Maryland Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog

Maryland Motorcycle Rider Succumbs to Injuries from Earlier Car-Motorcycle Collision in Harford County

January 31, 2013 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

To paraphrase an oft-heard axiom repeated many times in military surgical hospitals near battlefields throughout the world: “Rule Number One is ‘Good men die.’ Rule Number Two is: ‘Doctors can’t always change Rule Number One.’” The sad reality is, even in times of relative peace, good people do die — and not always for just causes. We’re speaking here of the all too frequent, ever tragic and usually senseless deaths that happen on our nation’s highways every day, week after week, year by year.

As Baltimore injury accident lawyers, I and my legal staff understand the pain and suffering of the families left behind following the traffic-related death of a loved one or close friend. Nobody can describe, nor would he or she likely want to relive the unbearable agony of learning that a parent, spouse, close relative or child has died because of the thoughtless actions of another motorist.

But these types of deaths occur all too often here in Maryland. Whether you live in Annapolis, Laurel, Rockville or Washington, D.C., it’s quite common to read news stories of people who have been injured or killed in a car or commercial truck wreck. Motorcycle-related traffic accidents are also frequent subjects on the internet and in newspaper pages. Every once in a while we come across a news item that points up the tragedy that is the typical car crash.

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.

Young Maryland Rider Dies in Fatal Baltimore County Motorcycle-Car Crash

January 16, 2013 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Having worked in the field of personal injury law for many years, our legal staff has seen dozens of individuals hurt or maimed as a result of bad automobile, motorcycle or commercial trucking accidents. Some of the most heartbreaking cases involve fatal accidents. For the families who have lost a minor child due to a bad traffic collision, these are tragedies beyond description. Not only from the standpoint of preventability, but also because youngsters have their entire lives ahead of them, when a child is killed in a senseless roadway accident, the surviving family members can rarely find any solace in the aftermath of such a horrible event.

Here in the United States, traffic wrecks are sadly the most common cause of death for teens, amounting to more than 30 percent of the fatal accidents that take the lives of these young people every year. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) has stated that in 2010, car crashes killed seven teenagers between the ages of 16 and 19 every single day of that year. In fact, based on the latest data, 2,700 teens died in motor vehicle accidents in 2010, and we can only assume that the figures will remain about the same for the current year coming up.

This is truly sad, because as we said, many car and trucking-related highway accidents could probably be prevented if only drivers were more aware of their surroundings and of traffic patterns, and certainly if distractions in the passenger compartment could be reduced in some meaningful way. From an economic point of view, costs due to injuries from the accidents that affect young people (those individuals who are age 15 through 24) top nearly $20 billion annually.

Maryland Auto Injury Accident Update: Bicycles Are No Match for Even the Smallest Passenger Car

January 4, 2013 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

No matter what you do for exercise or recreation, anyone who has ever ridden a bicycle along a busy street, or worse, in traffic likely has felt a sense of extreme vulnerability. This is nothing to ignore, since it’s probably the body’s way of indicating a sense of danger and potential injury just waiting to happen. As Baltimore personal injury attorneys, I and my colleagues are all too aware of the real possibility of bike riders being hurt in a collision with a passenger car or commercial truck.

Even as automobile and trucking accident lawyers, we’d be the first to admit that pedal power is one of the more pleasant was to exercise and see the sights at the same time. In urban areas especially, bicycles as a mode of transportation make for a healthier environment as well as a healthier population. But this comes with a large caveat: Bicycles, like pedestrians, are no match against even the most diminutive four-wheeled motor vehicle.

Despite all the hype and public awareness focused on the benefits of cycling and the corresponding increase in the use of bicycles throughout areas like Baltimore, Rockville, Gaithersburg and Washington, D.C., the frequency of bicycle-car traffic collisions would indicate that we have a long way to go before cycling becomes less risky when conducted in or near motor vehicle traffic.

North Beach Motorcyclist Killed in Crash with Police Car in Calvert County, MD

December 31, 2012 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

We all know that over the past decade, economic factors have added a certain percentage of people into the ranks of motorcyclists, both here in the Maryland area, as well as across the nation. There is no denying that motorcycles and scooters are economical and, some would say, exhilarating modes of transport in at a time when gas prices threaten the very stability of many households. However, as Baltimore personal injury attorneys, we must throw up a cautionary message to all riders: Always remember that with any kind of motor vehicle or other automotive conveyance, there are serious hazards with which to contend.

As motorcycle and automobile accident lawyers, the legal staff at Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers, understand the draw that the open road has to the typical motorcycle rider. We know that most every riding enthusiast feels the tug of excitement and freedom from a bike that no passenger car driver will likely ever experience. That feeling — of being one with the road, out in the elements amidst nature with the wind in one’s face — can certainly be an inexorable force. But keep in mind, as we know having represented individuals who have been hurt, maimed or killed while riding a motorcycle, that the exhilaration and excitement of motorcycling should always be tempered by a sober understanding of all the risks inherent in the sport.

A motorcyclist can be the most cautious and prepared rider out there, but nothing is for certain. Remember that Injuries sustained in bike accidents, unlike those experienced by occupants of passenger cars and other large motor vehicles, can often be severe, long-lasting and potentially life-altering, if not outright fatal. The small size of a motorcycle and the obviously over-exposed position of its rider are just two of the reasons why every biker worth his or her salt practices their own version of risk management. Accidents involving commercial trucks, passenger cars and city buses can occur out of the blue.

