Maryland Trucking Accident Lawyer Blog

Following Up: Laws on Passing Maryland School Buses

November 5, 2019 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

More than 800 students are killed each year going to and from school, according to the National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences. In addition to citations and fines, illegally passing a school bus could result in a crash with students walking to or from the bus. If a student is injured in a Maryland truck accident, a driver may be held responsible through a Maryland personal injury claim.

Under section 21-706 of the Maryland Code, if a school vehicle is flashing red lights, a driver must stop for a school vehicle at least 20 feet from the rear of the front of the vehicle. A driver cannot proceed until the school vehicle continues moving or deactivates the flashing red lights. According to the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration, the greatest danger to students taking the bus is when approaching or leaving the bus. The stop sign on a Maryland school bus will show yellow flashing lights to indicate that the bus is preparing to load or unload children. Motorists are supposed to slow down and prepare to stop. The stop sign will show red flashing lights and the extended stop arm to indicate that the bus has stopped and that children are getting on or off. Motorists are required to stop until the flashing lights stop, regardless of which direction they are coming from and irrespective of how many travel lanes there are.

In the first 40 days of the 2017-2018 school year, 7,919 drivers in Montgomery County, Maryland, were recorded on school bus cameras illegally passing school buses. The Montgomery County Public School District has stated that it reports nearly 800 to 1,200 illegal passes in a single day. A school bus camera citation comes with a $250 fine. If a police officer issues a citation for the same offense, the fine is $500.

The Dangers Maryland Students Face When Boarding a School Bus

October 28, 2019 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Every parent is nervous the first time they send their child to school on the school bus. School buses are generally known to be safe for students. However, accidents can happen while students are on the bus, but also while they are approaching the bus. In fact, students are most at risk of being involved in a Maryland bus accident when they are getting on or off a school bus.

These days, all school buses are equipped with additional safety features such as swinging gate arms or deployable stop signs that bus drivers can use to warn other motorists that students will be getting on or off the bus. Of course, these signals are not recommendations, and drivers must not pass a stopped school bus, or drive around a lowered gate arm. However, whether it be because they are in a rush or because they are not paying attention, too many drivers ignore school bus drivers’ signals and try to navigate around buses as they drop off or pick up students, putting children at great risk.

In most situations when a child is struck while getting on or off the school bus, the driver that struck them is responsible. However, in some situations, the bus driver may also bear some responsibility. In either case, injured students and their families can pursue a Maryland personal injury case against all potentially at-fault parties. It is important to keep in mind that the student’s own potential negligence may come up as a defense to their claims.

Filing Maryland Wrongful Death Claims after a Tour Bus Accident

October 22, 2019 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Traveling by tour bus can be an inexpensive way to visit sites while traveling. But in these circumstances, you are leaving your life in the hands of the driver. In cases in which a person is killed in a commercial or non-commercial bus accident, certain family members may be able to file a wrongful death claim to recover compensation. In general, Maryland bus drivers must undergo certain educations programs in order to receive commercial licenses. As drivers, they are required to meet certain federal and state regulations. Trucking companies also must abide by certain laws concerning who is allowed to drive commercial vehicles and under what circumstances.

Maryland’s Wrongful Death Act is meant to compensate family members who were killed due to another person’s negligence. A claim can be filed if a person’s wrongful act would have permitted the decedent to recover damages if the decedent were still alive. Wrongful death claims generally must be filed within three years of the death of the decedent. Claimants generally can recover financial compensation for pain and suffering, mental anguish, and for damages relating to what the family member lost, including parental care, marital care, filial care, and guidance.

Wrongful death claims generally must be filed by a spouse, a parent, or a child. These are referred to as primary beneficiaries. In cases of decedents without a spouse, parent, or child, a secondary beneficiary may be able to bring the claim. Secondary beneficiaries are those who are wholly dependent on the decedent and related to them by blood or by marriage.

