Fatal Bicycle Accidents

Episcopal Bishop Asked to Resign After Involvement in Fatal Bicycle Accident

February 26, 2015 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Earlier this year, the Standing Committee of the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland asked a bishop who was involved in a fatal hit-and-run bicycle accident to resign from her post. According to one local news report, the Committee told the bishop that they have “agreed unanimously that you are no longer able to function effectively in the position of Bishop Suffragan given recent events.” As a result, the Committee asked her to voluntarily resign from her position.

Back in December of last year, the bishop was involved in what some are calling a hit-and-run, alcohol-induced accident involving a software engineer at John’s Hopkins Hospital. Evidently, the bishop’s blood-alcohol content at the time of the accident was .22, or 22% — almost three times the legal limit in Maryland. On top of that, evidence suggests that she was also sending a text message at the time of the fatal accident.

After hitting the bicyclist, the bishop left the scene of the accident before returning a short time later. Some in the news media have called for the bishop to be charged for a hit-and-run accident, while others see her eventual return to the scene as acknowledging her role in the accident.

Maryland Auto Injury Accident Update: Bicycles Are No Match for Even the Smallest Passenger Car

January 4, 2013 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

No matter what you do for exercise or recreation, anyone who has ever ridden a bicycle along a busy street, or worse, in traffic likely has felt a sense of extreme vulnerability. This is nothing to ignore, since it’s probably the body’s way of indicating a sense of danger and potential injury just waiting to happen. As Baltimore personal injury attorneys, I and my colleagues are all too aware of the real possibility of bike riders being hurt in a collision with a passenger car or commercial truck.

Even as automobile and trucking accident lawyers, we’d be the first to admit that pedal power is one of the more pleasant was to exercise and see the sights at the same time. In urban areas especially, bicycles as a mode of transportation make for a healthier environment as well as a healthier population. But this comes with a large caveat: Bicycles, like pedestrians, are no match against even the most diminutive four-wheeled motor vehicle.

Despite all the hype and public awareness focused on the benefits of cycling and the corresponding increase in the use of bicycles throughout areas like Baltimore, Rockville, Gaithersburg and Washington, D.C., the frequency of bicycle-car traffic collisions would indicate that we have a long way to go before cycling becomes less risky when conducted in or near motor vehicle traffic.

Fatal Worcester County Bicycle-Bus Accident Kills Maryland Restaurant Owner in Ocean City, MD

November 25, 2012 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

As a personal injury firm here in the Baltimore area, we understand how a pleasant afternoon ride can turn into an unexpected trip to the emergency room for many a bicyclist. As automobile drivers, we can all sympathize with people who get caught up in a bad traffic accident. But however serious a car or trucking-related roadway crash, any similar circumstance that involves a bicycle or pedestrian can often end with tragic results.

The fact of the matter is that humans, no matter how well equipped with helmets and other protective clothing, are no match for a 3,000-pound motor vehicle. The mass of a passenger car, sport utility vehicle or minivan, much less a large commercial delivery truck, is many times that of a cyclist or jogger. Being hit by a car or truck can cause a person on foot or biking to impact the vehicle itself and more often fall to the ground and strike his or her head on hard pavement.

Helmets can go a long way toward protecting a person’s brain, but only to a certain extent. While bicycle safety experts would argue that a rider who uses a helmet has much better odds of surviving a traffic accident, the chances of sustaining serious closed-head trauma (also known as traumatic brain injury) is still quite high. As Maryland personal injury lawyers, I and my staff have seen the results of these kinds of car-to-bike and truck-to-bicycle impacts in which the rider suffered badly as a result of the collision.

Caution to All Bike Riders; Bicycle Accidents Causing Closed-head Injuries Can Be Fatal

July 16, 2012 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

It only takes a moment to wind up in the emergency room these days. Bicyclists, runners, and even average pedestrians should use caution when near vehicular traffic or exercising in the evening hours. We bring this up because of the news today that “7 Habits” author, Stephen Covey, passed away following a protracted hospital stay; following a cycling accident back in April, he had received a traumatic brain injury that apparently led to fatal complications.

As Maryland personal injury lawyers, we understand that no one can fully protect themselves from the various and sundry dangers confronting people on a regular basis each and every day. From passenger car and commercial trucking collisions to trip-and-fall mishaps at home, the potential for bodily injury is always there. Similarly, the opportunity for critical or even fatal traffic wrecks, pedestrian accidents or truck crashes are ever-present within our densely populated cities and urban areas, such as Baltimore, Gaithersburg and Washington, D.C.

