Chain Reaction Accidents

Determining Liability in Multi-Vehicle Maryland Truck Accidents

April 11, 2018 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

While some Maryland truck accidents involve only the truck and another vehicle, it is not uncommon for an accident to involve several vehicles. This is because most truck accidents happen on the highway, which means these accidents often occur in close quarters and involve fast speeds. Often, inattentive motorists will not have sufficient time to react to avoid a collision and may end up causing a chain-reaction accident.

In these multi-vehicle accidents, determining which parties are legally responsible to the victims can be a difficult and complex task. For example, the obvious defendant is the driver who caused the initial accident. Establishing this driver’s liability is no different than if there were only two vehicles involved. However, there may be additional parties that bear responsibility.

If a motorist is traveling too fast for the conditions or is distracted at the time, they may not realize that traffic has slowed in front of them until it is too late. The result is often a chain-reaction accident. In these situations, the speeding or distracted motorist may also be named as a defendant.

Major Truck Accident on Snowy Road Sends 29 to the Hospital

March 5, 2018 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Earlier this week, an accident involving two semi-trucks, two buses, and several passenger cars sent 29 people to the hospital, several with serious injuries. According to a local news report, the collision occurred in the evening hours during a time when roads were slick due to the recent snowfall.

Given the magnitude of the accident, authorities have yet to determine exactly what happened in the moments leading up to the accident. Witnesses told reporters that the two semi-trucks involved in the accident were traveling at a high rate of speed, which resulted in the trucks being unable to stop in time to avoid the collision. Once the trucks crashed into the buses, other motorists nearby got involved in a chain-reaction accident, similar to many Maryland bus accidents that we have seen.

One of the buses was pushed off to the side of the road, where it teetered on the edge of an embankment. Those on board were told not to move until it was safe to do so. Accident reconstructionists surveyed the scene and its aftermath, and the accident is still under official investigation.

Establishing Liability in Maryland Chain Reaction Truck Accidents

January 17, 2018 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Maryland truck accidents always present a serious danger to those involved in the accident. However, the dangers of an accident only increase when it occurs on the highway. Between the high speeds involved and the proximity of other motorists, the likelihood of a chain reaction accident greatly increases when an accident occurs on a Maryland highway.

Chain reaction truck accidents occur when two or more vehicles are involved in a collision, and, in the aftermath, other motorists who are unable to avoid the wreckage end up crashing into the other vehicles or crash as they attempt to avoid the other vehicles. Determining which party or parties are responsible for causing a chain reaction truck accident can be complex.

Under Maryland law, anyone who is injured in a Maryland car accident can bring a lawsuit against those they believe to be at fault. However, since Maryland law applies the strict doctrine of contributory negligence, only those accident victims who are completely free of fault will be permitted to recover compensation for their injuries. Thus, it becomes very important for Maryland truck accident victims to speak with a personal injury attorney as soon as practicable to discuss their case and prepare for the potential defenses other drivers may raise.

Chain Reaction Truck Accidents on Maryland Highways

September 19, 2017 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

When a large commercial truck is involved in a Maryland truck accident, a chain of events is set in motion that has the potential to result in a major catastrophe. Semi-trucks and other large transport vehicles are designed to carry tens of thousands of pounds of cargo across the nation’s highways. Often, this means traveling on hundreds of miles of open road. Unfortunately, the very design that makes trucks an efficient means of transporting goods also leaves them ill-suited to adeptly respond to sudden changes in the traffic pattern.

One example of a truck driver’s compromised ability to maneuver a large rig is when an accident occurs a short distance ahead of the truck driver. Due to the significant weight of these large trucks – even when they are not fully loaded – a truck driver has a greatly increased stopping distance when traveling at highway speeds. Additionally, the length of a semi-truck prevents a driver from making any spur-of-the-moment evasive maneuvers to avoid an obstacle ahead. When combined, these factors greatly increase the chance of a chain reaction truck accident.

