A Maryland man who was in the midst of a more than 10,000-mile cross-country bike trip designed to raise money for hearing loss was halted abruptly when the bicyclist was clipped by a semi-trailer in a hit and run accident.
According to a Sheriff’s spokesperson, the bicyclist was riding in Florida when he was clipped by the mirror of a semi-trailer on Saturday evening. He then fell from his bike onto the shoulder of the roadway. He was transported to a local hospital for treatment, where doctors found that he had sustained a concussion, fractured left cheek bone, a broken nose, road rash, and bruising from his fall.
The deaf man, who was inspired to help others after receiving his cochlear implant, initially set out on a bike trip to visit all of the Major League Baseball stadiums across the country in order to raise money and awareness for cochlear implants. He had only 200 miles remaining in the trip that has so far raised more than $140,000. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is conducting an investigation into the incident.
The circumstances of the collision are difficult to picture. According to one article, the man was clipped by the mirror of the truck as it passed him. Also, according to the ABC article, the accident occurred at almost 10 o’clock at night. These factors are relevant in considering whether the truck driver was actually aware that he had hit the bicyclist.
If the driver of the tractor trailer did know that he had hit a bicyclist, the truck driver could potentially face criminal charges related to him failing to stop and wait for authorities to arrive. In Maryland, for example, state law requires that:
The driver of each vehicle involved in an accident that results in the death of another person immediately shall stop the vehicle as close as possible to the scene of the accident, without obstructing traffic more than necessary.
A failure to do so is punishable by up to 10 years in prison, a $10,000 fine, and other criminal penalties, such as a charge of vehicular manslaughter.
The bicyclist in this case, while fairly extensively injured, is lucky to have escaped with his life. Most pedestrians and bicyclists probably do not fare as well when struck by a huge semi-truck. Therefore, if you have been involved in a trucking accident, it is important that you act quickly to begin collecting evidence for your case. A failure to get an attorney involved early on can mean that critical evidence which may be on board the vehicle can be deliberately destroyed, lost, or ultimately erased.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a trucking accident that occurred in the Maryland or Washington D.C. areas, contact the experienced trucking accident attorneys at Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers today. Our Maryland trucking accident attorneys have the experience necessary to ensure that your trucking accident case is handled expertly and expediently. Further, our attorneys are dedicated to representing victims of trucking accidents, and we will fight to recover the damages you deserve. Contact us today in order to schedule your free initial consultation. You can reach us through our website, or by calling 1-800-654-1949.
More Blog Posts:
Tractor Trailer Hit and Run on Interstate 81, Maryland Trucking Accident Lawyer Blog, published September 20, 2013
8 Vehicle Accident in Anne Arundel Results in at Least 3 Deaths, Maryland Trucking Accident Lawyer Blog, published September 13, 2013