Maryland Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog

It’s no secret that ATVs, or all-terrain vehicles, have been in the news for years as youngsters and adults alike have been injured or killed while riding these off-road vehicles. Although the manufacturers claim that their products are safe, the nature of riding off paved roads on a relatively fast, short-wheelbase vehicle can add up to disaster.

As Maryland personal injury lawyers who represent victims of motorcycle, automobile and commercial truck crashes, we are all too aware of the injuries that can be sustained during a traffic collision. Fortunately for those who ride in passenger cars, SUVs and commercial vehicles, being enclosed in a relatively large and heavy motor vehicle can be a saving grace in the event of a bad traffic wreck.

On the other hand, motorcycles, three-wheelers and other ATV-type cycles offer their riders next to no protection. While obviously exhilarating, these vehicles provide a potentially dangerous combination of small size and high power-to-weight ratio, which translates to acceleration with little margin for error.

Just as a street bike, such as a Harley-Davidson or Honda Goldwing, must be ridden defensively and with caution on highways and city streets, so must an all-terrain vehicle be operated with the hazards of off-road riding clearly in mind. Many individuals have been seriously hurt or killed when the ATV they were riding on tipped over and rolled on top of the driver.

Continue reading " Maryland Motorcycle Injury Accident News: Harford County Teenager Dies in Fatal ATV Off-road Crash " »

Losing a son or daughter in a senseless traffic accident can be a painful and devastating event for any family. Having such a tragic event take place on a holiday or special family occasion can forever color that day for friends and relatives for years to come, if not for a lifetime.

Mothers and fathers who lose a child to an accident, regardless of their age, can be so overwhelmed with grief that day-to-day activities are nearly impossible. As Baltimore motorcycle accident lawyers and personal injury attorneys, our hearts go out to the families of these victims.

With that said, we understand the draw and excitement that the open road holds for some individuals who ride motorcycles. Whether you ride a cruiser, hog or sport bike, there are few other joys in life than the freedom that a cycle provides. Regardless of whether you live in the dense urban areas of Annapolis, Rockville or the District, or if you enjoy a more rural existence, any motorcyclist worth his or her salt understands the dangers of this sport.

As pastimes go, riding a Harley, Yamaha or Susuki is up there with other rather risky hobbies. But good riders know that balancing pleasure with danger is a basic requirement. Unfortunately, accidents do happen, even to the best motorcycle riders. And when they do, the results can be serious.

One catastrophic accident can send a person to the hospital for weeks or months. Head trauma is usually one of the most common injuries, even for those who wear a helmet, which can lead to paralysis, cognitive problems and even death.

Being Maryland injury attorneys, I and my colleagues have seen how head and brain injuries sustained due to a bad traffic collision can continue to affect a victim medically and financially sometimes for his or her entire life. The trouble is, injuries to the brain and spinal column are much more complex and difficult to correct than are lacerations, bruises and even injuries to other internal organs like the liver, lungs and heart.

Continue reading " Baltimore Motorcycle Accident News: Mother's Day Marred by Fatal Traffic Accident that Killed Maryland Biker " »

It only takes a while before one realizes that bicyclists and pedestrians run a greater risk of injury here in Baltimore or over in the District thanks to our highly dense urban conditions and other factors that pit motor vehicles against lightweight bicycles and relatively defenseless foot traffic. As Maryland automobile accident lawyers and personal injury attorneys, we not only read the stories of bicycle and pedestrian accidents, but we also meet people who have been hurt in roadway collisions.

With more and more bikes on the road, it appears that riders in Maryland cities and the District have more worries: Cars, commercial trucks and the roadway itself. According to news articles, bike safety advocates are looking for an increase in cycling-related injury accidents now that warmer weather is here to stay for a while. Closed-head injuries, broken bones, road rash, cuts and bruises are all part and parcel of the dangers facing bicyclists.

Based on information from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) there were 11 fatal bicycle-related accidents in Maryland in 2009. Although some would argue that cars, trucks and SUVs may be to blame for the majority of those deaths, experts advise that our roadways are also a major factor in these statistics.

Because of our more and more crowded streets and byways, the risks associated with cycling have grown over time, according to the news. Roads that are teeming with cars and pedestrians might occasionally appear to present the bulk of the problem, but according to many bicycling enthusiasts much of the concern lies with the road itself.

Lack of cycling lanes, like that one Maryland’s River Road just north of the beltway is one example. An inviting sinuous local roadway, River Road only has two lanes -- one in each direction -- yet no shoulder to speak off and certainly no designated bicycle lane. Cars passing at upward of 50mph can be unnerving even for a seasoned rider. The opportunities for injury or death are numerous.

One thing in cyclists’ favor in Washington, D.C., and Maryland is the law that permits a bicycle rider to use the travel lane at times when the rider can match the “normal speed” of motor vehicle traffic. This can allow a cyclist to ride more predictably within the traffic flow and also avoid shoulder obstacles, like drainage grates and suddenly opening doors of cars parked on the roadside.

Continue reading " Baltimore Personal Injury News: D.C. Cyclists Should Worry the Quality of Roadway AND Cars, Trucks " »

The father of a man injured on his ATV during a motor vehicle crash with a Frederick County sheriff's cruiser is calling into question the police department’s version of what transpired on Saturday, May 23. According to news reports, a man from Mount Airy, MD, and his friends were riding their all-terrain vehicles along a stretch of Old National Pike Saturday.

The riders were reportedly spread across all lanes when a sheriff’s deputy had to brake and swerve to avoid hitting the ATVs. As a result, Christopher Hancock, 22, ended up striking the officer’s patrol car. Hancock was reportedly seriously hurt as a result. The young man’s father, Keith Hancock, says that according to his son the group was traveling in single file, not spread out as the police report maintains.

Furthermore, Hancock has told reporters that the group was only using the public roadway so that they could reach riding trails because the off-road route that they had planned to use was apparently too muddy. According to Hancock, his son remembers that the police car swerved in front of the group of ATVs in an apparent effort to make them stop.

As a result of the crash, Hancock was taken to Baltimore's R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma center. Based on reports, the man received a variety of injuries including a compound leg fracture, multiple lacerations and head trauma. While doctors believe all of these injuries are non-life-threatening, they are nonetheless extensive and perhaps could have been avoided.

The order of events, as provided by the sheriff's department, shows that deputies were dispatched to the stretch of Old National Pike near Mount Airy around 4pm in the afternoon after someone reported ATVs on the road. Based on police reports, Deputy First Class William Mosser was going westbound on Old National Pike near Sydney Road when he observed several ATVs approaching in the opposite direction and taking up both travel lanes.

Continue reading " Maryland Motorcycle Accident News: Injured ATV Rider Disputes Officer’s Account of Crash with Police Cruiser " »