As Maryland personal injury attorneys, I and my colleagues know, first-hand, the physical pain and emotional suffering felt by those who have been hurt as a result of a negligent act by another motorist. For pedestrians hit by a motor vehicle, a trip to the hospital is more than likely. The length of their stay is dependent on the type and extent of those injuries.
Closed-head injury is one of the more serious kinds of accident-related bodily trauma that can occur when a person is struck by a truck or car. During the collision or in the aftermath as the victim falls to the ground, striking one’s head on part of a metal vehicle or onto hard pavement can impart serious force to the brain. In either case, the human skull can only provide so much protection to the brain as the result of an impact from a car crash.
]]> Surviving such a collision is only part of the equation. For many people injured in car- or truck-related pedestrian accidents post-crash recovery can involve weeks, months, or in extreme cases, years of physical therapy following an already painful traffic wreck. In cases of negligence on the driver’s part, there may be cause to file a personal injury suit. For families of victims killed by a car or truck, a wrongful death lawsuit is sometimes brought against the party or parties responsible for the accident.A little earlier this year a Harpers Ferry man was sent to the University of Maryland’s R. Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore after he was critically injured by a tractor-trailer. According to news reports, 18-year-old Scott Hundley was crossing US Rte 340 when reportedly “made contact” with an 18-wheeler traveling north near Jefferson Terrace Rd.
Based on police reports, Mr. Hundley was crossing Rte340 as Jerry Hale, Jr. was driving a big rig belonging Keystone Freight Corporation in New Jersey. Emergency responders arriving on the scene rendered aid to the injured pedestrian, who was subsequently transported to a local hospital for addition medical attention. Apparently, the man’s injuries were more severe than could be handled by that facility; he was later taken by medivac chopped to Shock Trauma in Baltimore, MD.
There was little additional detail at the time of the news article. Local police officials stated that the accident was under investigation and there was no indication if the trucker would be charged for any traffic offenses. One thing is clear; this truck-related pedestrian crash occurred just after 11:30 in the morning, which rules out darkness as a possible reason for the collision. Until police can determine a cause of the accident, one can only speculate as to the factors leading up to the victim being struck and hurt by the passing motor vehicle.
Pedestrian struck by tractor-trailer airlifted, Journal-News.net, February 22, 2012
As Baltimore auto injury lawyers and Maryland personal injury attorneys, I and my legal staff are always aware of the dangers that average people face every day of their lives. The problem is, not all people take care to avoid situations where the potential for bodily injury is higher than average. Driving in dense city traffic or on a high-speed interstate with semi tractor-trailers all around are just a couple of instances where a passenger car driver could find herself getting involved in a serious traffic collision.
It’s not surprising to most people that being caught up in a roadway wreck with an 18-wheeler can result in life-threatening injuries. But believe us when we say that even smaller commercial vehicles, such as box trucks, dump trucks, and even garbage trucks can turn the average passenger sedan into a mass of crushed sheetmetal given the right circumstances.
]]> We have represented numerous individuals who have been injured or maimed as a result of a car, truck or motorcycle crash caused by the negligence of another party. Just being the right will not save you from serious injuries from a car or trucking-related accident, so please drive defensively whenever you or your family ventures out onto Maryland or Washington, D.C., highways and byways.We’re reminded of the randomness of some car and truck accidents from time to time when reading news reports from around the state. A while back we caught one news item that detailed an incident between a FedEx delivery truck and school bus carrying a handful of kids home from school.
Based on news articles, two people had to be taken to the hospital following a collision along a stretch of Rte. 2 on a Monday afternoon in Calvert County, MD. According to police reports, the crash occurred not far from the Mt. Hope Community Center as the school bus was stopped to let children off.
Apparently, the deliver truck smashed into the rear of the school bus, which was standing still with its warning lights flashing. Calvert County school authorities reported that three people were transported to area hospitals. Based on reports, four students from Windy Hill Middle School were on the bus at the time of the crash.
Maryland State Police told news outlets that of the four kids and one driver were in the school bus at the time of the crash. The driver was hurt and one child was injured; both were taken by ambulance to Calvert Memorial Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The three remaining students were uninjured. The driver of the FedEx truck was transported by medivac helicopter to Prince George's County Hospital Center, those his injuries were not life threatening.
At the time of the news articles, it was not known at the time whether or not the driver of the delivery truck would be charged with any traffic offenses as a result of the crash. Simiilarly, there was no mention of whether a mechanical problem or defective component may have triggered the crash.
Fed Ex Truck Hits School Bus In Maryland, WUS9.com, March 5, 2012
Students hospitalized following bus crash, SoMdNews.com, March 7, 2012
]]>Pedestrian roadway accidents involving cars and trucks can result in some pretty serious bodily injuries on the part of the hapless person on foot or riding a bike. Simply being knocked over by a motor vehicle that passes too close can cause an individual to fall to the tarmac, potentially causing broken bones or even a concussion; closed-head injuries are not uncommon in such collisions between people and vehicular traffic.
