Maryland Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog

Baltimore Bicycle Safety Update: Riding Safely to Avoid Cycling Injury Accidents on Maryland and D.C. Roadways

October 24, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Though it’s getting a bit late in the bicycling season, it’s never too late to talk safety — especially when biking and pedestrian traffic accidents have been so much in the news this year. For those people who have been injured in biking accidents involving automobiles and commercial trucks, you likely already know the pain and hardship caused by the negligence or carelessness of a motor vehicle operator.

For those who have never been injured while riding in urban areas such as Annapolis, Frederick, Rockville or Bowie, count yourself lucky and take heed; there are a number of simple steps that can improve your odds when sharing the road with larger and potentially dangerous vehicular traffic. As Maryland personal injury lawyers, we have see the results of car-bike accidents and we applaud anyone who promotes automobile and bicycle safety in order to help reduce the carnage on our state’s roadways.

To be sure, any bicycle accident can be serious or even life-threatening depending on the speeds involved and the circumstances of the traffic accident. Cuts and bruises are the most likely injuries, which can include painful road rash and deep lacerations. Broken bones are always a potential injury when going up against a car or truck, while concussions and other closed-head trauma are likely in crashes involving large vehicles or higher speeds. (Hitting a stationary object, such as a tree or roadside guardrail can also result in potentially fatal injuries.)

For some hints on safer riding and better survivability in the case of a bike-truck or bike-auto collision, the following may be of some use. Much of what is stated here is common sense and certainly on the lists of most cycling safety advocates, but it never hurts to reiterate best practices.

Never ride without a helmet
Protecting one’s brain from traumatic injury is foremost in the war against cycling-related injuries and traffic-related deaths. Some voices in the cycling community suggest that, in fact, no bicyclist can claim that he or she is a safe rider if they do not wear a helmet 100 percent of the time. While there is no state law requiring helmet use when cycling, many people believe that there should be.

Baltimore Personal Injury News: Harford County Motorcycle Wreck on Rte 1 Kills Towson, MD, Firefighter

October 17, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Lives lost as a result of senseless traffic accidents is a sad and tragic fact of life these days here in Maryland and Washington, D.C. Whether it’s a family losing a father or mother, or a wife’s loss of a husband to a commercial trucking wreck, there are no words that can console the victim’s loved ones. Any loss of life can be devastating to the relatives and friends of person killed in a fatal roadway collision.

Communities also suffer from the deadly results of a thoughtless driver’s negligent actions. While police officers and firefighters face the danger of personal injury and possible death every working day of their lives, it is a shame that numerous public servants are killed while off duty every year. Again, with most car, truck and motorcycle collisions being preventable, on the whole, these victims are stolen from their families and communities long before their time.

As Baltimore motorcycle accident lawyers and Washington, D.C., personal injury attorneys, I and my staff feel for the families of any person injured or killed in a traffic mishap. And even though many bikers understand the dangers inherent in their sport or chosen mode of transportation, when a crash does occur, it’s never a comfort to say they knew the risks.

But if one operates a cycle long enough, chances are you will become involved in an accident or have a brush with death or injury as a result of a close call. Whether one’s chosen ride is a sport bike, hog, cruiser or dirt bike, the lure of the open road and the freedom that a motorcycle represents is irresistible to many. Whether you live or ride to work in densely-packed metropolitan areas such as Annapolis, Rockville or Gaithersburg; or if you enjoy the relatively open rural roads, every biker understands the dangers posed by this sport.

In fact, it makes no real difference if one rides a Honda, Suzuki, Harley or Yamaha, motorcycling as a pastime is right up there with other rather risky hobbies. Any high-risk activity requires a modicum of caution, but to survive on a bike one needs to apply a balance of pleasure and the potential danger for physical harm.

Accidents do happen. And for motorcyclists the results can be serious, or even fatal. Just one severe injury accident can land a biker in the hospital for day, weeks, and even months or years. (Closed-head trauma is a typical injury most commonly associated with motorcycle accidents.) Even those individuals who choose to wear protective gear, including a helmet, can still suffer from paralysis, cognitive problems and even death.

