Maryland Trucking Accident Lawyer Blog

Baltimore Commercial Truck Accident News: Propane Tank Truck Crashes along I-70 in Mount Airy, Maryland

April 16, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

To some people there is nothing quite so scary as the thought of being burned alive. While most people likely consider a house fire as one of the most frightening events, an automobile fire can be extremely terrifying and many times more dangerous because of the smaller space and the increased chances of the occupants being trapped in the vehicle following a serious traffic crash.

As a Maryland trucking accident attorney, I wouldn’t be the least surprised to learn that a healthy number of drivers in Baltimore, Frederick and Rockville, MD, do their best to steer clear of commercial tanker trucks carrying gasoline, fuel oil, propane as well as other flammable and potentially explosive substances. Although car fires are relatively few and far between when compared to the total number of highway collisions every year, those odds can be increased whenever a tank truck carrying flammable cargo is involved.

According to a news report a while back, a propane tanker crashed and overturned along a stretch of Interstate 70 in Mount Airy, MD. The accident, which took place on a Sunday morning a little east of Md 27, resulted in the roadway being closed off for nearly six hours as emergency responders and hazmat crews worked to clean up the crash site. Fortunately, no one was hurt in this particular instance, which is amazing in itself.

Baltimore Injury Accident News: No Injuries after School Bus Hits Tanker Truck Driven by Maryland Man

April 12, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

When it comes to being injured due to a traffic accident or other motor vehicle collision, it’s not unusual for people to assume that public transportation, such as commuter trains and city buses, is safe and that the operators of those conveyances are trained professionals dedicated to performing their jobs with the safety and well being of their passengers foremost in the minds. Similarly, as parents, we expect that our children are going to be safe once they step aboard a school bus every morning.

As passengers on public transport, we all must put our faith in the people running that bus line, railroad or airline. Unfortunately, this is not a perfect world and traffic accidents do occur — and more than we would like. As Maryland personal injury lawyers and commercial trucking, automobile and motorcycle accident attorneys, we understand the expectation of safety that every parent must feel regarding school bus safety.

A story that caught our eye a little while ago points up how close to tragedy many people come from time to time. According to news articles, a school bus driver was charged for her part in a traffic accident on a stretch of Rte 1. Based on state police reports, 53-year-old Brenda Gosch was driving a 2007 Blue Bird school bus on a Friday morning around 8:30 when she attempted to turn onto a side road.

Maryland Personal Injury News: Pedestrian Traffic Accident involving a City Bus Kills Woman in Baltimore

March 31, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Commercial truck wrecks end up taking the lives of many Marylanders every year. Even more people are injured as a result of delivery truck and tractor-trailer accidents in cities like Gaithersburg, Washington, D.C., and Annapolis. As Baltimore personal injury attorneys, I and my colleagues understand the pain and suffering that victims and their families experience following the aftermath of a serious trucking accident.

We’ve spoken of this before, but the feeling of safety that people have when it comes to professional drivers of commercial vehicles may be a bit misplaced, especially when we hear of accidents like the one that occurred a little while back in Baltimore. These kinds of accidents can cause severe trauma to the victim, in the form of head and neck injuries, internal bleeding and compound fractures of the arms and legs.

Many times the extent of the injuries can result in the individual’s death, either at the scene of the traffic collision or later in the hospital due to complications from those multiple injuries. In the case of last month’s fatal Baltimore bus-pedestrian crash, the victim was hit while walking in a crosswalk during the late afternoon.

Negligent Driving by Commercial Truckers Can Result in Injuries or Fatalities on Maryland Roadways and Interstates

March 27, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Whether it’s a Mack, International, Peterbilt or Freightliner, commercial trucks such as these large and heavy 18-wheel rigs can cause tragic accidents resulting in serious bodily injury and significant property damage. Most drivers already know, simply from the shear size of semi tractor-trailers, that these vehicles should be given a wide berth. Even so, hundreds of motor vehicle accidents happen every year in Maryland due to collisions between passenger cars and large trucks.

As Baltimore automobile accident attorneys and personal injury lawyers, I and my staff have an intimate knowledge of the carnage that an out-of-control big rig can cause to a smaller motor vehicles, such as sedans, SUVs, minivans and pickup trucks, and especially pedestrians, motorcycles and scooters. Serious traffic accidents that are caused by the negligent action of a truck driver can end up costing lives, or at the very least, the livelihoods of those persons who are critically injured as a result of the traffic accident.

Here in Baltimore, not to mention other busy urban centers throughout Maryland, car drivers and motorcyclists must exercise a great deal of caution when traveling near industrialized areas of the city. The large trucks that travel in and around these commercial zones can weigh as much at 80,000 pounds, including the trailer. That’s more mass than two dozen minivans all headed in the same direction.

