Posted on October 18, 2022 in Truck Accidents

Even though cars and trucks are safer than ever before, thousands of people in Maryland and across the U.S. are seriously injured in motor vehicle accidents each year. Many of these victims suffer facial trauma.

CAR ACCIDENT FACIAL INJURIES

According to a study published in the journal Annals of Advances in Automotive Medicine, car accidents are one of the top causes of severe facial injuries worldwide. While seat belts, air bags and other auto safety features greatly reduce the risk of crash-related facial trauma, they can’t prevent all head injuries.

Some of the most common facial injuries caused by motor vehicle crashes include:

• Facial fractures, such as a broken jaw, shattered cheek bones or cracked teeth
• Facial soft tissue injuries, such as torn or lacerated skin

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 Posted on October 14, 2022 in Truck Accidents

A car accident in Maryland may render your car unable to drive, result in significant injuries or make it harder to go about your daily routine without pain or financial worry. So let’s take a closer look at what to do after a crash on a Maryland road or highway.

STAY WHERE YOU ARE

State law says that you must remain at the scene of an accident and render aid. Otherwise, you may be issued a citation for hit and run. So begin by calling for police, fire or other emergency service personnel to come to the wreck’s site and provide assistance. However, it’s important to note that you should generally refrain from giving medical aid. Doing so may expose you to a lawsuit if your actions caused harm to another individual unless you are a licensed health care professional covered by the Good Samaritan law.

MAKE YOUR PRESENCE KNOWN

After a motor vehicle accident, you may want to take steps to prevent secondary collisions from taking place. For example, if you have any safety cones, warning lights or similar objects, it may be worth placing them around your vehicle. In addition, safety devices can alert others that cars or people are on the road and that they need to proceed with caution.

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 Posted on September 29, 2022 in Truck Accidents

No matter how careful you might drive your motorcycle, there may come a day in which a careless driver crashes into your bike. These accidents may result in significant trauma. Following certain steps after a Maryland motorcycle accident may greatly improve your physical, emotional and legal outcomes.

GET TO SAFETY, BUT DO NOT LEAVE THE SCENE

Leaving the scene of an accident can result in your being incarcerated, and it counts as a felony on your record. You should never leave the scene unless you are taken away by emergency personnel. However, you also do not want to remain right in the middle of the accident scene, because that can cause greater danger. Stay close to the scene until the police arrive, but remove yourself from any oncoming traffic, and get off of the road.

LEAVE THE BIKE ALONE

For many bikers, their motorcycle is their baby. Wanting to move the bike following an accident may feel natural, but you should not touch the bike at all. Leaving the bike alone following motorcycle accidents is necessary for these reasons:

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 Posted on September 15, 2022 in Truck Accidents

Auto accidents can create confusion and apprehension like few other events in life. Many times there are seriously injured passengers as well as fatalities, and often there is much danger in the aftermath that can result from fuel leakage and other issues. This means that those who are still mobile should react quickly in checking vehicles and contacting emergency authorities. And just as important is not leaving the scene. However, there are also some other actions to avoid following the fact that especially apply in Maryland regarding accident adjudication of injury and damage claims.

AVOID INTERACTION WITH OTHER DRIVERS

Aside from accidents where no one is injured and vehicles can be driven away, it is important to limit any conversation with an opposing driver regarding the accident. Simple minor damage fender benders only require exchanging insurance information. Anything else that is said could be used against a driver with respect to fault. This is vital in Maryland motor vehicle accidents due to the pure contributory negligence law.

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 Posted on September 01, 2022 in Truck Accidents

Not all Maryland wrongful death lawsuits are equal when damages are assessed. There are specific rules with respect to what damages may be claimed, and the age or family structure of a victim has a direct impact on those elements. A wrongful death victim in the prime of their life will typically yield a much higher financial award if they had high earning capacity and leave behind a family they were supporting. However, when children or the elderly die due to the negligence of another party, damages may be limited.

CLAIM ELEMENTS FOR MINORS

Wrongful death claims involving children are among those that yield smaller damage awards even if a case goes to trial. Children are not evaluated on lost income potential because standing is typically assigned to their parents and they is no true financial support loss. There is usually a primary claim for loss of consortium along with medical bills, and there are often claims for funeral expenses and other associated costs included in damage demands.

