Employee Spotlight December 2017

Join us in welcoming Melinda (Mel) Moss to our Frederick office.  Mel has been a Paralegal since 1992, with a strong and diverse legal background, with expertise in personal injury; medical malpractice; business law; employment and labor relations; as well as commercial litigation.  Mel recently relocated to her hometown of Frederick from Albany, New York, where she worked as a litigation paralegal for Conway & Kirby, PLLC, a major medical malpractice and personal injury firm. Outside of work, Melinda owns and operates MSquared Kennels where she breeds, trains and competes Australian Shepherd dogs in Agility and Obedience, as well as riding and re-training Retired Thoroughbred racehorses.

Employee Spotlight October 2016

Join us in welcoming Alma to the Portner & Shure family. She recently joined us as a Spanish-speaking receptionist and legal assistant. Alma’s family is from El Salvador, however, she was born in Washington, D.C. Alma has three children, David, Joel, and Sarah. She also has a three year old Maltese/Yorkie mix named Baby. Outside of work, Alma loves to go hiking with her kids, watch movies, and listen to music. Alma is enjoying her time here at the firm so far and is excited to learn a lot. 

Portner & Shure Awarded Innovation in Client Services 2016 Award

Portner & Shure has been selected by Corporate America as winner of the Innovation in Client Services 2016 Award.  This award we are extremely proud of because our selection was dependent on our client testimonials and recommendations.  We strive to make sure our clients are extremely satisfied with the services we provide them.  With numerous 5.0 star reviews on Google+ and Facebook, our reputation speaks for itself.  We know that quick and easy communication is one of the most important things a client requests from their attorney.  Therefore, we pride ourselves on making sure there is effective and immediate communication with all of our clients so that no question goes unanswered.

Corporate America even acknowledges that Portner & Shure excels beyond its competitors in regards to business acumen, team approachability, and innovation when approaching client services.  As a successful Maryland, DC, and Virginia auto accident law firm, we are very proud to be recognized for an award based solely on outstanding client testimonials. Portner & Shure would not be the firm it is today, with over 25 years of service and $200 million recovered for injured accident clients, without the numerous positive client reviews we receive every day.

If you have been injured in an auto accident in Maryland, call us today for a free consultation. 

Employee Spotlight August 2016

This month we want to recognize some accomplishments of our law clerk, Alex Adler.  He graduated from law school at the University of Baltimore School of Law this past May.  Just a few weeks ago, Alex took the Maryland Bar Exam and is awaiting results, which will be released in a couple of months. Alex just returned back to work after enjoying a European vacation to London, Barcelona, and Ibiza.  Finally, we are closing in on Alex’s 2 year anniversary with Portner & Shure, and we look forward to having him in our family for many more years to come. 

Fatal Accident in Clarksburg, Maryland

            Early this morning on I-270 in Clarksburg, a fatal car accident occurred.  There was a disabled vehicle stopped in the lanes of travel on the highway.  Another car hit the disabled vehicle from behind, which resulted in the death of the disabled vehicle’s driver.  The driver of other vehicle was injured in the collision, but suffered non-life threatening injuries.  Police investigation into the exact cause of the crash continues.  At this point, alcohol does not appear to be factor in the accident.

            

            Disabled vehicles always pose a danger on the road to themselves and to other drivers.  It does not matter whether the vehicle has made it to the shoulder or is stopped in a lane of travel; it is still dangerous.  Darkness at night and inclement weather make it even more dangerous if your vehicle becomes disabled on a highway because other drivers might not see you or will not be able to stop to avoid a crash.  If your vehicle becomes disabled, you should always make sure your lights are on and your hazard lights are flashing so that other cars can see you and avoid an accident. 

            

            Remember, if you are injured in an accident, you should seek medical attention immediately to treat the injuries you sustained.  It is also important to call the police to the scene to document that the other driver was at fault and to collect information on all parties involved and any witnesses to the crash.  Finally, it is important to hire an accident injury attorney to get involved and fight for the compensation you deserve.

