Doing the right thing doesn’t always mean that you will avoid serious problems in your life. Motorcycle riders, like many people who engage in risky sports or hobbies understand that a traffic accident may be just moments away or around the next bend; or even waiting for them at the next busy intersection. As Maryland auto accident lawyers and personal injury attorneys, I and my staff know how serious a bike accident can be when a motorcycle is struck by a car or commercial truck; the rider is almost always the one to suffer.
Whether one rides a Harley-Davidson, Honda or Yamaha here in Baltimore or in Rockville, Gaithersburg or the District, the chances of a serious or fatal biking accident are always there. While experience and time on the road may help some riders to anticipate a crash situation or avoid areas that present excessive risk for motorcycle, scooter, or moped, fate itself can be a harsh mistress.
And the aftermath can sometimes be worse than the original roadway collision that sends the victim to the hospital in the first place. Medical treatment, physical therapy and weeks or months of recovery time can drain a family’s resources. Taking the victim out of the workforce for an extended period can result in lost wages, which are only compounded by extensive medical bills and hospital costs.
If one survives some of the more serious injuries, such as compound fractures, head trauma and spinal injuries, that person may still end up be subjected to a lifetime in a wheelchair. Life-altering injuries are some of the worst kinds of medical problems following a bad traffic wreck, little of which can be predicted ahead of time. Sadly, many bikers are injured so extensively that they may face months or years of recuperation, which can cost tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars of the course of treatment and therapy.
Not long ago, a woman out for a ride on her motorcycle was apparently obeying the traffic laws, yet still managed to be seriously injured by another driver who apparently didn’t notice the rider and her cycle. According to news stories, a motorcycle rider received serious and life-threatening injuries following a crash involving a minivan at the intersection of Parke West Dr. and Quarterfield Rd. in Anne Arundel County.
Based on police reports, the accident happened a little after 5pm on a Sunday afternoon leaving 29-year-old Glen Burnie resident Amanda Tilman in critical condition. Emergency responders arriving on the scene apparently called for a medevac chopper to take the injured woman to Baltimore’s Shock Trauma Center.
Police reports indicate that Tilman was stopped for a red light at the intersection before proceeding on the green. Entering the intersection, the biker was struck by a Ford minivan turning left, whose driver apparently failed to yield the right of way to the approaching motorcyclist. The rider attempted to stop in time, but reportedly could not and struck the minivan.
According to news reports, Anne Arundel police cited the minivan’s driver for failure to yield to oncoming traffic. There was no mention of whether alcohol or drugs may have played a part in the crash.
Motorcyclist Still in Critical Condition After Accident Sunday, Patch.com, July 27, 2011
Woman in Serious Condition After Motorcycle Accident, Patch.com, July 24, 2011