As Baltimore car, truck and motorcycle accident lawyers, I and my legal staff have met numerous individuals hurt or severely injure in a random car or trucking-related wreck. In pedestrian-related collisions, the people traveling on foot are rarely the winners; many people do, in fact, suffer extensive injuries that may require days or weeks in a hospital bed. Expensive medical treatment is sometimes followed by a fair amount of physical therapy in order to get the victim back to some semblance of normalcy once back at home.
]]> Like many victims of road accidents, a student from the University of Baltimore received serious injuries following a run-in with a city bus not long ago. According to news articles, a 20-year-old college junior was one of three people hurt as a result of an in-town traffic accident on a Tuesday in February.According to reports, Hillary Walsh was hit at 5:50 p.m. by an MTA bus as she was crossing St. Paul Street. News articles indicate that the woman was struck by the bus as she was crossing the roadway diagonally in order to catch a downtown shuttle. The accident, which happened a little after 5pm, caused the victim to be pushed about 15 feet through the intersection of St. Paul and 33rd streets.
According to reports, the force of the collision cause the bus’s windshield to be cracked, which may or may not indicate the force of the collision. While any decision on who was to blame would have to rest in large part with the results of the police accident investigation, one observer who was riding in the bus at the time of the crash said that Walsh was reckless in her actions.
According to that individual, the victim started running in front of the bus, causing the driver to slam on the brakes, but not in time to avoid hitting the pedestrian. Whatever the root cause of the accident, news reports show that the woman sustained broken ribs, several fractures of the skull, a broken left fibula and a punctured spleen.
The head injury was obviously the most serious of all the injuries received by the woman as a result of the crash, yet none of them were life-threatening according to reports.
In a second crash on that same day, two Johns Hopkins University students were hurt in that same area. Based on police reports, a vehicle that was headed south on St. Paul struck the two students as the vehicle’s driver attempted to make a right turn onto 33rd. According to police, the sophomores were in the crosswalk just west of St. Paul at the time of the collision.
Three pedestrians hit at 33rd and St. Paul, JHUNewsletter.com, February 8, 2012
The point we are trying to make here is that while not every car, truck or motorcycle operator is a perfect driver, there are some very bad actors in our midst every day or every month. We, as motorists, may not realize we are sharing the road with potentially negligent individuals, which is a blessing in some regards. The downside, of course, is that one never knows when tragic traffic accident may strike as a result of one of these bad apples.
If you think that commercial truck drivers are less than likely to be poor or negligent drivers, you could be right. While most truckers obey traffic laws and Federal regulations and guidelines for operating these 80,000-pound rigs, there is a percent of truckers who flout the law either surreptitiously or even openly in some instances. Of course, they face stiff penalties, not the least of which is forfeiture of their commercial driver’s license (CDL), which can bring their truck driving career to a halt very quickly.
]]> Still, many seem to manage day in and day out until something happens and fate works against one last time. Given the number of miles that operators of 18-wheeler big rigs travel each year, it is surprising how long some of these sub-par drivers get by without making a fatal error, either injuring or killing someone, or even themselves in the process.We were reminded of this when we came upon a news brief describing an errant semi that couldn’t make it under an overpass along a stretch of Leesport Avenue in Ontelaunee Township, MD. According to local police, the incident happened just before midnight on a Sunday in January.
According to news reports, an officer on patrol happened upon a semi tractor-trailer that apparently became wedged under a railroad viaduct. Approaching the vehicle, the patrolman noticed that the driver had placed a reflective caution triangle on the road behind the truck. Observing the vehicle itself, the officer could see that the trailer had major damage.
The driver, 45-year-old John Hammonds of Baltimore County, was reportedly in the cab of the idling semi when the officer requested him to exit the vehicle. As he apparently tried to explain to the patrolman that he had made the mistake of ignoring the height-restriction posted on the bridge, the officer reportedly detected the odor of alcohol on the driver’s breath.
The policeman asked if Hammonds had been drinking that day and the man responded he had been at a bar earlier in the evening. He was taken into custody and transported to St. Joseph Medical Center for a blood-alcohol test. While the exact results were not available at the time of the news article, the trucker was reportedly charged with DUI. As we touched on previously, any commercial vehicle operator who drinks and driver risks much, not the least of which are the lives and well-being of other innocent persons who may become victims of his negligent actions.
Trucker charged with DUI after rig stuck under bridge, ReadingEagle.com, January 24, 2012
Anyone who disagrees with the added regulatory requirements imposed on operators of 18-wheelers, semi tractor-trailers, commercial box trucks, and even city bus drivers, should consider the heady responsibility of driving a 30-plus-ton, multi-wheeled behemoth on a public road. At nearly 20 times the mass of an average passenger car, a long-haul semi rig can easily become an almost unstoppable and indiscriminate killing machine if driven recklessly on an expressway or city street.
