Maryland Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog
Earlier this month in Baltimore, a police chase of a scooter resulted in one officer being seriously injured after the cruiser he was riding in crashed. According to a report by one local news source, the chase started when the officers noticed that the scooter was “unregistered and without the proper safety equipment in contrary to the law.”
It all began when the police approached a group of people standing around their dirt bikes and scooters. One of the men in the group took off as police approached. After noticing the scooter was not in compliance with the law, the officers attempted to stop its driver. However, rather than pull over immediately, the driver led police on a brief chase.
Police lost track of the driver for a few moments, and when another unit caught up with the scooter, the chase continued. After a few minutes, the officers on the scene were instructed to call off the chase by their sergeant, but they continued to follow the scooter.
Eventually, the scooter made a sharp right turn into an alley on Bartlett Avenue. Somehow, the police cruiser collided with the scooter as it made the turn. The driver of the scooter is in stable condition. However, one of the officers is still fighting for his life after a necessary surgery resulted in a complication.
Police claim that the man intentionally cut them off, causing the accident. However, the crash is still under investigation.
Who Was at Fault?
This accident is a good example of how determining who is at fault in a Maryland motorcycle accident can be harder than it initially seems. In most cases, numerous considerations can go into the determination of who is at fault. For example, in the accident above it seems as though the scooter operator was fleeing from police when the accident occurred. This would seem to indicate that the scooter rider was at least partially at fault. However, at the same time, the police were told to stop the pursuit by their sergeant and disregarded that order.
This accident, like many others, is one where both parties may be found to be partially at fault. If that is the case, this means that neither party will be able to recover from the other, since Maryland is a “contributory negligence” state and prevents any accident victim from recovering for his or her injuries if he or she was at fault for them.
Have You Been Involved in a Serious Maryland Motorcycle Accident?
If you or a loved one has recently been involved in a serious Maryland motorcycle accident, you may be entitled to monetary damages to help compensate you for your injuries or loss. However, if the judge or jury determines that you were at all at fault in the accident, you may be prevented from recovering at all. To help prevent this from occurring, speak to a dedicated Maryland personal injury attorney about your case. Call 410-654-3600 to set up a free consultation with an attorney today.
More Blog Posts:
Minibike Rider Killed in Lexington Park, Maryland Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog, published October 8, 2014.
Hit-and-Run Accident Victim Struck While on Bike, Lucky To be Alive, Maryland Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog, published November 12, 2014.