Minor Accident in Prince George's County Becomes Fatality

A minor car accident for two men ends in tragedy in Prince George's County, Maryland. The accident occurred in Adelphi on February 1, 2010, at the intersection of Riggs Road and Forest Dale Drive. The men had pulled their respective vehicles onto the shoulder of Riggs Road to exchange insurance information. While exchanging information, a third car being driven by a Beltsville woman struck both men and their parked vehicles. Both men were pronounced dead at the scene.

The woman driving the 2005 Cadillac SUV was arrested at the scene and it is believed that she will be charged with vehicular manslaughter. Sources close to the investigation confirm alcohol was a major factor in this tragic accident.

This was a senseless tragedy that could have been avoided. The families of these victims are entitled to recover for their losses. They have the right to make a claim against the drunk driver's insurance for wrongful death, in addition to personal injury protection benefits from that driver's policy since they were not in their vehicles at the time of the accident. There might also be death benefits available to them. It is important to have an attorney who is familiar with tort claims and will aggressively pursue all available benefits for the family of the deceased. Portner & Shure has handled hundreds of claims of this magnitude with excellent results.

If you, a family member, or someone you know has been injured or died in a motor vehicle accident wherein alcohol was involved or you would like more information on car accidents, please contact Portner & Shure for a free consultation.

Million Dollar Verdict in Prince George's County Car Accident

In December of 2007 a college student from the University of Maryland was on his way to take a final exam when his vehicle was struck by a police officer. As a result of the collision the University of Maryland student was killed. The family of the decedent filed suit against the Prince George's County Police Department stating that it was negligent. Prince George's County argued that the student was contributory negligent. A civil jury found in favor of the decedent's family and awarded $4 Million dollars in damages.

It is important to note that Maryland recognizes contributory negligence. This means thatif you are found to be at least partially (or at least 1%) at fault, you cannot recover for your damages.

The award of compensation was later reduced to substantially due to the Local Government Tort Claims Act. This law states that the exposure of local government agencies are limited to $200,000 per individual claim or $500,000.00 for total claims for the same accident. Therefore,although the Court may have awarded compensation for the family of the decedent, the award was substantially reduced to the current rules and regulations.

If you, a family member, or someone you know has been injured in an automobile accident with a government vehicle or if you would like more information on car accidents, please contact Portner & Shure for a free consultation.

Serious Single Vehicle Accident Kills Three in Prince George's County

In April 2009, there was a horrible accident that occurred in Laurel, Maryland, which claimed the lives of three people and injured a fourth. The single vehicle accident occurred near Muirkirk Road in Prince George's County, Maryland. The driver of the vehicle lost control of the vehicle struck a utility pole and fire hydrant.

In the event that a driver of a vehicle may be at fault for the accident, that fact does not prevent a passenger from pursuing a claim when bodily injuries are involved, or in this case a tragic death. A passenger, or the family of a passenger, may pursue a claim against the driver's insurance policy. Death benefit coverage can be paid in the event a death should occur as the result of an accident. This benefit generally ranges from $1,000.00 to $5,000.00. In addition to death benefits, it is possible to also pursue personal injury protection benefits, which could aid a family in medical expenses and/or funeral costs. It is important to review the terms of your policy to verify whether or not your policy has such a benefit.

If you, a family member, or someone you know has been killed or injured in a motor vehicle accident or you would like more information on car accidents please contact Portner & Shure for a free consultation.

Major Verdict Rendered in Prince George's County Car Accident Case

A Prince George's County jury has awarded a $4.1 million verdict to the estate and family of a 20 year old male killed in a December 2007 accident.

Plaintiff David Gray was driving to the University of Maryland to attend classes when his vehicle was struck by a police cruiser.  The police cruiser had crossed a double yellow line and collided with the Plaintiff's vehicle, causing the vehicle to be sent airborne across the street.  Paramedics quickly arrived to the scene and transferred the Plaintiff to the Prince George's County Hospital Center, where he subsequently died from injuries sustained in the accident.   

The Plaintiff's mother filed suit on her son's behalf against the Defendant, an off-duty police officer with the Prince George's County Police Department.  In asserting that the Defendant negligently operated his vehicle, the Plaintiff's estate alleged that the Defendant was driving at twice the 25 mile per hour speed limit, that the Defendant was text messaging while driving his vehicle, and that the Defendant was under the influence of alcohol he had consumed the night before.  The jury agreed with the Plaintiff's assertions, and awarded a total verdict of $4.1 million dollars.  Of the $4.1 million awarded, $3.6 million went to the estate of the deceased, $500,000 to the Plaintiff's mother for pain and suffering, $35,000 for past medical expenses and $5,000 for funeral expenses. 

There are a few key points worthy of mention in this case.  It is very curious that the fact that the Defendant had been drinking the night before was not discovered until he was deposed during the civil case.  The Defendant apparently was not asked by his fellow Prince George's County officers arriving on the scene whether he had consumed alcohol the previous evening.  According to the deposition, the Defendant stated that he had drank 3 to 5 Corona's the night before the accident prior to going to sleep at 3 a.m.  The accident occurred just 4 hours after he had gone to sleep, making it entirely possible that the Defendant was still under the influence at the time of the accident.  The Washington Post examined the alcohol consumption issue in this case in greater detail. 

Another interesting point is that texting was used as a means to demonstrate negligent driving.  The Plaintiff's counsel in this case actually brought in an AT&T representative to testify that there was a data transfer from the Defendant's phone at the time of the accident.  I think that the use of texting to show negligent driving in car accident cases may be something we see more and more. 

If you have been in a car, truck or motorcycle accident and believe the person that struck you was at fault, you should contact an experienced attorney.  The attorneys at Portner & Shure many years of experience representing accident victims in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia.  Contact us for a free consultation.