Trucking Accident Lawyer Blog

As personal injury lawyers in Maryland, I and my colleagues have felt the anguish of family members and relatives whose loved one has been taken from them in fatal car accident, truck collision or motorcycle wreck. Nothing anyone can say or do will bring that person back following a deadly traffic accident, yet it is our job to help families attain some amount of closure through legal means.

Wrongful death lawsuits are common when a person has died as a result of another driver’s negligence or willful breaking of the law. Especially in cases where the victim was the sole financial provider for his or her family, there is little alternative to the lost income to pay for the necessary living expenses, and likely medical bills related to the accident that claimed the life of that individual. If only to offset the lost future earning power, not to mention the loss of comfort and companionship, a wrongful death suit is often brought against the negligent party.

Many times, in the case of a fatal or even severe injury-related accident, police and local prosecutors will attempt to bring a negligent driver to justice in the way of criminal charges. In such cases, that person can end up being sent to jail for months or years, depending on the extent of the damage, injury or pain inflicted on others.

For those people who consciously and with malice attempt to injure or kill another person or persons, the law can be quite harsh; yet for the families of the victims, even the criminal justice system seems to come up short and emotions run high. We were certainly reminded of this not long ago when the sentencing phase of a criminal trial came to a conclusion.

Continue reading "Baltimore Commercial Vehicle Accident News: Maryland Truck Driver Gets 12 Years for Fatal DUI Wreck" »

Considering the damage and injury that can occur as a result of a traffic collision between a semi tractor-trailer rig and a much smaller family minivan, sport utility vehicle or economy car, it’s very important that the individuals who operate these behemoths be properly trained and licensed.

Without a doubt, commercial trucks are everywhere one looks in Baltimore, Rockville, Gaithersburg and Washington, D.C. As an important part of this nation’s flow of commerce, large trucks are a necessary evil, to put it bluntly. Of course, most truckers are careful professionals who take their jobs quite seriously. However, as with any industry, there are bad apples in the bunch.

With all these vehicles -- 18-wheelers, contractor vehicles, box trucks and delivery vans -- there is always the potential for a trucking-related traffic accident no matter where you are. Pedestrians and bicycle riders are also not immune to the dangers presented by thoughtless or inattentive truck drivers, especially in busy urban areas where bike, foot vehicle traffic share the same roads.

Being involved in a serious car accidents and truck collisions can be frightening enough, but once injured due to a commercial trucking accident, one must usually face the task of both physical and financial recovery. Sad to say, obtaining justice following a truck accident in Maryland may be difficult. Because they are usually associated with large businesses, commercial truck carriers usually have extensive legal resources that help them to avoid large payouts.

As mentioned, there are always some bad drivers out there, but it is important to remember that Maryland trucking firms can be held liable for employing negligent truckers who cause a serious roadway injury accident or fatal trucking collision. In these types of situations, as Maryland personal injury lawyers, it is our job to represent the victims or the victim’s families in order to gain some compensation for their loss.

The insurance companies that represent trucking firms typically try very hard to limit how much they will pay for any insurance claim. It’s not uncommon for the victims of such highway wrecks to actually be accused by the insurance company of causing the accident.

Continue reading "Baltimore Trucking Injury Update: Maryland Truck Owners Have a Responsibility to Not Employ Negligent Drivers" »

While there are numerous factors that can contribute to a commercial truck crash, many Maryland trucking-related traffic accidents involve problems with proper loading on the vehicle or trailer. Box trucks, dump trucks and gravel haulers, as well as semi tractor-trailers must all be loaded properly to avoid dangerous roadway collisions due to shifting contents or lost loads.

As Maryland personal injury attorneys and commercial truck accident lawyers, I and my legal staff understand the potential for serious or fatal injury that can result from a highway accident between a large commercial vehicle and smaller motor vehicle. Occupants of passenger sedans, SUVs, minivans can receive life-threatening injuries during a collision with an 18-wheeler or large delivery truck. Pedestrians and even motorcycle riders hurt in these kinds of traffic accidents are often among the most likely to die as a result of such traffic wrecks.

As mentioned, improper loading, whether due to excessive weight, poor load placement, or improper tie-down or otherwise incorrectly secured loads can all be contributing factors to serious or fatal trucking accidents. With commercial semi tractor-trailers weighing upward of 80,000 pounds, it’s no surprise that commercial truck drivers must have specialized training and pass federally-mandated testing to qualify for a commercial trucking license. But in spite of all this, accident can and do occur on an alarmingly frequent basis.

