Anybody who has lost a parent or child, friend or loved one in a fatal car crash has no doubt looked back many times on what could have been, rather than what is now likely an emotionally painful void in one’s life. Being a survivor is not an enviable position for many people who must carry on in the absence of a significant person in his or her life. As Maryland personal injury lawyers, I and my colleagues understand the finality of a fatal traffic accident; and the senselessness of the whole incident.
As car, truck and motorcycle accident attorneys who represent victims of severe and fatal traffic collisions, we understand all too well the automobile, motorcycle and trucking-related roadway collisions, I and my legal staff have first-hand experience with people whose pain may take years to go away, if ever.
Here in the Baltimore area, as with parts of The District, Cumberland, Annapolis and Bowie, MD, hardly a week goes by that there isn’t a news report of a car crash involving a cyclist or pedestrian. These types of accidents are almost always “one-sided,” in that the person on foot or on his or her bike has little protection against a 3,000-pound car or even larger commercial delivery truck or 18-wheeler. In these instances, closed-head trauma, spinal cord injuries and broken bones can all be quite common.
While pedestrian accidents are most often tilted in favor of the passenger vehicle, with the person on foot receiving the brunt of the injuries, if not being killed in the crash, passenger car occupants can find themselves in a similar predicament when it comes to collisions between smaller sedans, minivans and SUVs and much larger and massive over-the-road semi tractor trailers.
Maryland’s urban areas can present a fairly densely packed vehicular environment, in which the mix of large and small motor vehicles can provide a sometimes deadly mix of accident potential with speed and opportunity for a bad roadway wreck. Although we would like to think that auto, truck and motorcycle accidents could be reduced or eliminated completely, the reality of our modern life is that they will continue now and into the future.
As senseless as traffic wrecks can be, it is unreasonable to expect that every one of these sometimes fatal crashes can truly be eradicated through awareness campaigns alone. Thorough driver education goes a long way to teaching new drivers the ins and outs of traffic flow, rules of the road and ever-present dangers. But human nature being what it is, there will likely continue to be instances where inattention, impatience, indiscretion and outright aggression lead to a serious or fatal car or truck crash.
With closed-head trauma and spinal cord injury being two of the more serious, costly and long-term consequences of bad commercial trucking accidents, circumstances can rapidly go from bad to worse for the victim or victims of such collisions. Depending on various factors, medical costs to treat these kinds of injuries can place a family’s finances squarely in the crosshairs. Especially in cases where those injuries were caused by another driver’s negligent actions, one should always consider the possibility of filing a personal injury lawsuit against the negligent party.
Recovering damages, such as those for medical expenses, rehabilitation costs and even lost wages is one step toward becoming whole again and sparing one’s family the potentially devastating monetary losses due to a severe traffic accident.