Articles Posted in Truck Accidents

For anyone who hasn’t noticed, traffic accidents involving commercial motor vehicles still continue to claim innocent lives and put otherwise healthy people in the hospital with serious or life-threatening injuries. These types of collisions, which by the very physical nature of large trucks and other commercial motor vehicles, tend to be biased in favor of the more massive vehicle. Putting even a good-sized sport utility vehicle up against an 18-wheeler or large box truck is a gamble that the passengers in the SUV may not win; never mind a mid-size sedan, economy car or a truck-motorcycle collision.

What this all means is that trucking-related accidents in and around urban areas, such as Rockville, Gaithersburg and The District, will likely continue to claim lives and maim individuals, causing grief to loved ones of the victims and financial distress to their families. As Maryland personal injury lawyers, our job is to help victims, their spouses and children to recover damages in cases of negligent driving and other thoughtless acts that cause harm.

It doesn’t take much effort to find examples almost every week. Take, for instance, a crash that occurred earlier this year when two people ended up getting a trip to the hospital care of a collision with a Maryland cement truck. According to police reports, a 53-year-old man was medevaced to the University of Maryland’s Shock Trauma Center following a collision between the man’s Dodge Dakota pickup truck and a cement mixer along a stretch of Md. 140 near Old Westminster Pike.

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As consumers, we all rely on professionals to be the best they can be and to do their job with the utmost quality and consideration. When it comes to professional drivers, such as those who operate limousines, taxi cabs, city buses and commercial delivery trucks, we expect those individuals to be vigilant and take extreme care when driving their vehicles. Unfortunately, not all commercial truck drivers are perfect; and traffic accidents can and do happen on a regular basis.

As Baltimore auto injury lawyers and Maryland personal injury attorneys, I and my legal staff are always aware of the dangers that average people face every day of their lives. The problem is, not all people take care to avoid situations where the potential for bodily injury is higher than average. Driving in dense city traffic or on a high-speed interstate with semi tractor-trailers all around are just a couple of instances where a passenger car driver could find herself getting involved in a serious traffic collision.

It’s not surprising to most people that being caught up in a roadway wreck with an 18-wheeler can result in life-threatening injuries. But believe us when we say that even smaller commercial vehicles, such as box trucks, dump trucks, and even garbage trucks can turn the average passenger sedan into a mass of crushed sheetmetal given the right circumstances.

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For those out there who believe that every commercial trucker is the paramount of professionalism, we are here to say, albeit sadly, that this is not always the case. Just as with the motoring public in general, there are good apples and bad. Fortunately for most of us, the bad apples are few and far between, but this does not mean that there is not cause for concern vis-à-vis traffic accidents caused by negligence; this portion of the driving public is still over represented, at least from our standpoint as Maryland personal injury lawyers.

The point we are trying to make here is that while not every car, truck or motorcycle operator is a perfect driver, there are some very bad actors in our midst every day or every month. We, as motorists, may not realize we are sharing the road with potentially negligent individuals, which is a blessing in some regards. The downside, of course, is that one never knows when tragic traffic accident may strike as a result of one of these bad apples.

If you think that commercial truck drivers are less than likely to be poor or negligent drivers, you could be right. While most truckers obey traffic laws and Federal regulations and guidelines for operating these 80,000-pound rigs, there is a percent of truckers who flout the law either surreptitiously or even openly in some instances. Of course, they face stiff penalties, not the least of which is forfeiture of their commercial driver’s license (CDL), which can bring their truck driving career to a halt very quickly.

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Drinking and driving related traffic accidents may arguably be some of the most preventable types of roadway collisions. If one subscribes to the idea of personal responsibility, or certainly to the notion that motorists should never drive after drinking or taking narcotic or hallucinogenic medications, then this is an area of personal injury law that should accept few excuses for bad behavior.

As Baltimore car, truck and motorcycle injury attorneys, my firm regularly sees individuals who have been hurt in a traffic wreck usually as a result of another driver’s negligence. Being Maryland personal injury lawyers, our job is to represent individuals seeking compensation for medical care, rehabilitation, lost income, and other expenses associated with a serious collision either in urban areas, such as Gaithersburg or Washington, D.C., or on state roads and interstate roadways.

