Employee Spotlight January 2018

Destiny Moore, works in the Columbia Maryland office. She has been with Portner & Shure since September 2017. Born in Chicago; raised in Maryland since the age of 3. She has 8 years of customer service experience so she is great with our clients at the front desk. Along with helping to operate the front desk efficiently, she is a paralegal assistant for Ms. Rachel Dawes. Outside of work she loves to do photoshoots, hang out with friends, travel, and exercise.

Maryland Auto Accident Lawyer

Visit us at:  www.portnerandshure.com

or call to speak with one of our experienced Maryland auto accident attorneys at (301) 854-9000 for a free consultation.

Insure.com conducted a survey of 2,000 drivers in which Washington, D.C. recently placed second for rudest drivers in the United States.  In addition, Maryland was named as the state that hates Washington, D.C. drivers the most.

Furthermore, the DriverSide study ranked Washington, D.C. as number one in speeding tickets per capita.  Several D.C. residents claim that many drivers fail to signal when changing lanes and there is always someone driving behind you wanting to run you off the road.

These recent poll results raise concerns about Maryland drivers because there is a higher risk of becoming an accident victim.  Due to Maryland's close proximity to Washington, D.C., Maryland drivers have an increased risk of being a victim of reckless driving.  It is important for Maryland drivers to know what to do if they are a victim of an automobile accident.

If you or a family member has been injured or killed in an automobile accident, truck, bus or motorcycle accident, and would like a free legal consultation or if you would like more information on car accidents please feel free to contact our office at (301) 854-9000 or visit us on the web at www.portnerandshure.com

　

 

 

Tractor Trailer Driver Loses Control of Vehicle

Operators of commercial vehicles are required by law to carry a license specific to the size of the tractor trailer that is being driven. For example, a "Class A" license is required for operators of a vehicle with a weight in excess of 25,000 pounds. An operator of these larger vehicles has an obligation to use the appropriate standard of care when maneuvering such a vehicle. All drivers must be careful when sharing the road with these vehicles as the shear weight and size could make even the slightest of accidents deadly.

An example of how important it is to have experienced drivers behind the wheel of these large vehicles came in the form of an accident that occurred earlier this week on Interstate 70 in Frederick County, Maryland. A tractor trailer driver lost control of his vehicle when he struck another tractor trailer before crossing the road and striking the guardrail located in the median of the highway. Although no injuries were reported, the accident did cause clean up crews from the Maryland Department of Environment and Frederick County Hazmat units to clean up a fuel leak. This clean up required the lanes of Interstate 70 to be limited to one lane for a period of three hours.

If you, a family member, or someone you know was involved in a truck accident with a tractor trailer or if you would like more information on motor vehicle accidents, please contact Portner & Shure for a free consultation.

Howard County Pedestrian Accident

There is an abundance of laws in Maryland that address situations involving pedestrians that are injured by an automobile while crossing a street. The key inquiry is such accidents are whether or not the pedestrian was inside or out of a crosswalk. As a general rule, pedestrians have the right of way when they are in a crosswalk. However, in the event that a person is crossing a street outside of a crosswalk that person has an obligation to use the greatest care to protect themselves from injury.

Earlier this year an eighteen-year-old man from Columbia, Maryland was attempting to cross Little Patuxent Parkway between Vantage Point Road and Columbia Road when he was truck by an oncoming car. The police said that the young man was wearing dark clothes and was not in a cross walk when he was struck. He was transported to University of Maryland Shock Trauma where he presented with serious injuries.

If you, a family member, or someone you know has been injured as the result of being a pedestrian or if you would like more information on car accidents please contact Portner & Shure for a free consultation.

Snow and Ice Conditions Causing Countless Problems

The recent snow storms have caused problems for the State of Maryland. Many counties were not prepared for such a large amount of snow to fall in such a short period of time. Road crews have been working around the clock in order to clear the snow covered highways and roads. However, despite these efforts the lower temperatures have also caused freezing conditions especially on bridges, highway ramps and back roads. Drivers have been cautioned about the presence of the ongoing efforts of the State Highway Administration to clear our roads.

On February 11, 2010, a State Highway Administration worker was struck while clearing Baltimore National Pike in Baltimore County when he was struck in the rear by a tractor trailer. The Maryland State Police cited the driver of the tractor trailer with failure to control speed to avoid a collision. The SHA worker was flown to the University of Maryland Trauma Center. It is very important to follow the recommendation of the local government especially when they have asked for drivers to remain off the roads. Doing so only helps speed up the process of snow removal and will help prevent needless accidents.

If you, a family member, or someone you know has been involved in an automobile accident as a result of weather conditions or if you would like to learn more about car accidents contact Portner & Shure for a free consultation.

Rear End Collisions and the Exchange of Information

Rear end collisions are among the most common accidents. As a general rule, the driver of a motor vehicle may not follow another vehicle closer then what is reasonable. The operator of the vehicle must maintain a reasonable speed for the driving and traffic conditions. There are specific laws surrounding what is considered to be "reasonable" based on the circumstances of the situation.

At the beginning of the month, a minor rear end collision turned deadly when two parties were involved in a collision in Hyattsville in Prince George's County, Maryland. They pulled over to exchange their information. While they were exchanging information, a third vehicle struck both of the cars and the two people who were exchanging information. As a result the two parties were killed. The police who responded to the scene believe that the driver of the third vehicle was intoxicated.

If both parties agree that liability is clear, go to a parking lot when exchanging information. Countless accidents occur when people are on the shoulder of the road. In most cases, there is absolutely no reason to remain on the shoulder, just several feet away from countless cars most likely all traveling at dangerous speeds.

If you, a family member, or someone you know was involved in a rear end collision or if you would like more information on car accidents, please contact Portner & Shure for a free consultation.