Maryland Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog
There are significant risks in driving motorcycles. The smaller profile of motorcycles leaves them vulnerable to car blind spots and the open nature of motorcycles can throw drivers from the vehicle upon impact during a crash. Because of this, on average, driving or riding on a motorcycle is more dangerous than driving cars. Motorcycle riders are not protected by their vehicle in the way that the occupants of a car are. As a result, approximately 72 percent of motorcyclists are injured when they crash.
How Common Are Maryland Motorcycle Accidents?
Unfortunately, Maryland drivers are all too familiar with the dangers of motorcycle driving. Maryland on average has 73 motorcycle rider and passenger deaths per year and averages an additional 1,046 riders or drivers injured each year. This issue has continued to get worse in Maryland, with the state seeing an increase in motorcycle crashes from 2019 to 2020. A recent news article discussed an extremely serious fatal multi-vehicle motorcycle crash.
According to the news article, the accident happened on the morning of Saturday, June 3, around 11:20 am. The fatal crash occurred when a Toyota Corolla crossed the center line of a highway and hit five motorcycles according to the State Highway Patrol. Law enforcement officials stated that the five motorcycles were traveling north on Missouri 39 in Lawrence County, three miles north of Autora, and the Toyota Corolla was traveling south when the car veered out of its lane Saturday and crashed into the group of motorcycles, throwing the drivers and passengers from the bikes. Following the crash, the Toyota Corolla traveled off the west side of the road and landed in a ditch.
All four people that died were either motorcycle drivers or passengers, including a 17-year-old female, a 28-year-old male, a 59-year-old male, and a 61-year-old female. According to the State Highway Patrol, all of the individuals involved in the accident were from Aurora and were wearing safety devices. The Toyota Corolla was driven by a 51-year-old female who suffered serious injuries in the crash.
Does My Negligence Affect My Maryland Case?
Contributory Negligence is a legal concept that potentially prevents plaintiffs in an accident case from receiving compensation for injuries resulting from a crash if their negligence contributed to the accident to any degree. Essentially, even if the negligence of the operator of another vehicle is largely responsible for the accident if the plaintiff was even a little negligent, it is possible they will not be able to recover compensation. In Maryland, contributory negligence is interpreted very broadly, allowing minor negligence by the plaintiff in personal injury cases to defeat even very strong claims.
Have You Been Hurt in a Maryland Automobile Accident?
If you or someone you love has been injured in an automobile accident in the Prince George’s, Baltimore, Charles, or Montgomery County region, let the attorneys at Lebowitz & Mzhen help you recover the damages you deserve. Expenses and injuries from a motor vehicle accident can quickly become overwhelming, and having an experienced team of lawyers by your side can make all the difference. Our attorneys have successfully represented injury victims at every stage of the process, ensuring that they obtain the proper damages. With our team, you can have faith that your claim is being pursued properly. If you have questions about your case, call us today at 800-654-1949 and schedule a free and no-obligation initial consultation with a Maryland injury lawyer at our office.