Dolina Hobbs, LLC - 82 W Washington St., Suite 300, Hagerstown, Maryland, 21204

Man Dies in Single Vehicle Traffic Accident

January 31, 2016 By

On Saturday night, January 9, a man died in a single vehicle traffic accident and another was critically injured.

According to the Hagerstown Police Department the accident happened shortly after 10.30 p.m. on the 400 block of North Burhans Boulevard north of Mechanic Street. A silver Honda Civic had collided with a steel barrier pole which was filled with concrete and located on the north side of Burhans Boulevard close to the north entrance to a concrete company.

Both the driver, 21 year old Ariel Alexander Aguilera Flores of Hagerstown, and the sole passenger, 20 year old Elmer Adonay Mejia Ramirez, also of Hagerstown were trapped inside the vehicle and had to be extricated. Flores died at the scene and Ramirez was taken to Meritus Medical Center, with life-threatening injuries and is still critical.

Police are continuing with the investigation and have asked for witnesses to the accident.

To learn more about your rights and potential compensation after an auto accident, please call the Hagerstown accident attorneys of Dolina Hobbs, LLC, at (301) 739-1013 or contact us online today.

Filed Under: Car Accident

Hit and Run Driver Sentenced to Jail

December 29, 2015 By

On Wednesday, December 16, a driver of a vehicle who killed a motorcyclist in a hit and run in Hagerstown was sentenced to 13 years in state prison.

The incident took place in September 2014, when 50 year old Nathanial W. Hart of Shippensburg, Pa. struck and killed 33 year old Darren E. Reeder on his motorcycle in in the intersection of West Wilson Boulevard and Virginia Avenue in Hagerstown. Hart did not stop but fled the scene as he was a repeat offender with several previous violations and was also driving without a license. He had also been seen leaving a liquor store minutes before the crash although there is no proof he was drunk at the time.

Hart pleaded guilty to negligent manslaughter by vehicle and failing to remain at the scene of an accident causing serious injury or death. He was sentenced to 13 years in state prison with five years suspended and ordered to pay $2,277 in restitution to Reeder’s family, many of whom were in attendance in the Hagerstown courtroom.

To learn more about your rights and potential compensation after an auto accident, please call the Hagerstown accident attorneys of Dolina Hobbs, LLC, at (301) 739-1013 or contact us online today.

Filed Under: Motorcycle accident

Seat Belts and Your Accident Claim

September 25, 2015 By

As accident attorneys, we encourage everyone to wear their seat belts because we want you to be safe. But, if you have already been injured in an auto accident, there are a couple of very important things that you need to know about how seat belts may factor into your case. Contrary to what you may have heard, failure to wear a seat belt will not hurt your case, in Maryland. If you were injured by a seat belt that malfunctioned or was improperly installed, you have the right to pursue compensation from the auto maker and others under product liability. In either situation, our Hagerstown motor vehicle accident attorneys are here to protect your rights.

No Seat Belt Defense in Maryland

State vary greatly in how they treat auto accident victims who were not wearing seat belts. In a few states it is very difficult to recover any compensation if you were not wearing your seat belt. In many comparative negligence states, your compensation can be reduced because you were not wearing a seat belt. This is called the “seat belt defense” and insurance companies love to take advantage of it to get out of paying for accidents caused by negligent drivers.

Maryland law protects you from this injustice. Whatever you have heard from friends and family or what the insurance company representatives may have told you, failure to use a seat belt cannot be used against you in a civil case. Maryland’s seat belt law actually prohibits the mention of your seat belt use or non-use, by attorneys, witnesses, and others. It cannot be used to constitute contributory negligence and it cannot be used to reduce your compensation.

Defective Seat Belts

If you were injured by a seat belt that was improperly installed or that malfunctions, you can sue for your injuries under product liability. Examples of those who may be held responsible include:

  • Auto manufacturer
  • Distributer
  • Factory branch
  • Dealership

To learn more about your rights and potential compensation after an auto accident, please call the Hagerstown accident attorneys of Dolina Hobbs, LLC, at (301) 739-1013 or contact us online today.

Filed Under: Car Accident, Personal Injury
« Previous Page