Maryland Trucking Accident Lawyer Blog

Fatal Tow Truck Crash Kills One and Injures Two

April 21, 2024 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Heavy vehicles on the road can do a lot of damage in a crash. The danger of not wearing your seatbelt is compounded when a truck or other large vehicle is involved. That goes for people in the large vehicle as well as others on the road. Bigger road vehicles like tow trucks and SUVs are larger than other vehicles and often transport more passengers or cargo. That means that large automobiles can become difficult to maneuver in emergency situations, preventing drivers from turning or stopping suddenly due to the weight of their vehicle and cargo.

What Are the Possible Causes of a Truck Accident?

Even without heavy cargo or large trailers, big vehicles are heavy, making accidents involving them inherently dangerous. Additionally, long-distance drivers are under extreme pressure to spend significant hours on the road, as they may have to meet delivery deadlines. This can lead to exhaustion and impaired judgment on the roads. Tired drivers are more likely to make mistakes when driving, increasing the likelihood of accidents. It is vital to wear your seatbelt while on the road and stay aware of large vehicles that could be merging onto your road. A recent news article discussed a serious heavy vehicle accident.

According to the news article, a crash between a tow truck and a passenger vehicle occurred on Tuesday, April 2, at 3:30 pm at the intersection of Van Born and Gulley roads. The Dearborn Heights crash involved a tow truck and a passenger vehicle and left two people hospitalized and one person dead. Officials say their preliminary investigation revealed that the tow truck was traveling westbound on Van Born Road near Gulley when it crashed with the passenger vehicle turning onto northbound Gulley from eastbound Van Born.

Common Causes of Maryland Truck Accidents

March 30, 2024 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Truck accidents can occur for a number of reasons. From drivers’ negligence to a faulty vehicle part, there are several issues that can lead to a truck accident. No matter the cause of the accident, it is important to understand your options for recovery if you have suffered serious injuries. A Maryland truck accident attorney can help you gather evidence and develop the strongest possible argument to recover damages.

According to a recent news article, a Maryland truck accident shut down all lanes of southbound I-95. The crash involved a car and a tractor-trailer, which was parked on the shoulder when the accident occurred. Fortunately, there were no fatalities reported.

What Are the Causes of a Maryland Truck Accident?

A Maryland truck accident can have several overlapping causes. First, a truck driver may have negligently operated their vehicle. In general, distracted driving is a common cause of auto accidents. When drivers fail to pay attention to the road, they may fail to respond to traffic patterns or lose control of their vehicle. Due to the size of a typical truck, truck drivers must stay extra vigilant and minimize distractions to avoid causing a serious crash. When a truck driver fails to exercise reasonable care, their negligent behavior may lead to an accident. On the other hand, a distracted driver may crash into a truck, which occurred in the accident discussed above. Consequently, staying focused on the road can help both car and truck drivers avoid an accident. In addition to drivers’ negligence, a truck accident can result from a manufacturing or design defect in a piece of equipment. For example, a truck’s braking system may have a design flaw that prevents truck drivers from braking quickly in the event of an accident. Alternatively, a mechanic’s shop may have negligently repaired the brakes. Finally, a local government may have negligently maintained the roads, resulting in an increased risk of an accident.

Multi-Vehicle Maryland Dump Truck Crash Leaves Three Hospitalized

March 15, 2024 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

According to a recent news article, three people were injured and a road in Germantown, Maryland was closed after a three-vehicle crash on Friday, March 1, 2024. According to Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services, one of the vehicles involved was a dump truck. Officials stated that the crash occurred on Frederick Road and Snowden Farm Parkway around 4 pm, shutting down the roads until approximately 8:30 pm. One of the vehicles crashed into a tree and a person had to be extricated, officials said. Three people, including a teen and an adult, were transported to a hospital. The northbound lanes of Frederick Road from Clarksburg Road to Snowden Farm Parkway were closed as officials responded to the incident. According to officials, a utility pole on the road was damaged during the incident.

How Important Is Seatbelt Use?

The danger of not wearing your seatbelt is compounded when a truck or other large vehicle is involved in the crash. That goes for people in the truck as well as others on the road. Large commercial vehicles like trucks are on the road to transport heavy items over long distances. That means that trucks can become difficult to maneuver under the best of circumstances. This danger is compounded in emergency situations, preventing truck drivers from turning or stopping suddenly due to the weight of their vehicle and cargo. Even without heavy cargo or large trailers, trucks are heavy, making accidents involving them inherently more dangerous than collisions between two smaller vehicles. Additionally, truck drivers are under extreme pressure to spend long hours on the road, as they often need to meet delivery or cargo deadlines. This can lead to exhaustion and impaired judgment on the roads. Tired drivers are more likely to make mistakes when driving, increasing the likelihood of accidents.

