While not always a valid excuse, the fact is that when a driver fails to recognize a nearby rider in traffic, the potential resulting accident can turn out to be very serious to the point of being life-threatening. After a bike crash, the needed medical treatment and potential rehab, which may also be required, can add up to extensive hospital bills. A rider who incurs such costs following an accident caused by another negligent driver should consult a qualified personal injury lawyer to better understand his or her options vis-à-vis recouping those medical costs from the responsible party or parties.

As Maryland personal injury attorneys, we have the skills and training to handle motorcycle-related accident cases, which we have already established can often be due to the negligence of another driver in a car- or truck-related accident. Furthermore, it’s a fair assumption that the majority of motorcycle riders are safety conscious despite the negative stereotypes typically portrayed on television and in the movies.

Add to their slim profile, most bikes are fairly fast and even quick to stop, putting less-than-inattentive drivers of four-wheeled passenger cars and 18-wheel commercial trucks in danger of running into them both coming and going. Insurance companies understand the dangers of motorcycles, to the point of making their policies less than attractive, or even placing certain motorcycle models on a list of “uninsurable” vehicles.

For anyone who hasn’t had a close call with a motorcyclist, as Maryland personal injury attorneys who represent bikers injured in traffic collisions, we can say that even the best drivers can be caught unaware by the “sudden” appearance of a bike in the roadway ahead of them. But it is conceivable that even police officers who have been trained in all manner of traffic safety, defensive driving and emergency situations, could from time to time be surprised by a motorcyclist.

Late last year, a news article described an accident between a biker and a marked police cruiser in the North Laurel, MD, area. According to news reports, a 43-year-old rider was sent to the hospital after a collision with a police car on Rte 216 near the Leishear Rd. intersection.

As Maryland personal injury attorneys, I and my staff have in-depth knowledge of the state laws and statutes covering traffic accidents, cost recovery following various types of personal injury, as well as the legal rules and guidelines that govern the insurance industry’s coverage of drivers, riders and passengers of various motor vehicles. As we mentioned above, the insurance laws governing individuals hurt while riding a Harley-Davidson, Honda, Ducati or any other kind of motor bike are somewhat different than those that apply to persons injured while riding in a car or truck.

Because of our experience in handling motorcycle-related personal injury cases, we know that most non-riders (that is, drivers of four-wheelers) are usually surprised to learn that the majority of car-bike and truck-bike collisions are caused by negligence on the part of the automobile or truck driver, not the motorcyclist as many tend to believe. Perhaps it’s the rough and tumble, so-called bad-boy image of the biker typically portrayed in movies and on TV; but the fact remains, most riders are conscientious and safety-oriented individuals.

As Baltimore motorcycle accident attorneys and Maryland personal injury lawyers, I and my staff have the skills to represent victims of car and truck accidents. Because cyclists, like pedestrians, have next to no protection in the event of a traffic collision, the extent and severity or injury sustained by a rider can be many times that of a passenger car occupant.

Closed-head injuries are one of the more significant threats to biking accident victims. The moniker given to motorcycles by some in the healthcare industry -- namely, “donor-cycle -- is certainly well earned. However, the right to own, ride and enjoy a motorcycle makes this fact moot, as most people who take up the hobby live long and productive lives.

Like any traffic accident, motorcycle wrecks can range from minor to fatal. When one does occur, the police and insurance companies investigate to determine fault, if any. Many times, the cause of the serious crash may be found to be negligence on the part of another motorist, which doesn’t change the fact that the victim’s injuries may linger for months or years to come. From time to time, a motorcycle rider may lose control of his or her machine and crash alone.

As Maryland personal injury lawyers representing victims of car, motorcycle and trucking-related accidents, I and my colleagues have met enough motorcyclists to know that these people can be some of the more safety conscious individuals on the road. And why not? Unlike a typical passenger car driver or commercial trucker, a biker is totally exposed to nearly every danger that Maryland traffic can dish out, with no real protection save some leather and a DOT-approved helmet.

As we stated earlier, being aware and ready for trouble is no guarantee of actually avoiding it on the road. Rockville, Washington, D.C., Gaithersburg and Annapolis expressways and surface streets have been the scene of many serious and fatal motorcycle wrecks over the years. For most any motorcyclist, even the most minor accident can result in painful personal injuries such as road rash, deep lacerations, broken bones and even spinal cord damage.

As we age, our bodies can become less tolerant of injury, which is why it may be important for older bikers to keep in mind that what experts have been saying; that older motorcycle riders who are involved in serious traffic accidents tend to have a lower rate of survivability than younger riders, given the same circumstances.

