When Baltimore residents are on the road, tragedy can strike when individuals least expect it. This was the case recently for a couple of Maryland police officers who were struck by another driver while on the job.

The officers were in the process of investigating an armed robbery at a convenience store when a woman failed to go around their stopped patrol car that had its emergency lights on. When the woman's car struck the rear of the vehicle, one of the officers was injured, while the other was injured after he had to jump down an embankment to avoid being hit by the woman's car.

Both troopers were sent to the hospital with their injuries, as well as with the woman who struck the officers. An accident investigation is currently underway to determine the cause of the car collision.

The above case illustrates how individuals can be injured in an auto accident with little to no warning. In these circumstances, the person may not even realize what hit them, or how the accident occurred.

Fortunately, other evidence can help demonstrate the other driver was negligent, which allows the injured person to obtain compensation in a personal injury lawsuit. There may have been other witnesses to the accident, for example, who can pin down what happened in the moments leading up to the crash.

There may also be details left at the scene of the crash that can provide clues as to what happened, including skid marks and damage assessments that show how the accident played out. Expert witnesses can use this information to reconstruct the accident and determine how it occurred. Ultimately, with the evidence in hand showing the other driver was negligent, the injured party may get back on their feet with an award of damages.

Baltimore residents who have been involved in an auto accident know how suddenly the incident can arise, seemingly out of nowhere. One minute, a person is driving down the road and going about his or her daily life, and the next, he or she may be seriously injured in an auto accident and clinging to life.

For instance, two people were recently left in critical condition after a car hit a pickup truck in Maryland. After the car hit the truck on its right rear side, both vehicles went into a spin, and the car ultimately overturned on the roadway. As a result, the driver of the car was ejected from the vehicle, while the truck came to rest off the road in a wooded area. Both drivers had to be taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, although an accident investigation is underway to determine the precise cause of the crash.

Unfortunately, while the personal injuries suffered by individuals in a car accident can be sudden and immediate, the road to recovery, and the ability to recover damages from the other party, may not be as quick. Lawsuits take time, and before any case proceeds to trial, evidence must be gathered and exchanged between the parties through a process called discovery.

In discovery, both parties can request information from the other side, including answers to questions regarding what happened in the incident or demanding that the other party admit to certain matters. Parties may also request that the other side produce certain documents. Finally, parties may take depositions of the other side, where the other party must testify under oath and answer questions put before them.

Understandably, this exchange of information takes some time to complete. At the same time, attorneys are developing their legal theories for the case, should it proceed to trial. Despite the time involved, at the end of the day, individuals injured in an auto accident can obtain relief for their injuries and move on with their lives with the help of the legal system.

A man was left with life-threatening injuries after he was struck by a car while crossing a road, and Maryland State Police have asked for the public's help in tracking down the hit-and-run driver responsible. The accident occurred at about 10 p.m. on a recent Friday, right in front of a Starbucks coffee shop near the intersection of Route 50 and Elm Street in West Ocean City.

Witnesses told police they saw a red Ford pick-up truck strike the pedestrian and then continue eastbound on Route 50. Police said the truck likely has damage to its driver side front fender and headlight area. They are asking anyone with information about the accident or the driver to contact Maryland State Police at the Berlin barrack.

When Maryland residents are injured in a car accident caused by another negligent driver, they may be compensated for medical expenses, lost wages and other damages through a personal injury lawsuit. This becomes more difficult after hit-and-run accidents when the driver responsible cannot be found. However, with the public's help, and with various technologies available, Maryland police often - if not always - can find the responsible driver. And when the police do find them, hit-and-run drivers face criminal penalties.

To be compensated in a personal injury lawsuit, those injured in a traffic accident must show that their damages were the result of the other person's negligence. Drivers act negligently when they fail to exercise the same level of care that a reasonable person would under similar circumstances. The fact that a driver fled the scene of an accident can be used as evidence to support a finding of negligence. Maryland residents who have been hurt due to another driver's negligence should get help understanding how the laws apply to their unique set of circumstances

Baltimore area residents understand that one of their most important rights is to have a trial by jury. While this is an important Constitutional right in criminal cases, it can be vital in civil cases as well, as individuals may request that a jury hear their case and determine fault when personal injury occurs.

