Maryland Personal Injury Blog

Unlicensed Driver Crashes into Maryland Apartment Building

By injuheis on October 30, 2009

According to the Associated Press, an auto accident involving a minivan and an apartment building took place on Good Luck Road. According to reports, the driver of the minivan was unlicensed and was apparently being taught how to drive by his friend. The unlicensed driver lost control of the vehicle, and crashed into a Lanham apartment building, specifically crashing through the wall of an apartment that was occupied at the time. The resident of the apartment sustained a leg injury from debris sent flying from the crash’s impact, and is lucky to be alive. The minivan came to rest on top of the bed where the apartment resident had been reclining on just minutes before the crash occurred.

While authorities are still investigating the details of the crash, it has already been determined that the driver of the vehicle is not a United States citizen and was here illegally. On top of that, the individual instructing the unlicensed driver on how to operate the motor vehicle does not possess a license either. Both individuals face reckless endangerment charges, while the driver of the crashed vehicle also faces charges of driving without a license.

Being unlicensed, and in one case undocumented, individuals, it is safe to assume that neither negligent party involved has auto insurance. However, just because those individuals do not have insurance does not mean that the victim in this accident is not entitled to compensatory damages to help pay for his medical bills, property damage, and other costs associated with the accident. In Maryland, insurance companies are required to provide uninsured motorist coverage to ALL policy holders. While the individuals responsible for the accident are criminally charged, it is essential that the victim in this accident seek the sound legal advice of a skilled Maryland personal injury attorney.

If you have been injured in an automobile accident, even if, as in this case, you weren’t even in a motor vehicle, don’t hesitate to contact Steven H. Heisler, “The Injury Lawyer,” for a free evaluation of your case, and his experienced attorneys will ensure that your rights are upheld at all times. Personal injury claims should not be ignored, and those responsible for your injuries should be held accountable for their actions. Please call us today for your free consultation.

Source:http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hT-WGg3in1dC50oMrbKk4M9cvkNAD9B5L0DO1

Posted in Auto Accidents, Personal Injury |

Drugs More Deadly Than Car Accidents, For Now

By injuheis on October 26, 2009

A recent Associated Press article revealed that the number of deaths caused by drugs is now greater than the number of deaths caused by traffic accidents in the state of Maryland. It has been speculated that more commonly prescribed painkilling opiates are to blame, and that doctors and physicians are prescribing the substances at a much greater rate than in previous years. According to an epidemiologist with the CDCP, “People see a car accident as something that might happen to them,” but may view drug overdose “as something that’s not going to happen to them.” With estimates labeling one in five U.S. adults as being prescribed an opiate of some kind each year, the question arises as to whether or not the number of motor vehicle accidents will eventually once again surpass the number of drug deaths, particularly since the likelihood of individuals driving while under the influence of prescription medication is bound to rise as the number of patients dependent on painkillers continues to increase.

The epidemiologist also added that the drop in traffic fatalities is “considered one of the great public health triumphs” in recent history, but such a drop certainly won’t benefit if more and more individuals find themselves able to easily acquire prescription painkillers. The issues of medical malpractice and reckless driving are both brought into question here. In one regard, while the vast majority of medical professionals prescribe painkillers because their patients do in fact need them, all medical personnel needs to more vigilant in deciphering between a need for medication, and an unnecessary dependency on it. Furthermore, lax judgment in regard to prescribing such medications needs to be addressed to ensure that the safety of not only the medicated individual, but of all other individuals in Maryland, is given careful consideration.

Consequently, while the number of traffic fatalities has thankfully decreased, the number of traffic accidents remains vulnerable to being negatively impacted by the increase of medicated individuals out and about on Maryland roads and highways. Operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of either drugs or alcohol constitutes utter reckless, and all incidents that are deemed as such become the responsibility of those individuals that chose to exhibit and partake in such dangerous behavior. Any time one person is injured because of the negligent action of another, an experienced personal injury attorney in Maryland should be consulted to ensure that the rights of the injured party are upheld in a court of law.

If you have been injured in a traffic accident, whether it was caused by an utter disregard for traffic laws or because the other party involved chose to drive while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, don’t hesitate to contact Steven H. Heisler, “The Injury Lawyer,” for a free evaluation of your case, and his experienced attorneys will ensure that your rights are upheld at all times. Please call us today for your free consultation.

Source Article:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gdz4JUVbE5HtzJ5ceT6ERTpfI_6gD9B1TECG3

Posted in Accidents, Auto Accidents, Injuries, Personal Injury, Wrongful Death |

Python Kills Girl, Mother Charged With Abuse

By injuheis on October 22, 2009

According to Maryland’s ABC news affiliate WMAR-TV, a 19-year-old mother and her 32-year-old boyfriend face criminal charges dealing with the death of the woman’s 2-year old daughter at the hands of an eight-foot, pet python. While this blog is devoted to personal injury and not criminal defense, the story is representative of an often overlooked aspect of premises liability. That is, animals that are kept as pets are considered to be part of the premises and are therefore the responsibility of the owner of that premises (even if that owner is not the owner of the pet in question). All in all, property owners are responsible for the safety and well-being of all people who enter into their premises.

Providing a safe environment for people to be in, whether that environment is a place of business or a private home, is essential in helping to promote the personal safety of all people entering into that environment. If a danger of some kind does exist, it is the duty of the property owner to warn guests of the potential danger, and to take quick and effective measures in curbing said danger so that it is not present for an extensive period of time. In the tragic story about the python, it could and will undoubtedly be argued that the python should have been properly secured away from unsuspecting guests so that the risk of potential injury would have been greatly diminished.

