vehicle accident near the intersection of Summit Bridge Road and Old Schoolhouse Road. According to one local news source that covered the incident, the accident took place at around 1:20 in the afternoon.
Evidently, the motorcyclist was heading southbound on Summit Bridge Road, and an Acura was heading northbound on the same road, when the Acura attempted to make a left-hand turn in front of the motorcyclist. However, the driver of the Acura misjudged the amount of time he had to complete the turn and struck the motorcycle before he completed the turn. The impact from the collision caused the motorcyclist to be thrown from the bike.
The motorcyclist, who was wearing his helmet, was pronounced dead on the scene by emergency crews. The driver of the Acura stopped his car about 150 feet from the intersection and remained on the scene throughout the police investigation. He was not injured in the accident.
Left-Turn Motorcycle Accidents
A large percentage of Maryland motorcycle accidents occur when one vehicle attempts to make a left-hand turn in front of the motorcyclist. While the general rule that most of us learned in driver’s education is that the vehicle turning left must yield to the vehicle continuing straight, there is an important exception to that rule that may come into play in these situations.
When the driver that is traveling straight is traveling in excess of the posted speed limit, he may lose his right of way. Simply speaking, this means that the general rule of determining who is at fault may be reversed if speeding is involved.
Of course, in the accident above, there is no indication that the motorcyclist was speeding. However, if the motorcyclist’s family were to bring a wrongful death action against the driver of the Acura, that is something that they should be prepared to handle, since most drivers (and their insurance companies) will try every avenue to avoid liability in these kinds of accidents. However, if a motorcyclist or their family is able to show that the other driver was at fault for the accident, they may be entitled to monetary compensation for their injuries or losses.
Have You Been Involved in a Maryland Motorcycle Accident?
If you or a loved one has recently been involved in any kind of Maryland motorcycle accident, you may be entitled to monetary compensation for all that you have been through. While the general rules of the road may apply in the abstract and in most cases, plaintiffs should be prepared for defendants to argue a variety of other possibilities. As with many other things in life, preparation is key to a successful lawsuit, and that is why at Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers, we handle each case with the utmost care and precision from the very beginning. To learn more about what we do and how we can help you, call 410-654-3600 to set up a free consultation.
More Blog Posts:
Former Episcopal Bishop in Baltimore Pleads Guilty to Automotive Manslaughter and Other Related Charges, Maryland Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog, published October 7, 2015.
Bicyclist Struck by Drunk Driver Emphasizes Driver Education to Avoid Future Accidents, Maryland Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog, published November 5, 2015.