Maryland maintains minimum insurance requirements for drivers in the state. Minimum insurance requirements are designed to ensure sufficient compensation is available to victims of car accidents should it be required. As a result, Maryland drivers are required to purchase at least $30,000 in bodily injury liability coverage per person, $60,000 in bodily injury liability coverage per accident, and $15,000 in property damage liability coverage.

Fatal Truck Crash Leaves Multiple People Dead, Including Two Young Children

February 20, 2024 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Automobile accidents involving larger vehicles such as trucks and pickups can be devastating. The mass, speed, and size of larger vehicles increase the severity of collisions, often turning accidents into fatal incidents. Many people have a basic understanding of the risks associated with driving near larger vehicles, such as pickup trucks, but not many people just how dangerous these crashes have become. According to the statistical analysis organization Policy Advice, truck accidents have increased by 52% since 2009, and 74% of all fatal passenger vehicle accidents include large trucks. A local news article discussed a recent fatal Maryland crash involving a truck.

According to the local news article about the fatal Maryland truck crash, the accident occurred in the afternoon on Sunday, February 5, 2024, resulting in three dead and two injured. According to authorities, a Ford F-600 Super Duty pickup truck struck the rear of a Honda Civic that had two adults and two children in it. The mother and two children in the Honda were killed and the other adult in the car was taken to a nearby hospital to have his injuries treated. The driver of the Ford was taken to the hospital for minor injuries according to the police.

What Makes Truck Accidents so Dangerous?

Accidents involving pickups, trucks, busses, and other large-sized vehicles such as SUVs are more dangerous than other types of collisions for a number of reasons. Busses, especially very heavy ones such as passenger buses inherently result in more serious accidents when they are involved in crashes due to their weight, size, and speed. These features similarly make accidents involving SUVs more dangerous, as SUVs tend to be larger than sedans and other standard automobiles. Additionally, the conditions that many large vehicle drivers, such as greyhound truck operators, operate under force them to drive extreme distances, resulting in fatigue. Further, large emergency response trucks, such as fire trucks, are often driving at extremely high speeds and operating under different driving rules than ordinary traffic, creating more opportunities for accidents. Finally, commercial trucks also carry heavy cargo, complicating truck crashes and accidents.

Fatal Three Dump-Truck Highway Crash Leads to Injuries and One Dead

January 31, 2024 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

The danger of any vehicle accident is likely to be more severe when a truck or other large vehicle is involved in the crash. Large-sized commercial vehicles like trucks are on the road to transport heavy items and cargo over long distances. That means that trucks can become difficult to maneuver in emergency situations, preventing truck drivers from turning or stopping suddenly due to the weight of their vehicle and cargo.

What Makes Semi Trucks So Accident-Prone?

Even without heavy cargo or large trailers, trucks are heavy, making crashes involving them inherently more dangerous than accidents involving smaller automobiles. Additionally, truck drivers are under extreme pressure to spend long hours on the road, as they need to meet delivery deadlines. This can lead to exhaustion and impaired judgment on the roads. Tired drivers are more likely to make mistakes when driving, increasing the likelihood of accidents. The large size of trucks and other commercial vehicles can also inhibit the driver’s view, leading to more blind spots on the vehicle. A recent news article discussed a fatal multi-truck accident.

According to the news article, a dump truck rear-ended another dump truck, causing a collision with a third dump truck on January 3, 2024, around 12:15 pm in the afternoon. The Trenton Police Department stated that the preliminary investigation revealed that there was one fatality and the other two dump truck drivers were being treated for minor injuries at Capital Health Regional Medical Center. Law enforcement officers stated that no other vehicles were involved in the crash. The Trenton Police Department was alerted to the issue when the Trenton Radio Room 9-1-1 operators began receiving multiple calls regarding a multi-dump truck crash on Route 129 between Cass Street and Lalor Street. The Trenton Police, Trenton Fire Department, TEMS, and Paramedics were dispatched to the scene. Around 12:26 pm the Trenton Fire Department reported an extended rescue operation at the scene, and a person was reported extricated from the dump truck crash around 12:30 pm.

