Maryland Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog

Pennsylvania Man Pleads Guilty to Involuntary Manslaughter and Reckless Driving After Killing Motorcyclist

February 25, 2014 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Earlier this month, a Pennsylvania man entered a guilty plea to involuntary manslaughter and reckless driving charges stemming from a 2012 accident that left a motorcyclist dead. According to a report by the Observer Reporter, the accident occurred in April of 2012 when the man was on his way to work early in the morning. As he attempted to pass a slow-moving garbage truck in a no-passing zone, he collided with the motorcyclist head on.

The victim, a firefighter, was unable to be saved by fellow firefighters and emergency crews. At sentencing, the judge told the man “You, of course, forever changed the lives of [the victim] and his family, and also for you and your family…You have a brief snapshot of the life that was lost due to your negligence.”

Negligent Driving Can Result in Criminal and Civil Liability

In the story above, the focus is on the criminal sanctions that the driver of the truck faced when charged and convicted of the motorcyclist’s death. However, this is only half of the picture. The victim’s family may also have a claim against the truck’s driver for the wrongful death of their loved one.

Police Officer on Motorcycle Killed in Head-On Collision

February 18, 2014 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Last month in Colorado, a sergeant in the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office was killed when he was involved in a head-on collision with an SUV. According to a report by the local CBS affiliate in Denver, the accident occurred shortly after 10 a.m. when an SUV was attempting to pass another motorist. As the SUV crossed the double-yellow line, he collided with the sheriff’s officer.

The officer was wearing a helmet at the time of the accident; however, he sustained fatal injuries nonetheless. The driver of the SUV was wearing a seatbelt and sustained only minor injuries.

Police believe that the accident could have been prevented if more careful driving techniques had been used by the driver of the SUV. However, police do not believe that drugs or alcohol were involved in the accident. Criminal charges are pending against the driver of the SUV.

Two Killed in Tragic Florida Motorcycle Accident

February 11, 2014 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

In another tragic motorcycle accident in Florida, last week two people were killed when a pickup truck crossed a highway in front of a motorcyclist. According to a report by NWF Daily News, the motorcyclist was heading north on a state road around 3:30 p.m. when the truck attempted to cross the road, cutting the motorcyclist off.

The motorcyclist, who was wearing a helmet at the time of the accident, was unable to avoid colliding with the truck and ran into the left side of the truck. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The passenger of the truck, a 77-year-old woman, was taken to the hospital with serious injuries and was later pronounced dead. The driver of the truck sustained minor injuries. Both the driver and the passenger were wearing their seat belts.

Police are currently investigating the cause of the accident, however, they do not believe that drugs or alcohol played a role.

Motorcyclist Killed When Driver Makes Improper Left Turn

February 4, 2014 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Earlier last week in Tampa Bay, Florida, a 20-year-old motorcyclist was killed when he was cut off by a van making an improper left turn. According to a report by the Tampa Bay Times, the motorcyclist was heading west on a surface street shortly after 7 a.m. As he approached an intersection, the driver of a Mazda who was heading east on the same road and waiting to make a left turn. The driver waited for a van to pass and then continued into the intersection, making the left turn in front of the motorcyclist. The Mazda ended up cutting off the motorcyclist, who hit the side of the car and flew off his bike. Although the rider was wearing a helmet, he was pronounced dead at the scene by medical personnel.

Police are currently conducting an investigation to determine the cause of the accident and if drugs or alcohol was involved.

The Most Common Causes of Maryland Motorcycle Accidents

There is a common misconception that motorcycle accidents are caused by motorcyclists’ aggressive driving. However, the driving patterns of motorcycle riders have less to do with the high number of Maryland Motorcycle accidents than most think. In reality, the biggest cause of motorcycle accidents is failure to see a motorcyclist.

Colorado Man Dead After Van Failed to Yield

January 27, 2014 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Earlier this week in Colorado Springs, Colorado, a man on a motorcycle was killed when another driver cut him off by driving through a yellow light without first yielding. According to a report by the local Fox affiliate, the motorcyclist was heading north and a van was heading south on the same road. As the two approached an intersection, the light turned yellow. The van attempted to turn left in front of the motorcyclist, cutting him off. Although the motorcyclist tried to stop in time, he was unable to do so and crashed into the rear of the van.

The motorcyclist was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the van was uninjured and was cited for Vehicles Turning Left and Careless Driving resulting in Death.

Failing to Yield the Right of Way

This accident was caused by the van failing to yield the right of way to the motorcyclist. In the situation above, the motorcyclist was traveling through the intersection and the van was making a left turn. As the vehicle making a left turn in front of a vehicle traveling straight ahead, the van needed to yield to the motorcyclist to see what he was going to do before acting himself.

