DC Injury Lawyer Blog

Fatal car accidents are all too common, especially on the highway. These tragic accidents often occur when drivers traveling at high speeds attempt to pass other vehicles. A driver who is not paying attention or forgets to check their blind spot may crash into another vehicle while changing lanes. Sadly, these passing accidents can have serious consequences.

According to a news article, two people were killed in a recent Maryland passing accident. The accident occurred on I-95 when the driver of a Dodge Charger was driving in the right lane and attempted to pass a tractor-trailer. Instead, the Charger rear-ended a Hyundai Elantra. The impact of the crash sent the Charger to the left side of the highway and the Elantra to the right. As a result of the crash, the Elantra caught fire. Sadly, both occupants of the Elantra died from their injuries. The Charger driver was transported to the hospital for his injuries.

How Can You Bring a Maryland Wrongful Death Lawsuit?

After a fatal Maryland passing accident, a deceased victim’s loved ones may choose to bring a wrongful death action to hold the negligent driver responsible for their loved one’s death. In Maryland, a deceased victim’s spouse, parent, or child can bring a wrongful death suit. If none of the deceased’s surviving relatives fit these categories, Maryland law also allows the deceased’s other beneficiaries, who may be related to the deceased by blood or marriage. In Maryland, wrongful death lawsuits carry a three-year statute of limitations. This means loved ones must file a wrongful death action within three years of the deceased victim’s death.

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Too often, car accidents can have devastating consequences for accident victims and their loved ones. If you have lost a loved one in a fatal accident, you may be unsure of what to do next. While nothing will bring your loved one back, it may be helpful to understand your options for bringing a claim against the responsible driver. Doing so may help you obtain compensation for the economic and personal losses you have suffered after a fatal accident.

As a recent news article tragically reported, a woman lost her life after a serious car accident in Mechanicsville, Maryland. According to a preliminary investigation, the accident occurred when a Corvette traveling southbound struck the rear driver side of a Toyota 4Runner. The Corvette driver then hit a Toyota Camry. All three vehicles ran into a berm, causing the Corvette and Camry to roll over and the 4Runner to cross into the northbound lane. Sadly, the Camry driver died at the scene. The Corvette driver was transported to the hospital for his injuries. Police believe that excessive speeding may have contributed to the crash.

Can You Sue a Driver for a Loved One’s Death in Maryland?

Maryland allows a deceased victim’s loved ones to bring a wrongful death lawsuit against the party responsible for the victim’s death. Under Maryland law, the deceased’s relatives can file a wrongful death lawsuit, including their spouse, parents, or children. If the deceased does not have any surviving relatives in these categories, other relatives by blood or marriage may bring a claim if they relied on the deceased financially. Wrongful death lawsuits ensure that a negligent party does not escape responsibility for their actions solely because the victim has died. Consequently, a person can bring a wrongful death suit against a defendant so long as the deceased could have brought a claim had they survived the accident. Anyone bringing a wrongful death lawsuit thus has to prove the same elements of a negligence lawsuit as if the deceased directly sued the defendant. Specifically, plaintiffs must prove the defendant owed the deceased a duty of care, breached that duty through their negligent action or failure to act, caused the fatal accident, and that the deceased passed away as a result.

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Drivers who travel at excessive speeds place other drivers at risk of a serious accident. Driving at high speeds can cause drivers to lose control of their vehicles. As a result, speeding drivers may collide with other vehicles or veer off the road entirely. In addition, bobbing in and out of lanes while speeding makes it harder for other drivers to maintain a safe following distance, potentially leading to a crash.

For example, a recent speeding accident killed six people in Baltimore, Maryland. The accident occurred when a driver was speeding on the highway and collided with another vehicle while attempting to change lanes. The collision caused her car to go through a construction barrier by the shoulder of the highway, striking several workers at the site. Tragically, six construction workers died at the scene. According to a second article on the crash, investigators confirmed that speed was a factor in the fatal accident.

