Motorcycle Injury Accidents

Motorcyclist Loses Leg, Other Riders Injured following Accident on Point Lookout Rd. in Calvert County

January 24, 2013 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

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.

Two Bikers Hurt in Separate Maryland Traffic Accidents One Very Sad Story and One Lucky One

December 12, 2012 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

During the warmer weather, with its attendant sunshine and pleasant breezes, Maryland motorcycle riders can enjoy afternoons traveling though the countryside or ply the city streets of Annapolis, Rockville, Bowie and the District with hardly a care in the world. But add just one thoughtless driver in another vehicle and one could have a recipe for disaster. Whether one rides to work, school or just for fun and enjoyment, motorcyclists must constantly be on the alert for potential danger lurking around nearly every corner.

Especially in a state as densely populated as ours, there is more than one way in which a rider can be hurt or killed through no fault of his own. And while most bikers are safe drivers, the growing popularity of motorcycling inevitably leads to more riding accidents. As Baltimore personal injury lawyers, my firm is dedicated to helping victims of auto, truck and motorcycle accidents, aggressively representing the victims of these and other accidents, such as pedestrian collisions, medical malpractice, and nursing home abuse and neglect.

One thing we know, motorcycle accident victims and their families can benefit from the individual attention that we provide to every case. Whether a crash has been caused by a careless driver, one who is distracted, or a collision that is caused by a drunk behind the wheel, the potential for a life-changing injury that can leave a biker seriously injured or permanently disabled is rather high.

Baltimore, MD, Motorcycle Rider Injured in Traffic Accident at Conowingo Dam in Harford County

September 23, 2012 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

There’s a lot to be said, from the standpoint of freedom and the visceral feel of speed and the open road, about the attraction of motorcycling to a great many people. But make no mistake; there are drawbacks to the sport as a pastime and even as a way to commute. Riding a bike may indeed be a liberating experience, but as many enthusiasts know first-hand, the enjoyment of riding a fast two-wheeler along a rural country road can easily be shattered by one mistake… by the rider himself, or another motorist.

As Maryland personal injury attorneys, my firm has represented its share of riders who have been injured either seriously or sufficiently to cause financial problems associated with extended hospital stays and long-term rehab. While it’s easy to wax poetic about the liberating qualities of the open road and invigorating feeling wind in one’s hair, the reality of a traffic accident, especially to those bikers who have experienced the pain and heartache of a bad bike wreck, will usually sober up the most enamored individuals.

Still, as motorcycle, auto and trucking accident lawyers, we fully empathize with those who have been injured in a roadway collision through no fault of their own. Yes, motorcycles can be dangerous. Certainly, riders who know the score are always vigilant and watchful for potential dangers on the road. But so long as bikes are legal and there are individual who want to ride them, the law is there to help them when a bad crash caused by another negligent driver puts someone in the hospital with serious injuries.

Carroll County Man Injured after His Motorcycle is Hit from Behind by a Cadillac

August 26, 2012 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

With so many people choosing alternative modes of transportation — meaning something other than owning and driving a personal car or SUV — one’s it is obvious that there has been a relative explosion of two-wheeled conveyances plying Maryland’s roadways over the past several years. Bicycle and motorcycle use has been on the rise here in the Baltimore area, as well as in other cities such as Rockville, Bowie and the District. The point is that with the growing use of smaller, less expensive transportation comes a potential increase in injuries and deaths due to traffic-related collisions.

As a Maryland personal injury law firm, we are well aware of the risks that individuals take when traveling by bike or cycle. And we are in no way being judgmental when we remind people that the opportunity for serious injury or even permanent disability can be significant when riding a motorcycle in highly dense urban areas or in heavy traffic on the highway. Still, we know enough about the motorcycling community to understand that accepting certain risks associated with the sport are just part of the overall experience of riding a Harley, Kawasaki, Triumph or Ducati.