Maryland Traffic Accident Injury News: Baltimore County Rider Killed in Fatal Drunken-driving Roadway Collision

October 10, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

The odds of being killed in a car, motorcycle or commercial trucking accident are somewhat less than those of being severely injured as a result of another driver’s negligence, but the risk still remains. As motorcycle riders know too well, injury or death are just part of the landscape when operating a cycle. In fact, thousands of people die in traffic accidents every year across this nation; in this regard, residents of Rockville, Gaithersburg and Washington, D.C., are no strangers to fatal motor vehicle wrecks.

Although being injured or killed in a multi-vehicle collision is not unusual, there are situations where a cyclist is at greater risk, sometimes without knowing it. Drunk driving is one of the many contributing factors to motorcycle injury accidents. As Maryland personal injury lawyers, we have seen the results of fatal highway wrecks that have ultimately led to a wrongful death lawsuit on the victim’s behalf.

Alcohol consumption and motor vehicle operation is a dangerous mix. As Maryland and Washington, D.C., auto injury attorneys, I and my staff have seen many people who have been hurt as a direct result of a drunk driver. These instances of serious or fatal car accidents caused by drunken driving continue to occur despite state laws designed to reduce and eliminate the problem.

Anyone who has ever lost a family member or loved one through the senseless act of drunk driving knows the heartache associated with these mostly preventable accidents. Victims’ families not only experience a huge emotional loss, but they can be affected financially as well, especially if the victim was a family breadwinner. While nothing can make a family whole again following a fatal car or motorcycle accident, recuperating medical costs and lost wages may help the surviving family members make it through one of the darkest periods of their lives.

Not long ago, a Parkton, MD, resident was killed while riding his bike along a stretch of York Rd. Sadly, this crash may have been avoided since news reports indicate that the driver of the vehicle which hit the rider may have been drunk at the time of the crash.

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 Injury Accident News: Maryland Woman Sent to Shock Trauma after Crash on Bicycle

September 26, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

It’s a good guess that here in Baltimore almost many people know somebody who owns or rides a bicycle in the city from time to time. Of those people, there is a pretty good chance that someone knows a cyclist who has either had a close call with a motor vehicle in traffic, or who has actually had an accident on a bike.

As Maryland personal injury lawyers, my firm specializes in representing individuals who have been injured in car, truck or motorcycle crashes, as well as pedestrians and bikers who may have been severely injured or killed as a result of the negligent actions of a motor vehicle driver.

Some may joke about bicycle riders being hurt in traffic, but the lack of protection that cyclists must deal with as part of their hobby can literally expose them to greater personal danger, even at low speeds. The same can be said for motorcyclists involved in roadway collisions; both groups face greater risk of injury than the occupant of a typical passenger car given similar circumstances.

Naturally, every car, bike and commercial trucking accident is unique to that particular situation; and while the variables range from driver distraction to faulty safety equipment, the results can be painful, costly and even life-threatening.

Living and working in Rockville, Owens Mills, Gaithersburg, or Washington, D.C., bicyclists must be constantly aware of the traffic hazards that are ever present on the street. While biking accidents cannot be totally eliminated, safety should always be foremost in the rider’s mind at all times when sharing the road with larger vehicles.

Maryland Motorcycle Rider Critically Hurt with Life-threatening Injuries in Anne Arundel County

September 17, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Doing the right thing doesn’t always mean that you will avoid serious problems in your life. Motorcycle riders, like many people who engage in risky sports or hobbies understand that a traffic accident may be just moments away or around the next bend; or even waiting for them at the next busy intersection. As Maryland auto accident lawyers and personal injury attorneys, I and my staff know how serious a bike accident can be when a motorcycle is struck by a car or commercial truck; the rider is almost always the one to suffer.

Whether one rides a Harley-Davidson, Honda or Yamaha here in Baltimore or in Rockville, Gaithersburg or the District, the chances of a serious or fatal biking accident are always there. While experience and time on the road may help some riders to anticipate a crash situation or avoid areas that present excessive risk for motorcycle, scooter, or moped, fate itself can be a harsh mistress.

And the aftermath can sometimes be worse than the original roadway collision that sends the victim to the hospital in the first place. Medical treatment, physical therapy and weeks or months of recovery time can drain a family’s resources. Taking the victim out of the workforce for an extended period can result in lost wages, which are only compounded by extensive medical bills and hospital costs.

Maryland Motorcycle Accident News: Joppa, MD, Biker Collides with Car, Dies after being Run Over

September 8, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

We’ve said it here before; riding a motorcycle is a rewarding, yet risky pastime that requires skill, concentration, and a modicum of luck. It’s this last quality, if you will, that includes a level of trust that the other motorists on the road will be watching out for you. Unfortunately, this is not always the case.

