Maryland Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog

AMA Expects Washington, D.C., Motorcycle Fatality Rate to Increase in 2009

August 9, 2009 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

According to a report from the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), 2008 saw a total of 38 motorcycle riders killed in the District of Columbia and other nearby jurisdictions. Most recently, Peter Horst of the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) says his organization anticipates this figure will balloon in 2009.

Already this August, three motorcyclists died in less than two days as a result of multiple-vehicle traffic accidents. Although the economy has caused a decrease in the sales of motorcycles, riders who have bikes are using them more than usual in an effort to save on gas money.

For 2008, the number of U.S. traffic injuries and fatalities for every motor vehicle category dropped — all except the motorcycle accident category. Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C. may have bucked the trend last year, but as our D.C. accident lawyers reported earlier in this post the total for 2009 is expected to be greater.

Fatal Bicycle Accident in Ocean City Points to Precautions Every Maryland Cyclist Must Take

July 20, 2009 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

A tragic story of a bicycle rider killed in Ocean City, MD, recently came to light and it reminds us all of the inherent dangers that bike riders face when traveling on Maryland’s public roadways. The accident happened on Maryland’s Coastal Highway as a 23-year-old woman was having a relaxing summer ride. While pedaling her bike across a pedestrian crosswalk, Kristin Anne Stormer was hit and fatally injured by a truck traveling in one of the southbound lanes.

As Maryland motorcycle and bicycle accident lawyers, our firm has represented many individuals injured in car-bicycle and auto-motorcycle collisions. While the road in question has a posted speed limit of 35mph, even at that relatively low speed a small car cna cause serious injury or even kill a bicycle rider. Without knowing the specifics, it’s difficult to say if the truck driver was responsible for this woman’s sad and unfortunate death.

Summer is a great time to be out and about. But whether you’re riding a bicycle, a piloting a motorcycle or driving a car, even a relaxing trip along the coast must be done with a degree of caution. As motor vehicle operators and as bicycle riders, we all have a responsibility to follow the rules of the road. In this case, reports state that the woman may have been listening to an iPod while riding her bike. This is can be a dangerous activity for anyone operating a vehicle in traffic and it is actually illegal in Maryland.

Married Couple Severely Hurt after Their Motorcycle Crashes on Route 29 in Columbia, Maryland

June 19, 2009 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Emergency responders from Howard County recently responded to a serious motorcycle injury accident on the southbound lanes of Maryland’s Route 29 near Seneca Drive. Reportedly, a husband and wife riding two-up on a BMW R75/6 contacted a guardrail during the afternoon of June 8 near Columbia, MD. Both riders were transported to the R. Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore for treatment of their injuries.

According to Howard County police, 55-year-old Timothy Danaher was operating the couple’s motorcycle with his wife, Diana Danaher, also 55 years old, riding on the back of the same bike. News articles state that the motorcyle somehow veered to the left causing the vehicle to strike a roadside guardrail — the reason for accident was as yet unknown. Both riders were thrown off the bike. After being admitted to the hospital, Mrs. Danaher’s condition was listed as fair, however her husband was in critical condition.

Without a doubt, motorcycle accidents can inflict some of the worst injuries for the operator and any other person riding along as well. As Maryland motorcycle accident lawyers, we have a great deal of experience in injury accident cases just like this one. Although the Howard County police department’s traffic enforcement section was still investigating the crash, from the sound of it, this accident may have happened due to a defective part or perhaps improper maintenance. Regardless of the cause, the husband’s injuries could be severe, and may include traumatic brain injury or damage to the spinal cord.

Off-duty Annapolis Police Officer Hurt on I-95 After Crashing Motorcycle into Construction Vehicle

June 11, 2009 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

An off-duty Annapolis police officer was seriously hurt when he rode his motorcycle into the rearend of a construction vehicle on Interstate 95, near Route 216 in Scaggsville, Maryland. The two-vehicle crash happened close to midnight on May 31 — the incident caused law enforcement personnel to close down the highway for about 60 minutes.

The 28-year-old rider, Edwin Caraballo of Pikesville, MD, has been working about 12 months for the Annapolis Police Department. According to Maryland State Police, Caraballo sustained multiple injuries as well as being knocked unconscious when he apparently rode his 2004 Suzuki motorcycle at a rather high rate of speed directly into the back of the truck.

Police investigators report that Caraballo was travelling on I-95 when suddenly changed lanes apparently not knowing that his newly chosen lane was being shut down for construction. The man slammed into the rear of a Chevy work truck.

When police arrived, they found Caraballo unconscious in the roadway. Howard County Fire and Rescue personnel attempted to revive him and he was subsequently flown to the Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore, where he was listed in serious but stable condition. Reports indicate that the man only had knee and arm injuries, which makes him lucky because incidents like this can easily result in traumatic brain injuries or worse.

According to reports, the off-duty officer was not riding with the proper documentation for his bike or himself. State police charged him with negligent driving, driving an uninsured vehicle, and driving without current registration and a proper driver’s license for a motorcycle.