Whether one rides for sport or necessity, every biker understands the potential downside to being caught up in a traffic accident with a passenger car, city bus, commercial delivery truck or a large semi tractor-trailer. The rule that most cyclists follow is to never assume that the other drivers see you. Assuming that one is invisible has probably saved more lives than not.

Baltimore Biker Injury News: Two Maryland Residents Hurt in South Lebanon Motorcycle Crash

August 16, 2012 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

It seems that everywhere we look these days motorcycle riders, as well as pedestrians and bicyclists, are being injured on a fairly regular basis. The trouble may stem from the facts that warm weather brings out the recreational riders in droves, but even so it is hard to see so many individuals being hurt or killed in traffic accidents. As Maryland personal injury attorneys, I and my staff are ready and willing to help victims and their families recover financially from these types of roadway collisions, but the sad fact is there are some auto accidents from which there is really no recovering.

People who are killed in a traffic wreck that is caused by a negligent driver cannot be brought back to life. This may sound trite, but it is a fact and it cannot be changed by any lawyer, judge or court. All the victim’s family can hope is that justice will be served and that the family will not be further town apart by the financial distress losing a loved one to a fatal car or commercial trucking accident.

And it bears repeating that riders who are hurt in car-bike or bike-truck accidents can be severely injured to the point of life-long disability. Closed-head trauma, spinal cord damage and other head/neck/back-related injuries can complicate a victim’s recovery, which can be weeks if not months or years in the making. Motorcycle-related traffic accidents are difficult, if only because the rider and/or passenger have next to no protection during impact.

Motorcyclists Beware: Injuries from a Traffic Accident Can Place You in a Vulnerable Position

April 15, 2012 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Anyone who rides a motorcycle, scooter or even a bicycle in traffic probably knows the dangers to which they are exposing themselves. This is not to say that people don’t have the right to do the things that please them, within the law, but the risk factors for bikers can be quite numerous. The point we’d like to make here, as Maryland personal injury lawyers, is that being involved in a collision with another motor vehicle, such as a car, bus or commercial delivery vehicle, is just the beginning of what can be a painful and long recovery period.

Many motorcycle riders in Baltimore, Annapolis, Rockville or The District see the carnage of traffic accidents every week. For those who commute on their mounts, the chances of a fatal crash can be very high. And although more people survive traffic accidents than perish in them, bikers can find themselves teetering on the edge of life and death following a bad traffic wreck.

Never mind the obvious pitfalls of actually being maimed in a motorcycle or automobile collision, take a moment to consider the dangers that lurk within the hospital itself. After a serious crash, critically injured victims can be brought in for treatment of a range of injuries. Closed-head trauma, spinal cord damage and internal injuries are just a few of the many and varied bodily injuries that can beset a rider following a traffic collision.

Biker Accident News: Three Separate Bike Crashes Illustrate the Dangers of Motorcycling in Maryland

March 26, 2012 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

We won’t argue that riding a motorcycle anywhere in the U.S. can be a risky proposition; however, we do understand that everyone is free to make that choice for themselves. As a biker, just as any motorist, an individual relies on the rules of the road to help protect him or her from accidents or other roadway mishaps. Unfortunately, nobody lives in a perfect world, and as such traffic accidents, bodily injuries and fatalities can and do occur with alarming rapidity.

Knowing that motorcyclists deserve the protection under the law, as Maryland personal injury attorneys and auto accident lawyers, I and my legal staff are prepared to represent those people who have been hurt in automobile, motorcycle, and commercial trucking wrecks. In cases where the rider died as a result of another person’s negligence, we typically represent the family of the deceased when they file a wrongful death lawsuit or other legal action against the negligent party or parties.

Now, it’s all well and good to say that individuals who ride a Harley-Davidson, Ducatti, Yamaha or Vespa take their lives into their own hands when venturing out onto the streets, but just as a rider accepts the consequences of his or her own actions, any driver who knowingly flouts the law or acts in a reckless manner on a public roadway must, too, be prepared to answer for any injuries or fatalities he may have caused while doing so.

