Maryland Accident Law Blog

Before You Head Out on the Bay This Summer, Know the Risks of a Maryland Boating Accident

June 29, 2026 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Summer on the Chesapeake Bay is one of the best things about living in Maryland. Boats crowd the water from the upper Bay down to the coastal inlets, families spend long weekends at Deep Creek Lake, and the rivers fill with kayaks, jet skis, and fishing boats. With hundreds of thousands of vessels registered in the state, the water gets busy, and a day meant for relaxation can turn dangerous in seconds when an operator is careless.

The Mistakes Behind Most Maryland Boating Injuries

The same handful of failures show up again and again in serious boating crashes. Alcohol sits near the top of the list, and its effects are amplified on the water by sun, wind, and dehydration, which is why the Maryland Natural Resources Police run sobriety campaigns through the busy summer months. The state has also strengthened its response to impaired boating through Nick’s Law, which increased the penalties for operating a vessel while impaired. Beyond alcohol, boating injuries trace to operators going too fast for conditions, inexperienced drivers who do not understand right-of-way rules, reckless wakes thrown near smaller craft, and passengers without properly fitted life jackets. A collision, an ejection, or a fall overboard can put a person in the water in an instant, and drowning remains the leading cause of death in boating accidents.

What Maryland Law Expects on the Water

Maryland requires every recreational boat to carry a wearable life jacket for each person aboard, and children under 13 must wear an approved life jacket on smaller recreational vessels while underway. Operators are responsible for the safety of their passengers and for the wake their vessel throws, and they must follow the rules of navigation that keep boats from colliding. When an operator ignores those duties, drinks before taking the helm, or overloads a boat with too few life jackets, the law treats the resulting harm as something the operator may have to answer for.

Maryland’s New Tiered Speed Camera Law and What It Can Add to a Pedestrian Injury Case

April 30, 2026 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

For years, Maryland speed camera tickets all looked the same. Twelve miles per hour over the limit in a school zone or residential street triggered a $40 civil citation. Whether a driver was barely past the threshold or roaring through a school zone, the fine on the envelope said the same thing.

That changed on October 1, 2025. Amendments to Maryland Transportation Article § 21-809 replaced the flat fine with a tiered penalty structure that scales with how far over the speed limit a vehicle was traveling. Anne Arundel County, Montgomery County, and a number of municipalities have already updated their public guidance to reflect the new law. Recent reporting indicates Montgomery County is also expanding its automated speed enforcement program under its Vision Zero initiative, placing cameras in additional “high-risk corridors” — roads identified by data as having a higher frequency of serious crashes, injuries, or fatalities.

For drivers, the headline is straightforward: tickets at higher speeds will cost more. For people injured in Maryland crashes — and for the lawyers who represent them — the more interesting story is what the tiered system, and the data behind Vision Zero placement, can add to a civil case.

Maryland’s Proposed MTA Liability Cap Could Change Transit Injury Cases

March 28, 2026 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

A current Maryland transit reform proposal has drawn attention because it would cap damages in certain Maryland Transit Administration negligence claims at $400,000 per claimant. The Daily Record reported on March 23, 2026 that the provision would apply to bus and train crash claims, and Maryland legislative materials tied to HB 1081 and SB 947 discuss the same proposed cap as part of the broader Maryland Transit Administration Reform Act.

For injured people, that is a meaningful development. A transit crash can cause catastrophic injury, permanent disability, or death. When legislation proposes a hard ceiling on what a claimant may recover from a public transit agency, the discussion moves beyond transportation governance and into the real-world consequences for riders, pedestrians, workers, and families harmed in serious incidents.

Why a Damages Cap Matters So Much in a Serious Injury Case

Maryland Premises Liability Law and How to Pursue a Claim for Compensation

February 24, 2026 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

A slip and fall on a wet floor in a Prince George’s County grocery store, a trip over a broken sidewalk in Hyattsville, or a fall on an icy parking lot in Bowie can produce injuries that are far more serious than most people expect — fractured hips, traumatic brain injuries, herniated discs, and torn ligaments. Maryland premises liability law allows injured people to pursue compensation from the property owner or business that failed to maintain safe conditions, but these cases carry specific legal requirements that make early legal guidance important. Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers handles slip and fall and premises liability claims throughout Prince George’s County and Maryland, with over $90 million recovered for injured clients since 1996.

What Is Premises Liability in Maryland?

Premises liability is the legal principle that holds property owners and occupiers responsible for injuries caused by dangerous conditions on their property. In Maryland, the duty of care a property owner owes depends on the legal status of the person who was injured: invitee, licensee, or trespasser. Most slip and fall accident victims — customers in stores, visitors in office buildings, tenants in apartment complexes — are classified as invitees, to whom the property owner owes the highest duty of care.

Leonardtown Crash With Tractor-Trailer Leaves Car Overturned And One Person Hospitalized

February 2, 2026 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

A crash with a tractor-trailer can leave you shaken even if the hospital visit ends quickly. The size difference alone can turn an ordinary drive into a terrifying moment, and an overturned car adds another layer of fear for the person inside and the family getting the call. A report out of Leonardtown says a collision with a tractor-trailer ended with a car overturned and one person taken to the hospital.