A while back, a woman was killed after the car in which she was riding collided with a piece of construction machinery that fell off a flatbed trailer belonging to a Maryland firm. The crash happened on a Friday afternoon along a stretch of interstate, according to reports. Based on information from local police and fire-rescue units, 42-year-old Yingzi Wang driving southbound on the highway with three others in a 2000 Toyota Sienna when a backhoe/front-end loader apparently rolled off of the trailer in front of Wang’s vehicle.

Continue reading "Maryland Trucking Accident News: Backhoe Rolls Off Trailer, Hits Minivan Causing Fatal Traffic Accident" »

For most of the drivers here in Maryland and Washington, D.C., maintaining the safety of oneself and one’s vehicle occupants involves more than a modicum of active participation. In short, to survive in this part of the country a drive must, out of necessity, watch out for the other guy.

What this means for the average passenger car, light truck and motorcycle rider is to be certain that your vehicle is well-maintained, tuned up and mechanically safe and sound. We won’t go into a discussion on the dangers of defective vehicle equipment here, but suffice it to say that a percentage of roadway wrecks are sometimes found to be a result of poorly designed safety components and other critical systems, such as steering and braking systems (an area of law known as Products Liability).

As Maryland personal injury lawyers, I and my legal staff understand the causes of many traffic accidents and how easily a quiet Sunday drive can turn into a serious and sometimes life-threatening event. Keeping a vehicle in good running condition is a basic requirement for safe driving. This goes as much for automobiles as it does for commercial trucks, usually more so.

Speaking of trucking-related accidents, one cannot argue with the laws of physics when it comes to serious traffic accidents involving semi tractor-trailers, such as Kenworths, Peterbilts, and Mack Trucks; not to mention large box trucks and rather heavy and extremely dangerous tanker trucks.

Many passenger car occupants, not to mention motorcyclists, are killed on a tragically frequent basis when they become caught involved in a crash with a commercial delivery vehicle or 18-wheeler. Those smaller, lighter and less substantial motor vehicles are hardly a match for a fully loaded semi, commuter bus or dump truck. Injuries from car-truck collision can take months or years to recover from, both physically and financially, which makes prevention a no-brainer.

Continue reading "Baltimore Trucking Accident Update: Thoughts on Decreasing Fatal and Injury-related Maryland Truck-Car Collisions" »

Even by mid-month, this past August was shaping up to be the the worst 30-day period for fatal car, truck and motorcycle crashes in the D.C. area. According to news reports, by the 15th of the month almost 20 fatal traffic wrecks had been recorded, many of them involving commercial trucks.

As Baltimore auto accident lawyers and Maryland personal injury attorneys, we hear about numerous roadway collisions on a regular basis. Not only do these violent and sometimes fatal car and truck crashes injure dozens of people across the state every week, a percentage of these motor vehicle wrecks involve deaths. Even those individuals who survive the worst of these collisions can end up suffering for months or years from the deleterious effects of a vehicle-to-vehicle impact.

Broken bones including simple and compound fractures, as well as internal bleeding and damaged organs, can result from a broad-side or head-on collision. Many times, life threatening injuries, such as closed-head trauma and sometimes irreversible spinal damage may be sustained by the driver or passengers of a smaller vehicle when struck by a large commercial box truck, delivery vehicle or semi tractor-trailer rig.

No amount of money can bring back a lost loved one, but the compensation returned to a victim’s family can hopefully pay for the extensive medical bills and potential lost wages that result when a bread-winner is killed in a senseless car, truck or pedestrian traffic accident.

Continue reading "Washington, D.C., Injury News: August, One of the District’s Deadliest Months for Fatal Traffic Accidents" »

Big rigs, box trucks, commercial delivery vans and construction vehicles are all large vehicles with enough size and mass to do serious damage to another smaller passenger vehicle should a traffic accident occur. On Maryland’s busy interstates and surface streets, these huge motor vehicles must share the road with family cars, SUVs, mini vans and motorcycles, yet potential catastrophe is only a moment away for some motorists.