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 Posted on August 26, 2022 in Truck Accidents

A lot of the time in criminal law, the prosecutor must prove to the judge or jury that the defendant not only committed the crime but did so intentionally. Intent is a big issue in this area of the law. It can impact what prosecutors can charge the defendant with and even if they can pursue charges at all.

Personal injury law is different. As the plaintiff in a lawsuit over a car accident, you do not have the burden of proving that the defendant injured you on purpose. Instead, negligence is the standard. Negligence is a legal concept that means someone acted below the level of care that someone with ordinary prudence would have exercised under the same or similar circumstances.

RISKY CHOICES CAN LEAD TO BAD OUTCOMES

For example, a prudent person would not drive after drinking several glasses of wine or beer. A person who drinks and drives and causes a crash is generally considered to have acted negligently because intoxication reduces your ability to drive safely. Other common examples of negligent behavior that causes serious injury in auto accidents are:

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 Posted on August 18, 2022 in Truck Accidents

While it might be a smaller state, there are a lot of places to explore in Maryland. Two of the most popular transportation methods in this state are cars and motorcycles. Considering that, it’s always smart to research the safety of these two vehicle types. Here’s a closer look at a few potentially eye-raising statistics about car and motorcycle accidents.

FATALITIES

Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon for car or motorcycle accidents to result in fatalities. With that said, in the event of a collision, the fatality risk is higher for motorcyclists. According to J.D. Power, motorcycle accidents cause injuries or deaths 80% of the time. Of course, fatalities are always possible in automobiles. However, the protection of an automobile sometimes lets drivers and passengers walk away unscathed.

LEADING ACCIDENT CAUSES

When looking over collision statistics, it’s also important to understand why these accidents happen. However, there’s not much of a difference between what causes motorcycle accidents and car crashes. In most cases, either type of accident typically results from either human error or faulty vehicle parts.

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 Posted on August 05, 2022 in Truck Accidents

In Maryland, trucking accidents pose a significant risk to all drivers on the road. Trucks are large, powerful, and hard to control in poor conditions. Truck drivers have a responsibility to take key steps to minimize the risk of an accident.

COLLISION AVOIDANCE TIPS

Two causes of accidents are by far the most common and easiest to avoid: distracted driving and speeding. Distracted driving is driving while texting, reading, or being otherwise engaged with something other than the road, usually a phone. It is dangerous for all drivers, but especially truckers, who have less margin for error and a higher risk of a major accident.

Speeding is self-explanatory. Understanding the right speed to maintain in the current traffic combined with the load and the truck’s capabilities can take time, but it is a critical element of road safety. Keep in mind that even going the speed limit may be too fast for trucks that are driving in times where there is low visibility.

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 Posted on July 21, 2022 in Truck Accidents

Wrongful death is not something many Maryland residents think of, but it happens. It’s important to know how to file a lawsuit when in this situation.

WHAT IS WRONGFUL DEATH?

A wrongful death is the death of a person that is caused by negligence or even a deliberate act of recklessness or violence. It’s any type of death that would have allowed the victim to file a personal injury claim had they lived. Many things can lead to a wrongful death, including car accidents, medical malpractice and violent crimes.

WHO CAN FILE A WRONGFUL DEATH LAWSUIT IN MARYLAND?

All states have rules pertaining to who can file a wrongful death lawsuit. In Maryland, the deceased person’s surviving spouse, children or parents can file. However, if the victim was not married, had no children and their parents were deceased, any relative by blood or marriage is entitled to file the wrongful death claim as long as they were financially dependent on them.

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 Posted on July 12, 2022 in Truck Accidents

Stepping outside your home can come with many dangers. Walking can seem like a safer option when it is time to get from here to there.

However, being a pedestrian can still be dangerous. While you are not traveling very fast when you walk, you are more exposed to injuries.

These are some ways to ensure your safety when you are out for a walk.

BE VISIBLE

Typically, motorists are looking for other motorists. Although a driver does not intend to hit you, they are likely more concerned with the aftermath of hitting another vehicle than a pedestrian.

When you are planning to walk somewhere, you should opt for brightly colored clothing or a vest with reflective strips. You can also make yourself more visible by crossing in marked areas. When it is time to cross the street, look for a crosswalk to increase the chances that cars will be able to see that you want to go to the other side of the road.

You may also find that you are safer on sidewalks and paths rather than walking on the street. If you need to walk along the road, try to stay on the shoulder and walk against traffic.

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