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

Gaithersburg Woman Struck and Killed by a Car as She Crossed the Street

Early Monday morning, a Gaithersburg woman, Muivembet Gelaw, was crossing the street at the intersection of South Frederick Avenue and South Westland Drive when she was hit by a car driven by Rodolfo Guillen.  Ms. Gelaw was walking to a bus stop with her daughter to go to church.  Unlike many drivers who hit pedestrians and keep driving, this driver remained at the scene.  Sadly, Ms. Gelaw did not survive the accident.

            

          A majority of pedestrian-involved accidents occur when people are crossing a street without a crosswalk.  However, the location of this accident is a major intersection with crosswalks and traffic-control signals for pedestrians.  Currently, police do not know if Ms. Gelaw was crossing with the signal or against the signal, but they are investigating to find out that information.  Police are asking anyone who may have witnessed this accident to come forward because many details remain unknown at this time.

Unfortunately, thousands of pedestrians are killed each year in accidents and actually the numbers have been increasing nationwide in recent years.  2010 data from the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) placed Maryland as the seventh most dangerous state for pedestrians with 1.75 fatalities per 100,000 residents.  However, the most recent statistics do not have Maryland ranked in the top ten for worst states for pedestrians.  According to the NHTSA, nearly 3 out of 4 pedestrian deaths occur in urban environments, at intersections, during the nighttime.

In a Maryland pedestrian accident case, it must be determined whether the pedestrian was lawfully crossing the street at the time of the crash.  In other words, was the pedestrian crossing the street against the signal, crossing outside the crosswalk, or texting while crossing, or was the pedestrian crossing with the “walk” signal and inside the crosswalk.  Because Maryland is a contributory negligence state, if the victim pedestrian is negligent in any way, they cannot recover in a civil lawsuit.

           If you or a family member has been injured or killed by a driver as a pedestrian 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 Rockville or throughout Maryland or visit us online at http://www.portnerandshure.com/Personal-Injury/

MARC Train and Dump Truck Collide in Silver Spring, Maryland

            During yesterday afternoon’s rush hour, a dump truck and a MARC train collided in Montgomery County between the Silver Spring and Kensington train stations.  The cause of the crash and the fault, if any, is not known at this time.  Fortunately, nobody was seriously injured, and all 600 passengers aboard the train were unscathed.  The truck driver was the only person injured, and luckily for him, the injuries were minor.

            

            The intersection of Forest Glen Road and Seminary Road in Silver Spring is just outside the Capital Beltway (I-495).  It is certainly possible that the dump truck stopped on the train tracks because of traffic since this collision happened during rush hour.  Drivers should never stop on train tracks because accidents similar to this one can occur.  If there are several cars stopped in front of you with train tracks in between, it is always best to stop short of the tracks just in case a train does come through.  The train track crossing where this accident occurred does have caution lights and a bar to keep cars from driving through when a train is approaching.

            

            Another possible cause of the crash could be the train conductor driving too fast and not being able to slow the train down in time when the truck was spotted on the tracks.  Many things are possible here, but it is unlikely that this collision was not attributed to either the train conductor or the truck driver.  One or both of the parties involved must have been at fault for such a horrific crash to occur.

If you or a family member has been injured or killed due to the negligence of another 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 in Silver Spring or throughout Maryland or visit us online at http://www.portnerandshure.com/Personal-Injury/

Deadly Carroll County Head On Collision

           Yesterday morning, a pick-up truck crashed head on into a dump truck after crossing over the double yellow lines on Route 27 near Mount Airy.  A Taneytown woman was driving the pick-up truck with a young child in the vehicle with her.  Police believe both passengers were wearing their seatbelts.  The young child did not survive the crash and the driver was taken to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center with serious injuries.  The dump truck driver only suffered minor injuries. 

            

           While police are still investigating the accident, they do believe that the pick-up truck driver attempted to pass a vehicle in front of her by crossing over double yellow lines into oncoming traffic.  The pick-up truck collided with the dump truck in a high-impact head on collision.  Attempting to pass another vehicle when there are double yellow lines is an example of aggressive driving behavior.  This week, Maryland State Police are patrolling roadways specifically targeting aggressive drivers.  Aggressive driving behavior oftentimes leads to serious injuries and even death, as evidenced in this tragic accident.  This could have been avoided if the pick-up truck driver had not tried to illegally pass the vehicle in front of her.