As Baltimore auto accident attorneys and Washington, D.C., personal injury lawyers, I and my legal staff are constantly amazed that more people aren’t seriously injured or killed by commercial vehicles, especially in light of the densely populated condition of our cities. So when an 18-wheel tractor-trailer or other large commercial truck is involved in a roadway collision in Rockville, Gaithersburg, Frederick or Bowie, MD, the carnage that results is not all that surprising.

Aside from the “normal” injuries that passenger car occupants can receive in a commercial truck crash, such as cuts, lacerations and heavy bruising, drivers and passengers alike can sustain serious and even life-threatening injuries. Compound fractures of the arms or legs can cause serious blood loss that if untreated can result in death. A person trapped in a severely damaged vehicle must be extricated as soon as possible and taken to a hospital for immediate medical treatment.

Other injuries pose longer term medical complications. Also the result of a car, truck or motorcycle wreck, spinal cord damage and closed-head trauma (also known as traumatic brain injury) can put a person in a wheelchair for the rest of their life, if they even survive those initial injuries.

Not long ago, a concrete mixing truck went out of control on Interstate 270 in Montgomery County, MD. According to news reports, the multiple-vehicle accident happened in Germantown just north of the exit for Father Hurley Boulevard. Police reports indicated that the crash, which took place about half past 2pm on a Monday afternoon, involved three vehicles including the cement truck.

Continue reading "Maryland Commercial Trucking Accident News: Cement Mixer Truck Overturns on I-270; Four People Seriously Injured" »

Never for a moment assume that you are safe riding public transportation. This is a statement that is fast becoming gospel to many people who read the paper, scan the web or watch the evening news. Trains, planes and city buses carry large numbers of passengers daily without incident, but when something does go wrong there can be multiple victims with injuries ranging from minor to life-threatening.

It doesn’t take much to critically injure a person. Consider that most parents these days won’t let their child ride a bicycle without a helmet for fear that their son or daughter may be hit by a car or simply fall off their bike and hit their head. What is the difference between a child falling several feet to the ground and a bus passenger being thrown into a seat back or other hard object in the event of a traffic accident? Actually, very little.

Especially when it comes to bus riders, with no seatbelts and little warning that a crash is imminent injuries such as cuts and bruises are commonplace, with broken bones, internal injuries and head or neck trauma always a possibility.

In fact, being injured as a passenger on a city or charter bus as a result of a traffic collision or other motor vehicle collision is more common than some people would imagine. As Maryland automobile accident attorneys, we know that it’s very easy for the average person to assume public transportation is safe and worry free. Even as personal injury lawyers, we see that most commuters take for granted that bus drivers and train operators are trained professionals who pride themselves on doing their jobs with a high degree of safety, not to mention the wellbeing of passengers as a primary thought.

Although most drivers of public conveyances are thoughtful and dedicated professionals, even the best cannot predict when and where an accident will occur. This is why, as difficult as it may be sometimes, we as passengers must ultimately put our faith in bus and train operators or not travel on public transportation at all.

Continue reading "Baltimore Traffic Accident Leaves Several Commuters Injured after Passenger Car Collides with City Bus" »

Car, truck and motorcycle accidents happen for a variety of reasons, but not every traffic collision is caused by just one person or a single event. While a commercial truck or car crash can result in one person being charged with negligent driving, some traffic mishaps can precipitate from a mechanical problem, badly located traffic signage, or poorly maintained roadway.

Occasionally, a third party can be named in a civil suit when there is evidence that actions by that person or entity may have resulted in injury or death of an individual as a result of a traffic accident. As Maryland personal injury lawyers and automobile accident attorneys, I and my colleagues investigate the possible causes of car and commercial truck crashes in an effort to determine fault.

Defective vehicle equipment is one area that holds potential for injury and even death of vehicle occupants. Poorly designed or incorrectly manufactured parts, such as brake components, steering systems, tires and airbags, can have a contributory effect on a motor vehicle accident. Similarly, badly maintained or poorly designed intersections and highway ramps can even play a role in a severe or deadly road accidents.

Not long ago, a Washington County, MD, man was critically injured on a stretch of Interstate 81 where it crosses over the Potomac River. News reports indicate that emergency pothole repairs on a bridge span may have been a factor in the accident that sent a 45-year-old Funkstown resident to the hospital with potentially life-threatening injuries.

According to news reports, Thomas McDonald, Jr., was driving a Kia Rio southbound along I-81 near Cearfoss Pike when traffic ahead apparently came to an abrupt halt due to pothole repairs on that side of the roadway. Police reports showed that the Kia hit the back end of a semi tractor-trailer rig that was stopped in the right-hand lane of the interstate. According to police, traffic was also stopped in the fast lane when the crash occurred; just after 4:30pm.

Continue reading "Maryland Commercial Truck Accident Report: Washington County Motorist Injured in I-81 Traffic Collision" »

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.

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

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.

The physical injuries that these kinds of highway wrecks can cause are just the tip of the iceberg -- for many families, the treatment immediately after the accident as well as the surgeries and physical therapy weeks and months later can cause a family financial trouble almost from the get go. In cases of wrongful death, where a negligent party caused an accident that took a loved one’s life, lawsuits are sometimes filed for pain and suffering that the victim experienced before his or her own death.

Regardless of the cause, a trucking-related traffic collision can many times be more serious than a similar passenger car collision. Luckily for everyone, that interstate police chase involving a Mississippi truck driver ended without and serious injuries. According to news reports, the trucker involved in that chase now faces multiple charges, some from the Maryland.

The chase ended after passing through West Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania. The driver, 42-year-old Thomas L. McNeel was being held on $250,000 bond following his arrest. Based on reports, he was charged with attempting to elude police officers, intent to possess a contraband substance, driving under the influence of a controlled substance, reckless endangerment, reckless and careless driving, plus numerous other traffic offenses, according to court records.

Here in Maryland, state police charged McNeel with four counts each of first- and second-degree assault; two counts of failure to stop following a traffic accident; eluding police officers, careless and negligent driving, according to the Washington County District Commissioners Office.

Truck driver involved in chase facing numerous charges in three states, Herald-Mail.com, December 21, 2010

Most people realize that traffic accidents involving 18-wheel big rigs can cause massive traffic delays due to the shear size of these motor vehicles. But for the same reason that traffic can become inexorably snarled during rush hour, these over-the-road commercial trucks can cause extremely severe property damage and bodily harm.

As Maryland automobile accident lawyers and personal injury attorneys, I and my staff have the experience to know how a single, seemingly simple lapse in concentration or judgment can lead to a terrible highway wreck that could leave an individual or family with grave medical complications. No one should be surprised by the frequency of such accidents in and around cities like Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Hagerstown and Bowie.

Not long ago, Cumberland police and emergency services responded to the scene of a traffic collision along a stretch of interstate 68 where a semi driver apparently lost control of his rig and hit another vehicle, which then caused several other vehicles to be hit. While nobody died as a result of this particular tractor-trailer crash, there have been instances where motorists have been killed by such an event.

In this case, the crash occurred just before 5pm near Exit 43A on I-68 when a semi-tractor and trailer operated by 72-year-old Robert Guinn swerved from the center lane of the eastbound roadway and hit a 2006 Kia SUV in the left lane, sending that vehicle up and over the jersey barrier and into westbound traffic.

According to police at the time of the news article, investigators had not settled on a likely reason for why Guinn’s truck went out of control in the first place. Such events can sometimes be attributed to driver error, while at other times there could be a possibility of defective vehicle equipment, such as a damaged or malfunctioning steering component or a blown-out tire possibly resulting from improper maintenance.

Continue reading "Tractor-trailer Crashes into Passenger Cars, Causing Multi-vehicle Accident on I-68 in Allegany County" »

Defective safety equipment on a commercial vehicle can easily lead to a serious accident down the road. Where trucks are concerned, any traffic accident can result in a serious injuries and even fatalities. Here in Maryland, heavy vehicle wrecks can and do occur with alarming frequency. As a Baltimore trucking accident lawyer and personal injury attorney, I know that poorly designed or incorrectly maintained vehicle systems -- such as brakes, steering and occupant protection components -- can be the cause of commercial motor vehicle accidents that result in head, neck and internal injuries as well as death.

Truck producers and commercial vehicle owners and driver must be aware of their responsibility to make certain that these massive vehicles are as safe as possible to protect the road-going public. If any system breaks on a truck the results can be fatal, not only for the people in nearby passenger cars, but also to the occupants of the commercial truck or bus.