As Maryland trucking accident lawyers and personal injury attorneys, I and my colleagues are keenly aware of the potential for bodily harm or death from one of these vehicles when its driver is caught unaware or even actively negligent in his or her operation of that 18-wheeler. And this goes for being in or working around even a stationary truck.
]]> This very topic came to mind as we read of a driver who was killed when the auto hauler he was working on apparently crushed him to death in Baltimore County back in January. It only points up the constant need for vigilance on the part of truck operators and bystanders alike when in the immediate vicinity of these large commercial vehicles.Who among us hasn’t, on occasion, wondered what would happen if an automobile hauler lost even one of its passenger cars or SUVs while moving down the road? But a scenario much more likely, at least in some people’s minds is the potential for injury or death while one of these trucks is being unloaded.
According to news reports, the driver of an auto hauler was killed while unloading cars at a Towson automobile dealership just before 10am on a Sunday morning. Based on police reports, 45-year-old Glaucio Dasilva was busy taking vehicles off his transporter at Heritage Hyundai when he was inadvertently pinned beneath one of the vehicle’s structural components. By the time police found the man there was nothing anyone could do for him. The medical examiner determined he died of asphyxiation.
It was not clear whether the accident was caused by a failed part, other mechanical problem or human error, however police investigators believe that the trucker might have been attempting to fix or adjust something on the truck prior to becoming entrapped and suffocated by part of the vehicle’s mechanism.
Sadly, all this happened while his wife -- who was apparently traveling with him -- was asleep in the cab of the tractor. Based on news articles, the woman awoke and couldn’t find her husband. It appears that she called police after being unable to locate her husband. Only after searching for quite a while did officers find the man’s body trapped under the trailer portion of the semi around 4pm that afternoon.
Man killed by car carrier at Towson dealership identified, BaltimoreSun.com, January 17, 2012
Man killed unloading vehicles at Towson dealership, BaltimoreSun.com, January 15, 2012
]]>A motorcycle rider can be injured simply by not being seen in time by another driver, while a cyclist or pedestrian can be blind-sided by a city bus or delivery truck, causing serious or fatal injury. Regardless of the type of accident, the resulting bodily injuries and possible trauma can send an individual into shock, something which quick medical attention from an EMS team can provide if there is time.
From broken bones to ruptured internal organs, a serious traffic collision can make for a long and costly hospital stay for the survivors. If the accident was caused by the negligent or careless actions of another party, there may be grounds for a personal injury lawsuit. As Maryland injury attorneys, we know how a family can be spun into turmoil after a bad car or trucking-related collision.
]]> Physical recovery is hard enough for someone badly hurt in a roadway accident; financially, however, a family may find it even harder to dig itself out from under the many hospital bills and rehabilitation costs. For motorcyclists and bicycle accident victims, potentially deadly injuries like closed-head trauma and spinal cord damage can require weeks or months to heal, while regaining mobility or other basic functions can take years.Considering all this, it’s often a wise idea to consult with a qualified automobile accident lawyer to better understand one’s situation following a bad traffic wreck. One example of a crash that could have killed a bicycle rider happened in the District last month. At the time of the news article, little was said about the victim, save for the fact that he was in terrible pain, according to eye witnesses.
According to police reports, the crash occurred around on a Tuesday morning at the D.C. intersection of 11th and U Street NW. The unnamed rider was reportedly traveling southbound along 11th St. on one of the Capital Bike Share bicycles available for use around the city. The man was apparently riding alongside a flatbed lumber truck when the driver turned right onto U St. directly into the cyclist.
Eyewitnesses told police and news reporters that the victim was apparently dragged beneath the commercial vehicle for a distance of about 10 yards; and run over by three sets of wheels. One witness to the truck-bike accident stated that the bike rider was hit first by the truck’s front wheels, then by the rear set.
At the time of the new article there was no mention of the rider’s condition after being admitted to a local hospital. Although police said that the man was not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash, it would seem that he did survive the accident; though to what extent he was injured is anyone’s guess.
Based on news articles, this incident was the 17th reported case involving a participant in D.C.’s bike-share program. While this sounds like a lot of accidents, to put things in context, the program has recorded upward of 1.5 million individual rides to date. While many users enjoy the program for its convenience, the District's Department of Transportation is apparently seriously considering expanding the program to include helmets -- through the participation of some hotels in town. And maybe that’s not a bad idea.