What Damages Are Available After a Maryland Speeding Accident?

After suffering injuries from a Maryland speeding accident, you may choose to bring a negligence lawsuit to recover several types of damages. In negligence suits, the most common type of damages award is compensatory. The intent of compensatory damages is to place the victim in the same position as if the accident had never happened. In Maryland, plaintiffs can seek several forms of compensatory damages. First, they can seek economic damages, which compensate the plaintiff for expenses with a clear dollar amount. For example, economic damages can include the cost of medical treatment or lost wages. Plaintiffs may also be able to sue for lost future earnings if they can prove their injuries harmed their earning potential. Finally, plaintiffs can seek economic damages for harm to their property resulting from the accident, such as a car.

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Too often, car accidents result in severe injury, property damage, or both. In a busy city like Washington, D.C., heavy traffic can lead to vehicle collisions and other crashes on the road. However, recovering damages after a car accident in D.C. can be complicated. A D.C. personal injury attorney can walk you through the complex D.C. laws that govern negligence suits.

As a recent news article reported, a D.C. car accident near the National Zoo injured seven people. The accident occurred when four vehicles collided, shutting down Connecticut Avenue NW. The collision left several people trapped in their vehicles. Seven people were transported to the hospital, three of whom suffered life-threatening injuries. Police are still investigating the cause of the accident.

How Can You Recover Damages After a D.C. Car Accident?

If you suffered injuries after a D.C. car accident, you may be able to recover monetary damages by bringing a negligence lawsuit. To prevail on a negligence claim, an injured plaintiff must prove the defendant owed them a duty of care, breached that duty through their negligent action or failure to act, caused the accident through the defendant’s negligence and that the plaintiff suffered injuries as a consequence. Under D.C. law, plaintiffs can recover damages to compensate for expenses related to their injuries, such as medical bills. In some cases, they can also recover damages related to emotional pain and suffering. Finally, a plaintiff’s spouse can claim damages related to the loss of the plaintiff’s companionship. This type of damages claim is referred to as loss of consortium.

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In the wake of a car accident, each driver has a legal responsibility to render aid and provide identifying information to other individuals that are involved. When one person fails to do this, and instead runs from the scene, that person can end up facing criminal charges for a hit and run. A hit and run can also make it more difficult for victims in car accidents to receive adequate compensation for their injuries, especially if they cannot later find the individual that fled the scene.

In nearby Virginia, police officers are on the hunt for an individual that reportedly ran away after a car crash a couple of weeks ago. The crash happened on a major highway when a Chevrolet collided with an SUV, clogging up the southbound lanes of the highway. As soon as the vehicles crashed, the driver of the Chevrolet exited his vehicle and ran away.

Police are describing this man as a white, middle-aged male with red hair. They are actively looking for him so that they can complete their investigation of the crash and properly determine who was at fault. Officers are also asking community members to be on the lookout and call their office with any possible tips.

Unfortunately, car accidents are never expected, and though they are part of the hazard of being on the road, they are always unwelcome interruptions. However, these accidents are especially jarring when they come out of a seemingly freak or unusual circumstance.

Recently, a car crash in Maryland caused an uproar after a student journalist shared photos online of the incident soon after it happened. Apparently, a driver was going through a high-traffic spot in Prince George’s County at approximately 40 miles per hour when it ran straight into a local house. In the photos, viewers can see the car flipped upside down with half of its body inside the home. Over 200 people gathered at the scene within 15-20 minutes, shortly after fire trucks and police cars arrived to begin assessing the damage.

Somehow, neither the driver nor anyone in the home was injured in the accident. There was, however, extensive damage done to both the house and the car. It is unclear whether any arrests have been made in connection with the incident. Investigators have so far found no proof of foul play, but the accident has caused an uproar due to its unusual nature and the sensational photos that have been shared.

