Maryland Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog

Baltimore Personal Injury News: Driver Impatience, Motorist Road Rage Potential Causes of Maryland Auto-Bicycle Accidents

September 19, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

It will come as no surprise to bicyclists and cycling enthusiasts that collisions with motor vehicles are the most deadly kind of accident that a bike rider can have. While many bicycle crashes are completely accidental, there has always been an undercurrent of animosity between motorists and cyclists. Whether perceived or real, there can be potential for tragic consequences when the two groups literally butt heads on public roads.

As a Maryland personal injury lawyer, my firm understands the seriousness of a bicycle-car accident. Just as is the case with motorcycle crashes, the pedal-powered rider is virtually unprotected from a motor vehicle’s hard steel body. The roadway itself can itself become an enemy when a biker is thrown off his ride and onto the tarmac.

Whether a bicycle collides with an economy car, a sedan, an SUV, or a commercial delivery truck, the results can be serious, if not fatal to the cyclist involved. Injuries from motor vehicle crashes can range from bruises, abrasions and broken bones, to neck and back injuries. Life-threatening traumatic brain injuries are not uncommon.

Baltimore Biker Accident News: Maryland Teenager Killed, Father Injured in Harford County Motorcycle Crash

September 9, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

The loss of any life to a senseless traffic accident is tragic to say the least, but the death of a young person is doubly so. Motor vehicle collisions happen quite frequently, but motorcyclists especially know that danger lurks around every corner. What can start out as a pleasant afternoon ride can end in pain and costly medical care, and that’s if one is lucky.

As a Baltimore motorcycle accident lawyer and personal injury attorney, my sympathies go out to anyone who loses a loved one as a result of a bike accident. Regardless of whether you ride a chopper, cruiser, standard or so-called “crotch rocket,” every rider faces the same set of risks on Maryland’s roadways.

Any kind of accident is hard for the survivors to deal with, but a single-bike crash can leave them wondering what went wrong. Although driver error is always at the top of the lit, other factors can conspire to cause an accident. Defective brakes, wheel bearings, faulty tires and poor motorcycle maintenance are just a few of the potential causes of a serious wreck.

Baltimore Motorcycling Accident News: Hyattsville Man Dies, Passenger Injured in Prince George’s County Motorcycle Crash

August 31, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Products liability covers a range of topics one of which is defective vehicle equipment that may be responsible for motorcycle, trucking and passenger car accidents. Faulty, poorly designed, or incorrectly maintained vehicle components, systems and safety equipment has been known to be the main cause a many vehicle crashes and resulting traffic accidents.

As a Maryland personal injury attorney who represents bikers injured as a result of a crash on a highway, rural road or city street, my main objective to help that victim and his or her family recover various medical cost and lost wages suffered as a result of the accident. For families who have lost a loved one as a result of a bike crash, the burden can be especially hard when the deceased was the primary breadwinner for the family.

If defective equipment is to blame, there may be a third party to consider in a suit. It’s not uncommon for defective equipment and components to be a source of both minor and serious motorcycle accidents. Depending on the particular system that failed on the bike, the resulting wreck can cause injuries from cuts and bruises to internal bleeding, permanent spinal cord damage and even fatal brain trauma.

Baltimore Biker Injury News: Maryland Woman Dies When Husband Loses Control of Couple’s Harley Motorcycle

August 23, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Without a doubt, motorcycle riding gives its fans a wonderful experience of freedom and adventure. There is little in the way of affordable fun that provides that same level of joy and excitement on the open road. But as a Maryland motorcycle accident attorney, I know the downside to all that fun and adventure. Sadly, when a rider is involved in a highway accident, especially at cruising speeds or involving a large commercial truck, the result can be nothing less than tragic.

While riding provides an unparalleled traveling experience, the pleasure of a two-wheel excursion must always be balanced against the dangers inherent with the sport. Not long ago a news article point out that fact in no uncertain terms.

According to the article, a woman was killed when the bike she and her husband were traveling on went out of control and crashed in Baltimore County. Based on police reports, the accident occurred on Putty Hill Avenue just after 12:30am in mid-July.

Maryland Motorcycle Injury News: Biker “Airbag” May Provide Added Crash Protection for Cycle Riders

August 16, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

If there is but one constant it’s that motorcycle riding can be a risky pastime. Whether you ride a Honda or Harley, Ducati or Yamaha, if you get into a crash situation with a four-wheeler or semi tractor-trailer you’ll need a lot of luck to avoid an injury. And, the faster you are going at the time will also determine your odds of receiving serious injuries such as broken bones, road rash or a skull fracture.

As a Baltimore motorcycle accident lawyer, I represent riders who have been injured as a result of another person’s negligence. I know from experience that bikers involved in bad highway collisions can have a long road to recovery — not just physically, but financially. Unfortunately, many riders are killed outright when hit by a larger passenger car or sport utility vehicle.

Well, there may be hope for better protection for riders in the future. According to a recent article, there is a new product that might reduce motorcycle crash injuries and even fatalities. The makers call it the Armored Air Jacket and it is supposed to improve bikers’ chances of surviving a bad crash.

Maryland Bike Accident News: Baltimore Cop Suspended following Fatal Police Chase with Motorcycle Rider

August 8, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

As a Maryland personal injury attorney and motorcycle accident lawyer, my job is to help victims and their families recover from the aftermath of sometimes life-altering traffic collisions. Regardless of whether the individual is a driver or passenger, injuries sustained in a crash on city streets, open highways or rural country roads the results can be horribly expensive in both human and financial terms.

