Personal Injury Blog

A March 2018 Uber accident is a sobering reminder that self-driving vehicle technology needs some improvement before it can be considered completely safe, as the test vehicle struck and killed a pedestrian while operating in autonomous mode. According to the Baltimore Sun, the victim was walking her bicycle across the street when she was hit, though questions remain regarding how the technology could have failed under the circumstances. The incident marks the first fatality involving a self-driving car, though others have reported receiving injuries in Uber accidents.

Though it may be some time before you will be riding in a self-driving car, you might find it useful to review some information on accidents involving autonomous vehicles and the importance of retaining an attorney any time you are hurt in a collision.

Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are a useful way to stay in touch with friends and family. As such, they are also useful for keeping people posted about your condition after you were hurt in a car accident. However, posting photos, comments, updates, and other content can also be detrimental to your injury claim, impacting your rights in ways you did not expect. Insurance companies are always seeking reasons to deny or dispute your claim, and representatives are not above reviewing the stories you post on social media. A Baltimore County, MD auto accidents attorney can give you additional details, but you should review some helpful information about use of social media after a crash.

While no adults were seriously hurt in a Waldorf, MD car accident that occurred on May 7, 2018, a three-month-old baby sustained life-threatening injuries and was listed in critical condition. According to an article published by The Bay Net, drunk driving was to blame in the incident, in which the operator of a Freightliner box truck failed to stop at a red light and smashed into two other vehicles. When Maryland State Police and other first responders arrived on the scene, they immediately checked the condition of the infant. He was rushed to MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center, and then on to the Children’s National Medical Center in Washington D.C for further treatment.

If you are injured in a car accident in Baltimore County, the general rule under Maryland’s fault system is to seek compensation from the driver whose negligence caused the incident. Officially, you would pursue the insurance company that provides coverage for the responsible motorist. State law requires all drivers to carry a minimum amount of insurance, which is $30,000 in bodily injury coverage or $60,000 for two or more people. The problem is that not all motorists comply with these laws, so you could be in a tough position if your injuries were caused by an uninsured motorist. Alternatively, the negligent driver may carry the legal minimum amount of insurance, but that coverage may not be enough to compensate for your injuries.

Fortunately, Maryland’s insurance laws include provisions regarding Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage. Some answers to the most common questions about PIP should help you understand how these policies work.

The results are in on a recent, ground-breaking study on drowsy driving conducted by the American Automobile Association (AAA) and, unfortunately, the numbers exceed expectations: The percentage of crashes that occur as a result of sleepy drivers is almost eight times more than federal agencies previously estimated. The reason for the discrepancy between the AAA findings and prior statistics is likely the fact that the study took a different approach than government officials had relied on in the past. The higher numbers reveal that drowsy driving accidents in Maryland are more common than you think, but the availability of advanced technology may have a significant impact to reduce them.

For the second time in less than a month, an employee at a scrap metal recycling company in Hagerstown, MD was injured after being struck by a forklift. The Herald-Mail Media reported in a March 30, 2018 article that the man was working when he was hit from behind, pinned to the ground, and dragged for a few feet. The worker was transported to R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore for surgery and is expected to fully recover. The victim in the previous forklift incident was not so lucky: He was killed when a forklift’s load slipped off and fell on top of him. As the Maryland Occupational Safety and Health continues its investigation into both incidents, the employer of the workers could be under fire if the circumstances go beyond what a typical Maryland workers’ compensation claim covers.

It is only natural to feel overwhelmed and shaken in the chaotic aftermath of a car accident, but it is also important to recognize how the incident may have affected your health. Some injuries will be immediately obvious, while you may not experience symptoms of other trauma until hours or days later. For example, you may not know you sustained a concussion or whiplash for up to 24 hours after the crash. Regardless, it is critical that you do not attempt to minimize the situation or try to “brush off” your injuries. If you are suffering any pain, even minor, seek medical treatment right away. There are three key reasons to make your health a priority after a Baltimore County, MD auto accident.

On its face, the process for filing an insurance claim for injuries you suffer in a Maryland auto accident is simple: Fill out the proper forms, send them to the insurance company, and wait for the check. In practice, the actual process is anything but straightforward. Insurance companies deny claims for one reason and it is business-related. They do not want to compensate you for your losses because that cuts into their profits.

The family of a young Marine killed in a car accident is pushing Maryland officials to remove the type of guardrail they claim was a factor in his death. Washington-Baltimore NBC News Channel 4 reported in a March 23, 2018 article that the victim’s mother did some research after the incident, finding that at least seven other people were killed after crashing into X-LITE guardrail end pieces. There are five lawsuits against the manufacturer, claiming that the rail’s defective design is to blame because the metal impales the vehicle rather than deflecting it away from a hazard. Currently, 10 US states are in the process of replacing the guardrails due to safety concerns, but Maryland officials do not intend to make any changes. Therefore, more than 900 of the X-LITE guardrails will remain on the road, presenting a severe risk of auto accidents for drivers.