Laurel Personal Injury Lawyer

The diminutive municipality of Laurel, Maryland, is located in the northern part of Prince George's County, yet portions of the area's residential community also lie in the counties of Anne Arundel and Howard. Judged solely by its borders, Laurel is relatively small as it occupies just 3.8 square miles of land area; yet, however small it may be geographically, the city itself accounts for more than 25,000 residents. If one were to include the areas of North, West and South Laurel, the combined population is closer to 60,000 people.

In the early- to mid-1800s, the area where Laurel is now located included a grist mill, which was later converted to process cotton; the community that grew up around that enterprise became one of the early "company towns." Living in what was then referred to as Laurel Factory, mill workers raised their families in company-owned houses, sent their children to the company-built school and shopped at company-owned stores.

In 1870, Laurel was incorporated and the city slowly changed from being reliant on local manufacturing businesses to what it is today, a suburban community. Since that time, many of the residents residing in the area held jobs farther afield in the larger metropolitan areas such as the city of Baltimore to the northeast, and the District of Columbia to the southwest. Laurel also has the distinction of being the site of the first nationally chartered bank in Prince George's County; Citizens National Bank began operation in 1890 and remained an independent financial institution until it was acquired in 2007.

With mild winters, comfortable spring and fall seasons, as well as hot and humid summers, it's not uncommon for a tightly packed residential community such as Laurel to see almost year-round pedestrian activity and bicycle use. Unfortunately, with such a large number of residents in a small area, there will inevitably be the occasional -- and potentially dangerous -- mixing of motor vehicle traffic with persons on foot, as well as those on bikes.

Numerous surface streets and some highly-trafficked roadways, such as U.S. Route 1 (also known as Baltimore Avenue or Washington Boulevard), which cuts through the city center, can be the scene of a variety of automobile, commercial truck and motorcycle accidents. Pedestrian accidents, which can occur at crosswalks, as well as other areas where people and vehicular traffic come in close contact, are not uncommon for cities like Laurel.

For our part, the attorneys at the law offices of Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers, are keenly aware of the potential that a car-pedestrian or truck-bicycle crash has for severe injuries on the part of the cyclist or the person on foot. With roadways such as U.S. Route 1, the Baltimore-Washington Parkway, and Maryland Route 198 all being within the city limits, these kinds of personal injury accidents are unfortunately bound to occur from time to time.

Persons who have been injured in an automobile or trucking-related collision in Laurel may end up filing a personal injury lawsuit in one of the district courts in Prince George's County. The closest courthouse is located about 25 minutes away at 4990 Rhode Island Ave. in Hyattsville, MD. Another courthouse, located about 40 minutes' drive from Laurel, can be found in Upper Marlboro at 14735 Main Street.

Regardless of the venue, many injury claims involving pedestrians and bike riders can include recovery of costs from medical care required due to broken limbs, compound fractures, closed-head trauma (also known as traumatic brain injury), serious cuts and bruises, as well as neck, back and spinal cord injuries. As experienced trial lawyers, Lebowitz & Mzhen know that our civil laws at built on the high value that society places on an individual's life and well-being. When a negligent act causes a person injury or results in the death of an innocent victim, we turn to the law to find justice.

Civil litigation can be an inherently complex process, and one that the average person has neither the legal training nor the courtroom experience usually needed to attain a satisfactory ruling by the court. For this reason, it is advisable for anyone who has been involved in an injury accident, or had a loved one become hurt as a result of another individual's thoughtless or careless actions, to seek the counsel of a qualified legal expert.

At Lebowitz & Mzhen, LLC, we assist victims of traffic collisions, accidents caused by defective products, injuries resulting from medical errors or incompetency, those hurt due to nursing home neglect or abuse, and those who have been harmed by a prescription error and/or a pharmacy misfill.

When it comes to children and car accidents, we are most sensitive to the pain of these young victims, and to the grief of the parents. Whether a child is injured as a result of being hit by a passenger vehicle, a delivery truck, or a hit-and-run driver, the medical condition associated with his or her injuries can range from severe to critical, or even life threatening.

For those who have lost a child to the actions of a negligent driver, no amount of restitution can compensate for that young life, though wrongful death lawsuits attempt to provide some monetary recovery for the parents' loss, as well as the pain and suffering experienced by the victim prior to his or her death. The attorneys at Lebowitz & Mzhen can pursue this type of claim for a grieving family.

