Montgomery County Police Increasing Patrols to Catch Marylanders Texting and Driving

         A Montgomery County police officer dressed up as a homeless man to try and catch drivers off guard.  The officer was holding a sign that read, “I am not homeless.  I am a Montgomery County police officer looking for cell phone texting violations.  There has been a dramatic increase in distracted-driving-related deaths in Maryland of late.  Police officers are trying to take steps to crack down on this major issue.

           

          A majority of the distracted driving related deaths can be attributed to cell phone use, especially texting while driving.  The “homeless” officer and eight other officers issued 56 tickets county-wide on Tuesday.  Of these, 31 tickets were for texting and driving, as well as 9 warnings being issued.

            

           Maryland State Highway Administration officials have made it very clear that their goal is to have zero deaths on Maryland’s highways.  One step toward achieving that goal is for police to crack down on one of the major causes of fatal accidents: distracted driving (i.e. talking on cell phones and texting while driving).

            

            If you or a family member has been injured or killed in an accident caused by another driver being distracted by their cell phone and would like to consult an experienced Maryland personal injury attorney for free, contact us at (301) 854-9000 to schedule an appointment at one of our office locations in Rockville or throughout Maryland or visit us online at http://www.portnerandshure.com/Auto-Accidents/Car-Accidents/Fatal-Car-Accidents.shtml

19 year olds Driving Longer Tractor Trailers Closer to Reality

            Everyday drivers have to worry about the normal dangers on the road: distracted drivers, speeders, tailgaters, drunk drivers, and sleepy truck drivers.  But in the near future, drivers might have to worry about teenage drivers behind the wheel of tractor trailers on interstate highways.

            

            The trucking industry has been lobbying on Capitol Hill to get legislation passed that would allow longer trucks (33 feet long instead of 28 feet) and lower the minimum age of commercial truck drivers who drive across state lines to between 19 and a half and  21 years of age.  And, just this past Thursday, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee unanimously passed this bill.  We will have to see if the Senate passes this as well.

Tractor trailers and other large trucks are already dangerous on the road with current rules and regulations in place.  Current problems with truck drivers include falling asleep behind the wheel, speeding, distracted driving, and drunk driving.  Research has shown that on average, large trucks are involved in about 10 fatal crashes everyday nationwide.  The number of fatal truck accidents has steadily increased each of the last 6 years.  In these horrific accidents, it is not usually the truck driver who dies, but instead the occupant/s in the smaller vehicle. 

Lowering the minimum driving age for commercial truck driving across state lines would certainly lead to a substantial increase in deadly accidents on highways across the country.  Drivers between the ages of 18 and 20 are involved in twice as many fatal car accidents than drivers 21 and over.  The risks involved with driving a car do not even compare to the risks and difficulty level of driving an 18-wheeler tractor trailer.  Maryland state law already allows 18 year old drivers to obtain commercial drivers’ licenses, however, they are only permitted to drive commercial vehicles within the state.  Their commercial driver’s license does not permit them to drive commercial vehicles across state lines due to a federal ban.  Numerous studies have proven year after year that young drivers under the age of 21 are more likely to speed and engage in risky driving behavior, such as driving when tired.

If you or a family member have been injured or killed in a truck accident and would like to consult an experienced Maryland personal injury attorney for free, contact our office at (301) 854-9000 to schedule an appointment at one of our office locations in Frederick or throughout Maryland or visit us online at http://www.portnerandshure.com/Auto-Accidents/Truck-Accidents/

What Clients Are Saying October 2015

“I scheduled a consultation with Portner & Shure at their Columbia, MD location. We were quickly taken care of by Norma, who listened and documented what occurred during our auto accident. After hearing our story and where we were in the process, she consulted with an attorney colleague and they both advised us that it was simply not in our best interest to have them handle the case - we would make more money by settling it ourselves. I admired their transparency and they advised us how to best negotiate with the Auto Insurer. Johnathan Portner, the Managing Partner, even came in and sat down with us to explain his view on the matter. The man probably bills out at $800+ dollars an hour, but he was willing to sit down and talk to us all day! If anything ever happens, god forbid, this is where I will seek out representation - without a doubt.”

This case was handled by our Spanish Paralegal, Norma Guevara.