Common misperceptions aside, motorcycle riders -- as well as motor-scooter users -- are usually rather safety conscious; perhaps even more so than the typical car, SUV or truck driver, because their lives are on the line, not just the sheetmetal of their vehicle. Talk to most any motorcyclist and you may begin to understand the combination of passion and risk management that keeps these people riding year after year.

But as we all know, whether here in the Baltimore area, Frederick, Hagerstown or Washington, D.C., traffic collisions between motorcycles and cars, as well as accidents involving commercial trucks, happen more often than anyone would like. For a biker, even a minor crash can result in some serious and painful bodily injuries. Road rash, cuts and bruises and dislocated joints are usually the least of one’s problems following a motorcycle crash.

Fortunately, most of those individuals who dare to brave the winter elements on a two-wheeler also have the experience to avoid the many of the dangers lurking out on our public roads. Traffic accidents are an everyday event in Maryland; winter only adds a new twist on events. Early sunsets, patches of black ice hidden in the shadows, and those always dangerous drunk drivers plying the roadways in search of the next holiday party; these are just a few of the dangers facing motorcyclists this time of year.

As Maryland personal injury attorneys representing individuals who have been hurt in car and commercial trucking accidents, we understand that riding a bike is a wonderful and freeing experience. But we also know that risk is a big part of the sport. Because of this, it’s no secret that traffic accidents between bikes and other, larger motor vehicles can result in serious injuries such as broken bones, compound fractures, cut and lacerations, not to mention closed-head injuries.

Even the least significant bike crash can cause injuries such as cuts, bruises and dislocated joints. More severe motorcycle accidents -- those involving collisions with commercial delivery trucks or passenger cars -- can result in the biker sustaining broken bones, neck and spinal cord damage, and even traumatic brain injury. As personal injury lawyers serving the residents of Maryland and Washington, D.C., I and my colleagues are familiar with the range of bodily injury that can result from a bad traffic accident.

For most drivers of passenger cars, it is hard to imagine that motorcycle riders enjoy putting themselves in what is perceived by most of the motoring public as a constant state of peril. But understanding the drive and enthusiasm of the average motorcyclist, we can appreciate the draw that the open road has for this group of motorists.

As Maryland personal injury lawyers, I and my colleagues have the knowledge and skills to represent bikers injured in collisions with passenger cars and commercial delivery vehicles. Aside from pedestrians and bicycle riders, motorcyclists are one of the more at-risk groups on our public roads. And whereas bicyclists also operate their bikes on the road, motorcycles are fast enough to travel on highways and expressways where the higher speeds only serve to exacerbate the potential for injury should a traffic wreck occur.

Not surprisingly, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has collected nationwide motorcycle accident statistics for many years. Much of what the NHTSA has learned is also confirmed by experts in the field of motorcycle safety. Whether one riders in Annapolis, Gaithersburg, Rockville or the District, it’s important to keep in mind that there are several constants when it comes to injury-related and fatal bike accidents.

Some of the more common causes of biker accidents include rider inexperience or inattention; alcohol use prior to mounting a bike; rider error or miscalculation; damage or imperfections in the roadway surface, including weather-related problems; and defective or poorly-maintained vehicle components, such as brakes, throttle system and wheel/suspension hardware.

As Maryland personal injury lawyers, my firm hears about dozens of deadly bicycle and motorcycle accidents happening every year where the victim was hit by another motorist who said they never saw the cyclist or biker until it was too late. In many of these roadway collisions, that claim is likely valid, but of course, police department and insurance company investigators many times have the final say.

The point we would like to make, as auto accident attorneys, is that cyclists -- both pedal-powered as well as motorized -- need to exercise caution one the days begin to get shorter and colder. Similarly, passenger car and commercial truck drivers should also take a page from the safety guides and remember to be on the lookout for cycles and pedestrians traveling on the roadside.

While it is incumbent on operators of motor vehicles to make every effort to avoid a dangerous and sometimes deadly traffic wreck, not everyone is sufficiently vigilant in that regard. Every year we read of multiple victims of car-bike and truck-motorcycle accidents along Maryland’s interstates and surface streets. These crashes usually result in some kind of injury to the bicycle or motorcycle rider. Serious, critical and sometimes fatal injuries include broken bones, deep lacerations and bruising of internal organs, as well as closed-head trauma and spinal cord damage.

