After a year of investigation, county prosecutors have decided not to indict a Prince George County police officer who faced several serious charges in a 2007 car accident that claimed the life of a University of Maryland student. According to a recent report in the Washington Post, Officer Mario Chavez had been drinking the evening of December 10, 2007, and traveling at a rate twice the posted speed limit when his cruiser struck a car that was turning left across his lane. The Maryland car accident resulted in the death of 20-year old Brian Gray, who was being followed home in another car driven by his mother, Mary Gray. After a year-long investigation by county prosecutors, Officer Chavez was issued a speeding ticket but will not face any additional criminal charges. The decision shocked friends and family members who claim that Officer Chavez was given lenience due to his employment as a law enforcement officer. They claim that evidence gathered in a civil case against Officer Chavez suggests he should be held responsible for far more serious charges than a traffic violation. “A speeding ticket is an insult to the value of my son’s life,” Mary Gray said. “If they[…..]
Chesapeake Bay Bridge Accident Results in Death of Truck Driver
A 57-year-old truck driver was killed on August 10, 2008, when a woman fell asleep at the wheel, crossed into oncoming traffic, and caused him to lose control of his truck which plunged off the bridge. According to this Washington Post report, 19-year-old Candy Lynn Baldwin admitted to reporters and Maryland police officials that she had fallen asleep at the wheel around 4 a.m. that morning. She told reporters at The Post she was exhausted that morning after getting little sleep over her mother’s wedding weekend. Queen Anne’s County State Attorney, Frank M. Kratovil Jr., said his office’s investigation found that no criminal charges against Baldwin would be brought as she was not found to be grossly negligent in this Maryland car accident. But according to the National Transportation Safety Board, significant sleep loss degrades hand-eye reflexes in a way that is equivalent to blood alcohol content of 0.10 percent which constitutes being legally drunk in most states. Drivers operating a vehicle while suffering from sleep deprivation have been found to be grossly negligent and convicted of vehicular manslaughter in many states and countries around the world. In 2005, a Maryland appeals court affirmed a drowsy driver’s gross negligence manslaughter[…..]
LEGIONNAIRE BACTERIA DISCOVERED AT MARYLAND GENERAL HOSPITAL
For the second time in the last 22 months, evidence of the deadly legionella bacteria has been reported at Maryland General Hospital. Officials at Maryland General report that the virus was discovered on January 5th, 2009 in the shower area during routine testing of the Baltimore hospital’s water supply. While patients and staff members are being advised to drink bottled water and access to the showers are restricted, there are no reports of anyone becoming infected. Legionnaire’s disease affects between 10,000 to 50,000 Americans every year. The disease kills between five and 30 percent of those who contract it. Patients contact Legionnaire’s disease when they inhale vapor or mist that has bacterial contamination. It cannot be transmitted from person to person. The disease often occurs in hospitals, cruise ships and air conditioned hotels where bathtubs, whirlpool spas and hot tubs, humidifiers and plumbing systems become contaminated. Contact a Maryland Legionnaire’s Disease Lawyer if you believe you’ve been infected. Symptoms of Legionnaire’s disease include cough, chills and high fever. Victims are usually diagnosed with pneumonia. If you suspect you may have contacted Legionnaire’s disease insist that you be given a urine test and tested specifically for the disease. Once diagnosed, patients[…..]
WHY YOU DON'T WANT YOUR DAMAGED VEHICLE TOWED TO THE CITY YARD
If you’re involved in a Baltimore Automobile Accident, do everything in your power to prevent your vehicle from being towed to the Baltimore City Yard. The Baltimore City Yard, on Pulaski Highway, has a reputation of not exactly safeguarding the vehicles towed to its premises.I have personally watched several local Baltimore TV News investigative reports in the past detailing how vehicles brought to the City Yard have been vandalized. Is this still a problem in 2008? I don’t know but do you really want to take the chance? My advice applies to not only Baltimore City car accidents but to all Maryland auto accidents. Don’t trust bureaucrats to protect your vehicle. I understand that there are plenty of times when a Maryland Car Accident victim has no choice as to where their automobile is towed. All I’m saying is that you need to do everything in your power to have your vehicle towed to your own body shop. If that’s not an option, be sure to empty all of your valuables (money, CDs, garage remote control) from your car before it’s towed away. Better safe than sorry!
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW IF YOUR CAR HAS BEEN DAMAGED IN A MARYLAND CAR CRASH
As a Maryland car accident lawyer who has practiced for nearly twenty (20) years, it is my experience that nothing stirs more emotion among car accident victims than their automobile’s property damage. I’ve had clients who were seriously injured in an Auto Accident get more upset over how much the insurance company was offering for their totaled vehicle than over the fractures or disc herniation they received in the accident. The purpose of this article is to educate you about what you need to know if your automobile has been damaged in a Maryland Motor Vehicle Accident. If your car is seriously damaged and is not driveable it will likely be towed away from the site of the crash. The police from the county where the accident occurred will usually call the tow operator who has the contract with that county to tow vehicles involved in accidents. The towing company will transport your vehicle to its facility or to the county tow yard. Some jurisdictions, such as Baltimore City, will actually give the driver of the damaged vehicle the choice of having the automobile towed by the operator who has the city contract or the driver’s own tow operator. If[…..]
REMEMBER TO PUT MARYLAND LOCAL OR STATE GOVERNMENT ON NOTICE IF INJURED DUE TO ITS’ NEGLIGENCE
I am happy to announce a new feature on the Injury Lawyer website. The Personal Injury Legal Assistance Headquarters contains important and useful information for personal injury victims. Please check it out and let me know what you think. One of the sections at the Headquarters provides you with details you need to know if you are injured as a result of the negligence of a local or state government in Maryland. THERE ARE TIME LIMITS IN WHICH TO PUT THE LOCAL OR STATE GOVERNMENT ON NOTICE AND IF YOU FAIL TO DO SO THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE YOUR CLAIM WILL BE DISMISSED!!! Do not confuse this with the Maryland Statute of Limitations. The Statute of Limitations is the total period of time you have to file a lawsuit against a negligent party. The Maryland Local Government Tort Claims Act and the Maryland Tort Claims Act is the law that requires an injured party to notify the local or state government that you are making a claim and may be filing suit in the future. So if you’re in an auto accident and the at fault driver was operating a Local or State Government vehicle, or if you slip[…..]
WHETHER AT FAULT OR NOT, NOTIFY YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY AFTER MARYLAND CAR CRASH
Whew!! I’ve certainly handed out a lot of tasks for you to do immediately after a Maryland Automobile Accident. Trust me, you’ll be glad you followed my advice. I’ve got one more thing for you to do. After you’ve hung up from talking to your lawyer pick the phone back up and dial your insurance carrier. But it wasn’t my fault Steve. Why does my insurance company need to know about the accident? Good question. Actually, there are several reasons why you need to put your insurance company on notice: 1) SPEED. No, not the speed of your car. The speed of YOUR insurance carrier to take care of your immediate needs should the at fault insurance company decide to investigate or deny your claim. There’s no guarantee that the other insurance carrier is going to see the accident the same way you do. The other driver may give a different version of what happened (actually other driver’s lie quite frequently about the events of an accident) or the other driver may not even cooperate with his or her own insurer. All the while, your car is sitting in front of your house or in the tow yard NOT REPAIRED.[…..]
