Posted on October 01, 2019 in Truck Accidents

There is no question that Uber and Lyft ride-share arrangements have made it much easier for people to get where they need to go in the D.C. metro area. But these companies have also muddied the waters of liability when passengers and others get injured while using ride-share vehicles.

Uber policy states that when its drivers (who are classified as independent contractors for employment purposes) are on the clock, the company’s insurance is activated for all covered accidents.

What that means for riders and drivers

The third-party liability coverage is $1,000,000. That means that there is coverage for both property damage and bodily injury to third parties, which includes ride-share clients and others impacted by the accident.

They also offer coverage for riders when another under- or uninsured driver’s negligence causes damages. In certain circumstances, this coverage can apply for hit-and-runs.

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 Posted on September 28, 2019 in Truck Accidents

In recent months, a significant health concern has arisen regarding the health of today’s youth in Maryland and around the nation. It involves the rapidly growing number of illnesses that appear to be stemming from vaping that could potentially result in personal injury cases. Vaping involves inhaling nicotine through a device known as a vape or an e-cigarette. The liquids are frequently flavored, which people believe may be in an effort to attract young users. Candy and fruit flavors are among the ones available.

Over the summer, many people showed up in hospital emergency rooms, exhibiting symptoms of severe lung illness. Some were treated in the ICU and required help to breathe. The common denominator appears to be that they had reported vaping within the last 30 days. While most who fell ill have been successfully treated, at least five people have died.

Most of those who have fallen ill have been high school or middle school students. A survey conducted in 2018 found that 21% of high school seniors claimed they had vaped in the past 30 days. Of the teens who were sickened, 84% claimed to have vaped a product containing THC, the ingredient in Marijuana that induces the feeling of being high. The brand of device that most teens were using was manufactured by Juul Labs, who designed a sleek and compact product that now dominates the market.

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 Posted on September 27, 2019 in Truck Accidents

Another summer is almost over. Sadly, motor vehicle fatalities seem to increase during the summer months in Maryland as people head to vacations, family outings and other summer activities that create an increase in traffic, which increases the likelihood of being involved in an accident. Defensive driving is one means to reduce the risk but it is all too often neglected. Such may have been the case in a recent fatal accident collision between a car and a motorcycle. Motorcycle accidents can be particularly deadly and motorcycles can be hard to spot, making it necessary to be extra vigilant.

A young man was riding his motorcycle early one morning near Millersville. He was proceeding south and a car was approaching from the north. The car turned left into a gas station and collided with the southbound motorcycle.

The driver of the motorcycle was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the car was not injured and it is not believed that speed or alcohol contributed to the cause of the crash. However, the driver of the car may face charges of failing to yield to the oncoming bike. It is possible that the driver of the car was distracted at the time of the crash, which may have contributed to it. The driver of the car was said to be a juvenile.

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 Posted on September 26, 2019 in Truck Accidents

You have many safety choices when you get in your vehicle. From simple technology like a seatbelt to advanced technologies like lane-assist or brake-assist, these choices help you be a safer driver. But when you drive, you can’t control the choices of other drivers. And if other drivers choose to drive drunk, they put you at risk of injury or death in a car crash. Maryland has agreed to test a new technology that could make you safer from drunk drivers.

The technology limits the ability of drivers to start a car while impaired by alcohol. The pilot program will test this technology on Maryland roads. The hope is to create a safety technology installed into new vehicles that will reduce drunk driving.

How the technology works

The new technology tests a driver’s breath through infrared sensors built into panels in the car. If the sensors detect alcohol on the driver’s breath, the car will not start. The Maryland Department of Transportation plans to install the systems into eight vehicles for a pilot program. These vehicles will test how well the systems hold up over time.

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 Posted on September 18, 2019 in Truck Accidents

While no two motor vehicle accidents are identical in regard to the circumstances, there are general steps you can take if you find yourself in this challenging position.

Here are five steps you should attempt to take:

• Move to safety: By moving your vehicle out of the flow of traffic, you reduce the likelihood of additional trouble. The best thing you can do is move to the shoulder of the road or a nearby parking lot, if possible.
• Check yourself and passengers for injuries: Even a minor motor vehicle accident can result in serious injuries, such as broken bones and concussion, so don’t wait to take this step.
• Call 911: The dispatcher can help keep you calm, while also sending an ambulance and local police officer to the scene. This will go a long way in putting your mind at ease, which can help prevent a mistake that worsens your situation.
• Exchange information: This isn’t a priority if you’re injured, but it’s something to consider if you’re able to do so. You don’t have to discuss the details of the accident. Ask the other party for their insurance card, while also taking notes regarding the make, model and color of the vehicle. Placing blame at this time will only make things worse, so stick to the basics.