The bicycle accident which seems to have precipitated Mr. Covey’s death provides just one more example of the dangers that face every rider, young or old. In Mr. Covey’s case, the bike crash occurred late last April as he was reportedly riding down an incline near Provo, UT, a ways south of Salt Lake City. Although no other vehicles were involved, Covey did have an assistant riding with him, according to local police.

Annual “Ride of Silence” Honors Bicyclists Injured or Killed in Traffic Collisions in Maryland and Elsewhere

May 9, 2012 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Anyone who has lost a friend or loved one to a traffic-related pedestrian or cycling accident needs no reminder of the senseless nature of such events. As ones who represent the victims of severe and fatal automobile, motorcycle and trucking-related roadway collisions, I and my legal staff have first-hand experience with people whose pain may take years to go away, if ever.

Here in the Baltimore area, as with parts of the District, Cumberland, Annapolis and Bowie, MD, hardly a week goes by that there isn’t a news report of a car crash involving a cyclist or pedestrian. These types of accidents are almost always “one-sided,” in that the person on foot or on his or her bike has little protection against a 3,000-pound car or even larger commercial delivery truck or 18-wheeler. In these instances, closed-head trauma, spinal cord injuries and broken bones can all be quite common.

The upcoming “Ride of Silence,” being undertaken by cyclists and bicycle clubs all across the globe, will hopefully raise the needed awareness regarding the dangers of car- and truck-bike crashes. While it is hardly reasonable to expect that all bicycle and pedestrian collisions can be eradicated through this or any other single effort, its heartening to think that even one person will not die in the future as a result of this mass demonstration of respect for those who have passed away as a result of senseless traffic accidents.

Maryland Injury Accident News: Family of Deceased Cyclist Opposes Proposed 8-Year Drivers License Renewal Term

February 29, 2012 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

For most of us, it likely that we cannot see a day, too soon, that will spell an end to our driving a car to get around. Even for those in there 50s and 60s, we can imagine another couple decades of “automotive independence” ahead of us. But despite eternal optimism, some individuals who are driving today may find themselves with a challenge before long; that challenge may come in the form of a family member sitting down and talking frankly about giving up one’s driver’s license voluntarily.

This discussion is not hypothetical, it happens every day to many people across this country who have reached the point of being unable, either physically or mentally, to control a motor vehicle safely — at least in the eyes of their family; others, who either do not have caring family member living nearby, or through some type of serious traffic mishap, may be forced by the state to relinquish their driver’s license.

For many drivers, it must be said that losing one’s license due to incapacity may be one of the more difficult chapters in the aging process. The term between Maryland driver’s license renewals is what one might call a sweet spot — a time when, as long as we cause no serious car accidents or receive too many citations for traffic infractions — each of us can relax and not worry about being retested until our next operator’s license renewal.

Baltimore Personal Injury News: Maryland Mountain Bike Rider Killed in Fatal Severna Park Traffic Accident

November 19, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Prime bicycling weather is all but behind us for this year, but there are always a handful of stalwart bike riders traveling the roadways in and around Rockville, Annapolis, Washington, D.C., and Hagerstown well into the colder months. As such, it would not be ill-advised to throw out this warning to anyone taking to the streets during the evenings to be especially careful when driving or riding this season.

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.

Baltimore Traffic Injury Update: Steps to Reduce the Risk of Injury When Cycling in Maryland

September 30, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

As most parents will attest, seeing one’s child become old enough to ride a bike can be both satisfying and nerve-racking at the same time. Especially these days in cities like Rockville, Annapolis and Washington, D.C., that are densely packed and fraught with potential dangers, parents would be justified in their worry. As Maryland personal injury lawyers and auto accident attorneys, we understand these fears; and if something does go wrong, we try to help the victims and their families recover loses following an accident caused by a negligent driver.

Naturally, as we’ve stated many times, prevention is a much more proactive way to avoid an injury or save a life than trying to put the pieces back together after a severe traffic collision. Especially in the case of cycling and pedestrian accidents, protecting oneself and preparing for the worst beats reacting once the damage is done.

For bikers, there are a number of preventative measures that can make a difference if and when a traffic wreck does happen to a cyclist. Some may argue that if a person rides long enough it is only a matter of time before a rider is hit by a car or commercial truck. In the city, delivery vehicles and large box trucks can be the enemies of the commuting cyclist.