Not long ago, police determined that the brakes on a Maryland tour bus were not working correctly and apparently caused two of the vehicle’s tires to blow out while traveling along the interstate at highway speeds. According to news reports, the failure of the motor coach’s braking system resulted an overheating condition, which caused a couple tires on that vehicle to blow out.

More than 40 tourists from Maryland were on that bus when it lost those two ties on Interstate 89 late on a Tuesday morning. The incident occurred on the southbound lanes and fortunately for the senior citizens traveling aboard, the driver was able to maintain control of the bus and bring it to a stop in the breakdown lane.

An inspection by the department of motor vehicles turned up a faulty valve that had allowed compressed air to flow to the vehicle’s six air brakes even though the driver was not using the brakes at the time. This condition caused the brakes to be applied and as a result heat up. Not only did the heat ultimately cause two of the tires to blow out, it damaged the brake linings, rotors ABS sensors.

As a result of the narrowly averted traffic accident, the company that owns the bus received a $156 traffic ticket for having defective brakes. The vehicle was towed and taken out of service. The owner said he expected to have the vehicle back on the road following a tire change.

Police: Faulty brakes caused bus tires to blow out on I-89, BurlingtonFreePress.com, September 14, 2010

As a Baltimore auto injury attorney and trucking accident lawyer, I know that it’s important for anyone injured in a semi tractor-trailer crash not to discuss anything with the trucking company’s insurer until that victim has had time to speak with an experienced accident attorney. Whether you are a motorist, pedestrian, bicycle or motorcycle rider injured in a traffic accident, you should always consider your options.

Commercial truck accidents involving tanker trucks, automobile transporters, garbage collection vehicles, or any other kind of large motor vehicle can take a huge toll on a smaller passenger car, such as a sedan, minivan or even an SUV. Severe head and spinal trauma, broken bones and internal injuries are just some of the medical conditions that can result from a highway collision involving Kenworth, Peterbilt or Mack trucks.

Not long ago a woman and her young passenger were injured when a semi crossed over the centerline and collided head-on with the other vehicle. While the report did mention specifics, this kind of accident has been know to happen if the truck driver was drowsy as a result of not enough sleep, possibly violating the mandatory federal limit on maximum driving time on the road.

According to reports, the accident happened on a Friday afternoon along a stretch of Route 113 near Newark, MD. A local resident, 33-year-old Emily Timmons, was heading southbound in her ‘02 Dodge Caravan just before 5pm in the afternoon when an approaching tractor-trailer, driven by 46-year-old Mark T. Brittingham, reportedly crossed the double yellow hitting the minivan head-on.

Maryland State Police stated that the big rig, ‘96 International truck, hit the woman’s vehicle causing life-threatening injures to the passenger car driver. Timmons was treated at the scene and then flown by Maryland State Police helicopter to Peninsula Regional Medical Center in Wicomico County. According to the news article, the woman was still in critical condition more than four days later. Her 7-year-old passenger was hurt but was apparently in slightly better condition having been transported to PRMC via ambulance for injuries that authorities believed were not life threatening.

According to news reports, the driver of the 18-wheeler was treated at the scene and released. At the time of the article, he had been charged only with negligent driving.

Cops & Courts, MDCoastDispatch.com, October 1, 2010

As a Maryland trucking and automobile accident attorney, I have a certain amount of professional experience when it comes to understanding the implications of a serious tractor-trailer traffic accident, especially where a crash involves a smaller vehicle such as an economy car, sedan or minivan. But the size of the smaller motor vehicle makes little difference since a semi is many times more massive than any passenger vehicle.

The fact of the matter is, few if any passenger cars -- whether a four-door luxury sedan or a large sport utility vehicle -- can withstand the crushing force of a commercial delivery truck, 18-wheeler, tanker truck or auto carrier. The bottom line is that the occupants of a passenger car or light truck are more apt to be injured or killed in such a traffic accident.

Something else that’s important to remember is that injuries suffered in automobile accidents can be non-life threatening yet pose lingering aftereffects that can last months or years, even a lifetime, after a crash. This is why it is always important to consult a personal injury lawyer following a traffic accident, if not for yourself, then do it for your family.

An example of an accident that is commonplace in congested urban areas happened not long ago when a passenger car was hit by a tractor-trailer along the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. According to news reports, the accident occurred on a late Friday afternoon when a big rig semi smashed into a man’s car on the westbound lanes of the bridge.

Based on police reports, the Anne Arundel County Fire Department responded to the crash just before 5pm. Emergency personnel arriving on the scene found a 24-year-old man trapped inside his car, which apparently had been crushed by the massive semi. Firefighters had to utilize special rescue equipment to free the motorist, who reportedly suffered serious injuries that were thankfully not life threatening.

According to authorities, a Maryland State Police helicopter was used to transport the injured man to Baltimore’s shock trauma center. Meanwhile, it took another hour to clear two of the three westbound lanes of the bridge in order to get traffic flowing again. At the time of the report, police had not determined the cause of the crash and were continuing to investigate the accident.

Accident Closes Westbound Bay Bridge Span, WUSA9.com, August 21, 2010

Whether the cause of a collision is defective equipment, ineffective vehicle maintenance or just plain driver error or inattention, a traffic accident between a large commercial truck and a much smaller passenger vehicle can be quite serious, to say the least.

It goes without saying that drivers of small cars and motorcycles must always be on the defensive when driving near a delivery truck or semi tractor-trailer rig, but even individuals operating larger vehicles, such as SUVs, full-size vans and pickup trucks must be wary of the dangers posed by Freightliners, Macks and Peterbilts.

Because trucking accidents can be very costly, not only in terms of physical injury or death but also financially, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR) require that trucking companies carry a minimum amount of insurance. By requiring that companies maintain a high level of financial responsibility, hopefully this encourages the safe operation of their vehicles on public motorways.

As a Maryland personal injury lawyer and trucking accident attorney, my firm is equipped to help victims of truck and automobile accidents try to recover costs arising from a traffic accident. Large or small, it’s a fact of life that injuries sustained in a car or truck collision can result in major medical bills, lost wages and long-term care costs.

Not long ago a traffic accident near Towson University illustrated the typical kind of car-delivery truck accident. According to news articles, a Pepsi truck collided with a passenger car along York Road in the mid-afternoon on a Thursday. Based on police reports, the crash occurred just outside of the university’s administrative offices.

Police said that the delivery truck hit and forced the smaller motor vehicle off the road around 3pm. Baltimore County police officers responding to the scene and found a blue car sitting to the side of the road. At the time of the article no mention was made as to the number of victims or the extent, if any, of their injuries. Police were still investigating the cause at that time.

Not long after that accident, another two-car crash was reported at about 4pm just south of the initial car-truck accident, at the corner of York and Murdock. That collision, which was also under investigation, involved a Honda Accord and a Nissan. Both drivers reportedly refused an ambulance ride to the nearest hospital for medical treatment.

Pepsi truck collides into vehicle on York Road, TheTowerLight.com, August 26, 2010

The recent bus accident on Interstate 270 yesterday, which claimed the life of the driver and injured a number of passengers including many children, reminds us of the random nature of highway traffic accidents. In this instance, the commercial vehicle was a chartered bus carrying 11 people back home from a trip to Washington, D.C. As a Maryland trucking accident lawyers and personal injury attorneys, our thoughts go out to the families of the victims and we all wish the survivors a speedy recovery from their injuries.

Of course, the Interstate Commerce Commission long ago instituted safety regulations to help protect both motorists and the occupants of commercial vehicles from the numerous and potentially deadly consequences of poorly maintained and operated delivery trucks, interstate buses, and 18-wheelers traveling on public roads. It's no surprise that car accidents involving large commercial vehicles can lead to multiple fatailities.

For anyone interested, those regulations are found in the Code of Federal Regulations, which was established for the express purpose to "help reduce or prevent truck and bus accidents, fatalities and injuries.” [Refer to 49 CFR 383.1(a)]. In fact, by requiring drivers to maintain a single nationwide commercial motor vehicle driver's license the federal government was trying to keep unqualified and potentially dangerous individuals from driving commercial motor vehicles on our highways and byways.

Although authorities believe the vehicle was in good mechanical condition with no obvious signs of defective equipment, they still don't know the cause of that terrible crash on I-270 in Bethesda. Until a complete investigation is conducted there is no way to know if the accident was a result of driver error or due to other factors; with the recent onslaught of drenching rain, the weather itself cannot be ruled out as a contributing factor in this awful crash.

