Maryland Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog

Baltimore Motorcycle Injury Accident News: 12-Year-Old Maryland Boy Dies in Hospital Following ATV Crash

July 17, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Just last month we reported on a teenager who lost his life after crashing into a tree on a friend’s all-terrain vehicle (ATV). This isn’t an isolated episode, as many teens and young adults are injured each year on these machines, and for a variety of reasons. These four- and three-wheeled gasoline-powered machines are certainly fun to ride, but their short wheelbase and narrow track can become an issue for some riders, depending on vehicle speed, road surface and weather conditions.

Naturally, as Maryland auto injury attorneys and personal injury lawyers, we would remind anyone wishing to ride such vehicles to be sure and wear the correct protective clothing and always, without exception, a good quality motorcycle helmet. Closed-head trauma is one of the most commonly seen injuries for those involved in motorcycle and ATV accidents. And you don’t have to encounter another vehicle to end up in the hospital; single-vehicle crashes occur with alarming frequency all across the nation.

While the makers of ATVs claim that their products have been designed and tested to be safe, the very nature of off-road riding adds a variable that can take even the most seasoned rider by surprise. Rocks, dips and drop-offs are not always easy to identify at the speeds that these machines can attain, making the dangers even more pronounced.

For years now, all-terrain vehicles have been making news as young and old riders alike continue to be injured or killed as a result of single- or multiple-vehicle wrecks. Understanding the injuries that can be caused by an out of control ATV, we know how quickly a fun outing can turn into a lifetime of pain and discomfort, if one is lucky enough to survive the initial crash.

In sad cases, such as the one that happened recently, a child can die from his or her injuries and never seen another birthday. The question every parent must ask themselves is whether the exhilaration and thrill offered by these vehicles is worth the potentially deadly consequences.

Baltimore Motorcycle Accident News: Maryland Rider Dies from Injuries Sustained in Frederick County Bike Crash

July 12, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Ask most any dedicated motorcycle rider about how he or she approaches riding alongside any larger motor vehicle and at some point you will likely hear the statement, “I ride as if I’m invisible to other drivers.” This may seem like a strange thing to say, since the common assumption is that many bikers are looking for attention. The sad fact is, attention is not what they get; not at least from passenger car and commercial truck drivers.

Being seen is one of the most important factors in avoiding a traffic accident on Maryland’s roadways. And, yet, motorists involved in both fatal and injury-related accidents with motorcycle riders frequently tell police that they never saw the bike or the rider until after the actual collision. As Baltimore automobile accident lawyers, we know this happens every day across the country.

This isn’t very surprising, especially when one considers the relatively thin profile that a motorcyclist presents to other drivers on the road. Quite literally a motorcycle gets lost against all of the background information that a driver must process every second while traveling down the road. This is why the “invisible” statement is so true. Ride as if you were invisible and you may live to see another day.

Being invisible is bad enough on a high-speed expressway, but it’s nothing compared to riding on a city street or a two-lane country road. At times like these, not being seen can be deadly for motorcyclists, and bicycle riders as well. This is why the best riders work hard to manage the multiple and changing threats encountered along their ride. Risk management is something that every rider needs to master.

Maryland Motorcycle Injury Accident News: Harford County Teenager Dies in Fatal ATV Off-road Crash

June 30, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

It’s no secret that ATVs, or all-terrain vehicles, have been in the news for years as youngsters and adults alike have been injured or killed while riding these off-road vehicles. Although the manufacturers claim that their products are safe, the nature of riding off paved roads on a relatively fast, short-wheelbase vehicle can add up to disaster.

As Maryland personal injury lawyers who represent victims of motorcycle, automobile and commercial truck crashes, we are all too aware of the injuries that can be sustained during a traffic collision. Fortunately for those who ride in passenger cars, SUVs and commercial vehicles, being enclosed in a relatively large and heavy motor vehicle can be a saving grace in the event of a bad traffic wreck.