Personal Injury Lawsuits Against a Maryland Government Entity

October 14, 2019 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Individuals who suffer injuries because of the negligence of a government entity or employee must overcome challenges to file a personal injury lawsuit against the government. Maryland injury victims must understand the Maryland Tort Claims Act (MTCA) if they want to recover damages for their injuries successfully.

Historically, citizens have not been permitted to sue government agencies or employees. However, in an attempt to address the inherent unfairness of this archaic rule, state lawmakers enacted the MTCA to provide Maryland injury victims with some recourse against negligent government actors. The MTCA covers various Maryland state and government employees, as long as they are paid by the Central Payroll Bureau of the Treasury. Additionally, the statute covers county, city, and local government employees and entities, such as the Maryland Transportation Authority, local employees who work for social services, judges in some courts, and sheriffs in Baltimore City.

Maryland accident victims must comply with the statute to avoid dismissal. For example, an appellate court in another jurisdiction recently dismissed a plaintiff’s lawsuit against the government. In that case, the victim rear-ended a stopped waste removal truck while the truck was on the side of the highway. The victim filed a lawsuit against the municipality, alleging that the truck driver was negligent. The appellate court found that the plaintiff did not establish negligence and failed to comply with the state’s torts claims act.

Causes of Maryland Roadside Accidents

October 7, 2019 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Pedestrians face many dangers when walking or working along the edge of a road. Indeed, each year, there are nearly 3,500 Maryland pedestrian accidents. Of those, roughly 92% result in either injury or death to the pedestrian. Not surprisingly, these figures show that pedestrian accidents are among the most dangerous type of Maryland car accidents.

To be sure, drivers and pedestrians share the duty to prevent Maryland pedestrian accidents. And each must behave safely and predictably. However, ultimately, many of the pedestrian accidents that occur on Maryland roads are the result of negligent drivers who are either not paying attention or consciously make a poor decision. Maryland law requires motorists follow all traffic laws and posted signs when driving, and yield to pedestrians when appropriate. When drivers fail to live up to this duty, they put pedestrians at risk.

Those who work along the road’s shoulder, such as utility workers, law enforcement, construction workers, and other city workers, are at unusually high risk. The state’s “Move Over Law,” attempts to reduce the number of Maryland roadside accidents by requiring motorists to change lanes to avoid certain vehicles on the side of the road. The state’s move over law applies mostly to government workers such as police officers, firefighters, hazmat workers, ambulances, and emergency rescue vehicles. There is a similar law requiring motorists to move over for bicyclists and scooters.

Student Safety on Maryland School Busses

September 26, 2019 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Sending a child to school on a school bus is a fact of life for many Maryland parents. Indeed, school buses make it possible for the children of busy parents to get to and from school. However, while school buses are by and large a safe means of transportation, there are many Maryland school bus accidents each year.

School buses themselves do a reasonably good job of keeping students safe, even in the event of an accident. However, this is not the case when students are not correctly sitting in a designated seat. According to a recent news report, several students spoke up after the bus they were riding in was involved in a traffic accident.

Evidently, one student told reporters that the bus was so packed that some students were sitting on the floor. She explained that the bus was often so crowded that there would be three students to a seat. Some students who did not want to be crammed into the seat, would not allow other students to sit with them, forcing them to sit on the floor. She also explained that it was common for students to ride with their legs in the aisle because there was no room to sit facing forward.

Driver Faces Charges Five Months after Fatal Maryland Truck Accident

September 19, 2019 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Large commercial vehicle such as semi-trucks, tractor-trailers, dump trucks, and big-rigs pose a serious threat to motorists when they are not operated in a safe and responsible manner. Indeed, on March 11, 2019, a fatal Maryland truck accident claimed the lives of two people. According to a recent news report, the truck driver responsible for causing that accident now faces criminal charges, including manslaughter, for his role in causing the accident.

