Maryland Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog

Maryland Motorcycle Injury News: Deer Blamed for Fatal Multi-vehicle Accident that Killed Glen Burnie Biker

November 30, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

While winter may be here to stay for some time, it’s important to remember that motorcycle accidents can and do happen at the most unlikely times and for sometimes unexpected reasons. As a Baltimore auto accident attorney and motorcycle injury lawyer, I’ve seen enough news articles and police accident reports to know that bikers are at high risk for injury and death when traveling on our public roads.

Especially during the off-season for riders, fewer passenger car and commercial truck drivers are looking for motorcycles in the colder months. Riders already know they are relatively invisible and therefore more apt to be hit by another, larger motor vehicle. The results, of course, can be tragic.

It wasn’t long that a motorcyclist from Anne Arundel County died in a multi-car accident on Solley Road when a deer apparently bolted out into the street. According to police, the accident happened late on a Saturday night when 34-year-old John Fabian III and a passenger where riding on the man’s ‘96 Honda Shadow near Nabbs Creek Road.

Maryland Bicycle Accident News: Boy Dies Days after Being Hit by Motorist While Riding His Bike in West Baltimore

November 23, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Bicycle accidents, like other traffic collisions involving pedestrians and motorcycle riders, can result in severe injury to the cyclist. It makes little difference whether a bike rider is hit by a passenger car or a commercial delivery vehicle, the harm is immediate and sometimes long lasting. Scrapes and bruises are the least of it, with broken bones, internal injury and head trauma being some of the more common and severe injuries.

As a Maryland personal injury lawyer representing individuals hurt in bicycle accidents in Baltimore, Annapolis, Washington, D.C., and all across the state, I know that more than half of the cyclists all around the nation are minors. And it’s hard to imagine that statistics show more than 10,000 children are injured while cycling every year in the U.S. A third of those involve traumatic brain injury and sometimes death.

When a child is injured on his or her bicycle, parents can wonder whether or not they should have let their son or daughter ride at all. Sadly, many preventable bicycle accidents involve a motorist who was careless or simply negligent. As motor vehicle operators, not paying attention or making an error in judgment can lead to someone else’s injury or death.

Baltimore Motorcycle Accident News: Bikers Must Stay Focused to Avoid Serious or Deadly Crashes

November 14, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

As the motorcycle season winds down here in Maryland, now is not the time to take your mind off the road and all those cars, minivans and large commercial trucks out there. As any rider who wants to avoid a traffic accident knows, bikes are nearly invisible to many motorists mainly because of their small profile and their even fewer numbers when compared to the thousands of four-wheeled motor vehicles on the roadways.

As a Baltimore motorcycle accident lawyer and Washington, D.C., injury attorney, I understand how easily a carefree ride can turn bad, usually with a collision between a bike and a much larger and more imposing passenger vehicle. Make no mistake, many bike riders involved in an automobile or commercial truck accident suffer life altering injuries, if they are even lucky enough to survive in the first place.

And it is a sad fact that a certain percentage of motorcycle riders are killed in traffic accidents. It is with this reminder that we say, please ride defensively and live to see another day. On that note, there was a story of a seasoned biker who was killed earlier in the year as a result of not being easily seen.

Maryland Bicycle Accident Update: Bike Rider Seriously Injured on Capital Crescent Trail Cycling Path

November 7, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

For people who live and work in the city, when we think of bike accidents we naturally envision a traffic collision between a delivery truck or city bus and a bicycle rider. But it is important to remember that motor vehicles aren’t the only cause of cyclist injuries. As illustrated in a summer time cycling accident, bicyclists can be hurt far from the hustle and bustle of our urban centers.

As a Maryland injury attorney and auto accident lawyer, I have seen what can happen when a car or truck strikes a relatively unprotected bike rider. But I and my colleagues also know that other factors can lead to a serious cycling accident. According to a news article a while back, a Maryland man was hurt on the Capital Crescent Trail in Bethesda, MD, when he was thrown from his bike face first to the pavement after a two-bike crash.

Based on police reports, 50-year-old Jay Roberts called the entire incident a “freak accident,” yet it points up the dangers inherent in any sport that involves relatively high speeds and a modicum of risk. The accident happened during a morning ride when Roberts was on his way to meet a friend. From out of nowhere, according to the avid cyclist, another bike came at him hitting his bicycle head-on.

Maryland Bicycle Accident News: 14-Year-Old Boy Critically Injured in Car-Bike Crash

October 31, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

There’s a sadness that accompanies any traffic accident in which a child is injured or killed. In the first place, many automobile accidents could be prevented. In the second place, youngsters are so innocent that we as parents want to shield them from any pain or suffering. A passenger car or commercial trucking accident is a violent assault on that innocence.

As Baltimore personal injury lawyers, I and my legal team understand the difficult emotional time that a family may experience after their child is hurt in a traffic collision. We all cringe when we see kids on bikes mixing with motor vehicles, but the result of an actual crash is always a shock.

According to a news article, a young boy from Queen Anne’s County was struck by a car while he was cycling in Stevensville on a Sunday night. Based on police reports, the accident happened around 9pm on Thompson Creek Road, just in front of a Food Lion supermarket.

