Trucking Accident Lawyer Blog

As consumers, we all rely on professionals to be the best they can be and to do their job with the utmost quality and consideration. When it comes to professional drivers, such as those who operate limousines, taxi cabs, city buses and commercial delivery trucks, we expect those individuals to be vigilant and take extreme care when driving their vehicles. Unfortunately, not all commercial truck drivers are perfect; and traffic accidents can and do happen on a regular basis.

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.

Continue reading "Commercial Trucking Accident News: Federal Express Truck Collides with School Bus in Calvert County, MD" »

As ubiquitous as public transportation is in cities such as Annapolis, Gaithersburg, Rockville and Washington, D.C., it’s difficult to say that every mode of public transport is safe, or otherwise free from danger of personal injury. From taxis, limousines and airport shuttles to city buses and commuter trains, the public travels many hundreds of thousands of miles daily all around the United States. Here in Baltimore, we have our fair share of traffic and rail accidents, some of which claim innocent lives.

As Maryland personal injury lawyers representing individuals injured in car, truck and motorcycle crashes, we live with the knowledge that not everyone who hails a cab, boards a subway train or steps foot onto a bus is going to be home for dinner come the end of the day. Accidents happen on a regular basis; be they traffic collisions, nursing home mishaps, on-the-job injuries or deadly pedestrian and bicycle accidents.

Many truck and automobile wrecks happen as a result of several unexpected events occurring at the same time; such collisions can not be anticipated even though the individual events may have been preventable. Drinking and driving is one such preventable activity that everyone “knows” should be avoided, however human nature what it is, there are no end of alcohol-related traffic incidents every day in this country.

Continue reading "Maryland Commercial Driving Accident News: Bus Heading to Baltimore Causes Fatal Chain-reaction Crash, Three Dead" »

It’s easy to assume that riding on public transportation -- such as commuter trains, city buses and taxi cabs -- is safe and free of any significant dangers; but that notion couldn’t be farther from reality. The fact is when boarding any public or private motor vehicle, the danger of a highway collision or roadway accident is ever-present. Now, when it comes to school buses carting their precious cargo around every morning and afternoon, the caveats go double for these conveyances.

As Maryland personal injury attorneys serving the residents of Baltimore, Rockville, Frederick and Washington, D.C., we know all too well how a traffic wreck can affect the lives of numerous individuals riding on a bus. Unfortunately, living in densely packed urban areas, many people must rely on public transportation; just as our children must also rely on school buses to transport them safely from home to school and back again.

As commuters on city buses and commuter railways, we acknowledge that the operators of these modes of transport are for the most part trained professionals who are dedicated to their jobs, with one of their primary goals being the safety and well being of their passengers.

For parents of elementary school children, it’s understandable that the daily routine of sending one’s kids off to school can lull one into a sense of security and trust in the safety of these large yellow boxes, however accidents can and do happen; and they don’t discriminate as to who will become the next victim.

Continue reading "Maryland Commercial Vehicle Accident News: Kids Injured after Drunk Truck Driver Hits School Bus" »

It seems that every time we turn around, there’s another large highway accident caused by a commercial truck driver. This is, of course, not an indictment of all professional truckers out there, many of whom are conscientious drivers who understand the enormity of their personal responsibility to handle these big rigs with care and safety. But, on the other hand, there is a percentage of 18-wheeler, box truck and commercial delivery truck operators who lack either the training or the concern for others on the roadways.

As Maryland commercial trucking accident attorneys and personal injury lawyers, it’s our job to help victims of highway traffic accidents and their families recover from severe and sometimes fatal car, truck and motorcycle wrecks. Nothing can shock a family to its core like a serious injury accident that sends a father or mother to the hospital.

Medical costs alone are difficult enough to manage these days, what with many people being out of work or just hanging on. Throw in the loss of wages due to a terrible car, or truck collision and you have a perfect storm of hospital bills and no, or greatly reduced family income to help pay for them.

While a number of trucking accidents can be attributed to mechanical problems, such as defective safety equipment, poorly maintained brakes, or badly worn tires, a greater percentage of tractor-trailer crashes stem from driver error. It’s not uncommon these days for even a professional truck driver to be distracted by his cellphone or some other device in the truck cab.

