Posted on March 22, 2021 in Truck Accidents

When you’re in an accident, it’s natural to wonder what you might stand to receive in monetary compensation. You may wonder what to expect when you bring a claim. On the other hand, you may wonder if it’s even worth bringing a claim. Maryland is an at-fault state. Average compensation depends on the actual damages and the types of losses that the victim incurs.

WHAT IS A TYPICAL MARYLAND CAR ACCIDENT SETTLEMENT?

A typical Maryland car accident settlement depends on the following factors:

• The total amount of financial losses of the victim like medical bills
• Whether the damages are physical injuries or property damage
• How much pain and suffering results from the injuries
• The extent to which injuries change a person’s lifestyle and their ability to work
• The clear link between the accident and the losses sustained by the victim
• Availability of an insurance policy to satisfy a judgment
• Any degree of fault that the victim may have contributed to the accident

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 Posted on March 15, 2021 in Truck Accidents

Maryland bicyclists find themselves sharing the road with motor vehicles of all types in our urban, suburban, and even many rural areas. As a consequence, Maryland lawmakers routinely find themselves reconsidering what steps might be taken to make our state’s roadways safer and lower the risk of personal injury for bicyclists and motorists alike. The commonwealth of Virginia has enacted new legislation in its 2021 special session that impacts bicyclists and motorists alike.

NEW VIRGINIA LAW GOVERNING SHARING THE ROAD

The new Virginia law makes a number of changes regarding roadway travel protocols for bikes and cars. First, the enacted legislation requires a motorist to change lanes when passing a bicycle under certain circumstances. Specifically, if a motor vehicle cannot make a same-lane pass leaving at least three feet between the bicyclist to be overtaken, the car driver must change lanes to legally make the maneuver.

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 Posted on March 06, 2021 in Truck Accidents

Car accidents sometimes leave drivers and passengers with no injuries at all. Walking away from a collision injury-free is rare, however. In fact, according to the Association for Safe International Road Travel, 4.4 million Americans require medical treatment after car accidents every year.

Because you are probably not a doctor, you likely lack the skills necessary to diagnose an accident-related injury. Therefore, in addition to documenting the crash, you should always seek medical care following any car accident. This is especially true if you have a belt-shaped bruise after a wreck.

SEAT BELT SYNDROME

Doctors often use the term “seat belt syndrome” to describe all injuries that stem from seat belt usage. When your vehicle collides with another one, your waist and torso may push up against your car’s seat belt. A belt-shaped bruise in either area may indicate a potentially life-threatening injury.

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 Posted on March 01, 2021 in Truck Accidents

Distracted driving might not seem as egregious as reckless driving, but a distracted driver could cause a fatal accident in Maryland. Even though someone tapping a touchscreen might not mean to cause an accident, if an accident occurs and a life is lost, nothing will bring the deceased back. Alarmingly, distracted driving may be on the rise, possibly leading to an increase in serious accidents.

UNFORTUNATE INCIDENTS INVOLVING DISTRACTED DRIVING

Distracted driving refers to any behavior that takes attention away from the road, other vehicles or anything else a responsible driver should not ignore. Unfortunately, becoming distracted may be common with some drivers. Sometimes, a distracted driver may lose enough attention that an accident occurs. Not paying attention to the road, other drivers and pedestrians could have tragic consequences.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) revealed some surprising information about crashes in 2015. The NHTSA pointed out that 10% of fatal crashes resulted from distracted driving. That figure is shocking enough by itself, but when you realize that those fatal crashes occurred in 2015, something else may come to mind. Each year, vehicles are equipped with more advancements in “infotainment” technology that could increase potential distractions.

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 Posted on February 08, 2021 in Truck Accidents

A truck accident could prove devastating for victims in Maryland. Persons severely injured when a truck collides with their vehicle or strikes pedestrians may have a legitimate negligence claim. No matter how devastating the accident may be, insurance companies and courts may expect compelling evidence of negligence. Therefore, it becomes necessary to collect critical evidence in the aftermath of a crash. An attorney may assist with doing so.

PROOF, EVIDENCE, AND CLAIMS OF NEGLIGENCE

A truck could do enormous damage to a small car. What if the driver of the car was under the influence of drugs and narrowly cut off the truck in a dangerous manner? Liability may rest with the car’s driver in such a situation. Ultimately, proving who is negligent in whole or part requires presenting evidence. An attorney may prove vital when gathering and presenting evidence.

Drivers may benefit from installing a dashcam, as the audio and video could reveal precise details about the incident. Is there a dashcam in the truck? Hiring an attorney capable of sending a notice to the truck driver to preserve evidence might help the cause.