It’s no surprise that even larger passenger vehicles, such as SUVs, limousines and pickup trucks are no match for a fully-loaded big rig. In the event of a crash between a loaded 18-wheeler and a family minivan, the semi would likely crush the passenger vehicle, injuring many of the occupants riding inside, or possibly killing some of them, if not all.

As a Maryland injury attorney representing victims of car, truck and motorcycle accidents, I have seen and heard gut-wrenching stories of motorists severely injured in tractor-trailer collisions, gasoline tanker accidents, and multi-vehicle trucking wrecks. Any individual who is caught in such a horrendous accident resulting from a truck driver’s possible negligent actions should speak with a qualified injury attorney to better understand their rights.

Statistics have shown that injuries resulting from trucking-related traffic accidents can be many times more serious and life-threatening than those sustained in car-to-car crashes. Some of the common types of bodily injury following a truck accident include neck and head trauma, spinal cord injuries, broken bones and other serious injures that can lead to permanent and many times painful disability.

Maryland Commercial Trucking Injury Update: Relating Traffic Accidents to Federal Regulations for Hours of Service

March 20, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

As a Maryland personal injury attorney who represents victims of trucking-related crashes, I understand the various factors that contribute to serious tractor-trailer collisions with passenger cars, minivans and sport utility vehicles. As anyone who has been involved in a traffic wreck with an 18-wheeler knows, the force of such an accident can severely injure or even kill the occupants of the smaller motor vehicle.

Here in Baltimore and other cities and towns across our state, these kinds of car-truck crashes happen fairly often. Similarly, delivery truck and motorcycle wrecks are also common, especially in congested urban areas, as are bicycle-related injury accidents.

In many cases, trucking-related traffic accidents can result in cuts and bruises at one end of the spectrum, while broken arms, crushed tibias, and fractured vertebrae are a examples of more serious bodily injury. Of course, some of the worst would be traumatic brain injury and spinal cord damage. These last two can result in a lifetime filled with multiple surgeries, continuous therapies and even around-the-clock nursing care.

Fatalities are not uncommon, especially when one considers the weight difference between a fully loaded cross-country big rig and a 3,000-pound minivan. Occupants in these smaller vehicles are at much greater risk of being killed when struck by a large tractor-trailer than if their vehicle is hit by another passenger car or light truck.

A percentage of commercial truck crashes can be traced to fatigue, which has become somewhat of a hot-button topic in traffic safety circles. Nearly as dangerous as drunken driving, drowsy driving presents the same threat to the road-going public since the end result — a trucking-related accident — can be just as deadly as that caused by impairment as a result of alcohol or prescription drug use.

Drowsy driving can lead to numerous traffic violations — running a red light, ignoring a red signal, failure to yield and speeding – all of which can lead to an accident. In an effort to reduce the number of fatigue-related trucking accidents the federal government has regulations in place that limit the number of hours a truck driver can spend on the road before taking a break, as well as other requirements.

Maryland Trucking Accident Update: Traffic Collisions between Passenger Cars and Semi Tractor-trailers Can Be Deadly

March 9, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

There’s no arguing against the laws of physics when it comes to serious traffic accidents. Here in Maryland, passenger car occupants as well as motorcyclists are killed on an uncomfortably frequent basis when caught in a collision with semi tractor-trailer rigs. It’s a known fact that smaller, less substantial motor vehicles — such as sedans, economy car, and minivans and SUVs — are no match for those larger and more massive commercial vehicles.

As Baltimore auto accident lawyers and personal injury attorneys, I and my staff understand the physical pain and financial burden that a serious trucking accident can bring upon an auto accident victim and his family. Not only do the injuries from a car-truck collision sometimes take months to heal, if ever, but the cost of medial treatment and rehabilitation can run into the tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars.

From just this fact, it is always advisable to avoid 18-wheelers as much as possible when traveling on Maryland’s roadways. Although there is really no way to predict when an accident may occur, tangling with a big rig or commercial delivery truck can sometimes cause serious injuries. The shear mass of these large trucks also raises the possibility of fatalities depending, of course, on the circumstances. But why take the chance?

Maryland Traffic Safety: Fatal Highway Accidents Caused by Ineffective Tractor-trailer Under-ride Guards

March 1, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

The next time you’re out on the road, this story might make you think twice about following an 18-wheeler. While most people may associate fatal trucking-related traffic accidents with a smaller car, minivan or SUV being struck by a much larger and heavier semi tractor-trailer rig or commercial delivery truck, hundreds of people nationwide die every year as a result of passenger cars running into the rear of semi trailers.

As Baltimore auto accident attorneys and personal injury lawyers, we understand how severe these so-called under-ride accidents can be. And without the proper under-ride protection on the rear end of a long-haul trailer, the occupants in the passenger car can easily be decapitated during the collision. Fatal traffic crashes of this sort don’t necessarily have to be high-speed incidents either.