Teenage Driver Who Killed a Maryland Motorcycle Rider will Only Pay a Small Fine

June 1, 2009 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

The 19-year-old motorist who reportedly caused a deadly motorcycle accident that killed a Maryland rider was fined $115 for the accident, although accident investigators determined that the driver was otherwise not negligent in regard to this traffic fatality. The deceased rider, Harry D. Catts, of Smithsburg, Maryland, passed away due to injuries received late in April on Pennsylvania’s Route 11.

Despite the seriousness of the accident, police and the local prosecutor’s office declared that Samantha Young was not “grossly” negligent when she turned her vehicle left into the path of the oncoming motorcycle. Eye witnesses said they saw the teenager make a left turn in front of the 72-year-old rider, who then struck the side of the girl’s vehicle.

Police reported that the crash occurred after 1 p.m. on April 26 at a busy intersection near the Plainfield exit of Interstate 81. According to reports, Young told an officer at the scene that she saw the green light and made the turn, but claimed she didn’t see the motorcyclist. An accident reconstruction team reviewed the crash scene but apparently found nothing out of the ordinary. Authorities stated that there was no alcohol or cell-phone use involved, and police said that the traffic signals were found to be working properly.

As Maryland Automobile Accident Attorneys, our office has represented many families who have lost a loved one through a motorcycle or car accident. Motorcycle accidents, in particular, can result in very serious bodily injuries or even death due to complications from head trauma or spinal cord injuries.

In this case, the police determined that the driver who caused the accident was simply inexperienced and therefore not grossly negligent for the motorcycle rider’s death. Despite the local district attorney’s statement that the accident was “a mere error of judgment,” there is little solace in the fact that the young woman received only a monetary penalty.

Motorcycle Accident News: Maryland’s Safety Awareness Month Aims to Decrease Traffic Injuries and Deaths

May 19, 2009 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month is an annual occurance when state and local law enforcement agencies, along with highway safety officials throughout the Unitied States, and in cooperation with the federal government, make a concerted effort to remind motorcyclists and automobile drivers that they are obliged to share the roads safely with each another. May kicks off this annual campaign, which coincides with the season when Maryland motorcycle riders dust off their machines and get ready to take advantage of the warmer weather.

Other groups also getting behind this traffic safety effort to prevent Maryland motorcycle accidents are the Maryland Motor Truck Association and the Abate of Maryland. Together, they are reminding car, truck and bus drivers that due to a motorcycle’s smaller size, this type of vehicle can easily get lost in a larger motor vehicle’s blind spot or get covered behind trees, bushes and fences.

Of the 5,154 US motorcycle deaths that occurred in 2007, 88 of them were Maryland motorcycle deaths—a definite increase from the 58 Maryland motorcycle fatalities that happened in 2003. One reason for this is that motorcycle use has grown in popularity throughout the state.

A Couple Annapolis Bicycle Riders Injured during Maryland’s “Bike to Work Day”

May 17, 2009 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

A recent news article said that the Annapolis Police Department reports two cyclists had been injured in a Maryland bicycle accident during a Friday morning commute. The injury accident happened when a motorist in a car parked along Main Street opened his vehicle’s driver door apparently without checking the sideview mirror, causing two passing bike riders to collide with it.

One Annapolis bicycle accident victim was transported to Anne Arundel Medical Center; the other bicycle rider was admitted to the Maryland Shock Trauma Center.

Ironically, this Anne Arundel bike accident happened on “Bike to Work Day,” a nationwide event that encourages people to ride their bicycles to get to work. Reportedly, the Baltimore Metropolitan Council sponsored numerous riding rallies in Baltimore City, Bel Air, Annapolis, Westminster, Columbia, and numerous other cities to mark the day. More than 1,000 bicycle riders placed their heels on pedals and headed off to work.

Wrongful Death Lawsuit: Maryland Man Must Pay $2 Million Restitution to Family of Dead Motorcyclist

February 2, 2009 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

The Washington County Circuit Court has ordered a man convicted of manslaughter by vehicle to pay Debra Reed Fields-Jordan’s family $2 million in restitution. Fields-Jordan died in a May 2008 truck-motorcycle accident when the driver of a pickup truck ignored a stop sign and hit the woman’s motorcycle on MD Route 77.

The driver of the pickup truck, Harry W. Shrader, fled the scene of the fatal motorcycle accident. Several days later, police arrested Shrader after tracing the vehicle to him — the truck was registered in his name. In November of last year, Shrader was handed a 10-year prison sentence following a guilty plea on the count of vehicular manslaughter. He is now being held at the Maryland Correctional Training Center. According to reports, Shrader was drunk at the time of the fatal traffic accident.

In August 2008, Fields-Jordan’s husband, Stephen J Jordan, sued Schrader for his wife’s wrongful death. Jordan sought $2 million in punitive damages and $4 million in compensatory damages. He accused Schrader of causing emotional trauma, mental anguish, loss of companionship, society, marital care, comfort, protection, advice, attention, training, guidance, counsel, education, and his wife’s love.