SUV and Motorcycle Collide in Texas, Injuring Four

January 20, 2014 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

In what the news reports are calling a “late night accident,” a Kawasaki motorcycle collided with a Chevrolet Tahoe earlier this week in Texas. According to a report by the local CBS affiliate, the accident occurred shortly after 10:30 p.m. when the Kawasaki ran into the back of the Tahoe. Both people on the motorcycle were taken to a local hospital with life threatening injuries. The driver of the motorcycle was not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident. The two in the Tahoe suffered only minor injuries and were not taken to the hospital.

At this early point, police believe that speed and/or alcohol may have been involved in the accident.

Drinking and Driving Kills, Especially on Motorcycles

It’s not news to anyone that drinking and driving is extremely dangerous. Each year across the country thousands of motorists die from drunk-driving related accidents. While the numbers of motorcyclists injured are only a fraction of that number, the likelihood of an accident being fatal is much higher when one of the vehicles involved is a motorcycle. For this reason, if you are a motorcyclist, a drunk driver is like a ticking time bomb waiting to explode.

Motorcycle Accident in Florida Results in Another Motorcycle Fatality

January 13, 2014 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

In a tragic accident last week in Florida, a 64-year-old motorcyclist was killed when he was rear ended by a driver who didn’t notice that he was slowing down. According to a report by the Palm Beach Post, the accident occurred shortly after sunset in Martin County, Florida.

Apparently, a 23-year-old woman was driving behind the motorcyclist when he began to slow down in response to the traffic ahead of him. Not seeing the traffic ahead, the driver purportedly slammed into the rear of the motorcyclist, sending him off his bike and into the emergency lane where he was hit by another driver. Despite wearing a helmet, the driver was pronounced dead at the scene.

Negligent Driving Kills Motorcyclists

When motorists don’t pay attention on Maryland highways, accidents happen. These accidents have an increased potential to be fatal when the other driver is riding a motorcycle. However, due to the hustle-and-bustle nature of society today, drivers are constantly “multi-tasking” while driving. This can amount to negligent driving.

Yacht Club Manager Dies in Florida Motorcycle Accident

January 6, 2014 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

It’s only a few days into the new year and there have already been a number of motorcycle accident deaths across the county. One such accident occurred earlier this week in Florida, killing the well-loved manager of the Venice Yacht Club. According to a report by the Herald Tribune, the motorcyclist was driving south on U.S. 41 when a Lincoln Town and Country pulled out in front of him. Left with little to no time to react, the motorcyclist collided with the driver’s side of the Lincoln.

Emergency medical responders took the man to a nearby hospital, where he died from the injuries he sustained from the crash. He was wearing a helmet. The man left behind his wife of 22 years, as well as three daughters and four grandchildren.

Negligence Cases in Maryland

Each state has slightly different laws when it comes to motorcycle accidents as well as determining who is liable for them. Generally speaking, the applicable law is called “negligence,” and allows for the victims of other negligent drivers to recover damages caused by the other driver’s negligence. In order to recover from another driver, a victim must prove:

They were owed some duty of care by the defendant;
The defendant violated that duty of care;
The defendant’s violation of the duty caused the victim’s injuries; and
The victim suffered some kind of compensable damages.

Punitive Damages in Motorcycle Accident Cases

December 26, 2013 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

A federal district court recently decided on a motion for punitive damages in a motorcycle accident case, which raises several contemporary concerns, such as what type of proof is necessary to prove that punitive damages are applicable, and whether violating texting bans are sufficient proof of heightened negligent behavior.

In the case, Bostic v. Mader, Dist. Court, WD N.C. (2013), the two plaintiffs were riding motorcycles, when the driver of a passenger vehicle collided into one of the motorcyclists, throwing her from her bike, and causing her serious injury, and as a result substantial medical expenses.

The driver of the sport utility vehicle made a statement to law enforcement officials following the collision, stating that she had tried to stop the vehicle, but that the brakes did not function properly.

Adding Additional Defendants and the Relation Back Rule in Motorcycle Accident Personal Injury Lawsuits

December 19, 2013 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

A motorcycle accident personal injury lawsuit before a West Virginia district court offers an informative overview of the requirements necessary to add additional defendants at some future time following the filing of a lawsuit.

In the case, YANCHAK v. Lindh, Dist. Court, ND W. Va. (2012) the plaintiffs, a husband and wife, filed suit in state court in July 2010 following an accident in July 2008, in which the husband who had been riding his motorcycle was hit by a car owned by the husband of the woman who collided into the plaintiff. The complaint alleged negligence on behalf of the driver wife, and a failure to exercise due care while driving the car owned by her husband.

The plaintiffs claimed that, as a result of the accident, the plaintiff suffered severe and permanent injuries, and that his wife suffered loss of consortium, as well as severe emotional distress in witnessing the injuries of her husband. The plaintiffs also claimed that defendant owner of the car had negligently entrusted his wife with the control of his automobile at the time of the accident. The defendants removed the case to federal court in November of 2010.