Considering the dangers involved, it’s amazing that motorcyclists ever take to the streets here in Baltimore, over in Frederick and even in the District. Sharing the road with other drivers means placing one’s life in the hands of strangers, many of whom are likely good people with good intentions. But traffic accidents happen; and when an accident happens to a biker, the consequences can be deadly.

Besides “road rash,” which would seem like a rite of passage for many motorcycle riders, a traffic accident with a larger motor vehicle is likely to result in lacerations, broken bones, internal injuries and closed-head trauma. Mix in a collision with a commercial delivery truck or 18-wheeler and there’s a good chance of a fatality. Too many riders are killed every year as a result of highway wrecks, and the figures will likely add up, as they do every year, until the colder temperatures send those “fair weather” riders home to sit the winter out and wait for springtime.

As Maryland auto accident attorneys and Washington, D.C., personal injury lawyers, we have the legal training and experience to represent victims of motorcycle accidents and their families. We know that many bikers involved in serious road wrecks face an uncertain future due to the critical injuries that can be received on a bike. Medical costs can mount up quickly, and rehabilitation can take months or years.

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.

Maryland Traffic Accident News: Biker Critically Injured in Harford County after Collision with Passenger Car

August 29, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

As Maryland personal injury attorneys and motorists ourselves I and my colleagues see near misses between cars, trucks and motorcycles every month on the roads in and around Rockville, Cumberland, Annapolis and Washington, D.C. These instances are hard to forget because they are real-life reminders of the sometimes random and haphazard way in which car and trucking accidents can occur.

Aside from those individuals injured in motorcycle accident, bicycle riders are one of the more at-risk groups when it comes to traveling in densely populated urban and suburban areas. Efforts are ongoing to make the rural roadways and city streets, such as those in Baltimore, safer for two-wheeled and pedestrian traffic. Sadly, accident involving cyclists and persons on foot continue to occur with sometimes fatal consequences.

When it comes to motorcycle accidents, fatalities can be quite common for bikers hit by commercial delivery vehicles and even smaller passenger cars. Even with proper safety equipment — operating headlight, taillight, good footwear, heavy leather jacket and pants, as well as a correctly-fitted helmet — a cycle rider can receive extensive and sometimes life-threatening injuries. A helmet can help to reduce the extent of head injuries, but traumatic brain injury is one of common conditions that emergency room doctors see after a car-bike crash.

The so-called “donor cycle” moniker given to motorcycles by some in the healthcare field is not totally undeserved. In fact, it is likely due to the preponderance of closed-head injuries that the name arose, since it is often brain or spinal cord damage that kills or renders a rider in a vegetative state, leaving the rest of the individual’s body more or less in tact. Needless to say, motorcycle riders of any age must always remain alert and aware to the dangers all around them.

Baltimore Cycling Safety News: Bicycle Riders Urged to Use Caution on Maryland Roads

August 17, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

If it wasn’t clear already, riding a bicycle in Baltimore, Annapolis, Frederick or Washington, D.C., was and continues to be fraught with hazards. Everyday, bicyclist, walkers and joggers are either hit by a passenger car or commercial delivery truck, or come within inches of being struck by a motor vehicle. It’s not a stretch to say that our asphalt jungles take a toll on pedestrians and bike traffic on a daily basis.

As Maryland personal injury attorneys, I and my colleagues urge both cyclists and pedestrians to be extremely cautious whenever they mix with vehicular traffic. Furthermore, we also implore those passenger car drivers, motorcyclists and heavy motor vehicle operators to be extra careful when traveling in urban areas and certain rural roadways where foot traffic is encountered.

Accidents can happen anywhere, any time. But there are measures that can be taken which can sometimes prevent or, the very least, lessen the potential for bodily injury by both motorists and pedestrians. A little while back, an article brought up the subject of pedestrian safety and the ways in which everyone who uses our public roads can participate to make Maryland’s highways and byways safer.

According to that piece, cycling advocates were unified in urging care on Maryland’s roadways, taking their message to the streets to educate automobile drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians regarding proper safety measure to take while sharing the road together. The author of that article talks about a couple who went for a Memorial Day bike ride with friends from their house in Clarksville, MD, to Montgomery County.