You don’t have to tell a motorcyclist about the extreme danger of random events on the road. Ask any motorcycle rider who has been in the sport for any time and you’ll understand why most every rider is highly attuned to almost every aspect of traffic movement, weather conditions and even the state of the roadway itself. As Maryland personal injury attorneys, I and my colleagues know first-hand why bikers statewide are wary of the unexpected. It can literally kill them if they aren’t careful.
Still, accidents can and do happen, especially in those instances where riders cannot anticipate a problem. Many of these kinds of unexpected traffic accidents can be so random that it is next to impossible to predict a car or trucking-related collision. Having represented individuals who have been hurt or seriously injured in a passenger car crash, commercial delivery truck wreck or traffic-related pedestrian accident, we understand how a moment’s distraction or thoughtless action can turn a victim’s life upside down.
For motorcycle riders, wearing a helmet and other protective “body armor” can go a long way to reducing the severity of bodily injuries sustained in a roadway collision, but by the very nature of these machines, motorcycling itself is fraught with potential injury. From cuts, scrapes and bruises to deep lacerations, broken legs and arms, and serious internal injuries, riders who become caught up in a bad traffic accident can find themselves in a hospital for weeks or months, depending on the circumstances.
For anyone who says it can’t happen to them, we remind every motorcycle and scooter rider that these situations do crop up and bad injuries do occur as a result of another driver’s negligence. Wrongful death lawsuits are one of the precipitating results of fatal car-bike crashes. While most drivers who hit motorcycle riders usually say they didn’t even see the bike, better vigilance would have helped in some cases. Then there are others, which defy the odds.
One such wreck happened a while back in August, when a trio of motorcycle riders found themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time. According to reports, a Calvert County rider is probably alive today due to the quick thinking on the part of a Maryland State Police officer following a near fatal collision that took place along a stretch of road in Leonardtown, MD.
Based on news articles, the most severely injured rider lost his leg as a result of a collision with rogue utility trailer that came loose from its hitch on the back of a Dodge Caravan one Saturday afternoon. The incident happened at a little past 1pm as three Harley-Davidsons, one with a rider and passenger, were heading through Calvert County. After the trailer got loose, it careened into a nearby guardrail and then rolled back out into the travel lanes, just as the bikes were passing by.
North Beach resident, James Dicarlo, who was on his Harley Cruiser when the utility trailer came loose, took the brunt of the impact, which essentially amputated his leg during the crash with the trailer as it ricocheted across the road and hit the passing bikes. All four individuals were ejected from their mounts as a result of the impact.
Fortunately for Dicarlo, a State police trooper was just a short distance away when the crash happened and arrived at the scene ahead of any other emergency responders. The 10-year veteran of the MSP reportedly provided emergency medical attention, placing a tourniquet on Dicarlo’s leg to stop the bleeding. Reports indicate that the man’s life was likely saved by the trooper’s fast action.
Motorcyclist loses leg in crash with trailer, SoMdNews.com, August 8, 2012