Of course, there is still a relatively large segment of the cycling community that maintains that riding a bike next to other vehicular traffic, such as passenger cars, SUVs and commercial trucks, is not as death-defying as some might make it out to be. These folks will argue, with a fair amount of statistical evidence to back them up, that cyclists are not injured by motor vehicles as often as they are injured through inattention to roadway conditions or other factors that might cause a solo crash.

These safety advocates maintain that bikers are much less likely to be killed by a car or truck hitting them from behind; rather they are more likely to be injured by events involving distracted pedestrians, people walking their dogs, kids and adults on inline skates, or an encounter with another cyclist having lesser riding skills.

Regardless, there are steps that every cyclist should take to avoid the worst-case scenario, that of being injured or killed on their bike. Perhaps the following tips might help better prepare riders for that unforeseen accident in the future, be it a solo bike crash, a pedestrian-related collision or a motor vehicle collision.

Baltimore Bicycle and Pedestrian Injury News: Maryland Rider Dies after Hit-and-Run Collision

August 31, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Sad to say, not everyone’s moral compass functions well under stressful and sometimes life-shattering situations. Such would appear to have been the case a while back when an unknown driver of a smaller SUV crashed into a cyclist in the Brooklyn Park area of Baltimore. Cycling and pedestrian traffic accidents have been in the news for a while now with little sign that the deadly situations Marylanders face daily in urban and densely populated areas will improve in the near term.

It’s hard to say for certain, but personal injury accidents involving bicycles and cars or commercial trucks have always been more serious than solitary biking crashes. Of course, hitting a tree or other stationary object at 20mph or more on a bike can result in traumatic brain injury, also referred to as closed-head trauma. This is in addition to other, less life-threatening conditions like cuts, lacerations and simple bone factures.

Bicycle helmets — now in common use by competitive cyclists, serious riders, and safety conscious parents with young children — can give a rider that extra margin of protection, which can make the difference between a short hospital stay and weeks or maybe months of medical treatment, post-operative rehabilitation and physical therapy.

According to news reports, a 25-year-old Baltimore resident died in the hospital from injuries he received during a hit-and-run car crash in Brooklyn Park. Police reports indicate that Alex Hernandez was one of two cyclists struck by hit-and-run drivers in separate incidents on a Thursday morning in July. Unfortunately for Mr. Hernandez, his injuries were much too severe and doctors could not save him.

Based on police reports, a female driver operating a black sedan – possibly a Hyundai — was believed to have hit Hernandez at around 8am. Police believed that the suspects vehicle had visible damage to the car’s front right headlight, part of the hood and the windshield.

Traffic Injuries and Fatalities in Anne Arundel County taking Toll on Maryland Pedestrians and Cyclists

August 8, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Aside from the heat, it would appear that this is particularly bad summer for persons on foot and riding bikes in Anne Arundel County, according to news reports of late. In fact the month of July started out very badly for a number of people who were either hit by passenger cars or commercial trucks while walking or cycling.

As Maryland personal injury attorneys, I and my staff have represented many individuals injured in car, truck and motorcycle crashes over the years. Pedestrian and bicycle-related traffic accidents can be some of the more deadly for the unprotected walker, runner or rider; more so, in some cases, than those individuals involved in a high-speed interstate collision or other car-to-car roadway wreck.

Based on various news reports, there were more than a half-dozen bicycle- and pedestrian-related traffic injuries and fatalities within ten days alone in Anne Arundel Co. As Maryland and Washington, D.C., injury attorneys and occasional pedestrians ourselves, we know all too well that persons on foot can sustain serious and sometimes life-threatening injuries if struck by a passenger automobile or commercial delivery truck. In fact, pedestrians have been know to be killed by speeding bicycles on sidewalks and though marked crosswalks.

Traumatic brain injury is one of the common injuries for pedestrians and bicycle riders, since most people fall down when hit by a car or truck, striking their head on the hard tarmac, curb or other roadway surface. A blow to the head can cause loss of motor function or coordination, trouble with memory, even forgetting how to eat or do the simple things we all take for granted everyday of our lives. Helmets help, of course, but not every time.

Not long ago, an article mentioned the rather marked increase in motor vehicle accidents involving pedestrians and cyclists. According to the news, official in Anne Arundel County noted the increase in these kinds of accidents, noting that there were seven incidents in just two weeks. These included the following: