Maryland Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog
Earlier this month, a fatal motorcycle accident claimed the life of a Woodbine man in Westminster, Maryland. According to a report by one local news source, the accident occurred around 6:30 in the evening on the 3300 block of Salem Bottom Road.
Evidently, the motorcyclist was heading north on Salem Bottom Road when a truck pulled out in front of the motorcycle to make a left turn onto southbound Salem Bottom Road. The motorcyclist ended up crashing into the driver’s side of the truck. Despite emergency responders’ best efforts to get to the scene in a timely manner, the man was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident.
The driver of the truck did not sustain any injuries as a result of the accident and may face charges once the police investigation is complete.
Motorcycle Season Isn’t Over Yet
Even though it is the middle of October, people are still out enjoying the last few weeks of motorcycle weather before the cold rolls in. No matter what time of year, however, other drivers always seem to have a difficult time seeing motorcycles and respecting their right to be on the road. When the weather is cooler and more unpredictable, as it is this time of year, the possibility of a motorcycle accident increases.
Motorcycle Accidents and Right-of-Way
In the case described above, it seems as though the truck driver either didn’t see the motorcyclist or thought that he could complete his turn before the motorcyclist approached. In either case, he was likely at fault for the fatal motorcycle accident.
In most left-turn motorcycle accident cases, the other motorist making the left turn is at fault because he or she is legally required to yield the right-of-way to any vehicle continuing straight. However, the motorcyclist may lose his or her right of way if he or she is traveling in excess of the speed limit. This is how many drivers try to get out of responsibility when confronted with a motorcycle accident claim.
There are many other situations where a motorist is responsible to yield the right-of-way to a motorcyclist. There are so many, in fact, that we couldn’t possibly list them all here. Suffice it to say that if you believe that you were “cut off” by another motorist while riding a motorcycle, the other driver may have failed to yield the right-of-way to you.
Have You Been Involved in a Maryland Motorcycle Accident?
If you or a loved one has recently been involved in a Maryland motorcycle accident, you may be entitled to monetary damages to help compensate you for your injuries or loss. However, due to the large amount of money that may be at stake in these types of cases, insurance companies routinely fight tooth-and-nail to avoid a situation where they need to pay out. Thus, they hire skilled attorneys to represent their clients in hopes of shifting blame onto the motorcyclist. Don’t let this happen to you. Contact a dedicated Maryland motorcycle accident attorney today by calling 410-654-3600.
More Blog Posts:
Minibike Rider Killed in Lexington Park, Maryland Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog, published October 8, 2014.
Fourth-Year GW Medical Student Killed in Motorcycle Accident, Maryland Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog, published September 4, 2014.