Aggressive Logging Truck Driving Results in Fatal Automobile Crash

December 22, 2023 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Crashes involving commercial vehicles and large automobiles such as trucks or campers are inherently more dangerous than other types of collisions for a number of reasons. Trucks, especially very heavy ones such as logging trucks or fire trucks result in more serious accidents when they are involved in crashes. Additionally, the conditions that many truck drivers operate under force them to drive extreme distances, resulting in fatigue. Further, large emergency response trucks, such as fire trucks, are often driving at extremely high speeds and operating under different driving rules than ordinary traffic, creating more opportunities for accidents. Finally, commercial trucks are also potentially carrying hazardous cargo, complicating truck crashes and accidents. While many people intuitively understand the greater risks involved in truck accidents, they may not know that according to the statistical analysis organization Policy Advice, truck accidents have increased by 52% since 2009, and 74% of all fatal passenger vehicle accidents include a large truck. A recent news article discussed a local fatal logging truck crash.

According to the news article about a recent logging truck crash, the fatal accident occurred on Friday, December 1, and new details have recently emerged about the conditions that fueled the incident. According to the Washington State Patrol, a 76-year-old Hoquiam man was killed in the accident on Friday on SR 101 near Hensel Road. Additional details were released over the weekend following the fatal Friday automobile accident in Humptulips. In the official law enforcement report, officials state that a 66-year-old Hoquiam man was driving a log truck and trailer traveling on SR 101. When the 76-year-old man in a 2002 Subaru Legacy stopped to turn left, the log truck driver attempted to pass the Subaru Legacy on the left, striking the Subaru, rolling over and on top of the vehicle, killing the Subaru driver. The roadway was blocked for over eight hours as a result of the collision. Officials state that the cause of the accident is still under investigation.

Does Negligence on My Part Affect My Maryland Case?

Contributory Negligence is a legal concept that can prevent plaintiffs from receiving recovery for injuries resulting from a crash if their negligence contributed to the accident to any degree. Even if the negligence of the operator of another vehicle is in large part responsible for the accident, if the plaintiff was negligent at all, it is possible they will not be able to recover compensation. In Maryland, contributory negligence is generally interpreted very broadly, allowing extremely minor negligence by the plaintiff in personal injury cases to defeat even very strong claims.

Cause of Fatal Maryland Head-On Accident Under Investigation

November 30, 2023 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Alcohol-impaired drivers are a major cause of car accidents throughout the country. Impaired drivers are extremely dangerous on the roads for a whole host of reasons. Drivers impaired by alcohol or other substances suffer from reduced levels of concentration and slower reaction times when processing their surroundings and actions. Additionally, drunk drivers suffer from poor hand-eye coordination and they are more likely to use poor judgment and experience memory loss while under the influence. These factors and other side effects of substance use greatly increase the likelihood of impaired drivers being involved in car accidents. Signs of impaired drivers on the road include but aren’t limited to, quicker than usual acceleration or deceleration, weaving across the road, erratic breaking, slow responses to traffic signals, or excessively slow driving (10 mph below the speed limit). When on the road, you should exercise extreme caution if you spot any of these signs from other drivers. In 2016, Maryland implemented stricter drunk driving laws throughout the state, including harsher penalties and an Ignition Interlock Program.

How Common Are Maryland DUI Accidents?

Unfortunately, Maryland sees a high share of alcohol-impaired drivers. Over the last five years, almost 800 people in Maryland have been killed in crashes involving impaired drivers and over 10,000 people per year die throughout the United States in alcohol-impaired crashes. Each year, tens of thousands of people are arrested throughout Maryland for drunk or impaired driving. Maryland currently deploys a specialized team of Maryland State troopers assigned to the State Police Impaired Driving Reduction Effort (SPIDRE) to enforce impaired driving laws. Since 2013, State Troopers in SPIDRE have taken more than 4,000 impaired drivers off of Maryland roads. A recent news report detailed a fatal Maryland car crash.

According to the news report, the fatal accident occurred in the early morning on Tuesday, October 31, when a Hyundai Accent traveling East on the East West Highway at Morse Road in the Jarrettsville area crashed head-on into a Nissan work van. State police said the driver of the Hyundai Accent died at the scene. The 51-year-old driver of the Nissan work van involved in the crash was taken to Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center in Baltimore. The preliminary investigation indicates that the Hyundai was traveling quickly on the East West Highway, passing multiple vehicles in a passing zone. At the same time, the van was traveling west and the vehicles collided head-on. The cause of the crash remains under investigation, police said. The road was closed for about three hours.

Proving Negligence in Fatal Maryland Truck Accidents

October 30, 2023 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

According to the National Safety Council, at least 42 people lost their lives in Maryland truck accidents in 2021. Given their typical size compared to a standard car, large tractor-trailers and other trucks can cause serious accidents. Fatal truck accidents often take a severe emotional and financial toll on the deceased victim’s family. Pursuing a wrongful death lawsuit against the responsible party can help the deceased victim’s family recover compensation for their harm.