On the other hand, motorcycles, three-wheelers and other ATV-type cycles offer their riders next to no protection. While obviously exhilarating, these vehicles provide a potentially dangerous combination of small size and high power-to-weight ratio, which translates to acceleration with little margin for error.

Just as a street bike, such as a Harley-Davidson or Honda Goldwing, must be ridden defensively and with caution on highways and city streets, so must an all-terrain vehicle be operated with the hazards of off-road riding clearly in mind. Many individuals have been seriously hurt or killed when the ATV they were riding on tipped over and rolled on top of the driver.

Baltimore Motorcycle Accident News: Mother’s Day Marred by Fatal Traffic Accident that Killed Maryland Biker

June 24, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Losing a son or daughter in a senseless traffic accident can be a painful and devastating event for any family. Having such a tragic event take place on a holiday or special family occasion can forever color that day for friends and relatives for years to come, if not for a lifetime.

Mothers and fathers who lose a child to an accident, regardless of their age, can be so overwhelmed with grief that day-to-day activities are nearly impossible. As Baltimore motorcycle accident lawyers and personal injury attorneys, our hearts go out to the families of these victims.

With that said, we understand the draw and excitement that the open road holds for some individuals who ride motorcycles. Whether you ride a cruiser, hog or sport bike, there are few other joys in life than the freedom that a cycle provides. Regardless of whether you live in the dense urban areas of Annapolis, Rockville or the District, or if you enjoy a more rural existence, any motorcyclist worth his or her salt understands the dangers of this sport.

As pastimes go, riding a Harley, Yamaha or Susuki is up there with other rather risky hobbies. But good riders know that balancing pleasure with danger is a basic requirement. Unfortunately, accidents do happen, even to the best motorcycle riders. And when they do, the results can be serious.

One catastrophic accident can send a person to the hospital for weeks or months. Head trauma is usually one of the most common injuries, even for those who wear a helmet, which can lead to paralysis, cognitive problems and even death.

Being Maryland injury attorneys, I and my colleagues have seen how head and brain injuries sustained due to a bad traffic collision can continue to affect a victim medically and financially sometimes for his or her entire life. The trouble is, injuries to the brain and spinal column are much more complex and difficult to correct than are lacerations, bruises and even injuries to other internal organs like the liver, lungs and heart.

Baltimore Personal Injury News: D.C. Cyclists Should Worry the Quality of Roadway AND Cars, Trucks

June 15, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

It only takes a while before one realizes that bicyclists and pedestrians run a greater risk of injury here in Baltimore or over in the District thanks to our highly dense urban conditions and other factors that pit motor vehicles against lightweight bicycles and relatively defenseless foot traffic. As Maryland automobile accident lawyers and personal injury attorneys, we not only read the stories of bicycle and pedestrian accidents, but we also meet people who have been hurt in roadway collisions.

With more and more bikes on the road, it appears that riders in Maryland cities and the District have more worries: Cars, commercial trucks and the roadway itself. According to news articles, bike safety advocates are looking for an increase in cycling-related injury accidents now that warmer weather is here to stay for a while. Closed-head injuries, broken bones, road rash, cuts and bruises are all part and parcel of the dangers facing bicyclists.

Based on information from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) there were 11 fatal bicycle-related accidents in Maryland in 2009. Although some would argue that cars, trucks and SUVs may be to blame for the majority of those deaths, experts advise that our roadways are also a major factor in these statistics.

Because of our more and more crowded streets and byways, the risks associated with cycling have grown over time, according to the news. Roads that are teeming with cars and pedestrians might occasionally appear to present the bulk of the problem, but according to many bicycling enthusiasts much of the concern lies with the road itself.

Lack of cycling lanes, like that one Maryland’s River Road just north of the beltway is one example. An inviting sinuous local roadway, River Road only has two lanes — one in each direction — yet no shoulder to speak off and certainly no designated bicycle lane. Cars passing at upward of 50mph can be unnerving even for a seasoned rider. The opportunities for injury or death are numerous.