All of this is to say that truck drivers have a difficult job. However, that does not reduce their responsibility to safely operate their vehicle at all times. This may mean slowing down below the posted speed limit or increasing their following distance to beyond what they normally would consider a safe distance. When a truck driver fails to take necessary precautions and ends up causing or contributing to a chain reaction truck accident, both the driver and the driver’s employer may potentially be held liable.

The Destructive Potential of Chain-Reaction Truck Accidents in Maryland

September 5, 2017 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

It should come as no surprise that Maryland truck accidents involving large commercial trucks carry the potential to cause major destruction. This is especially the case when the accident involves multiple vehicles or takes place on a crowded highway. Indeed, some of the most devastating Maryland truck accidents involve chain-reaction collisions that begin with one vehicle but end up affecting many others.

Determining which driver is responsible in multi-vehicle accidents can be a difficult task, and it is often left up to the courts to decide. Generally speaking, all of the parties who believe they are entitled to compensation will file a personal injury lawsuit against the parties they believe to be responsible for their injuries. In chain-reaction car accidents, this usually results in all of the parties involved in the accident being named in the lawsuit. From there, a jury will hear the evidence from each party and come to a determination regarding each party’s respective percentage of fault.

In Maryland personal injury cases, courts apply a very strict rule when determining which parties in an accident are permitted to recover compensation for their injuries. Under the doctrine of contributory negligence, any party who is even the slightest bit at fault for an accident will not be permitted to recover compensation from any other person involved in the accident. This stands true even if a plaintiff is determined to be just 5% at fault. Thus, the importance of a thorough investigation and diligent preparation cannot be overstated.

Semi-Truck Drivers and the Responsibility They Owe to the Public

January 4, 2017 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Semi-truck accidents are known to be some of the most dangerous accidents, and also some of the most difficult to avoid. Unlike many other accidents, there is often little to nothing other motorists can do to avoid a semi-truck accident. This is especially the case when semi-trucks are being driven at high speeds.

To help manage the risk that semi-trucks pose on our nation’s highways, state and federal lawmakers have enacted rules and regulations for the trucking industry. For example, truck drivers must obtain a commercial driver’s license, can only drive a certain number of hours per day and per week, and depending on what they are transporting, may be required to pre-register their cargo as well as their chosen route. All these regulations are enacted to keep the general public safe, and when a semi-truck driver or trucking company fails to follow these rules, they may be held liable for any injuries caused as a result.

Chain-Reaction Accident on Expressway Claims Three Lives, Injures Several Others

Earlier this week in New York City, a semi-truck accident on the Cross Bronx Expressway killed three motorists and injured several others. According to one local news source covering the tragic accident, a semi-truck was stopped in traffic in the middle of the Expressway when another truck came from behind. The second truck failed to stop in time to avoid a collision, and it slammed into the rear of a pick-up truck that had come to a stop behind the first truck. Another passenger vehicle was also struck by the second truck.

Court Finds Truck Driver Not Liable to Motorist Injured in Chain-Reaction Accident

November 23, 2016 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Earlier this month, an appellate court in Mississippi issued a written opinion in a chain-reaction truck accident case, affirming judgment in favor of the allegedly negligent truck driver and his employer. In the case, Ready v. RWI Transportation, the court determined that the plaintiff’s injuries in a subsequent accident not involving the defendant were not a foreseeable consequence of the defendants’ negligence. As a result of the decision, the plaintiff will not be permitted to pursue compensation for their injuries.

The Facts of the Case

A truck driver employed by RWI Transportation caused an accident when he made an improper lane change on a Mississippi highway. As a result of that initial accident, the truck and another vehicle were left incapacitated and came to a rest while blocking the highway. Traffic was slowed, and a significant traffic jam formed.

