Anne Arundel County Accident Injures 3 and Driver Dies

A family was resting on a bench from a bicycle ride on Sunday, August 8, 2010, when a car crashed into them near Russett Green West and Ridgemoor Drive in Laurel, Maryland in Anne Arundel County. The couple was sitting on the bench with their two twin boys when a car struck a light pole and then continued on to strike the bench where they were sitting.

The operator of the vehicle, 63 year old, Ms. Ramota Oluyemisi Koletowo was rushed to the hospital where she later died.  The 36 year old man was flown to Shock Trauma and his 38 year old wife was transported to Johns Hopkins Hospital and their 4 year old son was rushed to Johns Hopkins Pediatric with head injuries.  Their second child was not injured. Police are still investigating the crash to determine whether it was fatigue or a medical emergency that contributed to the fatal car accident as Ms. Koletowo was on her way home from working an overnight shift.



The family injured in this accident is entitled to certain benefits from the driver's insurance company, that will cover some of their medical expenses and/or lost wage claim, resulting from  this accident.  These benefits are known as Personal Injury Protection benefits.  They would also be entitled to make a claim for bodily injuries in addition to pain and suffering against the deceased driver.   However, it would need to be determined if the driver was experiencing a medical emergency and whether the driver had prior knowledge of this medical condition that could put them or others at risk.  It is important in these types of accident, that you obtain the help of an experienced  Maryland personal injury lawyer who has handled "sudden emergency defenses."        

If you, a family member or someone you know has been involved in a car accident or you need more information on car accidents or sudden emergency defenses, please contact Portner & Shure for a free consultation with one of our Maryland  personal injury lawyers.

Fatal Pedestrian Accident in Carroll County

In early May, a Finksburg, Maryland woman was killed when she was struck by a vehicle on Bethel Road in Carrol County. The woman was said to have been chasing after her dog who had run into the street. She was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the vehicle has not been charged with an offense.

In this unfortunate situation, the key inquiry 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 or someone you know has been injured as the result of a pedestrian related car accident and would like a free legal consultation, please contact Portner & Shure. Maryland accident lawyers are here to answer any questions that you may have.

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.

Fatal Pedestrian Accident

On Monday, April 26, 2010, there was a fatal accident on Interstate 95 in Cecil County, Maryland. The Maryland State Police said they believe that the victim, Lamar Stanford, was driving his car on Interstate 95 when he struck a guardrail. Police said that they believe Mr. Stanford exited his vehicle and attempted to cross Interstate 95 on foot when he was struck by another vehicle traveling northbound. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the vehicle who struck him suffered bodily injuries and was taken to Union Memorial Hospital.

The police further noted that they do not believe that there are any contributing factors from the driver of the vehicle who struck Stanford. Contributing factors such as speed or alcohol do not appear to be an issue here.

The key inquiry in any pedestrian related 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.

Minor accidents often turn into serious when people leave their vehicles after the impact and walk on, or stay too close to the roadway. Respect the fact that drivers often are not paying attention. This fact leads to fender benders. It can lead to death if you are a person walking on or near a roadway.

If you, a family member, or someone you know has been injured as the result of a pedestrian related accident, or if you would like more information on automobile collisions, please contact Portner & Shure for a free legal consultation. Our Maryland personal injury lawyers are available to assist you.

Hit and Run Accident Results in 10-year Sentence

In February of 2009, Thomas Rouleau was killed as a result of an automobile accident that occurred at McDaniel College in Carroll County Maryland. The 19-year-old student and four of his friends where struck by a pick up truck near the college campus. The passengers in the vehicle with Mr. Rouleau sustained bodily injuries. Charges were pressed against the driver of the pick up and a Carroll County Circuit Court judge ruled in March 2010 that he was guilty of negligent manslaughter.

Whenever any collision occurs with an automobile, it is a crime to flee the scene of an accident. Criminal charges can be filed against you as they were in this case and there are severe penalties associated with charges of this nature. The guilty finding will most likely be admissible in any civil lawsuit that stems from the automobile accident.

In the event that the "at fault" party is located, if they are proven to the cause of the accident, then claims for property damage, bodily injuries, lost wages and pain and suffering can be brought against them. However, in most hit and run collisions, the "at fault" party often does not have auto insurance. In this situation a claim can still be pursued against your uninsured motorist coverage. In these cases, your automobile insurance rates will not rise.

Our Maryland automobile accident attorneys have experience with dealing with uninsured motorist claims. If you would like a free legal consultation or if you would like more information on car accidents, please contact Portner & Shure.

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.