As alluded to above, among the many and varied types of car and truck accidents, there are many people who ardently believe that drunken driving is deadly activity that need not occur, at least in a society that values traffic safety and the well-being of innocent individuals.

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It doesn’t take much to become injured in a high-speed traffic accident on the interstate, especially when a large commercial truck is involved. A family sedan, minivan or SUV is no match against a big rig 18-wheeler, tanker truck, steel hauler, and other large motor vehicle. The shear size and mass of long-haul trucks means that a highway collision can involve multiple passenger cars, with attendant injuries to numerous vehicle occupants.

As personal injury lawyers serving the residents of Maryland and Washington, D.C., I and my legal staff know how easily an accident of any kind can knock a person out of the ranks of the healthy, physically-fit arena and into a hospital room with a long road to recovery. Similarly, the physical and psychological trauma of a car accident, boating incident, motorcycle wreck, or commuter bus collision can place a burden on the victim’ and his or her family almost from the get-go.

Of course, one of the most deadly types of traffic mishap has to be that of the commercial truck wreck. Some of the most seriously and deadly automobile accidents are caused by a negligent truck driver behind the wheel of a heavy construction vehicle, semi tractor-trailer rig, or large delivery box truck.

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Being a good driver — or even being an exceptional driver – does not necessarily give one immunity from ever being involved in a traffic accident. The fact is, as trite as it may seem, accidents happen every day, every hour; and, quite frankly, avoiding any kind of a car, truck or motorcycle collision may be a matter of simply staying off the road and away from the curb.

While this may come across as overly simplistic, the real truth is that few people can avoid exposing themselves to potential injury in this modern world. Driving to work, crossing the street, walking through a parking low; each of these activities offers some chance for a personal injury accident. As Maryland automobile, trucking accident lawyers, I and my staff know all too well how easy it can be to get caught up in a roadway accident.

Whether you are a driver, passenger, public transportation commuter, pedestrian or cyclist, the opportunities are all around us. Staying alert to the dangers and pitfalls of car accidents and commercial trucking wrecks is just part of the routine; if one wants to stay as safe as possible. Still, even the mostly vigilant among us can find themselves smack-dab in the middle of a highway collision.

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Sustaining bodily injury as a result of any kind of city or highway traffic accident can be both physically and psychologically traumatic. Car accidents, boating mishaps, motorcycle wrecks and bus collisions can all prove injurious to an individual given the right circumstances. Some of the most serious and deadly traffic accidents are caused by commercial trucks, such as construction vehicles, semi tractor-trailers, large delivery box trucks and even smaller, but heavily-laden commercial work trucks.

In any case, being injured as a result of another party’s negligence may be reason to file a personal injury lawsuit or claim against the negligent individual or individuals. In the case of trucking crashes, the fault — as initially determined by the local law enforcement agency — may lie with the driver of the vehicle, or it may be the fault of the trucking carrier or even a third party, such as a maintenance or repair facility. Naturally, the job of determining which parties should be named in a personal injury suit is typically too much for the average person, especially if that person is incapacitated by the accident.

Finally, injury as a result of a traffic accident involving a large commercial vehicle can be due to a poorly designed or manufactured part or component. Historically, it is not uncommon for motorcycle, truck and car accidents to be caused by incorrectly manufactured tires, steering components and braking systems. Lawsuits stemming from these kinds of car and truck collisions are also known as product liability claims; they can be tied to an injury accident — or in cases of fatal wrecks, may be related to a wrongful death lawsuit.

Because commercial trucking companies conduct the majority of their business operations on public roads — and in close proximity to other vehicles carrying individuals and families — federal and state governments have established numerous laws, legal statutes and industry guidelines to regulate certain critical aspects of these firms’ business conduct that may affect the public adversely should those practices be overlooked or ignored to the detriment of public safety.

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It’s a sad commentary to say that most people only remember the terrible news stories involving commercial trucking accidents, but the fact remains that bad news sells; good news just isn’t that interesting, apparently. Nevertheless, there are many examples of semi tractor-trailers going out of control, crashing into smaller passenger cars and killing and injuring dozens of people every year in Maryland and Washington, D.C.