As a recent news article reported, a man lost his life in a Baltimore County, Maryland truck accident. The man was driving a Nissan Altima at an intersection near I-95 when a tractor-trailed rear-ended his car. Sadly, he died at the scene. His passenger was transported to the hospital for his injuries. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

What Are the Elements of a Maryland Wrongful Death Claim?

If your loved one has died in a Maryland truck accident, you may consider bringing a wrongful death claim against the responsible driver. In Maryland, a wrongful death claim provides an avenue for redress when the deceased is not alive to sue the party responsible for their death. Instead, a deceased person’s family members can file a wrongful death claim so long as the deceased could have sued the defendant. As a result, the elements of a wrongful death claim are similar to those in a typical negligence lawsuit. To hold a truck driver liable for wrongful death, the deceased victim’s family must prove the driver owed the deceased a duty of care, breached that duty by acting carelessly or failing to act, caused the fatal truck accident in question, and that the victim died as a consequence. If the judge or jury finds the truck driver liable, the driver must pay damages to the victim’s family in the form of monetary compensation.

Types of Injuries in Maryland Hazmat Accidents

October 11, 2023 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

In 2022, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics recorded nearly 25,000 highway accidents involving hazardous materials that led to injuries, deaths, and property damage. These “hazmat” accidents often cause toxic materials to leak from the truck carrying them. Hazmat spills require significant clean-up operations on a highway. More seriously, they can cause severe injury to accident victims and residents near the spill, who may become sick after inhaling hazardous waste. Due to the high risk of injury, truck drivers must properly secure their cargo to avoid a spill. When drivers fail to exercise reasonable care, a court may require them to pay monetary damages to accident victims.

For example, a recent news article reported that five people lost their lives in a hazmat truck accident. The accident occurred on the highway as a semi-truck was traveling with about 7,500 gallons of ammonia. As the article explained, the semi-truck collided with multiple vehicles on the highway, causing it to begin leaking approximately 4,000 gallons of toxic ammonia. At least five people were airlifted to local hospitals, but they sadly died from their injuries. Additionally, 500 residents within a one-mile radius of the crash evacuated their homes due to the potential ammonia exposure.

What Types of Injuries Occur in Maryland Hazmat Accidents?

Victims of Maryland hazmat truck accidents often experience severe physical injury due to the large size of a typical truck. Accident victims may suffer from purely physical injuries, such as broken bones, or injuries that impair mental functioning, such as head injuries or concussions. A hazmat truck accident can also lead to emotional and psychological harm. Finally, accident victims may suffer property damage to their vehicle. When a car and a truck collide, the much smaller car often bears the brunt of the crash. In addition to typical truck accident injuries, hazmat accident victims may also suffer harm from contact with the hazardous substance. Direct contact with toxic materials can lead to severe burns or blisters on the skin. Even if accident victims do not make direct contact with the hazardous material, they could suffer negative health effects from inhaling toxic waste. As the news article explained, inhaling ammonia can cause difficulty breathing and may burn the skin, mouth, throat, lungs and eyes. At high levels, toxic gas can even cause death. Following a hazmat accident, you should consult a Maryland personal injury attorney to develop a plan to recover the compensation you need.

Civil vs. Criminal Cases in Maryland DUI Truck Accidents

September 23, 2023 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol (DUI) is even more dangerous when the driver is operating a large truck. Due to the size of a commercial truck, DUI accidents can lead to severe, multi-vehicle injuries on a busy road. When truck drivers cause a DUI accident, they may face both criminal and civil liability for their actions.

According to a recent news article, an intoxicated semi-truck driver killed one person in tragic DUI accident. The accident occurred at a busy intersection when the driver, who was also speeding, crashed into three cars stopped at a red light. The impact of the crash sent two of the vehicles flying into a nearby parking lot. The truck and one of the vehicles then caught on fire. Another vehicle crashed into a boulder. Sadly, one person died at the scene. Several others suffered serious injuries. Police believe the semi-truck driver was driving under the influence during the crash.

What Are the Differences Between Civil and Criminal DUI Cases?

Truck drivers who operate their vehicle under the influence may face criminal and civil cases against them. If they are convicted in a criminal case, they may serve time in prison or pay a fine. They may also be liable for damages in a civil negligence lawsuit. Victims of a DUI truck accident should know that a criminal case against the driver does not bar them from pursuing monetary damages. Criminal and civil cases are separate proceedings, and the outcome of one case does not bear on the other.