After a recent two-vehicle collision in Maryland, one driver is dead and the other in the hospital with serious injuries. According to the Maryland State Police, an SUV traveling east on a state highway crossed the double-yellow centerline and directly struck a sedan traveling in the opposite direction.
Emergency medical personnel pronounced the driver of the sedan dead at the scene. The SUV driver was flown to a trauma center and was in serious -- but stable -- condition at the time of reports. According to police, they may press charges against the at-fault driver.
When drivers act carelessly or drive irresponsibly, they can be held legally responsible for the consequences of any accidents their negligence causes. A driver's negligence can be caused by anything from fatigue to intoxication to simple distraction. If drivers are too busy texting or fumbling for their cell phone to pay attention to the road, even a short moment of distraction can quickly lead to a severe accident.
Under Maryland state law, it is strictly forbidden to compose or send text messages while operating a motor vehicle. All drivers are prohibited from using hand-held phones at all times while driving on a street or highway as well. If a driver has broken the local rules of the road by using a cell phone while driving, that can be used as evidence of negligence, to show that that driver is legally to blame for any accident that may have occurred as a consequence of that carelessness.
Accident victims and their survivors can receive compensation for their losses from negligent drivers. The types of damages that may be covered include hospital bills, pain and suffering that occurred before death and the lost future wages of a primary wage earner.