A little while back we read of a man who was struck and killed by a passing motorist on a Friday evening in the area of Severna Park, MD. According to news articles, Matthew Young, 40, was on his mountain bike heading northbound along a stretch of Veterans Highway when he was hit from behind by a car driven by a 64-year-old Dunkirk man. It’s difficult to say if the accident could have been avoided, however police reports indicated that Mr. Young hit in an area of the highway with little lighting.

Based on reports, the cyclist was in the right travel lane, however the driver of the car that fatally injured him said that he did not see Young prior to the accident. The force of the crash, which apparently occurred sometime around 7:30pm, was sufficient to throw the victim from his bike and onto the windshield of the vehicle. Young was subsequently transported to the shock trauma unit of the University of Maryland Hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries, news reports stated.

According to police investigators, the victim was wearing dark, non-reflective clothes. Investigators said that the bicycle was rigged with a makeshift headlamp, as well as a flashing light attached to the rear of the bicycle. However, according to police, that rear lamp was not activated at the time of the accident.

From their findings, police reportedly did not believe that speed or alcohol were factors in the deadly crash. Investigators cited "bicyclist visibility" as the likely cause of the collision, and made note of the fact that the incident occurred along a particularly dark section of Veterans Highway, which not coincidentally has no shoulder.

Police Investigate Fatal Md. Bike Accident, NBCWashington.com, October 13, 2011

Matthew Jeffrey Young, bicyclist struck, killed in Severna Park, WJLA.com, October 8, 2011

As Baltimore motorcycle accident attorneys and Maryland personal injury lawyers, I and my staff know how quickly a fun ride can turn into tragedy. As counsel for road accident victims, as well as their families, we understand the pain and suffering that one person can be exposed to as a result of another person’s negligent actions. Sadly, the very nature of motorcycling means that injuries are commonplace and fatal crashes hardly unusual.

If one is lucky enough to survive a traffic collision between, for instance, a commercial vehicle such as an 18-wheeler or delivery box truck, some kind of bodily injury is the norm. Aside from the usual road rash, broken bones and compound fractures can occur, as do lacerations and internal injuries. Helmets can make a big difference in survivability of a crash, but even so a biker can sustain life-threatening injuries (such as closed-head trauma and spinal cord damage) very easily and without much

As motorcycle injury lawyers, we are familiar with the many and various ways in which a biker can be hurt in a traffic wreck. Whether a crash involves just the bike, or another vehicle, the effect on the rider can be many times more severe than that experienced by a passenger car or commercial truck driver. This is due in large part to the relative lack of protection afforded by the cycle versus other, larger motor vehicles.

Because of the higher risk of injury or death, motorcyclists typically exercise extreme caution when sharing the road with other vehicles, especially in high-speed traffic or when riding through densely-populated urban centers.

With the aforementioned in mind, we would like to provide a few safety tips for the conscientious rider. The most obvious warning is that bike accidents can happen nearly anytime of the night or day. Whether you ride to live or live to ride, there are many different kinds of motorcycle accidents, some of which happen more often than others.

Single-bike Accidents
Bikes lend their owners a unique feeling of freedom, something that most car and truck drivers will likely never experience in a closed vehicle. And although motorcycles are fast, highly maneuverable and a joy to ride, the inherent instability of having just two wheels one the road can make them more susceptible to skidding and sliding on poor or uneven road surfaces, which can result in a serious accident caused by laying the bike down or high-siding and throwing the rider off.

The truth of the matter is that many of the serious and fatal traffic collisions involving cars, trucks and motorcycles occur because the other motorist -- be he or she a passenger car driver or commercial trucker -- quite simply fails to see or recognize the motorcycle and its rider until it is too late. Many roadway accidents happen because the rider-bike combination presents a much smaller and less familiar profile than what drivers of four-wheelers tend to expect. It’s a matter of conditioning; and most car, truck and SUV drivers have little impetus to watch out for bikers; that is until it’s too late.

Not seeing a biker can be as simple a situation as the rider and his machine being eclipsed by another larger vehicle -- basically out of sight from oncoming passenger car drivers. This can be a very dangerous situation, especially at intersections or busy shopping mall entrances. Weather can play a part as well; as do nighttime conditions. But these only increase the chances that a motorist, who may not be concentrating, might hit a biker. Drivers who don’t expect a motorcycle to be approaching, or who are impatient when attempting to make a left turn or pass another motor vehicle, are more likely to miss seeing a bike until it's too late.

As Maryland personal injury attorneys and auto accident lawyers, I and my staff know that many motorcycle injury accidents could possibly be prevented if only passenger car and commercial truck drivers would take that little bit of extra effort to double-check for a biker in the area before executing a maneuver. Just this simple attempt to confirm is a bike is coming up could transform a potentially deadly turning or merging operation into what it should be: a routine and ordinary event with no victim.