At the very least, cuts, bruises and broken bones are possible as a result of an under-ride collision. Worse still, neck and spinal injury can occur, as can traumatic brain injury. Depending on the circumstances, some individuals who survive this type of wreck can be paralyzed and require weeks or months of physical therapy to bring them back to something approaching a normal life.

Families of victims can end up suffering financially long after their loved one has been hurt or killed. This is especially true when the victim is a primary wage earning for the family. The news today indicates that the under-ride prevention methods and structures used on many tractor-trailers may prove inadequate when they are actually needed in a crash. Poorly designed parts or incorrectly installed components could result in a much more serious outcome for a drive hitting the back of a trailer.

According to the news, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducted tests using a properly-fitted under-ride preventer on a semi trailer and found that federal standards for these rear under-ride guards should be made stricter. Based on video shown by various news outlets, it appears that the IIHS has a point.

In one of the IIHS videos, a Chevy Malibu impacts the rear of a tractor-trailer at 35mph. Even though the Malibu has a 5-star safety ranking from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the semi trailer is fitted with a conforming under-ride guard, the front seat passengers could likely have been killed as a result that crash. As the reporter states, hitting a brick wall would actually be safer.

Maryland Trucking Accident News: Rogue Truck Driver Leads Police on Multi-State Chase

February 23, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Maryland authorities in Washington County, MD, as well as those in several other states, have lodged charges against the out-of-state truck driver who led police on a multi-state chase. While no injuries were reported in this instance, any time a commercial truck is used in a manner not intended for safe highway travel, innocent motorists can be put at risk. If a chase ensues when innocent drivers are around, people can and do get hurt as a result.

As Baltimore injury lawyers serving the residents of Maryland and Washington, D.C., we have heard countless stories of injury accidents involving passenger cars and 18-wheelers or motorcycles and commercial deliver trucks. While federal regulations such as 49 CFR Part 395, which puts limits on when and how long commercial truckers can operate their vehicles, endeavor to control the actions of law-abiding drivers, those who feel they are outside the law can be the cause of severe traffic accidents.

When a commercial truck driver, operating either a large box truck or the heavier and more massive 18-wheeler, acts in a negligent manner, lives can be put at risk. Traffic accidents caused by an errant semi tractor-trailer can result in multiple vehicle collisions, during which head, neck and internal injuries can result.

Maryland Injury Accident News: Driver Dies in Head-on Crash with 18-Wheel Rig

February 16, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

As Maryland automobile accident lawyers and personal injury attorneys, we speak from experience when we say that traffic accidents involving passenger cars and commercial trucks hardly ever end in favor of the smaller vehicle. With a gross weight on the order of 20 tons or more, a fully loaded semi tractor-trailer rig has as much mass as nearly 10 sport utility vehicles (SUVs), which makes any kind of highway accident a deadly proposition for the average motorist in a family car.

Furthermore, if a passenger car hasn’t much chance, then one can only imagine what the odds are for an economy car or motorcycle that tangles with a 18-wheeler on the expressway or undivided rural road. Needless to say, every passenger car and light truck driver should pay extremely careful attention whenever passing a tractor-trailer rig or other commercial truck. The watchword here is caution.

Even though we try to be careful, accidents continue to happen. A case in point is a crash that happened not long ago when a minivan crossed over the centerline and struck a tanker truck driven by a Baltimore truck driver. The crash happened just after 11am on a Tuesday morning and resulted in the death of the driver of the Chrysler Town and Country, 50-year-old Richard Baker.

Maryland Injury Accident News: Baltimore Trucker Dies in Fatal Semi Crash along I-695 in Towson

February 7, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Anytime a person is killed as a result of a traffic accident there is always a lingering question of whether things could have truned out differently depending on the circumstances. Many fatal car, truck and motorcycle wrecks seem so senseless when the families of the victims look back on the incident. Although the reasons are not always clear, certain things may be obvious, such as speed too fast for weather conditions, poorly maintained tires or impropoerly designed safety equipment and driver fatigue.

How important is it to get to one’s destination fast if the alternative is not getting there at all? Sad but true, a certain percentage of these deadly collisions could probably have been avoided if something had not occurred or a certain fateful choice had never been made.

As a Maryland personal injury attorney, we often hear victims’ families ask these kind of after-the-fact questions with little hope of knowing for certain if their loved one could have avoided the tragedy altogether. One known cause of commercial truck accidents is driver fatigue, whcih has been a constant source of concern for police and regulatory agencies for decades. This is why there exists federal regulations limiting hours of service. In fact, 49 CFR Part 395 puts limits on when and how long commercial trucker may operate their vehicles.