Whatever the reason, the carnage wrought by an out-of-control 18-wheeler can be widespread and deadly for occupants of nearby passenger cars. Broken bones, internal injuries, head and neck trauma, as well as other serious injuries can be life-threatening if the victim is not attended to in time.

Continue reading "Baltimore Commercial Trucking Accident News: Police Charge Maryland Tractor-trailer Driver in Multi-vehicle Crash" »

School bus accidents are a cause for great concern among parents and school officials alike. While the opportunity for serious injury is always present on the street, we would all prefer to believe that our children are safe anytime they leave the house. But as Maryland personal injury lawyers, we know that realistically no one can guarantee that kids will never be hurt while walking to school or while riding the bus.

No long ago, a traffic accident outside of Maryland opened up the discussion again regarding safety belts in school buses. Although the initial reaction whenever this kind of crash occurs is to do anything to lessen the extent of occupant injuries; and nobody can argue with people who say that even the prevention of one child’s death is worth the investment.

The particular rollover accident on I-81 that involved a school bus taking kids to summer camp. According to news reports, more than two dozen adults and children were hurt as a result when the bus crashed into a passenger vehicle and then overturned on a rural highway north of Maryland.

State police officials reported that the crash occurred when a Cadillac, driven by an elderly Hagerstown man, attempted to pass the school bus but failed to notice the oncoming traffic. Overcorrecting, 79-year-old Edward Shaffer steered back into the path of the bus, causing the wreck. The force of the collision caused the bus to roll over, and emergency rescue personnel were needed to free three of the youngsters who were pinned inside the wrecked commercial vehicle. The driver of the passenger car was also trapped until EMS workers could extricate him.

No surprise that the topic of school bus safety is an emotionally charged one, with multiple issues at stake, not to mention the health and safety of young passengers. But over the years it has become more and more obvious that most school systems either don’t have the money or the will to equip buses with safety belts; and a similar situation exists with local and state governments, which are not likely to mandate seatbelts any time soon.

Continue reading "Baltimore Commercial Vehicle Accident News: School Bus Crash Caused by Maryland Driver Renews Student Safety Concerns" »

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.

Apparently due to driver error, the bus turned in front of an oncoming tractor-trailer rig driven by a 45-year-old Maryland trucker, Paul Clauson. The semi tanker driver could not avoid hitting the school bus, which thankfully was unoccupied except for the driver. The tanker was reportedly half-full of fuel at the time of the collision, however no spillage occurred and there was no fire.

Emergency responders arriving on the scene likely tended to the two drivers. Clauson’s injuries were reportedly minor and he was transported to Milford Memorial Hospital for back strain. Gosch, who was uninjured, was charged by police for failing to yield the right of way to the Clauson’s 2004 Kenworth.

State police investigators were still looking into the accident at the time of the news report and there was no mention given as to any other causes for the accident. Although driver error was cited as the cause in this instance, defective equipment is always a possibility in bus or truck crashes depending on the particular circumstances surrounding the accident.

UPDATE: School bus driver charged in crash, WGMD.com, January 14, 2011

For most Maryland drivers, being safe on the road can means watching out for the other guy and making sure your car, truck or motorcycle is mechanically sound and well maintained. As a Baltimore auto accident lawyer and personal injury attorney, I understand the reasons why we all should give our personal vehicles the special attention they deserve in order to run right and keep us safe in case of an accident.

That said, everyone -- drivers and passengers alike -- must remember that the commercial vehicles in which we travel from time to time can be a major source of traffic injuries and potential fatalities. It goes without saying that we have little control over or knowledge of the quality of maintenance that these vehicle receive prior to riding in them.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), those large-capacity passenger vans that we all see taking church members, school athletic teams and retirees to and from various events could be more dangerous than any of us imagine. Based on a combination of factors, these vehicles apparently have a higher than average propensity for rollover accidents than most other types of passenger cars.

In fact, the NHTSA has issued a number of warnings regarding large 15-passenger vans. The reason is that these vehicles, often operated by commercial transportation companies, do not have the handling capabilities that lower-slung passenger cars do. The driver of such a vehicle must understand the limitations of these vehicles, which means gaining the necessary experience through training and operating these large vans on a regular basis.

Because 15-passenger vans have a typically higher center of gravity, they are much more apt to roll over during an emergency maneuver at highway speeds. This deadly characteristic is made even worse if the van’s tires are under-inflated, someone has installed defective parts, or if the vehicle itself is loaded beyond its rated capacity.

