Maryland Accident Law Blog

School District to Pay $90 Million for Wrongful Death of 13-Year-Old

April 22, 2013 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

According to news reports, last week a Maryland jury awarded $90 million to a family who lost their 13-year-old daughter 4 years ago. The wrongful death verdict, reached by a jury of six, is one of the largest in the court’s history.

The girl was struck by a Lincoln Continental when she was crossing Brinkley Road near Fisher Road in Temple Hills. The driver then hit another vehicle, as well as another young pedestrian who was walking on the other side of the street. The family sued the Prince George’s County Board of Education, where the girl was a freshman student, two weeks after the September 2009 crash, when she died as a result of her injuries.

The family alleged that the school system did not provide a safe bus stop for students, and further that the bus driver “persistently negligently failed to stop at the appropriate stop,” which resulted in the girl trying to ride a different school bus on the other side of the street. This meant she had to cross the street in order to be picked up.

Apparently parents in the district have expressed their concern for years regarding unsafe routes and late school buses. In some cases, due to budget cuts children are expected to walk 1-1.5 miles to school due to lack of busing services.

The school is expected to appeal the decision.

3 Year Old Killed in Maryland Garage Door Accident

April 15, 2013 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

A terrible garage door accident led to the accidental killing of a 3 year old girl in Maryland earlier this month.

The girl was apparently left unattended for a short period of time, during which it is believed that she began playing around with the remote control for the garage door. It is being speculated that she was opening and closing the door repeatedly when she eventually somehow became trapped under it as it came down on top of her.

When the mother found her the little girl she was still alive, although pinned under the door. Emergency services were called immediately, and the girl was transported to a local hospital, but tragically, she later died of the injuries she had suffered. It is believed that the little girl died from asphyxiation.

Police have confirmed that there has been no indication of foul play, and are accordingly treating the death as a tragic accident, and are investigating the circumstances of the death. Specifically, they suspect a malfunction with the sensors on the door, which are designed to stop the motor should anything be detected under the door. The door was reportedly one that was equipped with sensors that should have stopped before hitting or crushing anything.

Man Receives 10 Year Sentence For Deadly DUI in Potential Wrongful Death Case

April 8, 2013 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Last week a Missouri man received a heavy sentence for his role in a tragic car accident that he allegedly caused in September of 2011. He received a sentence of 10 years in prison for his role in the DWI crash that killed two people and injured five. The defendant pleaded guilty in November to the charges, which included two counts of involuntary manslaughter and five counts of second-degree assault.

Based on the evidence at the scene and witness accounts, the police estimate that the man was driving nearly 100 miles per hour when the collision occurred. His car rear ended the Chevy Tahoe, containing the two men and other passengers, which caused the Tahoe to flip over several times.

He received a 10 year sentence for each count of involuntary manslaughter and seven years for each of the five counts of second-degree assault. The 17 months which he has already served in jail will be counted as time served, and all of the sentences will be served concurrently.

The assistant prosecuting attorney in the case said that 10 years was the heaviest sentence he had ever seen in a DWI and involuntary manslaughter case, adding that, “Part of it was that he had a prior DWI, and the fact that he killed two people and injured five.” He also stated that under Missouri law, the man must serve at least 85 percent of his sentence before becoming eligible for parole.

Although the outcome in this particular case addresses the sentencing reached as a result of the criminal justice system, the families in this case also likely have wrongful death claims against the driver in this tragic car accident.

Tragic Maryland Heights Mine Collapse Kills Employee

March 27, 2013 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

A 61-year-old man was involved in a tragic accident that occurred at the Fred Weber rock quarry in Maryland Heights Missouri last Wednesday, which left the man dead. He was a 24-year veteran with the company.

According to reports, at around 5 p.m. on Wednesday March 27, a routine rock-blasting operation caused an accident in the north quarry which resulted in a major rock slide, trapping the man below many tons of rock. Video footage shows the immense amount of rock that came crashing down.

According to a spokesperson for the company, the man was confirmed to have been killed by a routine rock blasting operation, when he was buried under several tons of rock.

Shortly after the accident occurred, EMS arrived on the scene to try and rescue the man, and fire crews were present to investigate the cause of the accident. Fred Weber Inc. said in a statement that it had notified the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), and that it plans to cooperate fully with their investigation.

Accidents such as this one are not uncommon in construction site and related activities. These types of practices are considered ultrahazardous because they carry such a high associated risk. While not all construction site jobs pose as much danger as in this case, because of the nature of the work, there is still a great potential for workers to suffer from a personal injury or wrongful death.

Maryland Legislators Debate Law That Would Help Dog Bite Victims

March 22, 2013 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Towards the end of last month, Maryland legislators began the process of passing a bill to address whether or not pit bulls should continue to be singled out as inherently aggressive, thus impacting the potential liability that their owners face in a lawsuit. Last year, Maryland’s highest court, the Court of Appeals, ruled that pit bulls are dangerous by nature, a move that has angered some pit bull lovers and activists.

According to the terms of thebill all dogs would be considered inherently dangerous. If passed, a victim of a dog bite, regardless of breed, could sue the dog’s owner. Thus, the bill acts as a sort redefinition of the Court of Appeals’ decision, which ruled that pit bull owners and landlords would be held to strict liability standards for dog bites. Strict liability, in this context, means the owner would be liable without any additional evidence prior to the attack that a dog was dangerous. The new law thus creates the presumption that all dog owners, regardless of the breed, are presumed liable for attacks.

The law has run into some complications. The Senate took up a separate version of the bill that included a new provision requiring dog owners to provide “clear and convincing” evidence that their dog was not dangerous before the attack in order to prevail. Critics of this version argue that dog owners will be virtually incapable of rebutting a claim because the standard of proof is so high.

