Earlier this year, actor and comedian Tracy Morgan was involved in a serious car accident on the New Jersey Turnpike. The accident, which occurred late at night, critically injured Morgan and killed his good friend and fellow comedian, James McNair.
The driver of the semi truck that hit Morgan’s limousine was an employee of Wal-Mart and was driving a Wal-Mart truck at the time of the accident. A post-accident investigation uncovered that the driver had not slept for the 24 hours prior to the accident and had traveled more than 700 miles over the course of that day. The driver is facing criminal charges for his involvement in the accident.
Recently, some people are wondering if Wal-Mart should share the blame with the driver. In fact, victims of the crash have named both the driver of the truck, as well as Wal-Mart, as defendants that they claim are responsible for their injuries and losses. As one recent article points out, the National Transportation Safety Bureau is conducting an investigation into the accident, but has not announced the result yet. Until then, people are speculating on how Wal-Mart could have prevented such a tragic accident.
Federal guidelines require that long-distance truck drivers get a certain amount of rest throughout their journey. Specifically, they must take a break of at least eight hours every 24 hours. Additionally, they must break for at least 34 hours in between work weeks. The question Wal-Mart faces is whether the company took adequate precautions to ensure that their drivers were following these regulations.
Unlike many other truck drivers, the driver involved in this accident was actually an employee of Wal-Mart. Many other truck drivers are employed by third-party transportation or logistic companies. That means that the brunt of the responsibility could fall on Wal-Mart if it can be shown they did not properly monitor truck driver compliance.
Truck Accident Injuries
As this accident illustrates, truck accidents can come with devastating consequences, even more so than other automobile accidents. For this reason, the law imposes a fairly high burden on all truck drivers to ensure that they operate their truck safely, including getting the required amount of rest. When truck drivers choose to ignore the regulations put into place for everyone’s safety, they put us all at risk.
Have You Been Involved in a Serious Maryland Truck Accident?
If you or a loved one has recently been involved in a Maryland truck accident, you may be entitled to compensation. However, the trucking company and the truck driver’s insurance company will likely be prepared to fend off any charges of negligence. By retaining the services of a dedicated and experienced Maryland personal injury law firm, you will greatly increase your chance of recovering what you deserve for the pain and suffer you have been put through. To learn more about the accident laws in Maryland, and to speak to a dedicated Maryland truck accident attorney, click here, or call 410-654-3600 today to schedule a free initial consultation.
More Blog Posts:
Truck Driver Side Swipes Police Cruiser on Capital Beltway, Maryland Trucking Accident Lawyer Blog, published June 27, 2014.
Maryland Man Dies After Rear-Ending Broken Down Truck, Maryland Trucking Accident Lawyer Blog, published July 15, 2014.