Personal Injury Law

Maryland Wrongful Death Lawsuit Orders Man Convicted of Motorcyclist's Manslaughter Death to Pay Her Family $2 Million Restitution

By Jack Lebowitz, Esq. and Vadim Mzhen, Esq.

In Maryland, a Washington County Circuit Court judge has ordered the man convicted of Debra Reed Fields-Jordan?s manslaughter by vehicle death to pay her family $2,084,076.31 in restitution. Fields-Jordan died in a May 2008 motor vehicle accident when a pickup truck ran a stop sign and struck her motorcycle on Md. 77.

The driver of the pickup truck fled the motorcycle accident scene. Police, however, apprehended Harry W. Shrader a few days later because the truck was registered in his name. In November 2008, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to vehicular manslaughter and is now being held at the Maryland Correctional Training Center. Shrader was intoxicated at the time of the deadly traffic crash.

In August 2008, Fields-Jordan?s husband, Stephen J Jordan, sued Schrader for his wife?s wrongful death. Jordan sought $2 million in punitive damages and $4 million in compensatory damages. He accused Schrader of causing emotional trauma, mental anguish, loss of companionship, society, marital care, comfort, protection, advice, attention, training, guidance, counsel, education, and his wife?s love. Last month, Jordan filed documents accusing Schrader of trying to defraud his family from any wrongful death compensation they could be owed when the inmate transferred more than 44 acres of land to his girlfriend.

Intoxicated Driving
Driving while intoxicated, whether under the influence of alcohol or drugs, is against the law. It is also a cause of far too many personal injuries and wrongful deaths. A truck driver, motorcyclist, car driver, or bus driver who engages in intoxicated driving and injures someone else as a result may be held liable with a Maryland personal injury claim or wrongful death lawsuit.

$2M restitution in manslaughter case, The Herald Mail, January 30, 2009

Smithsburg man gets 10 years in vehicle manslaughter case, The Herald-Mail, November 17, 2008

Related Web Resource:
Motorcycle Accident Overview, Justia

Full post as published by Maryland Accident Law Blog on February 02, 2009 (boomark / email).