Bicyclist Hit By Truck In DC, WUSA9.com, February 28, 2012
As a Maryland personal injury attorney, I understand how the days and weeks following the death of a loved one can be a confusing and emotional time. Even under the best circumstances, such as the passing of an elderly relative by natural causes, we wonder if anything else could have been done. Certainly, as is the case of many roadway collisions, the victim’s family has even more questions; why did this happen, who is to blame, how can we cope with our loss?
In the wake of a serious and fatal car wreck or commercial truck accident, the family’s anger and upset can be blinding, especially in those instances where the loved one’s death was likely a result of certain negligent actions of another individual. A little while ago, we ran across a news item concerning the criminal aspect of a fatal trucking-related accident that happened back in 2010.
]]> According to news reports, the 49-year-old commercial trucker whose tractor-trailer rig struck and killed a Stevenson University professor in an out-of-state highway accident two years ago pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicular homicide. Douglas Bouch, who police said fell asleep while driving his triple-trailer semi was sentenced to five years in jail as a result of that accident.Based on news reports at the time, Bouch was behind the wheel of that truck around noon on August 16, 2010, when it slammed into a Ford Focus containing 47-year-old Susan Slattery and her two sons. The crash, which involved five other vehicles, was blamed on driver fatigue.
At the time of the wreck, Slattery was apparently returning from a family vacation in the Midwest with her two sons. Bouch’s tractor-trailer rig smashed into the rear-end of Slattery's vehicle, which then caused her car to be pushed into the path of another 18-wheeler, where it was hit once again.
Slattery reportedly died in her badly damaged vehicle before EMS crews could render medical treatment. The woman’s two sons, age 12 and 16, were also trapped in the car; however, the boys survived the crash and were transported to a local hospital in serious condition. At the time of the accident, state highway patrol authorities believed that driver fatigue was likely a major factor in the death of the woman and the serious injury of her two children.
A damning statement at the time of the crash came from the trucker himself, who reportedly told police at the scene of the accident that he dozed off "for a few seconds" just before the accident. Although he claimed to have tried to take evasive action after regaining consciousness, it was apparently too late. Police said that Bouch admitted starting work at 3am the morning of the crash after only having had three hours.
According to news reports, Slattery’s husband said that he hoped that the sentencing of Bouch would perhaps send a message to the U.S. Congress, as well as the trucking industry, that the deadly problem of truck driver fatigue needs to be addressed. Slattery has apparently campaigned in Washington, D.C., for more stringent trucking safety regulations.
Driver whose truck hit, killed woman gets five years, BaltimoreSun.com, January 12, 2012
As Maryland personal injury attorneys, we understand the dangers that can be presented to innocent members of the public when a small business or large company skirts the law to make more profit by avoiding regulatory requirements. Being automobile injury and motorcycle accident lawyers, I and my colleagues know very well that some firms in the U.S. trucking industry cut corners to make more money.
These businesses, which are usually in violation of more than one government-mandated rule or regulation, typically do not worry about the negative effect that their actions can have on innocent motorists, pedestrians and even their own drivers. We’ve already mentioned one such company in a previous entry on this blog, but we also have heard of other commercial trucking companies that do not follow the law and who, by their actions, cause other parties losses in terms of property damage, bodily injury or death.
According to news stories a while back, Federal regulators shut down an Anne Arundel County-based commercial trucking firm that apparently re-opened under a different name following an earlier closure after Federal authorities discovered numerous safety violations, as well as seven traffic-related wrecks during 2011.
Based on news reports, Clock Transport, LLC, allegedly put out its own shingle less than a month after authorities shuttered Gunthers Transport, LLC, a company that regulators had labeled an "imminent hazard" to the driving public. According to reports, Clock Transport was started just weeks after Gunthers had been closed; the new company reportedly being headed by the son of the owner of the former Gunthers Transport firm.
Calling the new business a “reincarnated carrier,” Maryland State Police apparently believed that the newly established company was set up solely to circumvent the Federal order for Gunthers to shut down and cease operation. According to information provided by the MSP, the law enforcement agency told reporters that its officers would repeatedly pull over any commercial semi tractor-trailers and other trucks linked to the former Gunthers Transport address and inspect those vehicles for safety compliance.
Based on news stories, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMVSA) instituted a rarely enforcement regulatory tool -- called the "imminent hazard out-of-service order” -- that gives police agencies the authority to pull motor carriers belonging to either of the two commercial trucking firms (Gunthers, and now Clock) off of public roads; this due to the apparent connection between the two companies.
The latest order against Clock was issued by the FMVSA following an incident with one of that firm’s trucks in which it failed an inspection during a routine check out of state. According to news articles at the time, that instance was the only infraction cited by federal regulators against Clock Transport.
Under Federal law, the original shutdown order against Gunthers Transport included a provision that essentially states the company can not start up business again, nor sell or lease its equipment without the permission of regulators. Specifically, the order stated that Gunthers could not avoid the operations out-of-service order “by continuing operations under the name of another person or company.”