Glen Burnie, Maryland Accident Injury Lawyer: Recent Case Result October 2015

             Recently, Portner & Shure settled an auto accident case from November 2014 for $100,000 for our client who suffered devastating injuries in a head-on crash by a drunk driver in Maryland.  Our client was in the car along with other members of her family, and their vehicle was trying to make a left turn, when all of a sudden, a drunk driver crossed over the center line and plowed into them.  The drunk driver was arrested as a result.  There is no liability dispute in this case. 

            

             Our client suffered a fractured left upper arm and right ankle.  Our client also required an open reduction and internal fixation of her right ankle and her left humerus, which left her completely immobile and unable to walk.  The negotiation process in this case lasted well over one year, and was finally able to settle this month.  Christine Airey worked tirelessly negotiating with the insurance carriers to obtain a great settlement for this client.

Deadly Head-On Accident in Anne Arundel County, Maryland Attributed to Speeding

           Earlier this week, a woman was killed in a head-on accident at Burns Crossing Road and Annapolis Road in Anne Arundel County.  Police have determined that speed was the cause of the accident.  An SUV with a man and two children in it was speeding around a curve on Burns Crossing Road and crossed over the center double yellow lines.  As the SUV made its way around the curve, it struck an oncoming car head-on.  There was a woman inside that car, and she tragically lost her life in the devastating crash.  The man and the children in the SUV were flown to nearby hospitals with life-threatening injuries. 

As we often write about, head-on collisions are the most dangerous types of accidents because the resulting injuries are always life-threatening.  When high speed is a factor in a head-on collision, the outcomes almost always include fatalities because the resulting force when two cars travelling at a high speed collide into one another is so extreme.  These types of fatal car accidents happen far too often throughout Maryland.  Maryland’s Department of Transportation continues to have a goal of zero deaths on Maryland’s roadways and is working tirelessly to improve the roads and make them safer for everyone.   Losing a loved one in a fatal car accident is devastating for any family.  No amount of money will ever replace losing that person.  In a wrongful death case, the law allows for surviving estates to collect a financial recovery when a negligent party is held liable for the cause of the death.  Compensation for damages can include: loss of services, loss of future income, mental anguish, medical expenses, funeral expenses, and punitive damages.  In this accident, it appears that the negligent party was also the one who did not survive the accident.

If you or a family member has been injured or killed in an accident caused by the fault or negligence of another person and would like to consult an experienced Maryland personal injury attorney for free, contact us at (301) 854-9000 to schedule an appointment at one of our office locations in Annapolis or throughout Maryland or visit us online at http://www.portnerandshure.com/Auto-Accidents/Car-Accidents/Fatal-Car-Accidents.shtml

Deadly Accident on I-95 in Catonsville, Maryland

               Just a few weeks ago, a terrible accident occurred on I-95 near Catonsville, Maryland.  A man was driving a pick-up truck that had become disabled and pulled onto the shoulder on southbound I-95.  In addition to the driver, there were three other people in the truck.  The driver was standing behind the truck to try and figure out what was wrong.  In the meantime, another vehicle had drifted across all lanes of southbound I-95, crashed into the concrete wall, and continued driving several hundred feet along the shoulder until crashing into the disabled truck and the truck’s driver.  Unfortunately, the truck driver was killed, and the three passengers were injured.  Additionally, the driver of the other vehicle was injured and transported to Shock Trauma.  The cause of the accident is still unknown.  Police are still trying to figure out what caused the driver of the car to veer across all lanes and crash into the wall and then into the truck.

            

              Since police have not determined a cause of the accident, everything is only speculation at this point.  One possibility is that the driver of the car fell asleep behind the wheel, which caused him to lose control of the car.  Another possibility is that the driver was under the influence of alcohol, and his impaired judgment led to the crash.  There are many possibilities that could have caused this crash.  In terms of the victim of the crash, it appears that he pulled his vehicle completely onto the shoulder and was not standing in a lane of travel.  Any negligence on his part does not appear to have contributed to this accident, and thus contributory negligence would not apply.  If the truck driver had been standing in a lane of travel and then was hit, he would not be able to recover compensation for his injuries because he contributed to the accident.  As a reminder, it is always dangerous when on the shoulder of a highway.  Anyone who pulls onto the shoulder of a highway should always be very cautious, and if possible, wear bright-colored clothing so that other drivers can see you.

If you or a family member has been injured or killed by a negligent driver and would like to consult an experienced Maryland personal injury attorney for free, contact our office at (301) 854-9000 to schedule an appointment at one of our office locations throughout Maryland or visit us online at http://www.portnerandshure.com/Auto-Accidents/Car-Accidents/Fatal-Car-Accidents.shtml