As experienced trial attorneys, we always strive for complete and thorough case preparation so that our clients have the best chance for justice. While pretrial settlements can often come as a result of a well-prepared case, we are always ready to take our clients' claims into a courtroom to be tried before a judge. As qualified personal injury, auto accident and medical malpractice lawyers, we have the skills and experience to litigate cases throughout central Maryland.

Following a serious Maryland automobile or trucking-related collision, it is imperative that injured victims understand their rights under the law. When determining financial liability following a traffic accident in the Laurel area, it should always be remembered that Maryland is an “at-fault” state. Because of this, the motorist who police determine caused the accident will generally be considered financially liable for the crash; in other words, he or she should be held responsible for the monetary damages pertaining to the victims’ injuries, as well as costs associated with any property damage.

Recovering damages following a severe Maryland traffic accident usually entails showing that the other motorist was at fault. At the same time, most any plaintiff must be prepared to prove that his or her actions did not contribute, in any way, to the accident. If the court determines that the victim was in some way responsible for the accident — for instance, being possibly distracted by a phone call or text message — the plaintiff could actually lose the case.

Since assigning blame for a car, truck or motorcycle accident is critical in any Maryland personal injury case, the legal team at Lebowitz & Mzhen, LLC, often recommends that victims obtain the police accident report corresponding to the traffic collision in which they were injured. This information often turns out to be very important in proving who was responsible for a particular car accident.

Potentially large monetary damages may hang in the balance based on the information contained in such official documents, which is why it is important to obtain the responding police officer’s report as soon as possible for one’s auto injury claim.

Securing a police accident report following an injury-related car crash on a roadway in or around Laurel, Maryland, may not be as easy as some might imagine. The reason is that, while the City of Laurel is located in Prince George's County, a number of Laurel’s outlying residential communities are in one of two adjacent counties: Anne Arundel and Howard. For accidents that have taken place within Laurel city limits, the following information will assist those in need of a police accident report.

The Laurel Police Department maintains accident report data at the city’s Central Records Division, which is the custodian of all Laurel Police Department records. The staff members who work at the Central Records Division are responsible for accident data entry and logging other police-related reports that are shared with the State of Maryland and federal government.

If you or your insurance company needs to request a copy of a police report, the cost is $10, which can be paid by cash, money order, Visa or Mastercard. Insurance company and business checks are also accepted. In addition to the fee, accident report requests that are mailed in (see the address below) should include a self-addressed stamped envelope. Always remember to include the police report number and never send cash through the mail.

If you do not know the police accident report number, or have other questions about obtaining an accident report, contact the Central Records Division for assistance.

Central Records
Laurel Police Department
811 5th Street
Laurel, Maryland 20707
(301) 498-0092

Division hours are typically 8am to 5pm weekdays (Tuesdays ‘til 7pm); closed holidays.

Lebowitz & Mzhen, LLC, is prepared to represent victims of personal injury accidents, including serious car and truck accidents. We are ready and willing to fight for your legal rights provided for under Maryland state law. If you or a loved one has been injured by a negligent motorist, we urge you to consider the advantages of retaining a skilled Maryland automobile accident lawyer.

It is important to choose a seasoned law firm staffed by professionals who fully understand Maryland’s legal statutes and how to use them to protect your rights. We welcome anyone who is interested in a free initial consultation to call us at (800) 654-1949 and schedule a one-on-one meeting to discuss their legal options.

The main offices of Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers, are located in Owings Mills, MD, approximately 16 miles from Baltimore. Our address is 10 Crossroads Drive, Suite 105, Owings Mills, MD, 21117. Getting to our law offices is simple; just take the Jones Falls Expressway to Interstate 695 West. After merging onto I-695 West/ Baltimore Beltway Outer Loop towards Pikesville, go 4.4 miles and take Exit 20 (MD-140 North toward Garrison). Turning right at Reisterstown Road/MD-140 West, and go 1.3 miles to Crossroads Drive, where you will make a left turn. After turning onto Crossroads Drive, take the next right onto Park Center Court, then make a left at the first available street. Go into the adjacent parking lot that serves our offices, which you will find on the first floor, Suite 105.