New trucking company shut in Arundel, BaltimoreSun.com, November 25, 2011
As Baltimore car, truck and motorcycle injury attorneys, my firm regularly sees individuals who have been hurt in a traffic wreck usually as a result of another driver’s negligence. Being Maryland personal injury lawyers, our job is to represent individuals seeking compensation for medical care, rehabilitation, lost income, and other expenses associated with a serious collision either in urban areas, such as Gaithersburg or Washington, D.C., or on state roads and interstate roadways.
As alluded to above, among the many and varied types of car and truck accidents, there are many people who ardently believe that drunken driving is deadly activity that need not occur, at least in a society that values traffic safety and the well-being of innocent individuals.
]]> Every day, in this state and across the country, drivers and passengers are hurt, maimed and killed in mostly preventable car and trucking-related roadway accidents. The few accidents that are without serious injury usually have some kind of associated property damage, which may not be life-threatening but is nonetheless costly to individuals, industry and local municipalities.In the universe of roadway collisions, few present a greater threat of physical harm as those involving one or more large vehicles, such as delivery trucks, commuter buses and 18-wheel big rigs. With the majority of the public riding in smaller passenger cars, these large and massive commercial vehicles can render a sedan, minivan or sport utility vehicle a mere pile of crumpled steel given the right circumstances. For this reason alone, the state and federal governments regulate the trucking industry for improved safety of all citizens.
Combine alcohol or drug use with the operation of a semi tractor-trailer rig and one can only imagine the potential carnage that can be wrought on a public highway. Not long ago, a trucker was arrested for drunk driving after the vehicle he was operating crashed along a stretch of I-95 in the Baltimore area. Although no one was injured or killed as a result of the evening wreck, that may just have been the luck of timing considering the volume of traffic that is seen at peak traffic hours.
Based on police reports, the crash occurred just after 9pm at the Fort McHenry toll plaza when a big rig carrying a load of 13 large plastic containers filled with a water-based concrete tinting compound rolled onto its side throwing a number of the containers onto the roadway. Two of the 275-gallon containers apparently went over a wall and feel more than 20 feet onto the lanes of I-895 below the upper roadway.
According to the Maryland Transportation Authority Police, some fuel in addition to the truck’s liquid cargo and other crash debris had to be cleaned up by personnel from Maryland’s Department of Environment, as well as first responders from Baltimore City’s fire department.
The 46-year-old commercial truck driver was reportedly uninjured in the crash, however he was taken into custody by police and charged with a number of traffic violations, not the least of which was DUI. As a result of the accident, the man will likely face additional charges based on violations of Federal Motor Carrier Safety Inspection Regulations.
I-95 Reopens After Tractor Trailer Crash, Spill; WUSA9.com, February 16, 2012
As personal injury lawyers serving the residents of Maryland and Washington, D.C., I and my legal staff know how easily an accident of any kind can knock a person out of the ranks of the healthy, physically-fit arena and into a hospital room with a long road to recovery. Similarly, the physical and psychological trauma of a car accident, boating incident, motorcycle wreck, or commuter bus collision can place a burden on the victim’ and his or her family almost from the get-go.
Of course, one of the most deadly types of traffic mishap has to be that of the commercial truck wreck. Some of the most seriously and deadly automobile accidents are caused by a negligent truck driver behind the wheel of a heavy construction vehicle, semi tractor-trailer rig, or large delivery box truck.
]]> Whatever the situation, when a commercial trucking crash happens and someone is injured due to another party’s negligence, there may be good reason to file a personal injury lawsuit. In the case of a fatal crash, the family or estate of the deceased victim may wish to file a wrongful death suit against the responsible party(s).In many traffic accident injury or wrongful death cases involving a commercial truck, state and/or local police will likely carry out an investigation to determine fault and to decide which party, if any, should be charged with a traffic violation or other criminal charges.
A while back, a Maryland family riding in their Toyota sport utility vehicle was caught up in a serious truck-related crash along a northbound stretch of I-81 near Martinsburg, WV. According to news reports at the time, the accident occurred during a Saturday evening when an 18-wheeler allegedly struck a smaller Toyota SUV from behind, causing the driver of the passenger vehicle to lose control.
Based on police reports, the force of the collision forced the smaller vehicle toward the right-hand side of the interstate, where it slammed into a nearby guard rail and subsequently overturned. According to witnesses, the tractor-trailer that reportedly caused the accident left the scene without stopping.
Once on the scene, police and emergency rescue personnel found the black SUV overturned and lying on its roof; rescue crews found a 47-year-old woman, her husband and their daughter trapped inside. Reports indicate that the family was from the Hagerstown, MD, area.
After freeing the family members from the damaged vehicle, EMS personnel transported the wife, who had received serious injuries during the incident, by medevac helicopter to Inova Fairfax Hospital. The woman’s husband and daughter where both taken to a local hospital for treatment of lesser injuries; they were subsequently released.