Baltimore Traffic Accident Update: How Maryland Personal Injury Lawyers can Help Motorcycle Accident Victims — Part Two

January 31, 2012 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

As mentioned previously, when it comes to motorcycle accidents involving a second motor vehicle, it is quite common that the automobile or truck driver behind the wheel of the other vehicle may actually be the negligent party. This is due to the all-too-common problem of the smaller profile that motorcycles present in traffic. And to make matters worse, a motorcyclist is at least 20 times more likely to die in a traffic accident than an occupant of a passenger car.

While not always a valid excuse, the fact is that when a driver fails to recognize a nearby rider in traffic, the potential resulting accident can turn out to be very serious to the point of being life-threatening. After a bike crash, the needed medical treatment and potential rehab, which may also be required, can add up to extensive hospital bills. A rider who incurs such costs following an accident caused by another negligent driver should consult a qualified personal injury lawyer to better understand his or her options vis-à-vis recouping those medical costs from the responsible party or parties.

As Maryland personal injury attorneys, we have the skills and training to handle motorcycle-related accident cases, which we have already established can often be due to the negligence of another driver in a car- or truck-related accident. Furthermore, it’s a fair assumption that the majority of motorcycle riders are safety conscious despite the negative stereotypes typically portrayed on television and in the movies.

Baltimore Traffic Accident News: Maryland Biker Hospitalized following Crash with Howard County Police Cruiser

January 24, 2012 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Motorcyclists have a touch time of it, we know. While their mode of transport offers a wonderful feeling of freedom and ease of travel, the very nature of a motorcycle — be it a so-called crotch rocket, standard bike, cruiser or chopper — is that these motor vehicles are small and not easy to notice in traffic, at least this is the complaint of most drivers who get into accidents with bikers.

Add to their slim profile, most bikes are fairly fast and even quick to stop, putting less-than-inattentive drivers of four-wheeled passenger cars and 18-wheel commercial trucks in danger of running into them both coming and going. Insurance companies understand the dangers of motorcycles, to the point of making their policies less than attractive, or even placing certain motorcycle models on a list of “uninsurable” vehicles.

For anyone who hasn’t had a close call with a motorcyclist, as Maryland personal injury attorneys who represent bikers injured in traffic collisions, we can say that even the best drivers can be caught unaware by the “sudden” appearance of a bike in the roadway ahead of them. But it is conceivable that even police officers who have been trained in all manner of traffic safety, defensive driving and emergency situations, could from time to time be surprised by a motorcyclist.

Late last year, a news article described an accident between a biker and a marked police cruiser in the North Laurel, MD, area. According to news reports, a 43-year-old rider was sent to the hospital after a collision with a police car on Rte 216 near the Leishear Rd. intersection.

Baltimore Traffic Accident Update: How Maryland Personal Injury Lawyers can Help Motorcycle Accident Victims — Part One

January 15, 2012 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Although cars and trucks share the road with motorcycles, bikers all around Maryland and Washington, D.C., should understand that when it comes to a roadway accident, being injured while riding a bike is not exactly the same as being hurt in while riding in an automobile or commercial vehicle.

As Maryland personal injury attorneys, I and my staff have in-depth knowledge of the state laws and statutes covering traffic accidents, cost recovery following various types of personal injury, as well as the legal rules and guidelines that govern the insurance industry’s coverage of drivers, riders and passengers of various motor vehicles. As we mentioned above, the insurance laws governing individuals hurt while riding a Harley-Davidson, Honda, Ducati or any other kind of motor bike are somewhat different than those that apply to persons injured while riding in a car or truck.

Because of our experience in handling motorcycle-related personal injury cases, we know that most non-riders (that is, drivers of four-wheelers) are usually surprised to learn that the majority of car-bike and truck-bike collisions are caused by negligence on the part of the automobile or truck driver, not the motorcyclist as many tend to believe. Perhaps it’s the rough and tumble, so-called bad-boy image of the biker typically portrayed in movies and on TV; but the fact remains, most riders are conscientious and safety-oriented individuals.