According to news reports, several adults and six children (aged 7 to 12 years old) were hospitalized following a crash that sent an out-of-state tour bus down a 50-foot embankment off of I-280 in Montgomery County. For an as yet undetermined reason the bus left the roadway, crashed through a safety guardrail and then rolled to the bottom, killing the driver, 66-year-old Joseph Clabaugh Jr.

Based on police reports, the accident occurred at around 4pm as the vehicle was heading home to Pennsylvania from the District. A Maryland State Police inspector working in the state's Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division reportedly conducted a full mechanical inspection of the bus just after the crash and the bus was declared in good working order.

As of Thursday afternoon, four patients remained at Suburban Hospital in Bethesda in fair to good condition, according to police. All of the children had previously been released, some of the kids needed stitches and treatment for bruises from the crash.

Cause Of Bus Crash Remains A Mystery, WGAL.com, October 1, 2010

4 adults still hospitatized after bus crash, WashingtonPost.com, October 1, 2010

Police and emergency rescue workers are called to the scene of many traffic accidents every month here in Maryland and across the country. Passenger car accidents and other light vehicle crashes are bad enough to cause serious injury and sometimes death, but wrecks involving large commercial vehicles only up the ante, and not in the favor of the occupants of these smaller cars and minivans.

Individuals and entire families can be killed or injured during a severe trucking accident on Maryland highways and the streets of cities like Baltimore, Annapolis and Washington, D.C. Each of these commercial vehicle-related traffic accidents may be just another one in a line of traffic safety statistics, but as a Maryland injury accident attorney I know that real people -- mothers fathers and children -- are represented in each of those grim statistics.

Recently, one more in a string of big-rig crashes has sent multiple individuals to the hospital if only for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. According to news reports, an accident in Annapolis involving the tractor portion of an 18-wheeler resulted in three wrecked cars and five persons sent to local medical facilities. Included in that total were three children .

Based on reports, the crash occurred at Forest Drive and Spa Road just before 4pm. According to police reports, a semi belonging top Penn’s Best allegedly rear-ended one of the three smaller passenger vehicles while it waited for a traffic signal at the city intersection. The resulting collision caused a chain-reaction collision with two other cars.

Emergency crews arriving on the scene treated the victims, who were subsequently transported to the hospital. According to the news report, two adults were taken to Anne Arundel Medical Center, while three children who were hurt were taken to Johns Hopkins Children’s Hospital. Those kids ranged in age from 17 months to 3 years old; one of the children was flown to the hospital. Fortunately, all involved received non-life-threatening injuries.

5 Injured When Truck Rear-ends Car, HometownAannapolis.com, September 2, 2010

Anyone who rides on public transportation probably feels that there is a certain sense of safety when traveling in that manner. Whether it is a commuter train, a taxi cab or city bus, many people expect that by paying a fare they should be delivered to their destination in one piece and without serious injury to their person.

As a Maryland trucking accident lawyer, I know that reality can be very out of step with a person’s perceptions and expectations. The truth of the matter is that accidents can and do happen no matter what conveyance we choose to get us to our final destination. The Washington, D.C., Metro Red Line accident a year ago last June is one example of how dozens of people traveling with the expectation of safety can end up being seriously hurt through no fault of their own.

Some recent bus accidents in and around the District are an example of how factors can combine to cause injury, but thankfully in these instances, no deaths. According to D.C. police, the passengers on a Metrobus as well as occupants in another smaller vehicle were caught up in a serious accident early on a Monday morning in mid-June.

According to police reports, a Chevy Camaro ran a red light at the intersection of 15th St. and Pennsylvania Ave. As the southbound sports car, which was carrying two persons, went through the intersection it collided with a passing Metrobus that was traveling on Pennsylvania Avenue -- the bus was carrying two passengers at the time, plus the driver.

The force of the impact was so great that the bus driver lost control and ended up hitting a hit a tree and then rammed a parked car alongside the curb. Emergency response teams arriving at the scene treated those five people, all of whom were subsequently transported to a local hospital. An investigation was ongoing at the time of the news report.

Not long after the Pennsylvania Avenue crash, another Metrobus was involved in another traffic accident along Interstate 395. In that incident, two people who were in a passenger car were taken to a local hospital while 18 teenage school kids traveling on the bus were treated for very minor injuries. The crash happened on the morning of June 15 near Maine Avenue southwest.