At the time of the news reports, police investigators had no hard information on the make, model or registration of the hit-and-run semi, and no additional details were available.
One person flown out after hit-and-run involving tractor-trailer, Journal-News.net,
November 14, 2011
As Baltimore auto accident attorneys and personal injury lawyers, I and my colleagues have seen the results of serious and fatal car, truck and motorcycle collisions involving police and fire vehicles. The damage that can be sustained by a relatively small passenger car when it is hit by a fire truck many times more massive can be significant. This means that depending on the circumstances surrounding the accident that the occupants of the smaller motor vehicle can receive serious to critical bodily injuries.
Needless to say, while police cruisers are approximately similar in weight or mass to most average passenger cars and sport utility vehicles, serious accidents involving police cars could be the result of the higher speeds at which that these patrol cars travel. Anyone who follows the news regularly will remember some instance of a patrol car hitting another vehicle while responding to a 911 call of some sort.
]]> Like any high-speed accident, this kind of traffic collision can result in a range of injuries, from minor to severe; fatalities are not uncommon in high-speed highway accidents, not unlike a crash involving a speeding police cruiser. In any case, the frequency of these kinds of crashes can be assumed to be low when compared to the overall annual number of automobile accidents around the U.S.In fact, just last month, three people were hurt when a fire truck from Anne Arundel County reportedly smashed into the victim’s vehicle while one the way to a fire in the Brooklyn Park area. According to news articles, the Linthicum-based fire truck was apparently headed along a stretch of Baltimore-Annapolis Boulevard when it collided with a car near the intersection of Belle Grove Rd.
Based on police reports, firefighters were five minutes out of the Linthicum Fire Station and headed to a reported Brooklyn Park dwelling fire late on a Friday afternoon when the wreck occurred. Based on information from fire officials the traffic collision happened about half past 5pm.
News reports indicate that after hitting the passenger car, the fire truck struck a nearby utility pole before it come to rest. The fire truck’s front windows were broken by the impact and the front bumper also sustained serious damage, according to reports. According to news articles, authorities stated that the fire truck was not actually passing through the intersection when the collision with the car happened.
Following the crash, two of the firefighters and one occupant from the car that was struck were taken via ambulance to Baltimore Washington Medical Center. All the victims of the collision were reported to have only minor injuries, according to the news article.
Ironically, fire officials later stated that upon arriving at the reported site of the original fire call in Brooklyn Park, there was no evidence of any fire in that area.
County fire truck crashes, HometownAnnapolis.com, January 28, 2012
3 Injured In Fire Truck Crash, WBALTV.com, January 28, 2012
]]>While this may come across as overly simplistic, the real truth is that few people can avoid exposing themselves to potential injury in this modern world. Driving to work, crossing the street, walking through a parking low; each of these activities offers some chance for a personal injury accident. As Maryland automobile, trucking accident lawyers, I and my staff know all too well how easy it can be to get caught up in a roadway accident.
Whether you are a driver, passenger, public transportation commuter, pedestrian or cyclist, the opportunities are all around us. Staying alert to the dangers and pitfalls of car accidents and commercial trucking wrecks is just part of the routine; if one wants to stay as safe as possible. Still, even the mostly vigilant among us can find themselves smack-dab in the middle of a highway collision.
]]> Whether you live or work in Rockville, Howie, Baltimore or the District, driving or walking near other motor vehicles is the first requisite for a traffic accident. Professional drivers, like cabbies and tractor-trailer drivers, should be among the best, most experienced drivers; however there are poor drivers in every segment of the population and we advise anyone in a passenger car to give wide berth to 18-wheelers in particular.A crash involving a big rig semi and a smaller sedan or minivan can be disastrous for the occupants in the smaller passenger car. At more than 20 times the mass of a four-wheeler, a tractor-trailer rig can turn a small car or truck into a ball of metal. A while back, we read of an accident between a trucker and patrolman, which apparently left the officer and two others in a separate vehicle hospitalized.
In this case, even though both vehicles involved should have been operated by experienced drivers, one realizes that the crash happened regardless of either driver’s experience or training. According to news reports, the accident took place in Towson, MD, as a Baltimore County police cruiser was apparently merging onto a stretch of I-695 from Providence Rd. Details at the time where sketchy; however the police officer’s vehicle was reportedly struck by the semi during the incident.
Based on those reports, the Baltimore Beltway crash resulted in three people being sent to the hospital: the officer and two people in a Jeep that was subsequently hit by the patrol car. Few specifics were given, but in cases like this it is not uncommon for occupants of the smaller vehicle to receive a variety of injuries including cuts and bruises, back and neck injuries, as well as closed-head trauma.