Baltimore Auto Injury Update: Motorcyclists Among Those at Risk in Alcohol- and Age-related Accidents

December 28, 2012 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

The economy has been a real driver, over these past several years, in purchases of motorcycles, scooters and even bicycles for commuting and general travel. While two-wheeled transportation may have been a pastime or hobby for most, now we are finding a growing percentage of the motoring population using these modes of transportation for more than just enjoyment or relaxation. As Maryland personal injury attorneys, the law firm of Lebowitz & Mzhen is dedicated to assisting victims of motorcycle, automobile and commercial trucking-related roadway collisions.

Certainly, for many in the motorcycle community the growth of bikes for use more as transportation has contributed to a greater number of these machines on Maryland highways and in the city streets of Bowie, Rockville, Columbia and the District. Hardly a bad thing, the added numbers of motorcycle riders on Maryland roads adds to a presence that helps to keep car and truck drivers aware that they are sharing the roadways with bikers. Still the dangers abound for riders of Honda, Harley, Kawasaki and Ducati motorcycles, not to mention Vespa scooters and among many others.

Based on nationwide data, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has reported that motorcycle riders are five times more likely to be injured in a traffic accident than occupants of larger passenger vehicles. On top of that, the NHTSA also has determined that bikers are up to 25 times more apt to be killed in a car crash, truck collision or other type of roadway wreck. One of the biggest causes is drivers of automobiles or commercial trucks who are simply not paying attention to whether there is a motorcycle in their area.

Head-on Traffic Accident Kills Motorcycle Rider in Baltimore County Collision in Cockeysville, MD

December 16, 2012 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

We won’t argue that motorcycle riding is a risky hobby; and even to those who make a bike their primary mode of transportation, the knowledge that even the best riders can become involved in a traffic accident through no fault of their own should be enough to help urge caution whenever firing up ones bike and heading out onto public roads. The fact is, as good as a rider may be; as many miles he or she may have accumulated without a single crash or incident, getting hit by a car or a delivery truck can be just a roll of the dice for some unlucky riders.

As Baltimore personal injury attorneys, I and my staff of legal professionals have seen enough traffic accident victims to understand that nobody deserves to become a statistic in the Maryland traffic fatality ledger. Yet, every year, hundreds of innocent people — men, women and children injured due to another person’s negligent actions — are sent to hospital emergency rooms all across this state simply because of another individual’s careless or outright negligent actions.

Whether one rides a motorcycle to work, school, for shopping or just for enjoyment, the caveat for any rider is that automobile and trucking-related collisions can happen anytime, anywhere. Many a motorcyclist has been caught unaware in a severe and life-threatening roadway collision only because he or she was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

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.

Maryland Rider Dies in Car-Motorcycle Accident on Rte 50 in Prince George’s County

November 30, 2012 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

The odds of any motorcycle rider making it through his adult life without any kind of bike-related accident seems to be quite low, especially when one reads of the myriad of biker injuries and deaths on Maryland roadways that occur throughout the year. Granted, the nature of the sport, if you will, means that motorcyclists are at much higher risk of being injured in a collision with a car or commercial motor vehicle, and the statistics bear this out.

It may seem amazing to non-riders that motorcyclists continue to ride their bikes despite the overwhelming evidence that many of them will be hurt or killed in a traffic-related collisions at some time or another. Having represented numerous individuals who have sustained serious and life-changing injuries as a result of a crash caused by another driver, we as Baltimore auto accident lawyers know the passion with which this group defends their right to right and enjoy the sport. All we can say is that the average four-wheeled motorist fails to appreciate the dedication and enthusiasm that bikers all over this country possess.

On the flip side, as personal injury attorneys, we can truly say that motorcyclists tend to turn a deaf ear to the warnings that come from those in the general driving population. It’s not that they don’t want to hear those concerns for their safety, but more to the point that they are well aware of the risks, having faced them squarely every day of their riding careers. As more than one rider would be quite to remind these folks, since motorcycle riding is not without risk, the sport of riding is more a matter of risk management.

Fatal Worcester County Bicycle-Bus Accident Kills Maryland Restaurant Owner in Ocean City, MD

November 25, 2012 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

As a personal injury firm here in the Baltimore area, we understand how a pleasant afternoon ride can turn into an unexpected trip to the emergency room for many a bicyclist. As automobile drivers, we can all sympathize with people who get caught up in a bad traffic accident. But however serious a car or trucking-related roadway crash, any similar circumstance that involves a bicycle or pedestrian can often end with tragic results.

The fact of the matter is that humans, no matter how well equipped with helmets and other protective clothing, are no match for a 3,000-pound motor vehicle. The mass of a passenger car, sport utility vehicle or minivan, much less a large commercial delivery truck, is many times that of a cyclist or jogger. Being hit by a car or truck can cause a person on foot or biking to impact the vehicle itself and more often fall to the ground and strike his or her head on hard pavement.

Helmets can go a long way toward protecting a person’s brain, but only to a certain extent. While bicycle safety experts would argue that a rider who uses a helmet has much better odds of surviving a traffic accident, the chances of sustaining serious closed-head trauma (also known as traumatic brain injury) is still quite high. As Maryland personal injury lawyers, I and my staff have seen the results of these kinds of car-to-bike and truck-to-bicycle impacts in which the rider suffered badly as a result of the collision.