When a driver flees the scene of an accident, they are leaving a victim helpless. Without stopping to provide aid to the victim, drivers who commit a hit and run are delaying the necessary medical intervention that could be the difference between life or death for the victim. Given the damage hit and runs can inflict on victims and their loved ones, drivers who flee the scene of an accident often face criminal charges. Additionally, hit and run victims or their families may bring a civil suit to recover damages for their injuries.

Recently, a news article reported that a series of hit-and-runs led to a pedestrian’s death in Prince George’s County, Maryland. According to Maryland state police, the victim had parked his vehicle on the side of the road to speak with his passenger. During their conversation, the passenger walked toward I-95. As the victim tried to pull her back, he was struck by a car, which then fled the scene. Then, as he lay injured, a tractor-trailer struck him. Like the first vehicle, the tractor trailer fled the scene. Finally, a third vehicle struck the victim. This time, the driver pulled over and dialed 9-1-1. After being struck three times by three different vehicles, the victim sadly died from his injuries.

What Are the Criminal and Civil Penalties for Maryland Hit and Runs?

Under Maryland law, if a victim dies after a hit and run, the driver is guilty of a felony. As punishment for this crime, Maryland imposes a maximum ten-year prison sentence or a $5,000 fine, or both. If the driver is a repeat offender, he or she could face a fifteen-year prison sentence or a $10,000 fine, or both. Additionally, a driver who flees the scene of an accident may also face civil fines in a negligence lawsuit. Even if a driver is convicted of criminal charges, a victim can still bring a lawsuit for civil damages.

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Elderly drivers, or drivers aged 70 and up, share the road with drivers who may be as young as age 16 in some states. The risk of severe injury after a car accident can be substantial for any driver or passenger in a car, but this risk may be particularly important to point out for elderly drivers and passengers. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2020 there were almost 48 million licensed drivers aged 65 and older in the United States. Additionally, the CDC reported that drivers aged 70 and up have higher crash death rates per 1,000 crash than middle-aged drivers (aged 35-54) primarily due to increased vulnerability to injury in a crash.

According to a devastating recent news report, a fatal two-vehicle accident occurred in Frederick County, Maryland. An 89-year-old driver was traveling north on Harmony Road and attempted to cross U.S. Route 40, at which a Chevrolet pickup truck was traveling east on U.S. Route 40 through the intersection. Both vehicles crashed into each other at the intersection and the 89-year-old driver was declared deceased at the scene. The other driver was transported by a helicopter to a shock trauma center for his injuries. In addition, the road was closed for approximately three hours after the crash. Maryland State Police are investigating the cause of the crash.

Tips for Staying Safe on the Road

In action-packed movies, you’ll often observe high-speed car chases involving police officers and other individuals, the type of movie scene that may be exciting and attention-grabbing. In reality, when officers are involved in high-speed chases, it can lead to serious injuries for the individuals being chased, as well as bystanders and those not involved in the chase. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there was a relatively large increase in 2021 compared to 2020 in “fatalities in speeding-related crashes” – increasing by 5 percent. In addition, in areas with more traffic congestion, especially in heavily populated cities, driving above the speed limit can be even riskier.

According to a recent news report, a deadly crash occurred in Baltimore, Maryland, and is still under investigation. A 17-year-old teenager was driving a Honda CR-V before colliding with other vehicles near an intersection. Multiple people were injured during the crash, with some individuals being taken to the hospital. Unfortunately, the 17-year-old did not survive the crash. Two officers from the Baltimore Police Department are being investigated for the role they may have played in the collision, although it is still unclear why the officers were initially investigating the Honda CR-V.

Bringing Wrongful Death Claims in Maryland: Things to Consider

In Maryland, specific family members are able to bring a lawsuit against the driver who was at fault in the accident, allowing the family to recover damages. Damages can include monetary relief for pain and suffering, as well as economic loss due to the death of the loved one (which can include the loss of future earnings). When deciding whether to bring a wrongful death claim, it is important to consult with an experienced attorney in the area who has expertise in the law and can help you navigate the complexities of your claims.

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