Maryland Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog

Now that the motorcycle riding season has more or less begun, it’s important to remind all riders out there to be extremely cautious when venturing out amongst those larger and more massive motor vehicles on our roadways. No matter what kind of cycle you ride – Suzuki or Harley, Yamaha or Kawasaki, cruiser or sport bike -- your ride is almost always going to lose a fight with even a small passenger car, much less a larger sport utility vehicle or commercial delivery truck.

As Maryland personal injury attorneys who represent motorcycle riders injured in traffic collisions as a result of another person’s negligence, we have the experience and know-how to help victims of serious injury accidents. Having a qualified motorcycle accident lawyer by your side is extremely important since car-bike wrecks usually lead to extensive physical injuries and expensive medical treatment. Post-accident, recovery from a bad crash can take months or even years of physical therapy and additional surgeries.

According to a news article not long ago, a motorcycle rider was killed when he collided with a large SUV along a stretch of Rte1 in Jessup, MD. Based on police reports, 63-year-old Douglas Gorenflo died as a result of the crash, which occurred on a Wednesday afternoon near the intersection of Montevideo Rd. Gorenflo, an Elkridge resident, was heading north on his Honda Shadow around 1:35pm when the accident happened.

Police reports indicate that the SUV, a 2008 GMC Envoy, which was traveling south along Route 1, apparently turned left toward Montevideo Rd, crossing directly into the path of the oncoming bike. News articles stated that Gorenflo’s bike struck the SUV’s right-rear door. Initial reports from the police showed that the GMC’s driver likely failed to yield the right of way to the man’s motorcycle.

Following the crash, Gorenflo was transported to Howard County General Hospital in Columbia, MD, where he was reportedly pronounced dead. The driver and passenger in the sport utility vehicle -- 43-year-old Jennifer Sizemore and 21-year-old Heather Krieger, were reportedly not injured in the crash.

Man Dies Following Crash Between His Motorcycle, Another Vehicle on Route 1 in Jessup, Patch.com, February 16, 2011

We’ve already written numerous times about the inherent dangers of being a pedestrian or bicycle rider in cities like Baltimore, Annapolis, Frederick and Washington, D.C. In fact, most anyone who has lived and worked in the more densely populated urban areas will likely attest to the tremendous opportunity for personal injury as a result of a traffic accident.

As Maryland automobile injury lawyers, I and my colleagues are keenly aware of the potential for serious injury that persons on foot or riding a bike can be exposed to. Too many people in this state are killed in senseless car and trucking accidents and the statistic bear this out. Even those people who are “lucky” enough to survive a brush with death can be hurt enough to require multiple surgeries for broken bones, internal injuries and spinal cord damage.

Medial costs for these kinds of injuries can run into the tens of thousands of dollars, hundreds even, and that doesn’t include the possible long-term physical therapy that a man, woman or child might need over the course of their life as a result of chronic head, neck or back pain. A lifetime in a wheelchair is a terrible thing to face when caused by another person’s negligence.

According to a news report not long ago, an investigation was still pending in the case of a traffic accident that critically injured a Maryland university student. Based on news reports at the time, 20-year-old Nathan Krasnopoler, a student at Johns Hopkins University, was hit by a vehicle allegedly being driven by an elderly woman.

The accident reportedly happened on a Saturday, when Krasnopoler was biking along a stretch of West University Parkway in a marked bike lane. The crash reportedly occurred near the intersection of West 39th Street when Kransopoler was hit by the woman as she attempted to turn right. Police reports showed that the bicycle rider was trapped under the woman’s car following the accident.

According news articles at the time, police had initially said that charges would likely not be filed against the driver, although they later said that is was premature to say none would be files. Apparently there were a number of unanswered questions regarding the accident and police were looking asking the local community for any eye witnesses to the collision to come forward. At the time of the news reports, accident investigators were reviewing the accident and planned to meet with city prosecutors before deciding whether or not charges or citations should be filed.