The accident occurred near the intersection of MD 24 and Ring Factory Road, at around 7 a.m. Evidently, there were several vehicles stopped at the intersection during rush hour traffic. However, as the truck approached, it did not slow down. The truck ended up rear-ending several of the stopped cars, which then caused a chain-reaction accident involving other nearby motorists. In all, the accident involved a total of 12 cars and trucks. Two vehicles were pinned underneath the semi-truck when it caught fire. A local businessman and a young boy were killed in the collision. Four others, including the young boy’s mother, were seriously injured.

After the fatal accident, police launched an in-depth investigation. They quickly determined that the truck driver was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol. However, investigators believe that he may have been using his cell phone at the time of the accident. Thus, among the charges the truck driver faces are four counts of causing serious injury while using a cell phone.

Damages Available in Maryland Truck Accident Cases

September 12, 2019 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

When a loved one is injured a Maryland truck accident, the challenges can be overwhelming. The financial, physical, and emotional burden can be enormous, both for victims and their families. Financial compensation from a personal injury lawsuit can help alleviate some of these burdens.

In Maryland personal injury cases, different damages may be available to victims and their families depending on the specifics of the case. Plaintiffs in Maryland accident claims may able to recover compensation for medical expenses, mental suffering, wage losses, and other damages. The plaintiff has the burden to prove damages in the case. Generally, damages can be divided into two types: special and general damages.

Special damages normally include economic damages, such as past and future medical bills, loss of wages, diminished earning capacity, and others. General damages normally refer to non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering. Apart from special and general damages, punitive, or exemplary, damages are available in some cases. Punitive damages are intended to punish the defendant for his or her conduct and also to act as a deterrent to others. To be awarded punitive damages, a plaintiff has to prove, by clear and convincing evidence, that the defendant had actual knowledge of the wrongful act at issue.

Distracted Driver Kills Two in Maryland Truck Accident

September 5, 2019 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

In March of this year, a Maryland traffic accident involving a semi-truck killed two and injured four. According to a recent news report covering the tragic accident, the driver was using his cellphone while driving a truck in rush-hour traffic one morning. Evidently, the truck crashed into a line of other vehicles, bursting into flames as it came to a stop. Debris from the accident covered the highway for at least a quarter of a mile, and the road was subsequently closed for most of the day.

Two individuals were tragically killed as a result of this crash: a 65-year-old man and a 7-year-old boy. Additionally, four others were seriously injured. Law enforcement recently charged the truck driver responsible for the fatal accident with two counts of gross negligence manslaughter by motor vehicle, two counts of criminal negligence manslaughter by motor vehicle, and four counts of causing serious injury while using a cellphone while driving. The case is still under investigation.

Unfortunately, distracted driving and truck crashes are not uncommon. Truck drivers often drive for long hours, leading to boredom or fatigue, which truck drivers may attempt to remedy by looking at their phone. Other common causes of distracted driving include watching television, talking to passengers, eating, grooming, and texting.

Maryland Truck Accident Victims Must Be Prepared for Defense Expert Witnesses

August 28, 2019 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

While many Maryland truck accident cases do not require testimony from an expert witness, some do. Typically, these are the cases that present complex issues regarding causation. When a plaintiff intends on calling an expert, it is reasonable to assume that the defense will also present their own expert. It is important that Maryland personal injury plaintiffs anticipate testimony from a defense expert.

In a recent state appellate opinion, the court discussed the permissible scope of expert witness testimony that was designated as impeachment evidence. Impeachment is a term used to describe a party’s attempt to discredit an opposing witness by showing the jury that their testimony is biased or flawed.

According to the court’s opinion, the plaintiff was arrested and placed in a county bus for transport. During the transport, the van struck a concrete barrier and the plaintiff was injured as a result. The plaintiff filed a lawsuit against the county. The plaintiff had been in one prior accident, and was involved in another accident after the bus accident, but before this case went to trial. The plaintiff provided notice that he was calling a medical expert.