News reports indicate that the crash took place on a Wednesday just before 12pm at the Providence Rd. exit. The after the officer's cruiser was hit by the big rig, the force of the collision apparently sent the police car across every lane of traffic, after which it hit a nearby jersey wall. There was no mention of how the Jeep and its occupants were involved; but the two women inside that vehicle were also injured as a result.
Once other police officers and EMS personnel had arrived on the scene, the patrolman was choppered out to Maryland Shock Trauma Center with non-life-threatening injuries. Based on the news article, the two occupants of the tractor-trailer were not hurt. The expressway was closed off for almost 3 hours as the crash scene was being investigated and then cleared of debris from the accident.
Maryland Officer Injured in Crash With Tractor-Trailer, Officer.com, December 29, 2011
Any driver who has been on the road for even a short time will understand the feeling of intimidation that a large tractor-trailer rig imparts to the occupants of smaller passenger cars, minivans and even large sport utility vehicles. Frankly, at 50,000 pounds of vehicle and cargo, the average 18-wheeler represents a huge amount of mass when compared to a relatively tiny sedan or economy car.
While freight forwarders and other delivery vehicles carry heavy loads, steel haulers and scrap trucks can be some of the heavier-laden vehicles on the interstates. If one is looking for one of the more deadly loads on our roadways, look no further than the ubiquitous tanker truck. While these are also quite heavy, big rigs pulling trailer filled with caustic chemicals or flammable liquids chemicals have the added danger of losing their contents in the event of a bad traffic accident.
]]> As Maryland personal injury lawyers, we represent individuals hurt as a result of another person’s negligence or thoughtless actions. Whether one is injured on a highway near Rockville, along a boulevard in the District, or outside a trucking depot in Annapolis, the seriousness of one’s bodily injuries can add up to large medical bills and rehabilitation expenses following a bad crash. If one becomes involved in a tanker accident, burns and other critical injuries can be particularly life-threatening.We are reminded of the potentially deadly consequences of a fuel tanker accident many times during the year. In fact, not too long ago we noted a thankfully non-fatal, but nonetheless serious accident involving a tanker filled with diesel fuel. The accident in question took place on the Cecil County side of the bridge that crosses the Conowingo Dam in late October last year.
According to news articles, the crash took place on a Wednesday night along that stretch of Rte 1 traversing the dam. Based on reports, the crash occurred around 11pm when the semi hauling a fuel tanker trailer overturned and burst into flames. Police reports indicated that traffic was rerouted for almost 24 hours while crews cleaned up the bridge area that crosses the Susquehanna River.
News reports showed that a medevac chopper was dispatched to the scene of the crash to transport a single victim -- presumably the driver of the big rig. Meanwhile, estimates of the total amount of fuel spilled ranged from 3,000 to 7,500 gallons; Harford County officials did not know exactly how much flammable liquid was in the tanker when the crash happened. While no mention was made as to the cause of the crash, if the accident involved a single truck, driver error could be a potential factor as would be some kind of mechanical equipment failure, such as a blown tire(s) or brake/suspension failure.
Members of the Darlington Volunteer Fire Company, Lancaster County Fire Department, and the Harford County Hazmat team all pitched in to assist Cecil County fire personnel contain and clean up the spill.
UPDATED: Route 1 at Conowingo Dam Re-Opened, Patch.com, October 27, 2011
Here in the U.S., an individual is considered innocent until proven guilty, but at the same time it is the job of prosecutors and plaintiffs’ lawyers to investigate the facts to find evidence proving that the defendant(s) are guilty or responsible for the violation of law with which they have been charged. Sadly, not only do the wheels of justice sometimes turn slowly, they can also be derailed even after a verdict is brought down against a defendant.
At our firm, as experienced Maryland personal injury lawyers, we have seen examples of companies and individuals who have been able to avoid paying their penance for various offenses against individual citizens as well as the state. Not long ago, we came across a news item that illustrates what can happen when a company that has been found guilty of wrongdoing in a court of law is able to avoid the full punishment of the law through various means. While car accidents and motorcyle wrecks take their toll on motorists, trucking-related crashes can cause some serious carnage.
]]> According to news reports, the jury in a civil trial a civil jury found Hanover-based Gunther's Leasing Transport, Inc. negligent in 1997 of an accident that resulted in the death of one individual and the injury of seven other people. The jury awarded the victims and their families almost $16 million in punitive damages and medical expenses. But according to the news article, Brian Buber, who was crippled and suffered severe brain damage as a result of the crash never saw a dime of the $13 million set aside by the jury’s verdict for the man’s future care; this according to statements from the man’s stepfather.The accident that maimed Mr. Buber happened back in September 1994, when a truck apparently owned by Gunther's Leasing careened into a construction area along a stretch of the Capital Beltway, crushing the paving equipment being operated by Buber and his coworkers. Many of the men at that work site escaped serious injury, yet some were badly injured or killed; Buber, still wheelchair-bound from the trucking accident 17 years ago, continues to await his monetary award.