With potential premises liability hazards, it is imperative that all dangers are either taken care of before a person succumbs to injury of some kind, or are properly labeled and quartered off so that the risk of a person being injured because of that danger is decreased. In any event, regardless of the situation, those visiting a space should be promptly notified that the potential for injury is heightened due to some kind of danger.

If you have suffered personal injury as the result of a premises liability accident, you’ll need an experienced Maryland personal injury attorney on your side that will examine the details and circumstances surrounding your injury and hold negligent parties accountable for their actions, or lack thereof in failing to prevent injury from occurring. If you have been injured, please don’t hesitate to call Steven H. Heisler, “The Injury Lawyer,” for a free evaluation of your personal injury case.

Source Article:
http://www.abc2news.com/news/local/story/Woman-Charged-after-Python-Strangles-Daughter/eckH6PuH_UavMEqycp3OrQ.cspx

Posted in Personal Injury, Wrongful Death |

Miles Driven Up, Traffic Fatalities Down

By injuheis on October 14, 2009

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System Encyclopedia, there were 2,926 billion vehicle miles driven in 2008. In 1994, there were 2,358 billion vehicle miles driven. With an increase in miles driven nationwide, one would assume that the number of traffic accidents resulting in fatality would have undoubtedly risen as well. Luckily for motorists, such as those in Maryland, the number of fatalities has actually decreased, a possible sign that automobile safety is more seriously being taken into consideration by both motorists and automobile manufacturers.

According to the report, there were a total of 36,254 motor vehicle crashes resulting in fatality in 1994. In 2008, the number of motor vehicle crashes resulting in fatality was 34,017. Not only do these fatality numbers represent a 6% decrease, but they also indicate that safety measures, roadway conditions, or some other determining factor was put into effect over the 14 year period to help diminish the number of crashes. However, upon examining the report, one will notice that, while 2008 totals are the lowest they’ve been since 1994, there had been a steady increase in the number of motor vehicle crashes involving fatalities from 1994 to 2005. The following figures show the most recent trend in regard to the number of motor vehicle fatalities:

• 2005: Number of motor vehicle crashes resulting in fatality = 39,252
• 2006: Number of motor vehicle crashes resulting in fatality = 38,648
• 2007: Number of motor vehicle crashes resulting in fatality = 37,435
• 2008: Number of motor vehicle crashes resulting in fatality = 34,017

One possible explanation for why numbers have diminished over the last few years could be that people are driving less, but the report shows that the number of vehicle miles driven has stayed relatively static over the years. One could reason that while people are driving just as much each year as they had in recent years past, motorists might simply be practicing safer driving techniques. Regardless, these figures need to be looked at in two ways. In one regard, there are fewer fatalities caused by motor vehicle crashes on a yearly basis now than there had been in the past. And two, there are still a large number of motorists that lose their lives each year because of a variety of factors, including driver inattention and general negligence, poor road conditions, and faulty automobile parts that warrant safe driving practice less likely to occur.

If you have suffered personal injury as the result of a traffic accident, or a loved one has lost his or her life, you’ll need a skilled Maryland auto accident attorney on your side to help sort through the details of the incident. Please call Steven H. Heisler, “The Injury Lawyer,” for a free evaluation of your case, and he will ensure that those responsible for personal injury and wrongful death are held accountable for their actions.

Source Article: http://www-fars.nhtsa.dot.gov/Main/index.aspx

Posted in Auto Accidents, Personal Injury |

Police Officer Injured by Truck on Baltimore-Washington Parkway

By injuheis on October 7, 2009

According to The Baltimore Sun, a male police officer was injured while conducting a routine traffic stop on the Baltimore-Washington Parkway near Route 197. After having pulled a vehicle over to the side of the road, the officer parked, exited his own vehicle, and began writing up the traffic citation. A pickup truck, having left the roadway, proceeded to plow into the back of the parked police cruiser, which in turn careened into the vehicle the police officer was issuing the traffic citation to. The officer, who had been standing at the driver’s side window of the pulled over car, was forced underneath the police cruiser and was dragged for about 40 feet.

The police officer was taken to Washington Hospital Center for treatment. His injuries were deemed nonlife-threatening, an excellent outcome in any traffic related accident. However, many victims of traffic accidents are not so lucky, and severe injury is often sustained, particularly when a person is dragged any length of distance by an operating vehicle.

At the time of this article, it was not determined whether or not the driver of the pickup was under the influence of any sort of illicit substance, or simply chose to drive recklessly, injuring another person in the process. The driver of the truck was taken to Prince George’s Hospital Center for observation, and it was not made public whether or not the driver sustained any sort of injury. The circumstances surrounding this accident will undoubtedly be revealed after an investigation, one which will attribute fault towards one or more determining factors that caused the crash.

Not all accident victims are as lucky as the police officer was. Often times, injury sustained is so great that recovery time can prevent a person from going about their daily routine, even forcing that person out of work. However, it should be noted that monetary loss associated with traffic accidents does not need to burden the victim. Those responsible for the traffic accident can and should be held liable for their actions, and monetary compensation should be awarded to injured victims.

If you or a loved one has suffered personal injury as the result of a traffic accident, you’ll need an experienced Maryland personal injury lawyer on your side to help sort through the details of the incident. Please call Steven H. Heisler, “The Injury Lawyer”, for a free evaluation of your case. Steven H. Heisler and his attorneys will ensure that your rights as an accident victim are never infringed upon.

Source:http://www.baltimoresun.com/features/commuting/bal-bwparkway0825,0,4126752.story

Posted in Accidents, Auto Accidents, Injuries, Personal Injury |