One thing in cyclists’ favor in Washington, D.C., and Maryland is the law that permits a bicycle rider to use the travel lane at times when the rider can match the “normal speed” of motor vehicle traffic. This can allow a cyclist to ride more predictably within the traffic flow and also avoid shoulder obstacles, like drainage grates and suddenly opening doors of cars parked on the roadside.

Maryland Motorcycle Accident News: Injured ATV Rider Disputes Officer’s Account of Crash with Police Cruiser

June 7, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

The father of a man injured on his ATV during a motor vehicle crash with a Frederick County sheriff’s cruiser is calling into question the police department’s version of what transpired on Saturday, May 23. According to news reports, a man from Mount Airy, MD, and his friends were riding their all-terrain vehicles along a stretch of Old National Pike Saturday.

The riders were reportedly spread across all lanes when a sheriff’s deputy had to brake and swerve to avoid hitting the ATVs. As a result, Christopher Hancock, 22, ended up striking the officer’s patrol car. Hancock was reportedly seriously hurt as a result. The young man’s father, Keith Hancock, says that according to his son the group was traveling in single file, not spread out as the police report maintains.

Furthermore, Hancock has told reporters that the group was only using the public roadway so that they could reach riding trails because the off-road route that they had planned to use was apparently too muddy. According to Hancock, his son remembers that the police car swerved in front of the group of ATVs in an apparent effort to make them stop.

As a result of the crash, Hancock was taken to Baltimore’s R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma center. Based on reports, the man received a variety of injuries including a compound leg fracture, multiple lacerations and head trauma. While doctors believe all of these injuries are non-life-threatening, they are nonetheless extensive and perhaps could have been avoided.

The order of events, as provided by the sheriff’s department, shows that deputies were dispatched to the stretch of Old National Pike near Mount Airy around 4pm in the afternoon after someone reported ATVs on the road. Based on police reports, Deputy First Class William Mosser was going westbound on Old National Pike near Sydney Road when he observed several ATVs approaching in the opposite direction and taking up both travel lanes.

Maryland Personal Injury News: Elderly Driver Cited for Accident that Critically Injured Johns Hopkins Cyclist

May 31, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Pedestrians and bicycle riders in Baltimore, Annapolis, D.C., and Rockville will likely all agree that brushes with motor vehicles are some of the more harrowing experiences in these urban areas. Even on suburban and rural roads the potential for serious injury accidents is quite high. Lucky individuals may only receive bumps and bruises, but those who don’t escape injury can be sent to the hospital with head or neck injuries, broken bones and internal bleeding.

As Maryland personal injury attorneys and auto accident lawyers, we commiserate with the families of those who have been hurt, permanently injured or killed in traffic collisions around the state. Naturally, everyone needs to follow the rules of the road and obey state laws, but the size and weight disparity between motor vehicle such as passenger cars, delivery trucks and commercial tractor-trailers, and people on foot or riding a bike certainly leaves the latter group at a disadvantage.

A little while back, prosecutors cited an elderly woman in connection with a car-bicycle collision that left a Johns Hopkins student Nathan Krasnopoler critically injured and in a coma. According to news reports, the State’s Attorney’s Office for Baltimore City and the Baltimore City PD issued two traffic citations against 83-year-old Jeannette Walke for her part in a February 26 accident near Johns Hopkins University.

Baltimore Motorcycle Safety Update: Improper Helmet Choices have Deadly Consequences during Bike Accidents

May 26, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Don’t sell your safety or health short by choosing sub-standard protective gear for riding your bike. This is the message that many safety experts have tried to pass on to motorcyclists and bicycle riders over the years. Most importantly, both of these groups should pay particular attention in their choice of helmet for riding. It is true, not all brain buckets are created equal.

As Baltimore injury attorneys, we have represented Maryland motorcyclists who have become involved in car crashes and we also know the post-crash effect of riding with no or poorly designed safety equipment. As supposedly uncomfortable and isolating that motorcycle helmets are, the alternative can be many times more uncomfortable and potentially life-altering. Although many states have no mandatory helmet law, Maryland is not one of them.