A recent article points out the dangers of police pursuit, especially in cases where life is lost. According to news reports, a Baltimore patrolman was suspended after he allegedly ignored orders to break off a chase with a biker allegedly riding a stolen Suzuki GSX 600. Police officials said that the 10-year department veteran had received orders to stop chasing a motorcyclist who was eventually killed in Cockeysville, MD, he apparently crashed as a result of the police pursuit.

Baltimore police are reportedly barred from chasing vehicles unless provided with specific orders to do so. The chase in question began on Northern Parkway after the officer, Timothy Beall, apparently saw the motorcyclist racing with another vehicle. According to the article, Officer Beall fatally shot a man in January 2009 when the suspect pointed an assault rifle at the officer during a foot chase in Better Waverly. The Baltimore Police Department ruled that the shooting was justified.

Maryland Motorcycle Accident News: Carroll County Rider in Critical Condition following Washington County Traffic Accident

July 31, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

A 47-year-old motorcyclist and his passenger were injured on a Saturday afternoon when the bike they were riding on collided with a passenger car along a section of Maryland 63 just west of Hagerstown, MD. Being a Baltimore motorcycle accident lawyer for many years, this is a distressingly typical scenario experienced by many bikers at least once during their lifetime.

This traffic accident, which also involved a passenger vehicle, is only one of dozens reported every year in Maryland. In this particular case, the wreck was bad enough that it left the driver of the bike in critical condition at a local hospital.

According to police reports, two Carroll County residents were enjoying a Saturday afternoon ride outside of Hagerstown when a 2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo tried to cross the roadway eastbound along Broadfording Road. In the process of crossing Md. 63 the Chevy apparently pulled right into the path of the oncoming motorcycle.

Maryland Bicycle Injury Update: Baltimore and D.C. Rank 29th and 32nd Nationwide in Fatal Traffic Accidents

July 22, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Baltimore has become a very popular city with cycling enthusiasts. However, with that popularity comes increasing number of cyclists on city streets, sharing lanes with passenger cars, motor-powered two-wheelers, large SUVs and commercial trucks of all types. Whether you’re an optimist or not, recent data may have bicycle riders grinning ear-to-ear while at the same time looking over their collective shoulders more than ever.

According to Transportation for America (TOA), the pedestrian and bicycle safety organization, over 76,000 Americans have been killed in the past 15 years simply crossing the roads in their very own communities.

As Maryland personal injury lawyers, I and my colleagues offer legal services to individuals hurt in bicycle and automobile-related accidents. Many of these accidents are caused, sadly, by the negligence of motorists or because of commercial trucking accidents. As injury attorneys, all of us have sensed the pain and seen the suffering that can follow a cycling accident resulting from a car or truck crash. It goes without saying that the medical costs associated with treatment and rehabilitation from such accidents can become quite expensive.

The TOA’s report on pedestrian injuries and fatalities nationwide ranked metropolitan areas in terms of accident frequency for persons on foot as well as on bicycles. The shocking part of the study for this office was the authors’ description of the total deaths across the nation as being equivalent to a commercial airliner crashing with a full passenger load once a month.

Transportation for America points out that nearly 4,000 children under 16 years have been killed so far in the 2000s. Based on the TOA’s numbers, the study stated that children, the elderly and infirm individuals, and ethnic minorities are over-represented when it comes to total death count.

The study also pointed out that while many pedestrian deaths (which in this case includes not only persons on foot but also bicycle riders) are typically termed “accidents,” suggesting an error either on the part of the motor vehicle operator or the person on foot or on his or her bike. However, the TOA stresses that a large percentage of supposed accidents occurred along roadways that were, as they term it, “dangerous by design.” This is to say, that maybe the blame should be aimed at poor roadway and sidewalk design, rather than at the drivers, pedestrians and cyclists who use those walkways and streets.

Maryland Man Dies after Car Pulls Out in Front of Motorcycle in Frederick County

July 15, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

As a personal injury attorney, my job is to represent victims of accidents precipitated by the negligent actions of other individuals. Motorcycle riders may be one of the most common groups of motorists injured on the road, especially during the spring and summer months.

Unfortunately, traffic accidents involving bikes, such as Harley-Davidsons, Suzukis, Triumphs and Hondas, are usually severe and cause extensive bodily injury to the riders. More often than not, a crash with a passenger car or commercial truck can result in death. Helmets make a big difference, but in this life there are no guarantees.

The tragic part of the story is that many injuries and fatal crashes experienced by the motorcycling community could be avoided if other motorists took the added effort to check for two-wheelers sharing the road. As a Maryland motorcycle accident lawyer, I’ve seen enough horrendous accident scenes to last a lifetime. But I never tire of offering help to victims and their families following these kinds of terrible and sometimes life-altering collisions.

Maryland Motorcycle Rider Killed in Fatal Calvert County Traffic Accident with SUV

July 8, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Having assisted numerous motorcycle riders following life-threatening bike-automobile accidents, I have seen the carnage that can be inflicted on a motorcyclist during a serious crash. It goes without saying that bikers and other riders of two-wheel motor vehicles have less protection against a severe traffic wreck than people in four-wheeled vehicles, and zero when compared to semi truck drivers in their big rigs. But most motorcycle riders know this and understand the risks.

Some highway collisions cannot be survived. At the very least, massive head and back injuries are common, even at low speeds, which can lead to permanent paralysis and a lifetime of medical care. Rehabilitation following such accidents can help, but is also expensive and can crush a family’s savings in a very short time. If the victim was the major income earner for the family the effects of a debilitating bike wreck are only magnified.

Not long ago a young rider from Broomes Island was killed when a pickup truck apparently pulled into the road directly in front of the man’s motorcycle. According to reports, the accident occurred just after 6pm along Broomes Island Road near Island Creek Lane in Calvert County.