Maryland Trucking Accident Lawyer Blog
Due to the size of a typical truck, Maryland truck accidents often result in serious injuries or fatalities. These consequences are all the more dire when a truck driver intentionally hits someone. Many truck drivers understand that their vehicles would cause life-threatening injuries to anyone they hit. When a truck driver intentionally strikes another person, they act with disregard for another person’s life. After these senseless accidents occur, the victim or the victim’s loved ones may sue the driver under Maryland personal injury law.
As a recent news article tragically reported, a man died after another man allegedly hit him deliberately with a tri-axle dump truck. According to local investigators in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, the incident occurred in the evening on a local road. The victim was transported to the hospital, where he passed away from his injuries. Police arrested the truck driver and charged him with third-degree murder, homicide by vehicle, and other offenses.
What Damages Can You Pursue in an Intentional Truck Accident?
After an intentional Maryland truck accident, a victim or their loved ones may bring a negligence lawsuit to recover damages against the responsible driver. In a negligence lawsuit, a plaintiff can seek two main types of damages. The first and most common are compensatory damages, which place the victim in the same position they were in before the accident. Compensatory damages can include economic damages and non-economic damages. Economic damages are easier to quantify and often include lost future earnings, hospital bills, and medical expenses. Non-economic damages intend to compensate the plaintiff for harm that is harder to quantify with a specific dollar amount. Emotional harm, such as pain and suffering, is a primary example.
In addition to compensatory damages, a plaintiff bringing a personal injury claim can seek punitive damages. While a court awards compensatory damages by assessing the plaintiff’s degree of harm, punitive damages focus on punishing the defendant for wrongdoing. However, in Maryland, a punitive damages award must have some relationship to the actual harm the defendant perpetrated. Unlike compensation for a defendant’s unintentional negligence, a court awards punitive damages after a defendant commits intentional, egregious wrongdoing.
Plaintiffs should know that punitive damages are rare in Maryland. Under Maryland law, plaintiffs have a higher burden of proof when seeking punitive damages. To receive compensatory damages, plaintiffs must prove negligence by “preponderance of the evidence,” commonly known as “more likely than not.” On the other hand, punitive damages awards require “clear and convincing evidence” that the defendant acted with deliberate malice.
Do You Need an Experienced Maryland Truck Accident Lawyer?
The Maryland personal injury lawyers at Lebowitz & Mzhen understand the harm victims suffer after a serious truck accident. Our attorneys possess years of experience representing clients throughout the state of Maryland, including Prince George’s, Charles, Baltimore, and Montgomery County. We understand the complex rules around recovering damages in Maryland, and we will help guide you through the process of bringing a claim. Through our skilled and dedicated representation, we have secured significant compensation on our clients’ behalf. To schedule a free consultation, call (800) 654-1949 or use our online contact form.