Of course, for every negligent truck driver out there, certainly there are many more conscientious truckers whose names are never in the newspapers or online. As mentioned above, good news isn’t as compelling as news that covers serious or fatal car, truck and motorcycle accidents. Part of the reason is that an 80,000-pound steel hauler can cause a large amount of damage if its brake system fails or the driver loses control and hits a small sedan, minivan or sport utility vehicle.

Injuries associated with commercial trucking accidents can range from that of minor scrapes, cuts and bruises, to compound fractures, third- and fourth-degree burns and concussions due to head trauma. Occupants of a 3,000-pound minivan are more prone to injury when the vehicle that hits them is a 25-plus-ton long-haul 18-wheeler with a load of heavy machinery sitting on the trailer.

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Considering the damage and injury that can occur as a result of a traffic collision between a semi tractor-trailer rig and a much smaller family minivan, sport utility vehicle or economy car, it’s very important that the individuals who operate these behemoths be properly trained and licensed.

Without a doubt, commercial trucks are everywhere one looks in Baltimore, Rockville, Gaithersburg and Washington, D.C. As an important part of this nation’s flow of commerce, large trucks are a necessary evil, to put it bluntly. Of course, most truckers are careful professionals who take their jobs quite seriously. However, as with any industry, there are bad apples in the bunch.

With all these vehicles — 18-wheelers, contractor vehicles, box trucks and delivery vans — there is always the potential for a trucking-related traffic accident no matter where you are. Pedestrians and bicycle riders are also not immune to the dangers presented by thoughtless or inattentive truck drivers, especially in busy urban areas where bike, foot vehicle traffic share the same roads.

Being involved in a serious car accidents and truck collisions can be frightening enough, but once injured due to a commercial trucking accident, one must usually face the task of both physical and financial recovery. Sad to say, obtaining justice following a truck accident in Maryland may be difficult. Because they are usually associated with large businesses, commercial truck carriers usually have extensive legal resources that help them to avoid large payouts.

As mentioned, there are always some bad drivers out there, but it is important to remember that Maryland trucking firms can be held liable for employing negligent truckers who cause a serious roadway injury accident or fatal trucking collision. In these types of situations, as Maryland personal injury lawyers, it is our job to represent the victims or the victim’s families in order to gain some compensation for their loss.

The insurance companies that represent trucking firms typically try very hard to limit how much they will pay for any insurance claim. It’s not uncommon for the victims of such highway wrecks to actually be accused by the insurance company of causing the accident.

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While there are numerous factors that can contribute to a commercial truck crash, many Maryland trucking-related traffic accidents involve problems with proper loading on the vehicle or trailer. Box trucks, dump trucks and gravel haulers, as well as semi tractor-trailers must all be loaded properly to avoid dangerous roadway collisions due to shifting contents or lost loads.

As Maryland personal injury attorneys and commercial truck accident lawyers, I and my legal staff understand the potential for serious or fatal injury that can result from a highway accident between a large commercial vehicle and smaller motor vehicle. Occupants of passenger sedans, SUVs, minivans can receive life-threatening injuries during a collision with an 18-wheeler or large delivery truck. Pedestrians and even motorcycle riders hurt in these kinds of traffic accidents are often among the most likely to die as a result of such traffic wrecks.

As mentioned, improper loading, whether due to excessive weight, poor load placement, or improper tie-down or otherwise incorrectly secured loads can all be contributing factors to serious or fatal trucking accidents. With commercial semi tractor-trailers weighing upward of 80,000 pounds, it’s no surprise that commercial truck drivers must have specialized training and pass federally-mandated testing to qualify for a commercial trucking license. But in spite of all this, accident can and do occur on an alarmingly frequent basis.

A while back, a woman was killed after the car in which she was riding collided with a piece of construction machinery that fell off a flatbed trailer belonging to a Maryland firm. The crash happened on a Friday afternoon along a stretch of interstate, according to reports. Based on information from local police and fire-rescue units, 42-year-old Yingzi Wang driving southbound on the highway with three others in a 2000 Toyota Sienna when a backhoe/front-end loader apparently rolled off of the trailer in front of Wang’s vehicle.

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