If you or a family member has been injured or killed in an accident that is 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 Frederick or throughout Maryland or visit us online at http://www.portnerandshure.com/Auto-Accidents/Truck-Accidents/

Young Boy Hit While Crossing Street on July 4th, Driver Keeps Going

            Saturday night on July 4^th, a 10 year old boy was struck by a car while crossing the street with several people in a crosswalk.  The hit and run accident occurred near Waldorf, Maryland on St. Ignatius Drive near Bannister Circle.  While the child suffered serious bodily injuries, fortunately, these injuries are not life-threatening.

            

            Police are still trying to gather more information about the accident and the driver.  In this case, if police are able to catch the driver, the young boy could potentially recover compensation for his injuries because he was in a crosswalk and not contributorily negligent.  If the boy would have been crossing the street without a crosswalk, he would be contributorily negligent and not able to recover any damages. 

            

            Pedestrian safety affects everyone at all times of the day.  Many pedestrian accident injuries and fatalities are caused by intoxication or inattentiveness (i.e. texting while walking) on the part of the pedestrian.  However, sometimes there are negligent drivers who run through a crosswalk filled with people, hit someone, and keep driving.  Out of all the fatal pedestrian-involved accidents in Maryland, about 70% of the time the pedestrian was at fault for the accident.  When a driver has a green light at the same time that pedestrians have the walk signal, the driver must yield the right of way to the pedestrians.

If you or a family member has been injured or killed by a driver while crossing the street 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 Annapolis or throughout Maryland or visit us online at http://www.portnerandshure.com/Personal-Injury/

Silver Spring Doctor Who Broke Wrist in Hospital is Awarded $4.4 Million by Jury

             An incident dating back to November 2010, when Dr. Vikramaditya Reddy slipped and fell on a waxed floor at Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring.  According to Reddy’s attorneys, there were no signs visible that warned him of a slippery, just-waxed floor.  Reddy brought suit against Crothall Healthcare, Inc., the company responsible for training and supervising hospital employees in proper maintenance of the facility.  The largest part of the damage award is for future lost wages because as a result of the injuries sustained in the fall, Dr. Reddy can no longer perform the types of surgeries as part of his medical practice.  The award was calculated as follows: $3.7 million for future lost wages, $561,000 for past lost wages, $39,000 for past medical expenses, and $33,000 for noneconomic damages. 

The jury found that Crothall Healthcare failed in warning about the hazard of freshly waxed floors and the risk of injury associated with it.  Crothall Healthcare continued to deny any responsibility for causing the accident, but the jury found that because they were responsible for training hospital employees in proper facility maintenance they should be the ones held liable for the lack of warning signs for waxed floors.

Property owners have a responsibility to maintain safe premises for others who are on their property and a duty to warn visitors of potentially hazardous conditions.  When they fail to keep their property safe and fail to warn of unsafe conditions, such as a waxed floor, they can be held accountable for injuries that result.  In this case and in most cases just like it, the victim is often awarded significant damages as compensation for injuries.

If you or someone you love has been injured in a slip and fall or has died as a result of their injury suffered in a Maryland accident, and would like more information, please call us at (301) 854-9000 to schedule an appointment for a free case evaluation at our Silver Spring office or one of our many other offices located throughout Maryland, or visit us online at: http://www.portnerandshure.com/Personal-Injury/Premises-Liability.shtml

Construction Worker Killed in Work Zone on I-95 in Prince George’s County, MD

            Early this morning, a construction worker was killed on I-95 North near the Intercounty Connector (ICC Route 200) after a tractor trailer plowed into two construction work trucks.  The work trucks hit the worker, Randy Jury, severely injuring him.  After being transported to the hospital, Jury was pronounced dead.  The tractor trailer driver suffered injuries in the crash as well, but the extent of his injuries is not known.  The exact cause of the crash is still under investigation.

            

           Deadly accidents in construction zones are a very serious problem, especially along I-95 in Maryland where several major construction projects are ongoing.  Although construction workers on the side of highways appear safe standing behind concrete barriers, sometimes it is only cones that stand between the worker and speeding vehicles.  Numerous road work signs alert drivers to be cautious and slow down when driving through construction zones.  Oftentimes, speed cameras are set up in works zones to catch drivers disobeying the speed limit, however, some drivers disregard the warnings and continue to drive fast and recklessly through these work zones.  Construction workers on the side of the highways should be able to feel safe while they do their job, and should never have to worry about watching out for cars crashing into them.  But unfortunately these types of tragic accidents happen every day. 