About 30 minutes later, while traffic was still moving slowly, Ready approached the traffic jam and crashed into the back of another vehicle that had come to a complete stop as a result of the traffic jam. Ready filed a personal injury lawsuit against RWI Transportation and the driver of the truck involved in the initial accident. Ready claimed that the truck driver’s negligence was the cause of the subsequent accident that resulted in his injuries.

One Dead, Two Injured in Chain-Reaction Semi-Truck Collision on Interstate Highway

August 17, 2016 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

A chain-reaction accident involving multiple vehicles on a Mississippi highway took the life of one man and left two others injured after a semi-truck driver failed avoid a collision with a slower-moving vehicle ahead of him and was subsequently struck by an 18-wheeler from behind. A local news outlet reported that the crash occurred in the early morning hours of August 11 on Interstate 20 in Newton County, Mississippi. According to the article, the man who was killed in the crash was driving the vehicle at the back of the chain, although the exact cause of the crash remains under investigation.

The Elevated Dangers of Rear-End and Chain-Reaction Accidents Involving Semi-Trucks

It appears that all three of the vehicles involved in the fatal Mississippi accident earlier this month were 18-wheel tractor-trailers. Rear-end collisions and chain-reaction accidents involving tractor-trailers present a significant danger to all drivers on the road, especially on interstate highways and other high speed transit routes. Although commercial drivers are professionally trained and licensed to drive larger vehicles, rear-end accidents involving one or more of these vehicles are frighteningly common. Since a single semi-truck can be used to tow several different trailers, accidents can occur if a driver fails to ensure the brake lights on the back of a new trailer are functioning properly before entering a highway. Additionally, the functionality of braking systems between different trailers may not be consistent, and an overloaded trailer can dangerously increase a truck driver’s stopping distance.

Risks and Implications of Maryland Truck Accidents

June 24, 2016 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

There are many populous cities in and around the Maryland region, and traffic can be brutal and congested. The busy metropolitan cities are home to many businesses that rely on transportation companies to deliver their goods. With the rise in online purchasing and same-day delivery, transportation companies are now beginning to face potential competition among them. This new competition-driven system has resulted in an influx of trucking accidents in the state.

There are many reasons that trucking accidents occur in Maryland. Some of the top causes of trucking accidents and trucking-related fatalities are truck driver inexperience, trucking malfunction, jackknifing, and truck driver fatigue. Out of all of these common causes, truck driver drowsiness and fatigue is arguably the most dangerous. In fact, a recent study revealed that although medical professionals recommend at least 7-8 hours of sleep for an adult, many truck drivers get less than five hours of sleep. This is clearly insufficient when they are in control of such large and dangerous vehicles.

As mentioned above, competition between trucking companies is so fierce that many times trucking companies demand their drivers to make delivery goals that are potentially unsafe. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has lenient standards that allow drivers to drive up to 11 hours in one day without stops. This number translates to almost 70 hours in just over a week’s time. In order to ensure job security, truck drivers may feel compelled to violate these requirements. In some cases, truck drivers may even take illicit substances to ensure that they are awake. However, many of these substances lead to drivers who are less alert and aware of their surroundings. The combination of strict delivery times and fatigued drivers can only lead to a deadly result.

Chain-Reaction Semi-Truck Accident Kills One, Several Others Suffered Minor Injuries

November 25, 2015 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Earlier this month in California, a semi-truck driver was killed when he rear-ended another truck that was parked on the side of the highway. According to one local news source covering the incident, the fatal accident took place at around 3:30 in the afternoon on a multi-lane highway.

Evidently, the deceased semi-truck driver was traveling on the highway at approximately 50-60 miles per hour when he rammed into the rear of another semi-truck that had pulled off to the side of the road. From the news coverage of the accident, it is unclear if the parked semi-truck was completely pulled off the road, stopped in the middle of the road, or just partially blocking the lane of travel.

After the initial collision between the two trucks, the parked truck was pushed into several other occupied vehicles that were nearby. Thankfully, none of those people was injured as a result of the accident.