Deadly Silver Spring, MD Accident: Tractor Trailer Crushes Woman in SUV

           Early Monday morning, a woman was killed in a horrific accident on Cherry Hill Road in Silver Spring, Maryland.  A woman and another passenger were in an SUV which collided with a USPS tractor trailer that flipped over on top of their vehicle.  The passenger in the SUV was rescued from the SUV and taken to the hospital in serious condition.  Sadly, the driver of the SUV did not survive the crash.  The truck driver only suffered minor injuries.  Police continue to investigate the accident to determine the cause and which party was at fault.

            

           We see this all the time with tractor trailer-involved accidents.  The size, power, and force of a large truck are a danger on the roadway for anyone in a typical car, truck, SUV, or motorcycle.  Deadly accidents involving tractor trailers occur far too often.  The truck drivers are not always at fault, however.  Sometimes, other drivers do not drive cautiously around tractor trailers and are the ones to cause an accident.  Drivers cannot assume that the truck driver can see them, therefore, it is best to be very cautious when trying to drive close to a tractor trailer.  Other times, the truck drivers are negligent in causing an accident because they are using their cell phone while driving, speeding, or driving drowsy.  Just remember to be careful when driving near tractor trailers—they have larger blind spots, make wide turns, and cannot stop as suddenly as cars and other vehicles.

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

Litigation News August 2015

            Portner & Shure recently won $20,735 for a client injured in a Maryland car accident in Montgomery County.  Our client was hit at a red light and there was a dispute as to whether a lane change caused the crash.  We had an independent witness to the accident, yet the Defendant’s insurance carrier denied liability and never made a settlement offer.  Our client’s total medical costs were just over $6000.  Counsel for the Defendant refused to concede liability and just proceed on the damages only at trial.  The Court found the Defendant liable.  Our trial attorney in this case was Kevin Ruby. 

Close to 10,000 Stopped Over Memorial Day Weekend by Police in Maryland

           Police officers across Maryland were cracking down on impaired, distracted, speeding, and seatbeltless drivers over Memorial Day Weekend.  Over, 9,500 vehicles were stopped, with 6,843 traffic citations doled out, 4,764 warnings, and 99 arrested for impaired driving.  Police along the busy routes to the beaches issued close to 700 speeding citations, 91 citations for other offenses, such as seatbelt usage and cell phone use.  Surprisingly, only two people were arrested for impaired driving, which is welcome news in Maryland, especially because there has been a major increase in drunk drivers on Maryland’s roadways.

            In terms of accidents across the state over the holiday weekend, there were about 100 crashes, and fortunately, only one fatality.  One traffic-related death is still one too many, but is definitely good news to see such a small number for a holiday weekend with a record number of travelers.  Maryland police and the Maryland State Highway Administration have had a campaign and plan in place to make sure there are zero deaths on Maryland’s roadways.  Police will continue to increase patrols along highways and major roadways to combat traffic accidents as much as possible.  The more impaired and distracted drivers that police can stop before they hurt someone else, the safer Maryland’s roads will be.

            Remember that during the summer, the number of drivers who make the irresponsible decision to drink and drive increases significantly.  Police specifically increase their DUI patrols during the summer months to try and combat the problem.  But it is impossible for police to catch everyone.  Always be cautious when you are driving and aware of your surroundings. 

            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/Personal-Injury/

 

Ford Recalls Over Half a Million Vehicles in the U.S.

            The recall is for steering issues mainly, but there are a smaller number of issues due to complications with other parts of the affected vehicles.  The largest group of cars affected includes Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ sedans from model years 2013-2015, as well as 2015 Ford Edge Crossover vehicles.  This group of cars is affected by potential steering issues where gear motor attachment bolts may break due to corrosion.  If this happens, manual steering would take over and it would be very difficult to steer, especially at slower speeds.  When this happens, the risk of an accident increases substantially.  Thankfully, no accidents or injuries have been reported as a result of this specific issue.  If you have an affected vehicle, take it to your Ford or Lincoln dealer and they will replace the bolts and steering gear at no cost to you.