In Maryland, the practical questions start right away. People want to know who caused it, what insurance will cover, and whether a normal mistake gets treated like “your fault” in a way that blocks help with bills and missed pay. A steady look at how these claims usually work can make the next steps feel less confusing.

What This Type Of Crash Often Means For Injuries And Recovery

When A Grocery Store Slip And Fall Becomes A Serious Injury In Maryland

December 30, 2025 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

A fall inside a grocery store often gets dismissed as an accident, something unfortunate but unavoidable. For many Maryland families, that assumption changes quickly once injuries turn out to be serious. Wet floors, spilled products, and poorly maintained aisles can cause lasting harm, especially for older shoppers or anyone with existing health conditions. In many cases, these falls were preventable with reasonable care.

The question families usually ask early is whether the store should be responsible. Under Maryland law, the answer depends on what the store knew or should have known about the hazard and how it responded.

Why Grocery Store Falls Are So Common

Maryland Multi-Vehicle Crashes And How Liability Works After A Deadly Collision In Baltimore County

November 27, 2025 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Fox Baltimore recently reported a serious multi-vehicle crash in Upperco that left one man dead and another person injured. Crashes involving several cars create complicated claims for families who need answers about fault and insurance coverage. When multiple drivers collide on a rural or suburban road, the investigation often takes longer, and the path to compensation can feel confusing. In Maryland, these cases demand close review of every vehicle’s movements, each driver’s decisions, and the chain of events that led to the final impact.

Families dealing with sudden loss or serious injuries often want to know how responsibility is determined and what steps protect their interests while the investigation unfolds. Understanding how Maryland handles multi-vehicle collisions helps you see which options may apply after a serious crash.

How Multi-Vehicle Collisions Unfold On Maryland Roads

The Baltimore County crash involved several vehicles and left behind a scene that required police, fire, and medical responders. Crashes like this frequently involve a primary impact that triggers additional collisions. A driver may stop short to avoid an obstacle, and a vehicle behind may not react quickly enough. Those secondary impacts can be as damaging as the initial crash, especially when traffic moves at higher speeds or sight lines are limited.

Maryland Halloween Accidents and Legal Options for Injured Victims

October 25, 2025 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

As the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) reminds drivers each fall, shorter days and Halloween festivities create an environment where accidents are more likely. The agency reported that in the last full reporting year, there were 2,892 crashes involving pedestrians, leading to 159 deaths. With children walking door to door in costumes, parents escorting them across darkened streets, and homeowners opening their properties to visitors, the potential for injury rises sharply. If you or a family member is hurt during Halloween activities, speaking with a Maryland accident attorney right away can help protect your rights.

Pedestrian Collisions During Trick-or-Treat Hours

One of the most significant risks each October is pedestrian crashes. MDOT warns that 78 percent of pedestrian fatalities nationwide occur in darkness, which coincides with peak trick-or-treating hours of 4 to 9 p.m. Drivers who speed, look at their phones, or fail to yield at crosswalks put children and parents in danger. In many cases, a vehicle has only seconds to stop once a child darts out from between parked cars.

Pedestrian Fatality on Route 210 Raises Serious Questions About Liability and Road Safety in Maryland

September 30, 2025 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

If someone close to you was killed while crossing a Maryland highway, you may be unsure whether you can bring a legal claim. When a pedestrian dies and no charges are filed, it might feel like the door to justice is closed. However, Maryland law allows families to pursue civil recovery even when the state does not prosecute. A recent pedestrian fatality on Route 210 highlights why early legal action matters and how road design, driver behavior, and state maintenance can influence the outcome.

Recently, a man was struck and killed while attempting to cross Route 210 near Route 225 in Bryans Road. Maryland State Police responded around 12:30 a.m. and closed the road for more than two hours to investigate. The driver involved stayed at the scene and cooperated, but no criminal charges were announced. This incident illustrates the legal challenges families face when no immediate fault is assigned.

Highway Crossings at Night Often Create Dangerous Conditions

Maryland Court Confirms Compensation for Fear Before a Second Impact in Car Accident Cases

August 31, 2025 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

If you experienced fear and emotional trauma during a multi-impact crash, you may be entitled to additional damages under Maryland law. A recent opinion from the Maryland Appellate Court in Smith v. Sheehan, decided on August 27, 2025, confirms that “pre-impact fright” can be compensable when supported by evidence. This means that if you felt fear between collisions—such as when your car spun toward another vehicle or barrier—you can seek recovery for that harm in addition to your physical injuries.

In the case, the injured driver was struck from behind, sending her spinning toward a guardrail. While she did not see the initial collision coming, she testified to the terror she felt as her car lost control. The appellate court held that the jury should have been instructed to consider her emotional distress during the spinout, making clear that fear experienced in those moments can form part of a valid claim.

What This Means for Maryland Car Accident Victims