Maryland Trucking Accident Lawyer Blog
Earlier this month in Wachapreague, Virginia, one man was killed as he was being transported to the hospital in an ambulance when the vehicle he was being transported in struck a bus. According to one local news source, the ambulance had its lights and sirens on when the accident occurred.
Evidently, the 38-year-old driver of the ambulance failed to obey a traffic signal and entered the intersection without checking if it was clear, striking a transit bus. After the collision, the ambulance lost control and rolled several times before coming to a rest.
The 60-year-old man being transported in the back of the ambulance died from the injuries he sustained in the accident. There were no passengers on the bus, and the bus driver was uninjured. The driver of the ambulance and two emergency responders who were also in the ambulance suffered minor injuries but are expected to make a full recovery.
Police have cited the ambulance driver with failure to obey a traffic signal, resulting in death. The police investigation is still underway, and additional details will likely be released shortly.
Ambulance Drivers on Maryland Roads
Like police officers, ambulance drivers often have occasion to get somewhere in a hurry. In fact, the law allows ambulances to have lights and sirens, much like police cars and fire trucks. However, merely having lights and sirens activated does not give an ambulance driver (or any other emergency responder) carte blanche to drive in a negligent or reckless manner.
Liability in Ambulance Accidents
When an accident occurs due to the negligent conduct of an ambulance driver, several parties can potentially be held liable, depending on the specific circumstances of the case. In most cases, the allegedly negligent driver may be held liable in his or her individual capacity. In addition, there may be the possibility of naming the ambulance company as a defendant as well. In some cases, the government or municipality responsible for contracting out the ambulance-transport service may be named in the lawsuit.
What is required to succeed against a defendant in an ambulance accident case depends heavily on who the defendant is and what the alleged act of negligence was. To learn more about liability in emergency-responder accident cases, contact a dedicated Maryland accident attorney.
Have You Been Injured in a Maryland Accident?
If you or a loved one has recently been injured in any kind of Maryland car accident, you may be entitled to monetary damages based on the other driver’s negligence. However, as mentioned above, these cases can be complex and may require the naming of several defendants in order to secure the best chances of success. To learn more, call one of the skilled personal injury advocates at the Maryland personal injury law firm of Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers at 410-654-3600 to set up a free consultation. As always, we won’t bill you for our time unless we are able to recover for you in your case.
More Blog Posts:
Tracy Morgan Settles with Wal-Mart Regarding Last Year’s Truck Accident, Maryland Trucking Accident Lawyer Blog, published June 4, 2015.
Queen Anne Semi-Truck Accident Claims Three Lives, Maryland Trucking Accident Lawyer Blog, published May 8, 2015.