Maryland Trucking Accident Lawyer Blog
Things happen pretty fast in the case of a traffic accident, and it’s not always easy to remember how the event transpired or even what happened afterward. For this very reason it is always a good idea to consult a qualified auto accident lawyer or Maryland personal injury attorney following a serious car, truck or motorcycle crash.
Knowing what to do following a commercial truck accident, it is important to remember some other things. Especially where injuries or property damage are concerned, the victims may be approached by attorneys representing the trucking company’s insurance carrier. Do yourself a favor; do not talk to anyone until you have consulted a trucking accident attorney to better understand your situation.
For instance, as a person who has been hurt or seriously injured following a trucking-related roadway collision, it is your legal right in Maryland to present the police-issued traffic citation as one of the pieces of evidence should you decide to bring a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit against a commercial truck driver or cartage company.
As Maryland trucking accident lawyers, we know that being involved in a crash with semi tractor-trailer rig can present the victims with serious medical complications, some of which can manifest themselves as life-threatening or certainly life-changing problem. We know this from first-hand experience representing victims and their families.
Whether you live in the Baltimore, Rockville or Washington, D.C., area, whenever an individual is caught up in a serious collision with a commercial delivery truck, tanker trailer rig or even a commuter bus, the resulting medical treatments and physical therapy can present a financial nightmare to those affected.
While any automobile or motorcycle accident can result in severe injuries and challenging medical issues, a trucking-related crash can cause head and neck trauma, as well as lesser injuries such as cuts, bruises and contusions. For those occupants riding in a small sedan or economy car, being hit by an 18-wheeler or commercial delivery truck can up the ante for serious injury or even death.
This is why it is important to use all the information at your disposal when bringing a lawsuit against a negligent trucker or trucking company. As the injured party, you can use the truck driver’s traffic citation as part of your collection of evidence, which will help to prove to the court that the truck operator was considered by the police to be negligent.
It is also important to remember that truck drivers are governed not only by general traffic laws, but also by other federal and state regulations specific to the trucking industry. Should a commercial trucker violate any one of these laws and cause a traffic collision, the injured party may also use that particular violation as further evidence of the driver’s negligence.
For pedestrians who are hit by a commercial vehicle, here in Maryland a person on foot who is injured by a tractor-trailer, deliver van or city bus still receive the benefits of his or her automobile insurance (assuming they have a vehicle of their own) just as if they were hit while driving their vehicle at the time of the crash.
To recap, there are three types of auto insurance coverage that are typically most useful to someone who has been struck by another vehicle while on foot:
Personal Injury Protection (PIP)
This can cover medical bills and 85 percent of lost wages incurred due to the pedestrian accident up to the coverage limit. PIP coverage in Maryland is usually purchased at limits of $2,500, $5,000, $7,500 or $10,000.
Medical Payment Coverage
This covers medical bills related to injuries sustained in an accident, up to the coverage limit.
Uninsured or Underinsured Motorists Coverage
This insurance steps in to pay for medical treatment from injuries sustained in the pedestrian incident when the driver of the involved vehicle leaves the scene of the accident or cannot be found; when the other driver has no insurance; or when the at-fault individual doesn’t have sufficient insurance to cover the injured person’s medical costs resulting from the collision.