The sad part of all this is that many of these vehicles also do not have full lap and shoulder belts for all passengers -- and many passengers simply choose not to use the safety belts that are there. As a result, any accident -- not the least of which a dangerous and potentially fatal rollover crash -- can have a tragic outcome for the occupants. The convenience of these vehicles makes them a quick choice for transporting groups of people, but there apparently remains a great risk to passengers especially if the proper safety precautions are not followed.

15-passenger vans, improperly inflated tires and no seat belts ~ a deadly combination, TheVindicator.com, December 15, 2010

While we all hope our children will not be involved in a bus-car or bus-truck collision, this is a distinct possibility. As a Baltimore trucking accident lawyer, I and my associates understand how difficult it is to care for an injured child while holding down a job and running a household. Anytime a person, young or old, is hurt in a car crash or truck wreck, the victim’s family can many times find themselves under a financial strain usually caused by mounting medical and healthcare bills.

One thing that Maryland’s parents should expect is that their kids will be safe while riding local school buses on a daily basis. Unfortunately, the fact of the matter is that passenger cars, delivery trucks and commercial big rigs share the same roads with our kids’ school buses and church shuttle vehicles. Sadly, the law of averages means that there will be an occasional traffic accident involving a school bus from time to time.

Not long ago, a school bus accident in Havre de Grace sent one person to the hospital, with a handful of others sustaining minor injuries. According to the news reports, school bus 611 was on its way to the Meadowvale Elementary School on a Friday morning when it was involved in a collision with two other passenger cars along Route 155 near Canvasback Drive.

The accident occurred just after 8am, and while information was sketchy it appears that the bus somehow lost control, left the roadway and then tipped over on its side in a grassy area off the highway. In the process, according to police reports, a sport utility vehicle and another passenger car were also damaged in the incident.

Based on reports, the bus driver and six students received minor injuries and were transported to local hospitals where they were treated and released by 10am that day. The driver of the SUV, having apparently serious injuries, was taken by ambulance to Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore. The other passenger car driver received only minor injuries.

Accident in Havre de Grace sends one person to shock trauma, ExploreHarford.com, September 24, 2010

One particular area that Maryland residents should expect the utmost in safety is in the school buses in which our children ride daily. The fact is that passenger cars, delivery trucks and commercial big rigs share the same roads with our kids’ school buses and church shuttle vehicles. The law of averages means that, sadly, an occasional traffic accident involving a school bus will likely occur sometime in your city or town.

While we all hope our children will not be involved in a bus-car or bus-truck collision, it could happen any time. As a Baltimore trucking accident lawyer, I and my associates understand how difficult it is to care for an injured child while holding down a job and running a household. Anytime a person, young or old, is hurt in a car crash or truck wreck, the victim’s family will usually be under a financial stress caused by mounting medical and healthcare bills.

Not long ago, a school bus loaded with elementary school kids from Winston Middle School was caught up in a bad traffic accident in the Baltimore area. According to news reports, a number of people were injured when a car collided with the students' bus. The wreck occurred on a weekday morning just before 8am at the intersection of Loch Raven Boulevard and Lochwood Road.

It was difficult to tell if the crash was due to driver error or perhaps some kind of mechanical problem or defective equipment. One witness likened the accident to that of a scene from an action movie. News articles described the incident by saying that a passenger car pulled onto Loch Raven and collided the bus, which was transporting disabled children.

Witnesses said that the car went airborne onto the bus. As a result, eight people were injured in the crash, all of whom were taken to the hospital by ambulance. When rescuers arrived on the scene they found four people trapped in the automobile -- three young children and one an adult, according to the Baltimore Fire Department.

Two of the young boys got out of the car by themselves, but a seven-year-old girl was badly injured and apparently couldn’t get out by herself. The female driver herself was trapped and had to be cut out by emergency personnel. According to police reports, the driver’s injuries were not life threatening, but the girl was apparently bleeding badly and was transported to Hopkins Pediatric.

Also hurt in the car-bus collision were four special needs children who were riding on the school bus when it was hit. Although those kids reportedly were not severely hurt, they were all complaining of some kind of minor injuries at the time. At the time of the report, police had not yet determined who, if anyone, was at fault in the crash.

Several Injured After Car & School Bus Crash, WJZ.com, March 23, 2010