Bicycle Injury Accidents

Maryland Bike Safety News: State Seeks to Reduce Car-Bicycle Accidents with New Legislation

February 18, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

In Baltimore, Annapolis, the District of Columbia, and other municipalities across Maryland and the surrounding area, more and more people are riding bicycles as a way to reduce commuting costs and lead healthier lives. As a bicycle accident attorney and experienced personal injury lawyer, I know the freedom and invigoration that bike riding provides many in our community.

Unfortunately, with more people bicycling to work and school, the potential for bodily injury may also be on the rise. It’s not unusual for a rider to sustain broken bones and lacerations as a result of a collision with a motor vehicle, such as a passenger car, SUV or delivery truck. Instances of car-bike accidents usually increase with the higher traffic density found in medium and large metropolitan areas.

In an effort to alleviate, or at least limit the potential for traffic accidents involving bicyclists, our state legislature is doing its part to help cyclists have more rights on publics roads. According to news reports, the Maryland Senate this recently approved a measure requiring motorists to give bicycles, scooters and other personal transportation devices, such as Segways, at least three feet of space whenever possible.

Lagging Maryland Traffic Laws, Increasing Bike Usage Make Car-Bicycle Traffic Accidents More Possible, Deadlier

January 24, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

It won’t be long before the promise of spring weather entices more and more cyclists out onto the roads in and around cities like Annapolis, Bethesda and D.C., among others. As Maryland traffic accident injury attorneys, the staff at Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers can see a shift toward greater environmental consciousness, so it’s not surprising that more people are using bicycles to get to work, school or even to the store for some light shopping.

Unfortunately, even though more riders are out on the roads, our traffic laws and driver awareness are apparently behind the times. What does this mean in terms of increased traffic accidents and bicycle riding injuries? According to a recent editorial, the percentage of people using bikes for transportation has been on the rise for nearly 20 years, with no expectation that this trend will change any time soon.

To accommodate this increase in two-wheeled traffic, engineers and traffic planners have been working to update the state’s infrastructure and to encourage cycling and create a more safe environment for autos and bikes to coexist. There has also been a call for improved and updated legislation as well.

Washington County Motorist Fined $140 for Negligent Driving Accident that Seriously Injured Young Bicycle Rider

January 9, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

A motorist from Fairplay, MD, was ordered to pay $140 as a fine stemming from a 2009 accident that seriously injured an 8-year-old boy riding his bicycle. The fine, which was for negligent driving, was levied against Meghann Marie Weaver, 21, by the Washington County District Court. The accident occurred on August 27 along a stretch of Jordan Road. As a Maryland personal injury attorney, I have seen numerous reports of car-bicycle accident during my career — those that involve children can be the most tragic.

In this case, while the child was not killed in the accident, one of the young rider’s legs had to amputated at mid-shin. According to reports, he has been undergoing rehabilitation at the Kennedy-Krieger Institute in Baltimore. Unfortunately, this youngster will carry with him a life-long disability as a result of another person’s negligent behavior.

According to court records, other charges of reckless driving and driving a vehicle in excess of reasonable and prudent speed on a highway were dropped by the prosecutor’s office. Based on the police investigation, alcohol was not a factor in the accident.

Maryland Cycling Injury News: Baltimore Seeks to Become a Safe “City of Bicycles”

January 5, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

There are proposals being put forward that could go a long way toward increasing the number of bicycling enthusiasts who choose Baltimore as their home. Of course, with an increase in bikes, there will also be an inevitable increase in cycling accidents, including car-bike collisions, severe truck-bicycle wrecks and even fatal traffic accidents involving bicycles, as well as bike-pedestrian crashes.

As a Maryland personal injury lawyer handling bicycle accident cases, I and my colleagues know the pain and suffering that can accompany a bike-auto traffic collision. Unfortunately, the laws of physics are on the side of the automobile, which means cyclists must be on their game 110 percent if they want to survive in an urban traffic setting.

According to news reports, Baltimore’s city counsel is looking to make Baltimore streets safer for cyclists, and in doing so encourage a whole new group of potential resident to make this city their home.

Maryland Teenager Hospitalized after being Injured in Bicycle-Car Traffic Accident

November 18, 2009 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

It’s sad to say, but most bicycle accidents are completely preventable. As a Maryland personal injury lawyer, I know how out-matched a bicycle is next to larger and more massive passenger cars. A collision between the two almost never goes well for the cyclist. Head and back injuries, broken bones and minor scratches and bruises are all results of car-bike crashes. Fatalities are often very common in car-bicycle crashes.

Recently, a Maryland youngster was very lucky not to have been killed when he was struck by a car on Twin Rivers Road in Columbia, MD. The accident happened around 6pm on October 12. According to news reports, a Ford Focus driven by a 61-year-old Columbia woman was traveling westbound along Twin Rivers Road when it approached two cyclists riding along the right-hand side of the road.

According to police, as the car was about to pass the two bikes, 14-year-old Sergial Brown allegedly made an abrupt left turn directly in front of the vehicle. The boy was struck by the car, but was thankfully not killed. Emergency crews arrived at the scene and treated the teenager, then he was transported by Maryland State Police helicopter to Johns Hopkins Hospital, where he was reportedly listed in good condition.

Maryland Injury Accidents: Facts on Bicycle-Automobile Crashes

October 21, 2009 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Even before people began riding their bicycles to save gas and money during this recent economic downturn, bicycling accidents were already a fact of life around Baltimor and other parts of the state. As personal injury lawyers, we at Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers have first-hand experience with individuals who have been hurt in traffic accidents involving a bike. Numerous bicycle fatalities and lesser injuries occur each year as a result of another person’s negligence.

Sad to say, many bicycle accidents and the injuries received as a result are totally preventable. This goes back to my previous statement, which points the finger at motorists whose negligent actions cause the accident in the first place. Of course, that’s not the only cause. A percentage of cycling accidents are a direct result of a defective bicycle or equipment.

Bicycle crashes and other cycling-related accidents can cause severe injury, and sometimes death. Neck and head injuries are rather common — in fact, many bicyclists suffer brain damage following a serious accident. Similarly, spinal cord injuries, nerve damage, broken limbs, and even permanent injuries are not uncommon as a result of these types of collisions. If an automobile is involved, a fatality is a frequent result.

A Couple Annapolis Bicycle Riders Injured during Maryland’s “Bike to Work Day”

May 17, 2009 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

A recent news article said that the Annapolis Police Department reports two cyclists had been injured in a Maryland bicycle accident during a Friday morning commute. The injury accident happened when a motorist in a car parked along Main Street opened his vehicle’s driver door apparently without checking the sideview mirror, causing two passing bike riders to collide with it.

One Annapolis bicycle accident victim was transported to Anne Arundel Medical Center; the other bicycle rider was admitted to the Maryland Shock Trauma Center.

Ironically, this Anne Arundel bike accident happened on “Bike to Work Day,” a nationwide event that encourages people to ride their bicycles to get to work. Reportedly, the Baltimore Metropolitan Council sponsored numerous riding rallies in Baltimore City, Bel Air, Annapolis, Westminster, Columbia, and numerous other cities to mark the day. More than 1,000 bicycle riders placed their heels on pedals and headed off to work.