Investigation pending in accident that critically injured bicyclist, BaltimoreSun.com, March 3, 2011

For most people, reading the words “closed-head injury,” or “traumatic brain injury” may conjure up scenes of traffic wrecks or other serious injury accidents, but what do those simple words really mean? To you, me or a family trying to deal with a loved one recovering from such a life-changing event? Unless you’ve lived it yourself, the reality of such an experience -- not to mention its aftermath -- is far from most people’s imaginations.

As a Baltimore automobile injury attorney and personal injury lawyer, I’ve seen the results of traumatic head injury up close and personal. As a firm that represents victims of car, truck and motorcycle accidents, I and my colleagues understand that the challenges faced by individuals who have survived terrible traffic accidents do not always end when they leave the hospital.

Unless a person is one of the lucky few who can pick up their life where they left it after a severe car or commercial trucking accident, weeks, months or even years of intensive rehabilitation may loom ahead. And not just for that one person, but for his or her family as well. The costs can be staggering, all because of a moment’s loss of concentration or negligence actions of another individual.

In Frederick, Hagerstown, Annapolis and College Park, as well as towns and cities all across Maryland, motor vehicle accidents happen on a daily basis. Some crashes are fatal and take the lives of one or all occupants of a vehicle; others are less severe, yet leave scars that take years or even decades to heal. A recent story caught our eye regarding a seven-year-old boy, now a 49-year-old man who has struggled all his life since a childhood bicycle accident put him in a wheelchair and stole he youth.

According to the article, Kevin Detwiler is one of the lucky few who has a life now, but who went through hell along with his family following a tragic accident in the late ‘70s when he was struck by a car on an early spring day in St. Mary’s County. He was reportedly out for a ride with the rest of his family when the crash happened. The accident landed the second grader in the hospital with what is now known as traumatic brain injury.

Continue reading " Maryland Bicycle Injury News: Traumatic Brain Injuries Can Mean a Lifetime of Struggle and Pain " »

While motorcycles offer their owners an unparalleled feeling of freedom on the open road, there are dangers associated with riding one. It makes little difference if your bike of choice is a Harley, Honda, Triumph or Yamaha, when a motorcyclist tangles with a passenger car or commercial truck, the results can be very serious. At the very best, one can expect cuts, bruises and so-called “road rash.” Worse yet, a car-motorcycle accident can result in broken bones, internal injuries and bleeding, or even closed-head trauma.

As Baltimore motorcycle injury lawyers and personal injury attorneys, we understand the draw of these powerful and liberating machines, while at the same time being fully aware of the dangers that the hobby presents from time to time. It is a sad fact of the biker lifestyle that a pleasant afternoon ride or morning commute can quickly turn into a life-threatening and sometimes life-changing event due only to a moment’s inattention on the part of another motorist.

Worst-case scenarios are, of course, fatal traffic accidents involving a cycle and a larger motor vehicle, such as a sedan, SUV or minivan. Semi tractor-trailer rigs can also pose extreme danger to a rider, not only in a collision, but also in terms of thrown tire treads or other broken or defective vehicle equipment. Just the other day it was reported that the family of a motorcycle rider killed during a July 2010 police pursuit is suing the City of Baltimore for wrongful death.

According to news reports, the $40 million lawsuit alleges that the officer who struck Haines Holloway-Lilliston on an Interstate-695 exit ramp was at fault when he rammed into the back of the motorcycle while distracted by his telephone and radio communications. The suit arose following the release of an investigation report by the Maryland State Police, which concluded that Baltimore Officer Timothy Everett Beall was told to end his pursuit of Holloway-Lilliston and that the patrolman acknowledged the command and turned off his siren and lights.

According to previous reports, the Baltimore County prosecutor’s office had declined to press vehicular manslaughter charges against the 32-year-old Officer Beall even after the patrolman allegedly failed break off the pursuit back on July 25. Beall had told investigators that the rider had crashed out in front of his patrol car and that the police cruiser never made contact with the mans motorcycle.

Continue reading " Maryland Traffic Injury News: Baltimore Named in $40 Million Lawsuit following Motorcycle Rider’s Death " »