Whether you ride on the state’s rural roads or ply the densely trafficked city streets of Annapolis, Washington, D.C., or Rockville, the country roads, one thing is certain: no biker cannot go back in time, prior to a serious traffic accident, and don a helmet to protect himself. When it comes to the future, the proactive approach is usually the most prudent course of action.

As every good rider knows, the key element of a motorcyclist’s protective wardrobe is his or her helmet. Of course, gloves, boots, a decent pair of chaps or overalls, and a good leather jacket are all recommended for the best possible protection, but an industry- and government-approved helmet is paramount. Going without this important item is just inviting disaster.

Yet, many bikers apparently don’t believe in the safety benefits of high-quality headgear, and as such many decide to buy and wear an illegal helmet. The reason why is up for debate; however, cost could be one or fashion another. What the experts seem to agree on, however, is that relying on a novelty helmet or a cheap knock-off to protect you in the event of a motorcycle wreck is a false economy that one could live to regret. And if not the rider, then his or her family if the crash is fatal.

According to news reports, many bikers who wear sub-standard novelty or beanie-type helmets don’t realize that they are violating the Department of Transportation law — namely the one that requires a helmet to meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 218.

Baltimore Motorcycle Accident News: Two Riders Injured, Taken to Hospital in Separate Bike Wrecks

May 17, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

The old expression, “Where there’s one, there’s another,” can apply to many things in life. On the road, motorcycle riders keep this phrase in mind whenever they see a deer or other animal in or near the roadway. You and your Harley, Ducati or Yamaha might avoid an accident with a buck, but keep a watchful eye that a second deer isn’t behind the bushes waiting to dart in front of you and your bike.

Maryland motorcyclists are no strangers to single-vehicle crashes, especially in autumn when fallen leaves and a little bit or rain can make pavement slick at the worst possible moment. More than one biker has lost control of his mount in a fast corner and collided with a guard rail, tree or other immovable object. Road rash is a distinct possibility in such biking accidents, but a broken leg or arm is not unusual.

Once down, a disabled motorcycle rider lying in the roadway can easily be hit by an approaching passenger car or commercial truck, especially at night. Many bikers have lost their lives in this kind of fatal, post-crash collision. The point we are trying to make here, as Maryland personal injury lawyers who represent riders injured in traffic accidents, is be careful out there. The riding season is still new and you’ll enjoy it more from the saddle of your favorite bike, instead of a hospital bed.

On that note, we ran across an article that returns us to the original saying of “Where there’s one.” According to the news, two motorcyclists were taken to the hospital following two separate traffic accidents on a Friday not long ago. In one crash, a rider from Hagerstown apparently lost control of his bike on an entrance ramp to I-70. There was not indication if the wreck was caused by defective equipment, but that’s always a possibility in single-vehicle accidents.

Baltimore Motorcycle Accident News: Maryland Approves Pilot Program for All-new Biker Licensing Clinic

May 10, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

For many people out there it may come as somewhat of a surprise that there are individuals who drive a car, motorcycle or commercial vehicle without being properly licensed. For some, the cost of obtaining a valid passenger car or commercial driver’s license is apparently too much to spend. As Maryland personal injury attorneys, we come across this situation from time to time and it is disconcerting.

When it comes to bikers, it would not be a stretch to say that there are people operating motorcycles on public roads who do not possess the proper endorsement from the state. In fact, here in Baltimore, we have had problems with individuals breaking the law by riding unlicensed and possibly uninsured trail bikes and other off-road vehicles on city streets and causing occasional traffic accidents.

It is possible that there are some very competent motorcycle riders out there who, for whatever reason, choose to operate a bike illegally by not becoming properly licensed. Is it a matter of cost, of time, or a lack of concern? There is no easy answer. Many of these individuals do not get caught until they get pulled over for a traffic violation or end up getting into a traffic accident with another vehicle.