Because of this, many entities may try to avoid jury trials, for fear of what will happen once the jury hears evidence and makes a determination. One popular way of getting around a jury is to try to compel arbitration, which is a process of resolving a dispute outside the traditional legal system. Arbitration can be unpopular with plaintiffs because a third person gets to decide the dispute, which may be binding and have little, if any, rights to appeal.

Courts have varied in their enforcement of arbitration clauses. Recently, for example, a court threw out an agreement signed by a patient with a surgeon which required the patient to go to arbitration in the event of a surgical error. The court concluded the agreement violated public policy, and therefore the plaintiff, who suffered complications after a hernia surgery, could not be compelled to go to arbitration.

The agreement also tried to limit the damages available to the plaintiff, something that is frequently an issue in medical malpractice cases. Even in the court system, some states limit the amount of damages available to a plaintiff in a medical malpractice case, although the limits may pertain to particular types of damages.

Ultimately, individuals may be confused when presented with the potential for arbitration and limitations on damage awards. Accordingly, it is best to work with a qualified attorney to determine how to handle these issues, and how to be compensated for the injury they sustained at the hands of a physician.

When Baltimore residents sustain serious injury, the first concern is getting the medical attention and care that are necessary to treat the injuries. After that, however, the questions often turn to try to figure out how the accident happened and who might be at fault.

In most accidents, at least one party is at fault, meaning their actions caused the accident. However, determining whether one is at fault for an auto accident is sometimes not as easy as it may seem. As a legal matter, the question often revolves around which driver was less careful than the other. That person may be held liable for compensating the other party for their injuries.

Take, for example, a recent Maryland accident that occurred during the morning between a truck and a motorcycle. The 23-year-old motorcyclist was driving along the road when he swerved to avoid a stopped vehicle. A truck that was nearby failed to stop, and struck the motorcyclist, sending the motorcyclist to the hospital in critical condition.

At the present time, authorities indicated they did not believe the truck driver was at fault for the auto accident. Yet, whether the truck driver would be considered a negligent driver in a personal injury lawsuit may be another matter, as the determination would revolve around how careful the truck driver acted before striking the motorcyclist.

xOf course, the motorcyclist may have also been at fault for the accident, being as though he swerved out of his lane to avoid another car. Accordingly, even if he could prove the truck driver was negligent, the damages the motorcycle rider would recover might be reduced by the percentage of his fault. The case illustrates how one who is injured in an auto accident needs to be mindful of the standard of proof in a negligence case, and how the law works when one or more people may be liable for another's injuries.

With the summer season almost officially here, many Baltimore residents are enjoying the outdoors as much as they can. One favorite outdoor activity enjoyed by many is going for a motorcycle ride. As many motorcycle enthusiasts are well aware, it remains vital to drive safely on a motorcycle, especially in light of the many drivers who fail to see motorcycles on the road.

Recently, this was learned all too tragically when a New Baltimore man was killed while driving his motorcycle. The man, a reserve officer with the police department, was riding his bike northbound when he was struck by a 64-year-old man who was turning left at an intersection. While both men were taken to the hospital, the motorcycle driver was killed as a result of the accident. The other man remains hospitalized, but sustained non-life threatening injuries.

Commonly, individuals on motorcycles are injured in an auto accident when they fail to wear their helmet. In the case above, the man actually was wearing his helmet at the time of the crash, but still died in the accident.

The distinction between wearing a helmet or not, aside from usually impacting a person's safety, can also impact their ability to recover full damages in a lawsuit against a negligent driver. A number of states mandate helmet use, and sometimes, a person's failure to wear a helmet may be seen as contributory negligence on the part of the motorcycle driver in the crash. Accordingly, while the other driver may still be liable, the contributory negligence can reduce an award of damages.

Ultimately, whether contributory negligence exists will depend on the facts of each case. Accordingly, individuals injured in a motorcycle accident should work with a qualified personal injury attorney to determine how to best recover damages for their injuries.