            Other issues are affecting 2014 model year Ford Focus, Edge, Escape, and Transit Connect vehicles, as well as 2014-2015 Ford Fiesta cars.  These vehicles have a nickel plating issue that could cause the fuel pump to seize, which means the vehicle might not start or could stall while driving.  So far, there has been one such case where this has happened to a driver.  Again, dealers will take care of this issue by replacing the fuel delivery module. 

            2015 Lincoln MKZ sedans are also affected by parking lamps being too bright for regulations and negatively affecting the vision of oncoming drivers.  Software in the vehicle contributes to this problem and dealers will fix the software to lower the intensity and brightness of the lights.  The last issue affects 2015 Ford F-150 trucks.  There is a potential that the underbody heat shield could lead to a fire.  So far, no incidents have been reported due to the bright lights or the fire hazard for trucks.

            Vehicle recalls are very serious because of the increased risk of accidents and injuries.  It is important for car owners to get these recall issues repaired as soon as possible for their own safety and the safety of others on the road.  If injury occurs as a result of the defective parts in your vehicle, you may be entitled to several legal remedies, including:

• Economic damages: you may be able to recoup lost value of the car's resale value. You may also be able to recover for loss of use of the car
• Personal injury recovery: if the defective automobile resulted in physical injuries to you, you may be able to recover for the costs associated with the injury
• Class action: If the recall has affected enough numbers of consumers, a class action lawsuit might be an available option
• Manufacturer reimbursement: Some auto manufacturers may voluntarily pay repair bills the defective product caused before the recall.

  Sometimes, however, you may need to initiate litigation to be compensated for your financial as well as your physical losses. At Portner & Shure, we have handled these cases for over twenty years for Maryland and Virginia injury victims. We have the experience and technical resources to analyze your auto accident case, answer your questions, and pursue the compensation you deserve.  Call us today to schedule an appointment at one of our many office locations for your free case evaluation at (301) 854-9000 or visit us online at: http://www.portnerandshure.com/Personal-Injury/

Terrible Traffic Congestion on I-95 in Baltimore to Last 8 Months

Construction on I-95 from Caton Avenue to the Fort McHenry Tunnel will begin March 29 and last until Thanksgiving.  Over the 8 month period, drivers should expect very heavy traffic congestion with several lane shifts and lane closures.  Last year, the same construction project led to “13 shifts in traffic patterns” and “caused major headaches for commuters.”  Maryland Transportation Authority (MdTA) officials are warning that “this year will be far worse—with 29 such shifts scheduled.”  Officials expect the problems to be so severe that MdTA officials asked employers “to allow workers to change their hours to avoid peak travel periods, which are from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.”

With these new traffic patterns coming, including numerous lane shifts and closures, drivers must be even more cautious and aware of where they are going in order to avoid accidents.  The construction project 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.  Last year, several drivers were confused by the new traffic patterns and a multitude of accidents and massive traffic jams ensued.  Drivers who use I-95 for their commute everyday will remember last August when new traffic patterns arose and the electronic message boards told drivers the incorrect instructions about how to proceed.  That problem led to what some called “the worst I’ve seen it due to road construction.”

To help drivers through this difficult period, the MdTA will post updates to traffic patterns on Twitter with the hashtag #i95bmore and messages will be posted on the electronic message boards.

Two of those 29 traffic pattern shifts will begin one week from March 29, and MdTA officials expect it to have “particularly large effects on traffic.”  On the Northbound side, “lanes are to be split—three to the left and one to the right—from Hanover Street to Key Highway.”  Therefore, all drivers who need to exit onto any of those streets must be in the far right lane.  On the Southbound side, “lanes will be split—two to the left and two to the right—from Key Highway to south of the I-395 on-ramp.”  And again, if you must exit onto one of those streets, you must be in the far right lane.

While this will be a frustrating time for many drivers trying to get to and from work, everyone needs to remain calm and drive safely so as not to put other drivers at risk or construction workers at risk.

If you or someone you love has been injured in a car accident or has died as a result of their injury suffered in a Maryland crash, and would like more information, please call us at (301) 854-9000 for a free case evaluation or visit us online at: http://www.portnerandshure.com/Auto-Accidents/Car-Accidents/