Bus Accidents, Unlike Car Accidents,Often Occur Without Any Collision

Obviously, the chances for other accidents to occur on board a bus loaded with passengers is greater. Such was the case in a recent accident in Timonium in Baltimore County, Maryland. In this incident, the bus was transporting a special needs child home, from a Baltimore County School, Villa Maria at St. Vincent's School in Timonium, Maryland. After getting in a fight with one boy, the child then tried to leave the bus via the front door. Aides stopped him, there were two adult aides on the bus. However, neither was apparently able to stop this speedy six year old from then running to the back, opening the door and falling out of a moving bus. Negligence may rise here not from a collision, but from the aides inability to apparently supervise and care for the children. Seems to be a real hot issue since they were on notice that the special needs child was upset and tried to get off the moving bus via the front door.

If you have been involved in an automobile accident or bus 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 or visit us on the web at www.portnerandshure.com. 

Negligence on a School Bus

More facts have been revealed concerning the bus accident in Timonium, Maryland, in Baltimore County which we blogged on recently. In the blog, we questioned whether a 6 year old special needs child could have been stopped before he opened the back door of the bus and fell to his death. We raised the question as to whether the aides on the bus were negligent for failure to provide adequate supervision.

Interestingly, the school system fired the two aides who were on the bus transporting the student from his Baltimore County School to his home. Further, the bus drivers license was also disqualified.

All these actions may help in the future but certainly don't do a thing to rectify the apparent negligent care of the adults on the bus. First, they were on notice that the boy was already trying to get out of a moving bus (he had tried to get out the front). Second, he wasn't in a harness that the state mandated educated plan required him to have. The family is seeking answers. A lawsuit in the Baltimore County Circuit Court will ultimately provide them.

If you have been involved in an automobile accident or bus 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 or visit us on the web at www.portnerandshure.com. 

Pedestrian Killed: When Is a Pedestrian at Fault for an Accident?

At the beginning of the month a woman was killed while crossing Bel Air Road in Baltimore County, Maryland. The Baltimore County Police Department spokesperson indicated that the woman appeared to have been trying to outrun the vehicle to get to the other side of the road when she was struck. The woman was taken to Maryland Shock Trauma where she was pronounced dead. The driver of the vehicle immediately stopped and notified police of the accident.

An accident reconstructionist could help the investigating officers determine what happened. Weather conditions, speed of the vehicle, time of day (i.e. was it dark, lighting?), physical evidence such as skid marks are taken into consideration when an accident is being investigated. An accident reconstructionist should be called in fatal or serious motor vehicle and pedestrian accidents.

There is an abundance of laws in Maryland that address situations involving pedestrians that are injured by an automobile. The key inquiry in such accidents is 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.

If you, a family member, or someone you know has been involved in a pedestrian related car accident, or if you would like more information on automobile accidents, please contact Portner & Shure for a free consultation. Our Maryland Accident Lawyers are available to provide you with a free legal consultation.

Hit and Run Accident Involving a Police Officer

Government officials are not immune from auto collisions. Recently in Baltimore County a police officer was struck by a dark colored Honda that attempted to make a U-Turn on Eastern Boulevard in Baltimore County, Maryland. The driver of the Honda struck the passenger side of the officer's patrol car and did not stop. The police officer was injured and taken to Johns Hopkins Bayview Hospital in Baltimore City where he was treated and released.

When you are involved in an automobile collision, you have an obligation to stop. Failure to do so could result criminal charges being brought against you. In the event that you are struck by a vehicle that does not have insurance, a claim can still be pursued under the uninsured motorist coverage.

If you, a family member, or someone you know has been injured as the result of an automobile accident with a government official 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.