91 -Year-Old Anne Arundel County Man Killed in Scooter Crash

Baltimore and the surrounding area seems to have no regard for crosswalks. Maybe the color needs to be changed from white to bright red. Recently the Baltimore Metropolitan Area has suffered a rash of pedestrian, bicyclists and motorcyclists accidents. Three students have been injured at or near the Johns Hopkins campus, most notably a bicyclists who probably will never regain the majority of his cognitive functions. The family of that young man has filed a $10 million lawsuit. The biker was in a bike lane. It is unclear whether the two students struck this weekend were in a crosswalk. What is clear is that the man killed in Brooklyn Park last week was within a clearly marked crosswalk.

If a pedestrian suffers injuries or is killed because they are struck by a vehicle, their recovery for resulting injuries may depend on whether they were crossing in a crosswalk, especially if a crosswalk exists at the scene of the accident. Maryland law regarding pedestrians requires that a person crossing where there is a clearly marked crosswalk must cross within that crosswalk. If the pedestrian fails to do so, their claim may be unsuccessful because of contributory negligence, which is a common defense to tort claims in Maryland.

This elderly man, who was riding a mobility scooter, crossed completely within the crosswalk. Through no fault of his own, the man was struck by a Toyota Tundra and was pronounced dead after being taken to Maryland Shock Trauma. As a result of his death, the deceased man's family may have a wrongful death lawsuit against the driver.

Johns Hopkins Bicycle Accident Leads to $10 Million Lawsuit

Recently the Baltimore area bicycling community has been united by tragedy on the campus of Johns Hopkins University. A 20 year old student at Johns Hopkins was riding his bicycle down University Parkway in Baltimore City this February when he was struck by an elderly motorist. The Johns Hopkins student is not expected to recover brain function and his family believes there is no hope for any meaningful recovery. The brain damage caused by the accident appears to be permanent. The brain injury resulted from a lack of oxygen due to the fact that the young bicyclists was pinned underneath the vehicle that struck him. The accident occurred when an 83 year-old woman made a right turn into a driveway. In addition to being run over and pinned beneath the automobile, the young man also suffered third and fourth degree burns on his face and torso along with bone fractures, cuts and bruises.

The Ellicott City family of the young man is left with the strong possibility that their son will never recover any cognitive function. On March 22^nd, the family sued the driver for $10 million dollars charging that she violated multiple traffic laws. One important detail that is essential to the ultimate outcome of the case is the fact that the injured bicyclist was riding in the bike lane. The family's lawyer says the lawsuit will serve to cover some of the astronomical medical expenses that insurance will not. The case has drawn a strong response from local bicycle advocates who, among other claims, consider the Baltimore Police Department's response inadequate. Their opinion that the response was inadequate is mainly due to the department's hesitation to charge the elderly woman.

The driver of the car was eventually charged with negligent driving and failure to yield the right-of-way to a bicyclist in a designated bike lane. In order for the woman to be charged with vehicular manslaughter, should the victim die, a finding of gross negligence is required. The State's Attorney said an investigation found no such evidence. The bicyclist's family was comfortable with the decision and has no desire to see the driver put in jail. Bicycle advocates were pleased that there was an investigation and traffic charges were filed.

If you or someone you know was injured in a bicycle accident contact the personal injury lawyers at Portner & Shure for a free consultation.

6-year Old Student Dies After Jumping from Bus in Baltimore County, MD

Who should be responsible for the death of a 6-year old who jumps from a moving bus?  On Thursday, December 13, 2010, at approximately 3:00 p.m. a 6-year old special needs student was being transported from  the Villa Marie School in Timonium to his home in Baltimore City when a fight ensued between the 6-year old and another student. 

According to authorities, an aide attempted to break up the fight between the two students, when the 6-year old ran toward the back of the bus and jumped out.  The child was transported to Johns Hopkins in grave condition and succumbed to his injuries early Friday morning.



The 6-year old attended a non-public school in Baltimore County and was traveling on a bus contracted by City Schools to transport the student.  While authorities continue to investigate this tragic accident, questions remain unanswered for the family of this 6-year old. 

How do you compensate parents for this type of loss?  Special needs means just that and what was in place to prevent this unfortunate accident from happening?  How could a 6-year old just jump off the back of a moving bus?  These parents need answers and where should they look to get these answers?  They should contact a Maryland Personal Injury Attorney who is familiar with the laws in Baltimore County where this accident occurred.     

If you, a family member or someone you know has been involved in a bus accident or car accident or you need more information on bus or car accidents, please visit us on the web at http://www.portnerandshure.com or contact one of our Maryland Personal Injury Lawyers for a free consultation.