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 Posted on February 01, 2021 in Truck Accidents

It isn’t difficult to see that the Covid-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on the economy. You can see that fewer people are commuting to and from work – and fewer are driving to shop and dine at restaurants – with a glance at the reduced traffic here in Silver Spring and across Maryland and the rest of the nation.

A strange traffic safety phenomenon has surfaced as a result of the pandemic: with fewer vehicles on America’s streets, roads and highways, many of those who are driving, are driving faster. In Washington DC, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says there was a 22 percent increase in speeds last year in select metro areas compared to speeds in 2019.

THE RISKS OF GOING FAST

As regular readers of our blog know, when drivers increase speed, they reduce the effectiveness of their vehicle’s safety equipment and increase their risk of being in a motor vehicle crash that results in severe injuries or death.

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 Posted on January 29, 2021 in Truck Accidents

There are a number of dangerous behaviors that may count toward an aggressive driving violation under Maryland law. Examples include tailgating, speeding, running traffic lights and failing to yield. It is only when authorities observe three such behaviors that they can charge a driver with aggressive driving.

Between 2015 and 2019, motor vehicle accidents related to aggressive driving were on the rise in Maryland after a reduction from 2011 to 2015. One-third of all Maryland crashes involve driver aggression, and on an annual basis, approximately 3,000 deaths and injuries result from aggressive driving statewide.

WHAT CAUSES AGGRESSIVE DRIVING?

The causes behind the recent fluctuations in aggressive driving accidents in Maryland, a reduction in the first half of the decade followed by a resurgence in the latter half, are not entirely clear. Generally speaking, however, there seems to be a link between aggressive driving and more traffic. The theory is that people get frustrated with the congestion and begin behaving aggressively to try to get ahead of other drivers.

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 Posted on January 25, 2021 in Truck Accidents

If you have been injured as a result of the negligence of another, it is important to secure the most money possible for your claim. However, defendants often wish to pay as little as possible to resolve a matter. There are several things that residents of Maryland and elsewhere should keep in mind in order to receive the biggest settlement possible for their personal injury claim.

DON’T SETTLE EARLY

The earlier you settle a personal injury claim, the lower the settlement offer will be. Defendants often expect a premium for settling early and usually offer a smaller sum of money to settle a claim early on in the resolution process. As a result, parties hoping to secure more money for their claim should be patient and wait to be offered more money for their claim.

HIRE A LAWYER

Defendants are far more likely to offer lower sums of money to settle a claim if a party is not represented by an attorney. This is because a defendant may think that an unrepresented party does not wish to secure their rights and go the distance by hiring counsel. As a result, everyone hoping to secure as much money as possible for their claim should hire an experienced personal injury attorney.

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 Posted on January 13, 2021 in Truck Accidents

Uber, Lyft, and other rideshare services deliver something many customers find valuable: a convenient and often inexpensive alternative to taxis. Maryland drivers taking advantage of the opportunities rideshare services provide could make mistakes that cause accidents while working. In many ways, Uber and Lyft accidents follow insurance claims and possible litigation as found in other auto accidents, but there are also significant differences.

DIFFERENCES EXIST WITH THE INSURANCE

A driver may or may not have adequate auto insurance that covers rideshare work. If the policy covers only non-commercial activity, then the insurance would not cover the driver’s liability for an accident. However, the rideshare companies provide liability coverage for accidents caused by their driver-partners.

Terms and conditions exist with Uber and Lyft’s insurance coverage. Does the coverage come into play only after the driver’s insurance? When, where, and how did the accident take place? If an Uber driver followed all traffic laws, stopped at a red light, and an intoxicated driver rear-ended the vehicle, the negligent, impaired driver might be solely liable.

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 Posted on January 04, 2021 in Truck Accidents

Winter is in full force in Maryland, which means that a mixture of snow and rain will settle itself on the roads throughout the next few weeks. This can make driving on icy roads not only frustrating but dangerous. Understandably, people want to know how they can make driving that much safer for themselves and others on the road. Thus the following includes a list of ways you can safely navigate the icy roads of winter.

DON’T GIVE UP, STAY CALM

Unfortunately, one of the most common causes of motor vehicle accidents on icy roads falls to drivers panicking. Suddenly sliding on the road can be scary, but you should never give up. Staying calm and accessing the situation places you in a better position to take back control of your vehicle. The following includes a few tips on what to do if you begin to slide:

• Do not accelerate/Allow the car to slow down
• Do not brake suddenly
• Steer slowly towards the direction of the skid

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