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 Posted on August 12, 2019 in Truck Accidents

Parents never expect to bury a child. Parents are meant to raise their children to adulthood, see them settled and live to enjoy their families as they mature. At some point it is expected that one’s parents will die of old age after having lived long and fulfilling lives. While it doesn’t always happen this way, the scenario where a young person is cut down in the prime of life happens all too often in our cities, including in Maryland. In some instances, ground may exists for a wrongful death lawsuit.

In a recent case in Towson, a young man died while in police custody. The 21-year-old man apparently died as a result of asphyxiation. This was according to the testimony of medical experts who were consulted during the investigation.

The family’s lawsuit sought $10 million in damages. The county reached a settlement with the family for $1.1 million. The police claimed that the man resisted arrest and was injured in their attempts to subdue him. The suit alleged that he had been administered the drug Haldol to sedate him and that it caused cardiac arrest, resulting in his death.

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 Posted on July 29, 2019 in Truck Accidents

Heavy traffic on District of Columbia-area roadways in Maryland and Virginia is a significant contributor to accidental deaths in the area. The tragedy of fatal motor vehicle accidents is seldom greater than when one of the dead is a young person who hasn’t yet had the chance to live his or her life. A recent accident took the life of a 15-year-old and another person.

The crash happened early on a recent Saturday morning. The car the 15-year-old was riding in was struck from behind. A passenger riding in the front passenger seat and the teenager, who was riding in the back, were both pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the car was transported by air ambulance to MedStar Washington Medical Center.

The driver of the vehicle who struck the car received undisclosed injuries. He was transported to University of Maryland Charles Regional Medical Center. While conducting an investigation following the accident, officers reportedly found a loaded 9mm handgun in the car that had rear-ended the other vehicle. It is not known if any kind of drug or alcohol impairment contributed to the cause of the crash. The accident remains under investigation.

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 Posted on July 18, 2019 in Truck Accidents

Traffic on metropolitan Washington roadways in Virginia and Maryland continues to be severely congested. During summer months some people choose to use motorcycles as a means of transportation, some for economic and maneuverability reasons and some for the joy they derive from riding a motorcycle. A downside is that these vehicles can be hard to see and tragic motorcycle accidents can result.

A recent accident along I-270 in Gaithersburg left one man dead and his passenger hospitalized. It is not believed that the rainy weather contributed to the cause of the accident. It is not known if alcohol or speed was a contributing factor. The condition of the passenger is not known.

According to a witness, it appeared that the motorcycle was cut off by another vehicle that was attempting to change lanes. This may have caused the bike to go out of control. It ended up on the right shoulder of the roadway. The driver of the bike was pronounced dead at the scene.

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 Posted on July 12, 2019 in Truck Accidents

You may not have paid much attention to the descriptor of the court named in your summons. The average person likely hasn’t thought about what it means to appear in circuit court versus appearing in district. In most cases, the difference will never matter to many people.

Yet, the different classifications of the court matter. There’s a reason you’re summoned to a circuit court instead of a district court, for example. Each court has their own characteristics and purpose that justify distinguishing between types of courts.

What is district court?

District court is likely the court you’re most familiar with. Cases heard in district court include speeding and other traffic violations, landlord-tenant disputes, and small claims. There are also no jury trials in district courts, meaning that a judge will hear your case.

What is circuit court?

Appearing in circuit isn’t usually a happy occasion. Cases heard in circuit court are often serious, including criminal cases, some civil cases and even juvenile cases. A circuit court also resolves family law issues such as divorce, child support and child custody. While judges exclusively rule on cases in district court, circuit court cases sometimes feature jury trials.

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 Posted on July 04, 2019 in Truck Accidents

Combining football and alcohol can result in a good time. Combining alcohol and driving seldom results in a good time. Such a combination resulted in a tragic end after a Washington Redskins football game. The person accused in the case recently entered a guilty plea in Maryland. Tragic motor vehicle accidents frequently result when alcohol and driving are combined.

The man who pleaded guilty in this case had just left a party where he admitted to having consumed 10 beers. He got into his truck and was driving at what may have been a high rate of speed when he crashed into another vehicle that was stopped at a stop light. The force of the impact caused the truck to become airborne and land on top of the stopped car, causing that car to rear-end two vehicles in front of it.

A family returning from church were in the car that was struck by the truck. Three children — a pair of 5-year-old twins and their 1-year-old brother — were pronounced dead at the scene. The parents both survived. The driver of the truck had to be removed from the wreckage, and, according to officers on the scene, they could smell alcohol as they assisted him out of the truck. He was charged with vehicular manslaughter and pleaded guilty to the charges.

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