            

          Construction zones and work zones on highways usually bring new traffic patterns, including numerous lane shifts and closures.  Drivers must be even more cautious and aware of where they are going in order to avoid accidents involving other vehicles or construction workers.  For example, the construction project on I-95 in Baltimore will require weekly changes to traffic patterns, which will likely lead to confusion on the part of drivers as to how to exit the highway.  Stay alert, drive slow, and be safe when driving through work zones on the highway.

If you or a family member have been injured or killed in a work zone 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 Baltimore or throughout Maryland or visit us online at http://www.portnerandshure.com/Personal-Injury/

Settlement: Police Crash into ATV While Trying to Apprehend the Driver

          In March 2013, Michael Lewis was driving a four-wheel ATV on Karen Boulevard in Prince George’s County, Maryland at the same time that two police cruisers were driving in the opposite direction.  Lewis was driving the ATV on a public road without a helmet, and as a result, the police officers tried to pull him over.  During this attempt, one police car crossed over the double yellow line in the direct path of the ATV.  The first police car narrowly missed hitting the ATV, but the second police car crashed into the ATV.  Lewis sued Prince George’s County because he claimed the police used excessive force and that is the cause of his accident injuries.

            

         Trial for this case began on Monday, and Lewis’s attorneys argued that the police officers used a special tactic called “heading off,” which is only allowed to be used when attempting to stop a violent suspect.  Lewis was only breaking basic local traffic laws.  PG County officials claim the incident was a “miscalculation resulting in an accident.”  All 16 traffic citations were dismissed after the accident.

            

         Yesterday, Lewis and his attorneys accepted a settlement offer from PG County.  The amount of the settlement was not disclosed, but Lewis’s attorneys said their client was “fairly compensated for everything he has been put through.”  Because a settlement was reached, the trial does not continue and the County never has to accept any liability for the accident.  The uncertainty of trial likely prompted the County to try and settle the case out of court.

In personal injury cases similar to this one, where both sides cannot agree on a settlement before trial, there is still usually a high probability of a settlement being reached before trial is over.  Oftentimes, the party at fault in the accident does not want to risk having trial completed and leaving everything in the hands of a judge or jury.  In a settlement agreement, the at-fault party does not accept responsibility for the accident, but instead usually just offers to pay the injured party a sum of money.  Once a case gets to trial, attorneys fees start to increase rapidly and most clients do not want to rack up a large number of legal fees.

If you or a family member have been injured or killed in an 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 Greenbelt or throughout Maryland or visit us online at http://www.portnerandshure.com/Personal-Injury/

Berkeley Balcony Collapse Kills 6, Injures 7 Others at Apartment Complex

        Early Tuesday morning, in an apartment complex close to the University of California, Berkeley campus, a fourth floor balcony detached from the building and collapsed while a birthday party was taking place inside the apartment.  Tragically, 5 students from Ireland who were living here temporarily and 1 student from California did not survive the accident. 

            

        The owner of the Library Gardens Apartments is now being forced to inspect every balcony at the apartment complex.  So far, many balconies have been “red tagged” for being unsafe.  At least 7 other people have been taken to the hospital with serious injuries experienced in the fall from the balcony.  The exact cause of the balcony collapse is still unknown as officials continue to investigate why the concrete balcony ripped away from the rest of the apartment building.

            

         This tragic accident brings the issue of negligence on the part of property owners into light.  Something like this should never happen.  Officials must find out if the apartment complex owner was negligent in any way for contributing to this accident.  Property owners have a responsibility to maintain safe premises for others who are on their property.  It is too early to know if the owner knew about any type of deficiency in the construction of the building or its balconies.

If you or someone you love has been injured in an accident caused by the negligence of another person or a failure to maintain safe premises please call us today at (301) 854-9000 to set up an appointment at one of our office locations located in Columbia or throughout the rest of Maryland for a free case evaluation or visit us online: http://www.portnerandshure.com/Personal-Injury/Premises-Liability.shtml

What Information Do We Need to Know in Order to Decide Whether to Take Your Case?