But Mr. Buber’s wait has been apparently in vain, however; even though the Baltimore County court granted victims a multimillion-dollar collective damage award, Gunther reportedly declared bankruptcy shortly after the case wrapped up. With the company liquidated, Gunther effectively ended the Buber family’s years-long legal battle for compensation for the man’s extensive injuries.
Now, almost two decades later, a shocking revelation came to the family a couple months ago when news that federal trucking regulators had closed down another Gunther-owned trucking company. Calling Gunther’s latest trucking operation an “imminent hazard” to the public, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has also proposed new regulations to help identify newly-established companies that may be attempting to dodge a history of safety violations.
Perhaps not surprisingly, court and federal records indicate that the Gunther operation in Hanover was reconstituted three different times due to legal or financial troubles. During all that time, the company’s fleet continued to be operated at the same location even following so-called liquidation of Gunther's Leasing Transport; and even after the owner went to prison for more than two years. For those who are wondering, 56-year-old Mark David Gunther was the nation’s first trucking executive to be convicted -- in 1995 -- of falsifying drivers' log books.
Trucking companies leave long trail of safety violations and victims, BaltimoreSun.com,
November 19, 2011
In any case, being injured as a result of another party’s negligence may be reason to file a personal injury lawsuit or claim against the negligent individual or individuals. In the case of trucking crashes, the fault -- as initially determined by the local law enforcement agency -- may lie with the driver of the vehicle, or it may be the fault of the trucking carrier or even a third party, such as a maintenance or repair facility. Naturally, the job of determining which parties should be named in a personal injury suit is typically too much for the average person, especially if that person is incapacitated by the accident.
Finally, injury as a result of a traffic accident involving a large commercial vehicle can be due to a poorly designed or manufactured part or component. Historically, it is not uncommon for motorcycle, truck and car accidents to be caused by incorrectly manufactured tires, steering components and braking systems. Lawsuits stemming from these kinds of car and truck collisions are also known as product liability claims; they can be tied to an injury accident -- or in cases of fatal wrecks, may be related to a wrongful death lawsuit.
Because commercial trucking companies conduct the majority of their business operations on public roads -- and in close proximity to other vehicles carrying individuals and families -- federal and state governments have established numerous laws, legal statutes and industry guidelines to regulate certain critical aspects of these firms’ business conduct that may affect the public adversely should those practices be overlooked or ignored to the detriment of public safety.
]]> One area that is important to public safety is the act of inspecting commercial trucks periodically to detect and correct potentially life-threatening problems of faults on the vehicle or its safety components. Because commercial trucks have a great amount of moving parts and other components, they must all be in proper working condition for a truck to be safe on the highway.Federal law requires commercial carriers and the trucker who work for them to conduct pre- and post-trip inspections of critical parts/components and record the findings in a permanent inspection log. Should a commercial truck driver fail to adequately inspect every important part, the driver may be guilty of negligence if one of those un-inspected components were to fail and cause a trucking-related traffic accident.
The law requires that a trucker inspect his vehicle and assure himself that all of the major components are fully functional and in correct working order. However, while the law requires this, it is well known that many truckers many only conduct perfunctory inspections, noting only a nominal inspection time for this cursory inspection in their logbooks. Part of a Maryland personal injury lawyer’s job is to bring to light any facts that show a failed component or part was not adequately checked prior to causing an injury or fatal trucking wreck.
Through what is called the “discovery process,” an injury accident attorney makes every effort to get a possibly negligent truck driver to provide detailed descriptions of his pre-trip vehicle investigation in order to uncover any discrepancies. Some of the most crucial areas that must be checked on a commercial vehicle prior to being used on the highway include the following:
-- Service and parking brakes
-- Trailer brakes for all axles/wheels
-- Steering system
-- Main lighting, marker lamps, signaling devices and reflectors
-- Horn and other audible warning devices
-- Windshield wipers and mirrors
-- Tires on both the tractor and trailer
-- Straps and hold-downs used to secure the load
When interviewing the driver, it is important to note any discrepancies between what the trucker stated as the time it took him to inspect a particular item and that reported in the inspection logbook. If there the times do not match or if there is a significant difference, then there exists a possible credibility gap in the trucker’s statements and actions.
Naturally, as professionals who operate these many times massive and potentially dangerous motor vehicles on public roads, truckers and their employers have not only a legal responsibility to keep the public safe, but also a moral one. As Maryland automobile accident attorneys, we know all too well the carnage that can result when an 18-wheeler hits a much smaller passenger car, SUV or minivan carrying adults and children. There is little margin for error and no room for negligent or thoughtless behavior on the aprt of these individuals.
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