DC Metrobus, Car Involved in Accident, MyFoxDC.com, June 15, 2010

Car Runs Red Light, Hits Metro Bus in SE; 5 Hospitalized, News8.net, July 5, 2010

Large motor vehicles such as semi tractor-trailers, dump trucks and tankers can inflict serious personal injury and property damage when operated irresponsibly. As a Maryland trucking accident attorney, I understand the shear power of these vehicles and the potential for injury or death during a traffic accident.

While most drivers of commercial vehicles use caution when operating these large and massive machines, any mistake can be an opportunity for disaster. Smaller vehicles, such as passenger cars, minivans and motorcycles are at greatest risk when a big rig 18-wheeler goes out of control on a highway or city street. The results of a collision with a heavy truck can range from broken bones and lacerations to full-on paralysis and even death.

Not long ago a man who was driving a moving van was taken into custody by Prince George’s County police following a chase that resulted in a number of traffic accidents along the way. The majority of the incident took place along the Baltimore-Washington Parkway on a Monday afternoon.

According to news articles, around 2pm Monday a caller to the Prince George’s County police department reported a fight between two All My Sons moving company employees in a New Carrolton neighborhood. Police indicated that local residents said the movers were arguing about the manner in which they would move a heavy piece of furniture out of a home.

After one of the men attached the other, the suspect reportedly ran from the house and fled in the moving truck. Prince George's County Police initiated a pursuit after the driver attempted to run a Cheverly, MD, patrolman off the road. The truck hit multiple vehicles during the pursuit, running one passenger car off the road and into nearby woods. The victim of that impact was taken to a local hospital and was listed in fair condition with non-life threatening injuries.

The chase apparently ended when the driver crashed the moving van just south of Powder Mill Road. Officers on the scene took the man into custody at the intersection of Dorsey Run Road and Waterloo Road in Howard County. The entire event caused the Baltimore-Washington Parkway to be shut down for several hours as U.S. Park Police and an accident reconstruction unit investigated the aftermath.

Mover Causes Multi-Accident Police Pursuit in Moving Truck on Baltimore-Washington Parkway, MyFoxDC.com, June 1, 2010

As a Maryland Trucking Accident lawyer, I know the unfortunate correlation between sleep deprivation and driver negligence, especially as it pertains to professional truck drivers and the sometimes careless operation of 18-wheeled tractor-trailer rigs. While not every over-the-road trucker pushes the limits of physical stamina, a percentage of semi drivers have been known to put in too many hours behind the wheel without sufficient sleep.

The results of sleep-related trucking wrecks can be serious, as news reports often depict. According to a recent article, a tractor-trailer accident caused apparently by an over-tired driver blocked a portion of Interstate 81 near Hagerstown, MD on a Monday afternoon last month. The accident occurred south of Showalter Road where Maryland State Police say the truck driver fell asleep, causing the rig with its 48,000-pound load of paper rolls to drift off the northbound lanes of the interstate, ending up on its side.

This is not an uncommon happening here in Maryland and across the rest of the country. A poll conducted last year by the National Sleep Foundation (NSF) found that nearly 1.9 million drivers are involved in drowsy driving traffic accidents or near misses each and every year. Sadly, most drivers ignore the dangers that sleepiness can present when it comes to trucking and automobile accidents.

The NSF says that while drivers may quite good at recognizing when they are tired, this doesn’t always stop them from taking the wheel of a car or truck and hitting the road in a drowsy condition. Unfortunately, drivers many times can mistakenly believe that they can “will” themselves from falling asleep, which doesn’t necessarily work. And because a single moment of “reduced awareness” can cause a trucking accident, this kind of thinking can be very deadly.

In the case of the recent I-81 crash, the 76-year-old driver, Augustine Christian had reportedly been driving since 5am, according to state police on the scene. The driver’s tractor-trailer rig drove off the interstate just before 5pm and overturned on the right shoulder, state police said. Witnesses at the scene told police that tractor-trailer continued straight instead of following a curve in that stretch of roadway.

Fortunately, no one was seriously injured in the accident, which closed one of the northbound lanes for several hours as workers cleared the truck and trailer from the area. The trucker, who was charged with negligent driving, was taken to Washington County Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Tractor-trailer accident blocks portion of I-81, Herald-Mail.com, May 17. 2010