Maryland Motorcycle News: Traffic Accident, Crime Victims Meet in Baltimore, Share Stories of Grief

October 21, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Nothing can bring back a loved one who has been killed in a senseless automobile accident, or taken by a bullet from a criminal’s gun. As a Maryland personal injury attorney, I’ve seen first-hand the torment that victim’s families experience in the wake of an untimely death. Whether caused by the negligence of a passenger car driver, the operator of an 18-wheeler, or a seasoned criminal, the anger and pain seems to never quite go away.

For the victims of fatal motorcycle accidents, their families are always left wondering what if. What if he didn’t go for a ride that afternoon? What if he stayed the night instead of heading home after dark? What if it was someone else behind the wheel of the car who hit him? None of these questions can be answered to anyone’s satisfaction. But still the second-guessing continues.

Not long ago eight victims of violent crime and motor vehicle accidents met in Baltimore to share their stories of grief and frustration with each other and cities officials. According to one report, the group included residents of Baltimore, Anne Arundel, Harford, Cecil and Howard counties. Families and victims alike told their stories in front of a panel at Long Reach High School. It was the second of several such regional meetings being held statewide.

Baltimore Motorcycle Accident News: A Safety Reminder to Maryland Bicycle Riders and Motorcyclists

October 14, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

I’ve spoken here before of the danger that is posed to bike riders every day in our city streets and rural country roads. Maryland provides cycling enthusiasts with a wonderful venue for sport and recreation, but when it comes to cycling on public roads, riders everywhere must be vigilant. As a Baltimore personal injury attorney, I have read the stories of bicyclists who have been hurt, permanently injured or who have died senselessly at the hands of thoughtless or inattentive motorists.

But another danger exists, one which many riders may already know, but which nobody ever expects until it happens to them. I’m speaking of the real threat posed by those who steal manhole covers in Baltimore, such as Annapolis, Frederick and the District. Though it may be portrayed comically in old movies, there is nothing funny about having your bike’s front wheel fall into a two-foot wide hole at 20mph or more.

According to the news, scrap metal thieves have targeted these heavy cast-iron discs even though the value on a per piece basis only about 10 dollars. Although manhole covers weigh in excess of 100 pounds, people strapped for cash are still willing to try and lift them. But the void left behind could be extremely dangerous for bicycle riders and motorcyclists alike.

Maryland Traffic Accident and Bicycle Safety Update: Three-foot Bike Law Now in Effect

October 7, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Cyclists in Annapolis, Baltimore, Columbia and everywhere else across our state can possibly breath a little easier now that the state’s three-foot rule is law. As a Maryland personal injury lawyer representing victims of bicycle-related traffic accidents, I know that several feet may not seem like a lot to some people, but ask most any cyclist and you’ll find they appreciate the extra margin of safety that this new law hopes to provide.

That’s not to say that we have now eliminated any chance of bicycle-related injuries as a result of a car, SUV, pickup or commercial delivery truck accident. Let there be no mistake, cycling enthusiasts and bicycles in general have not become invincible, but they have gained a little more respect on the road, at least in the eyes of the law. Head and spinal injuries, not to mention broken bones, cuts and bruises are all potential injuries when a bike is struck by a car or truck.

According to news articles, it’s been decades since the original “share the road” signs began to appear across the state, reminding Maryland motorists to be mindful of pedal-powered commuters on our public roadways. With the latest law taking effect, that reminder now has some teeth — driver that ignore the three-foot rule could face a fine of up to $500 if they are caught. But will this help reduce fatal car-bike accidents?

Maryland Personal Injury News: Looking at Bicycle Safety in the Washington, D.C., Area

October 1, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

If anyone thinks that bicycle riders are completely safe as they travel the city streets of Baltimore, Annapolis, the District, or any other large urban area across Maryland, think again. While much has been done to improve riders’ safety, the fact remains: When motorists and cyclists are constantly sharing the same public roadways, the potential for bike-car accidents exists as does the possibility of injuries and even fatalities.

As a Maryland injury lawyer, I and my colleagues understand the dangers that cycling enthusiasts face every day across our state and even in the nation’s capital. Washington, D.C., has its share of bicycle riders and, hence, it’s share of bicycle accidents. A discussion on the pluses and minuses of bicycle and rider safety caught our eye not long ago, which addresses some of the concerns out there.

According to the article, the Washington Area Bicyclist Association’s Shane Farthing answered a barrage of questions from concerned riders and other citizens. In particular a question came regarding whether or not the police would be doing anything more to prosecute motorists who hit bike riders, much less commercial trucks that occasionally kill cyclists.

Maryland Motorcycle Rider Hospitalized After Kawasaki Crashes into Utility Pole in Frederick County

September 26, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

How many times do we read news reports of single-vehicle accidents that either severely injure or kill the operator of that motor vehicle? In many instances, police investigations turn up evidence of driver error or fatigue, which more than likely had a major effect on the outcome of such events. Occasionally, however, investigators determine other possible causes.

One possible cause of a single-vehicle crash can be defective vehicle equipment. While this generally points to a manufacturing problem, such as faulty production methods or incorrect materials, there also exists potential third-party liability through a service facility such as a tire store or local repair garage.

Whatever the cause, the result of a motorcycle crash can be devastating, not only in terms of physical injury but in the monetary and financial cast to an individual or family.