Controversy Surrounds Proposed Legislation in Maryland Requiring Warnings for Old Tires

March 19, 2013 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

The Maryland House Committee on Economic Matters held a hearing March 13 in order to discuss a proposed tire aging bill. The proposed Maryland House Bill 1110 is controversial because it would require businesses that sell tires to provide customers with pamphlets or other printed handouts containing statements regarding the potential dangers that can occur as tires age.

The new law would require merchants to provide this information whenever they sell a tire that is:

used;
recycled;
retreaded; or
more than three years past its manufacture date

Failure to do so could result in fines of up to $250 per violation. The currently proposed legislation would additionally make violations of the law inadmissible in personal injury lawsuits. The extent of this limitation is not clear, but probably means that a mere violation is not conclusive evidence of fault.

A more inclusive version of the bill was introduced by the same sponsor, Benjamin F. Kramer, last year. The prior version would have required all tire manufacturers and retailers within Maryland to inform customers of the age of every tire that they sold.

That version of the law never made it out of the committee, due to unanimous opposition from the Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA), the Tire Industry Association (TIA), and the Chesapeake Automotive Business Association (CABA).

Maryland Man Killed in ATV Accident

March 5, 2013 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

A 29-year-old Maryland man was tragically killed last week when he was ejected suddenly from the all-terrain vehicle he was riding and hit a concrete barrier

It happened last Wednesday evening, on West Road in Salisbury. According to police, the man was operating a 2004 Suzuki Quad runner four-wheel drive quad on the roadway at a high rate of speed when he suddenly lost control. The ATV apparently steered off of the road, traveling across uneven pavement, which caused both the man and the ATV to hit a concrete barrier.

Authorities say the man, who was not wearing a helmet or any other safety equipment, died at a local hospital of his injuries. Alcohol was not involved in the accident.

Toyota to Pay $29 Million in Safety Settlement

February 26, 2013 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Toyota announced earlier this month that it will pay some $29 million to 29 states (includingMaryland) and American Samoa as part of its settlement related to safety recalls. The settlement is in response to the lawsuits filed in 2010 (by several state attorney generals), following in the wake of the global recall of 14 million vehicles which accelerated without notice. The lawsuit accused Toyota of failing to notify customers promptly about the problems.

Results of the investigation revealed a lack of communication between Toyota’s Japan and U.S. offices. Toyota has agreed to address communication lapses, post additional information for consumers on its website, and reimburse costs for certain owners related to having their cars repaired.

Toyota and The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration agree that the problem is likely sticky gas pedals, faulty floor mats and driver error rather than an electrical issue. So far, the car maker has paid more than $1 billion to settle claims related to the recalls, including a record $17.4 million fine to the U.S. government for failing to quickly report safety problems.

In addition to this settlement, Toyota has also begun to settle the various Wrongful Death lawsuits associated with its defective cars.

$80,000 Settlement for 3 Year Old Girl Who Fell out of Ride

February 19, 2013 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo carnival reportedly reached a settlement thismonth, with the family of a three year old girl who was violently thrown from one of the carnival rides last year. The girl was on the ride “Techno Jump” with her eight year old brother, when she somehow slipped under the restraint bar and fell some 6-8 feet to the ground. She sustained a concussion and some other minor injuries. The girl was apparently tall for her age, meeting the minimum height requirement for the ride.

The lawsuit, against the owner of the Rodeo, Ray Cammack Shows, Inc. was filed last November, claiming negligence.

The child’s mother, Shanjea Pennygraph, sought damages for

relevant medical care, medical expenses, physical pain and past and present emotional distress. The filing also sought compensation for current and potential physical injuries. The Pennygraph family is reported to receive nearly $80,000 from the settlement.

This incident has allegedly prompted rodeo officials to revise guidelines for 16 of its amusements, which include the Techno Jump. The new guidelines revise the requirements for children not tall enough to ride alone. Children under a certain height may only ride if they have a “supervising companion” whom is at least sixteen years old.

Parents of 7 Year-Old File Notice of Intent to Sue Police for Allegedly Handcuffing, Interrogating Child for 10 Hours

February 11, 2013 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

The parents of a seven year-old Bronx boy filed a notice of a claim against the New York City Police Department for $250 million. Another student at their son’s elementary school accused the boy of stealing five dollars from him, and the parents allege that the police drastically overreacted by detaining him for ten hours. The claim, filed with city officials, is a required step prior to filing a lawsuit for damages against the city.

Police say that they responded to a report of a robbery and assault at PS X114 in the Bronx at around 10:20 a.m. on December 4, 2012, four days after the alleged offense occurred. The child claiming to be the victim of the robbery, a nine year-old whom we shall refer to as A., alleged that another boy, seven year-old W., punched and shoved him, then took five dollars out of his pocket. This occurred off school grounds. A. described W. to the media as “the worst bully,” claiming that W. routinely harassed him. W. denied A.’s allegations, saying that the money had fallen to the ground, and that another boy picked it up. W.’s family alleged that another boy later admitted to the theft.

Instead of sending W. to the principal’s office, the school called the police, who allegedly pulled W. out of class and detained him at the school for about four hours. They then took W. to the 44th Precinct. W.’s mother, Frances Mendez, says that she was not allowed to see W. when she arrived at the station. When officers eventually allowed Mendez and her sister to see W., they claim that they found him in a panicked state with his left wrist handcuffed to a wall. W. allegedly spent six hours at the precinct. Mendez claims that officers “verbally, physically, and emotionally abused” W. during this time, and that they also “intimidated, humiliated, embarrassed and defamed” him.