           The attorneys at Portner & Shure receive hundreds of calls every day from people injured in an accident.  However, our attorneys do not just take every case without first learning about the circumstances surrounding the crash.  First, we have to gather as many facts as possible about the accident.  Some of the things that we need to know before deciding to take a case include: (1) who’s fault was the accident, (2) if it was another driver’s fault, were they cited by police, (3) were you injured in the accident, (4) have you sought medical treatment from a doctor or in a hospital. 

As a personal injury law firm, we only take accident cases when someone is injured in and has had medical treatment soon after the accident.  For example, in a car, truck, bus, or motorcycle accident, we require that someone is injured and has received medical treatment for that injury.  Some other examples include workers who are injured on the job, a slip and fall, or a dog bite.  Unfortunately, we are not interested in taking cases where you are not injured, or if you are injured, have not sought medical attention, or you have sought medical treatment, but there is a large gap in time between sustaining the injury in the crash and getting treatment.

When our attorneys and paralegals work with the insurance companies involved in each case, they are not interested in paying out claims when it is not clear that the injury sustained in the accident was proximately caused by the crash.  At Portner & Shure, we aim to get our clients more for their claims.  In order to accomplish this, we predominantly take accident cases where it is obvious that the negligence or fault of another party is the cause of the injury in the accident and can easily be proven.  Insurance companies do not favorably view claims where the injured victim never sought treatment or if there is a large gap in time between the accident and the medical treatment for injuries sustained in the accident.

If you or someone you love has been injured in an accident caused by the negligence of another driver please call us today at (301) 854-9000 to set up an appointment at our Gaithersburg office or one of our office locations located throughout Maryland for a free case evaluation or visit us online: http://www.portnerandshure.com/Personal-Injury/

What Clients Are Saying June 2015

“I am very grateful with the law firm Portner & Shure because I was kept up to date each step of the way when it came to my case. Because of them I was able to pay all my medical expenses and I am very satisfied with my settlement amount. I want to give thanks to the great lawyers and their knowledge; they made it possible for me to have a pleasurable experience.”

Claudia Estevez was the Paralegal for this case.

Litigation News June 2015

               Portner & Shure recently won a combined verdict of close to $15,000 for two clients injured in a rear-end collision while waiting at a stop light on August 14, 2014 in Montgomery County, Maryland.  Damages to the car totaled $3,725 and medical costs for each client were between $3,300 and $3,500.  This case was tried in Montgomery County District Court.  Attorney Christina Ruhl was able to get a verdict that was larger than the actual damages and medical costs.  Our clients were extremely satisfied with the outcome in their case because Portner & Shure was able to get them more.

June 2015 Case Result

             Recently, Portner & Shure settled a bicycle accident case for $45,000 for its client who was injured in 2014 while riding on her bike.  In August 2014, our client was riding her bike when all of a sudden she was hit in the rear by a car and thrown to the ground.  Our client bikes to work every day and her bicycle is the primary mode of transportation for her.  Further, she enjoys bike riding very much.  Attorney Jonathan Portner and Chinese Paralegal Christine Phong worked on this case and negotiated with the insurance company for a settlement of $45,000 for the client.

Montgomery County Public School Bus Hits Pedestrian in Derwood, Maryland

          Around 9 am this morning, near the Redland Road and Crabbs Branch Way intersection, a school bus struck a woman, seriously injuring her.  The woman’s injuries are life threatening and considered to be a priority one.  Montgomery County police are still investigating the cause of the accident.  It is not clear as of right now whether the pedestrian was crossing the street with a walk signal or if she was in a crosswalk when she was hit.  There were no children on board the school bus and no other people were injured in the crash.

Sadly, pedestrian accidents occur every day across the country.  And unfortunately, thousands of pedestrians are killed each year in accidents, and actually the numbers have been increasing nationwide in recent years.  According to the NHTSA, nearly 3 out of 4 pedestrian deaths occur in urban environments, at intersections, during the nighttime.  In addition, more than one-third of pedestrian deaths involve alcohol.

