Winter Storms Paralyze the East Cost, Including Maryland, Resulting in Several Fatalities

If you have spent time over the last couple months anywhere from New England to North Carolina, you have no doubt seen the crippling effects of the most recent winter storms that came through the area. In some areas, total snow fall was being measured in feet, rather than inches. While this kind of weather is certainly inconvenient for most on the East Coast, it is also downright dangerous for those who need to use the roads during times of inclement weather.

According to one report by the Washington Post, one local Maryland man was recently killed in an accident that was caused at least in part by the snowy and icy roads. Evidently, the man was driving south on Route 97 in Howard County, near the Montgomery County border, when he took a turn too quickly.

Although the road was plowed at the time, the roadway was slick and the man lost control of his vehicle as he entered the turn. As he slipped out of his lane and into the lane of oncoming traffic, he crashed head-on into a northbound pick-up truck with a snowplow attachment.

The man was sadly later pronounced dead by emergency workers. It is unclear if the driver of the pick-up truck sustained any injuries, but given the lack of information on this subject, it would seem that any injuries he did sustain were likely minor.

Winter-Weather Accidents on Maryland Roads

Most of the year, Maryland enjoys a fairly temperate climate. However, in each winter for a period of maybe a month or two the weather can be dismal, bringing snow storms, icy rains, and even blizzards in some cases. When these weather phenomena roll in, many people do not have the luxury of staying in to avoid the roads. This is especially the case with truck drivers and snow-plow operators.

Combine slippery, icy, and snowy roads with a population of drivers not familiar with driving in these conditions, and the effects can be disastrous. However, thankfully Maryland law allows for those injured in weather-related accidents to seek monetary compensation from those responsible for the accident through a lawsuit brought under the theory of negligence.

A negligence lawsuit relies on proving that the other driver committed (or failed to commit) some act or action that they were legally obligated to perform. An additional element is proving causation, meaning that the other driver’s negligent act was the actual cause of the accident victim’s injuries. There are, of course, other elements to a negligence lawsuit, but these two are the most commonly litigated.

Have You Been Involved in a Maryland Accident?

If you or a loved one has recently been involved in a serious truck or snow plow Maryland accident that was due to the negligence of another, you may be entitled to monetary damages based on that negligence. To learn more about Maryland accident law, and how you may be able to recover for injuries you sustained in an accident, call 410-654-3600 to set up a free initial consultation with an attorney today.

More Blog Posts:

Maryland Appellate Court Considers the Cap on Judgments Against Municipalities, Maryland Accident Law Blog, January 16, 2015.

Court Dismisses Accident Victim’s Case Based on Lack of Expert Witness Testimony, Maryland Accident Law Blog, February 23, 2015.

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