Articles Posted in Fatal Motorcycle Accidents

Sometimes when Maryland motorcycle accidents occur, the cause is easy to identify. Perhaps a motorcyclist ran a red light, crashing into the side of a car or truck. Or perhaps a driver was distracted, texting while driving, and accidentally swerved into the other lane, hitting a motorcyclist. In these cases, it’s probably pretty easy to figure out what caused the accident and, importantly, who was responsible. However, the cause of some accidents might be harder to figure out. Sometimes accidents happen so quickly and unexpectedly that even those involved may not be sure what happened. Or, in some tragic cases, both individuals involved may end up being killed in the accident, meaning any knowledge they have about its cause dies with them.

For example, take a recent fatal head-on collision. According to a local news report covering the accident, the collision took place last month, when a car and a dump truck collided head-on, causing the truck to roll into a ravine. Both drivers were tragically killed as a result. Unfortunately, officials are not sure what happened—and eyewitnesses aren’t quite sure either. It seems as though one vehicle crossed the median line ran into the other, but which one is not clear.

Although there is no real need for the public to know exactly what happened in this case, the families of the deceased drivers may want to know for their own personal closure, as well as so they know whether or not they have a route to recovery under Maryland state law.

When many people picture a Maryland motorcycle accident, they probably picture a motorcycle and another vehicle traveling at high speeds down the highway. Perhaps they imagine the motorcycle was weaving around traffic dangerously, or a car ran a red light and crashed into the motorcycle. While these accidents do, unfortunately, occur (and often lead to severe injuries or even death), sometimes Maryland motorcycle accidents can happen in much more mundane—and seemingly safe—settings.

For example, consider pulling out of a driveway or parking lot. This is a basic driving move, one that even student drivers are trusted to do early on in their training. Typically, when pulling out of a driveway or parking lot, the vehicle is going slow, drivers are very aware of the situation around them, and there appears to be minimal risk of crashing. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case.

Take a recent case from just earlier this month, where a situation like this turned deadly. According to a local news report, two motorcyclists were tragically killed in a motorcycle crash. The two victims—a 22-year-old man and a 30-year-old woman—were riding a motorcycle around 11 am one morning and traveling down the road when they collided with a Jeep pulling out of a gas station. The two motorcyclists were severely hurt, and ultimately died from their injuries. Police accident reconstruction is going on now.

Oftentimes, the Maryland motorcycle crashes that we write about in this blog are crashes that involve both a motorcycle and a car, usually with the car making a careless error and hitting the motorcycle, causing the crash. But it is important to recognize that sometimes, Maryland motorcycle accidents can occur solely because of a rider’s careless error—sometimes not even involving another vehicle at all. In these situations, anyone injured as a passenger on the motorcycle may have a claim against the motorcyclist.

For an example of this second type of accident, take a recent incident from last month. According to a news report covering the incident, the motorcyclist, a 42-year-old man, was riding east on the highway with one passenger on his motorcycle, a 41-year-old woman. According to state police officers, the cyclist failed to negotiate a left-hand curve in the roadway and lost control of his vehicle. Both he and his passenger were thrown from the motorcycle off the shoulder of the roadway, sustaining serious injuries. Tragically, the passenger’s injuries were fatal, and she passed away. The cyclist was flown to a nearby hospital and treated for life-threatening injuries, ultimately surviving the accident. The crash remains under investigation.

Can Motorcyclist Passengers Sue the Driver of a Motorcycle After an Accident?

This tragic accident serves as a reminder that Maryland motorcycle accidents are not always caused by a car crashing into a motorcycle, or even by another vehicle at all. Sometimes, they can just be caused by the motorcyclist themselves. In these cases, it is important to remember that there could still be liability—if a motorcyclist is negligent and gets into an accident while they have a passenger on their motorcycle, and their passenger is subsequently injured, they can then be held liable for their passenger’s injury in a personal injury lawsuit.

In this blog, we discuss all types of Maryland motorcycle accidents. Typically, accidents of this kind are caused by either negligent drivers or cyclists, who make a bad decision or careless error and crash. Sometimes, however, Maryland motorcycle accidents can be caused by something slightly more unexpected: animals in the road. A cat or dog crossing the road could be hit by a car or a motorcycle, causing a chain reaction crash behind them. Other times, animals might appear in the road and cause drivers to swerve to avoid them, the swerve then causing an accident. While most Americans like animals and enjoy nature, these examples illustrate that animals on the road can cause major crashes, and even death.

For example, according to a recent news source, a motorcycle accident occurred when a bear tried to cross U.S. Route 50. An 82-year-old man on his motorcycle tried to swerve to avoid crashing into the bear, but in doing so, he wrecked his motorcycle. The man died as a result of the accident. Another motorcycle came upon the scene and swerved to avoid the first motorcycle accident, but instead crashed himself. Officials responding to the scene took him to the hospital, and his condition is still unknown.

This example is just one of many—rogue animals on roads and highways cause accidents all the time. While these accidents might seem to be totally random, with no one at fault to hold accountable through a personal injury lawsuit, seasoned personal injury attorneys know that there may be more than meets the eye. While there are sometimes accidents with no one to hold responsible, Maryland motorcycle accidents caused by animals on the road may still be partially caused by a negligent party. For example, an owner of cattle or other livestock might know that, if not kept secure, the animals are likely to wander out into the road and cause accidents. If they do not keep their animals secure, they may be held liable for the resulting accidents. Or, a driver who has plenty of time and advanced notice to slow down and come to a stop before the animal in the street, but decides to push on full-steam-ahead and recklessly swerve into oncoming traffic to avoid the animal, may be found responsible for the resultant crash. As such, Maryland residents injured in motorcycle crashes caused by animals on the road should consult with a personal injury attorney to discuss their case and possible claims for financial compensation. Even in cases involving a wild animal in the roadway, motorists may have a claim with their own insurance company.

Maryland motorcycle accidents often happen in the blink of an eye. One second, it’s business as usual and the next, tragedy strikes. Because of how quickly and unexpectedly motorcycle accidents occur, it is often difficult to figure out exactly what happened—or who was at fault. For example, a recent fatal motorcycle accident leaves many questions unanswered about what exactly happened, and who is to blame.

According to a local news report covering the incident, the incident occurred just before 10 a.m. one morning, when a BMW sedan had stalled in the slow lane of a highway, specifically on the high-rise section of a bridge. The driver of the BMW left the vehicle and was walking along the bridge. A group of motorcycles came upon the BMW, and most of them changed lanes to go around it. Two of them, however, struck the car from behind. As a result, the driver of one of the motorcycles—a 34-year-old man—was tragically thrown off of the bridge and into the water below, where his body was later recovered by the U.S. Coast Guard. The driver and passenger of the second motorcycle survived but were taken to a nearby hospital with serious injuries. It is currently unknown whether drugs or alcohol were a factor in the collision.

While we know that those injured in a Maryland motorcycle accident as a result of someone else’s negligence have the ability to bring a personal injury lawsuit, it is sometimes difficult to figure out who was negligent and what caused the crash. In the case above, there are many more facts one would need to know to determine fault. Why did the driver of the BMW leave his car? Why did the BMW stall out in the first place? Was there a safer place to pull off the road? If the driver was careless in some way, that might point to him being held liable for the motorcyclist’s death. It would also be important to know the visibility on the highway leading up to the BMW, and whether or not the motorcyclists were paying close attention to the road. Why did two fail to switch lanes? Were any of them under the influence of drugs or alcohol? The answers to these questions may determine who was at fault for this tragic accident.