Determining who the negligent party/ies is/are in a pedestrian accident is crucial.  For example, Portner & Shure investigators will examine the scene, talk with witnesses, and interview police officers handling the case in order to develop an understanding of the facts.  Our attorneys then use the facts to create a legal plan of action to help the client recover monetary damages for their medical expenses, injuries, pain and suffering, and lost wages.

In a Maryland pedestrian accident case, it must be determined whether the pedestrian was lawfully crossing the street at the time of the crash.  In other words, was the pedestrian crossing the street against the “walk” signal, crossing outside the crosswalk, or texting while crossing, or was the pedestrian crossing with the “walk” signal and inside the crosswalk.  Because Maryland is a contributory negligence state, if the victim pedestrian is negligent in any way, they cannot recover in a civil lawsuit.  Since we do not know the facts in this case yet, we do not know if the pedestrian was contributorily negligent in the accident.

If you or a family member have been injured or killed in a pedestrian 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 Gaithersburg or throughout Maryland or visit us online at http://www.portnerandshure.com/Personal-Injury/

Runaway Potatoes on 495 After Truck Overturns in Prince George’s County, Maryland

           Early this morning, a tractor trailer carrying thousands of potatoes overturned on the outer loop of the Capital Beltway in Prince George’s County.  The truck driver was injured in the accident that spilled the potatoes into the median of the highway.  Unfortunately, the driver needed to be flown to shock trauma in order to treat a significant arm injury.  This incident occurred just before the Pennsylvania Avenue exit in the Forestville area. 

            One lane was blocked during the morning rush hour creating a backup on the Capital Beltway.  Highway crews called in tractors to try and clean up the spill of potatoes and remove the overturned tractor trailer.  Police are investigating the cause of the crash and are considering the possibility that the driver fell asleep.  Drowsy driving is a serious problem, especially for truck drivers that are forced to drive through the night to meet deadlines.  To learn more about drowsy driving, take a look at our blog post on the topic.

            While it may be a little comical to see the pictures of potatoes all over the highway, we must remember that someone was seriously injured as a result of the accident.

If you or someone you love has been injured in an accident caused by the negligence of another driver, including truck drivers who have fallen asleep behind the wheel, please call us today at (301) 854-9000 to set up an appointment at one of our office locations located throughout Maryland for a free case evaluation or visit us online: http://www.portnerandshure.com/Auto-Accidents/Truck-Accidents/  

PG County Police to Start Using New Technology to Catch Speeders in School Zones

          We are all familiar with seeing the big boxes located in the areas around school zones throughout Maryland.  These boxes are speed cameras that catch drivers who drive too fast in school areas.  Over the last few years, more and more Maryland counties have been adding speed cameras around schools to make the streets safer for children when they are crossing.

            In Prince George’s County, police are launching a new speed camera technology that uses a laser gun to catch speeders.  Instead of the big speed camera boxes that most school zones have, these devices are handheld and much smaller.  Police officers plan to use these devices in areas where big speed camera boxes just do not make sense to install.  Since these new devices are handheld, they are easily transported and can be used temporarily in areas where the communities around schools need them.  Another benefit of this device is that the camera is attached to the laser device and sends speeding drivers the ticket in the mail without police having to physically pull the driver over.  If the device detects a driver going 12 miles per hour above the posted speed limit, a ticket will be sent to the driver in the mail.

            PG County police will start with two devices to use initially, and will expand if successful.  One of the reasons PG County decided to use the technology is because the county has the most highway crashes and pedestrian fatalities in the state and the Washington, D.C. region.  “In the year before the county had a speed camera program for school zones, 70 children under the age of 15 were hit by cars,” says AAA Mid-Atlantic spokesman, John Townsend.  Citations will be given out after a 30-day warning period and will include a $40 fine.

            Pedestrian safety is an important issue for people of all ages, but especially so for school-age children.  Speeding in school zones is a major issue that must be corrected.  These new devices are certainly promising because it makes it a lot easier for police to employ and send out tickets.  In addition, police can set up in a different spot every day so that drivers must always drive slowly in the school areas because a speed camera device could be set up anywhere to catch them.

If you or a family member have been injured or killed in a pedestrian 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 Greenbelt or throughout Maryland or visit us online at http://www.portnerandshure.com/Personal-Injury/