For those who have never been injured while riding in urban areas such as Annapolis, Frederick, Rockville or Bowie, count yourself lucky and take heed; there are a number of simple steps that can improve your odds when sharing the road with larger and potentially dangerous vehicular traffic. As Maryland personal injury lawyers, we have see the results of car-bike accidents and we applaud anyone who promotes automobile and bicycle safety in order to help reduce the carnage on our state’s roadways.

To be sure, any bicycle accident can be serious or even life-threatening depending on the speeds involved and the circumstances of the traffic accident. Cuts and bruises are the most likely injuries, which can include painful road rash and deep lacerations. Broken bones are always a potential injury when going up against a car or truck, while concussions and other closed-head trauma are likely in crashes involving large vehicles or higher speeds. (Hitting a stationary object, such as a tree or roadside guardrail can also result in potentially fatal injuries.)

For some hints on safer riding and better survivability in the case of a bike-truck or bike-auto collision, the following may be of some use. Much of what is stated here is common sense and certainly on the lists of most cycling safety advocates, but it never hurts to reiterate best practices.

Never ride without a helmet
Protecting one’s brain from traumatic injury is foremost in the war against cycling-related injuries and traffic-related deaths. Some voices in the cycling community suggest that, in fact, no bicyclist can claim that he or she is a safe rider if they do not wear a helmet 100 percent of the time. While there is no state law requiring helmet use when cycling, many people believe that there should be.

Communities also suffer from the deadly results of a thoughtless driver’s negligent actions. While police officers and firefighters face the danger of personal injury and possible death every working day of their lives, it is a shame that numerous public servants are killed while off duty every year. Again, with most car, truck and motorcycle collisions being preventable, on the whole, these victims are stolen from their families and communities long before their time.

As Baltimore motorcycle accident lawyers and Washington, D.C., personal injury attorneys, I and my staff feel for the families of any person injured or killed in a traffic mishap. And even though many bikers understand the dangers inherent in their sport or chosen mode of transportation, when a crash does occur, it’s never a comfort to say they knew the risks.

But if one operates a cycle long enough, chances are you will become involved in an accident or have a brush with death or injury as a result of a close call. Whether one’s chosen ride is a sport bike, hog, cruiser or dirt bike, the lure of the open road and the freedom that a motorcycle represents is irresistible to many. Whether you live or ride to work in densely-packed metropolitan areas such as Annapolis, Rockville or Gaithersburg; or if you enjoy the relatively open rural roads, every biker understands the dangers posed by this sport.

In fact, it makes no real difference if one rides a Honda, Suzuki, Harley or Yamaha, motorcycling as a pastime is right up there with other rather risky hobbies. Any high-risk activity requires a modicum of caution, but to survive on a bike one needs to apply a balance of pleasure and the potential danger for physical harm.

Accidents do happen. And for motorcyclists the results can be serious, or even fatal. Just one severe injury accident can land a biker in the hospital for day, weeks, and even months or years. (Closed-head trauma is a typical injury most commonly associated with motorcycle accidents.) Even those individuals who choose to wear protective gear, including a helmet, can still suffer from paralysis, cognitive problems and even death.

Although being injured or killed in a multi-vehicle collision is not unusual, there are situations where a cyclist is at greater risk, sometimes without knowing it. Drunk driving is one of the many contributing factors to motorcycle injury accidents. As Maryland personal injury lawyers, we have seen the results of fatal highway wrecks that have ultimately led to a wrongful death lawsuit on the victim’s behalf.

Alcohol consumption and motor vehicle operation is a dangerous mix. As Maryland and Washington, D.C., auto injury attorneys, I and my staff have seen many people who have been hurt as a direct result of a drunk driver. These instances of serious or fatal car accidents caused by drunken driving continue to occur despite state laws designed to reduce and eliminate the problem.

Anyone who has ever lost a family member or loved one through the senseless act of drunk driving knows the heartache associated with these mostly preventable accidents. Victims’ families not only experience a huge emotional loss, but they can be affected financially as well, especially if the victim was a family breadwinner. While nothing can make a family whole again following a fatal car or motorcycle accident, recuperating medical costs and lost wages may help the surviving family members make it through one of the darkest periods of their lives.

Not long ago, a Parkton, MD, resident was killed while riding his bike along a stretch of York Rd. Sadly, this crash may have been avoided since news reports indicate that the driver of the vehicle which hit the rider may have been drunk at the time of the crash.