Chain Reaction Accidents

Pursing a Personal Injury Claim After a Maryland Chain-Reaction Truck Accident

January 20, 2021 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Maryland truck accidents are always unfortunate, and in some cases, can be tragic, causing severe bodily injuries or even death. While many of these accidents involve just one or two vehicles—usually a truck hitting a sign, a tree, another vehicle, etc.—some truck accidents can involve multiple vehicles, injuring many people.

Often, these accidents originally just involve one or two vehicles, but this original crash causes a chain reaction, leading to more and more damage. For instance, if a truck crashes into a tree suddenly, a car behind it might swerve to avoid the wreck, but in so doing may crash into other cars. Other vehicles may not be able to stop when a crash happens suddenly and may rear-end other vehicles. Additionally, sometimes Maryland truck accidents can send one vehicle tumbling in an unexpected direction, where they may hit other vehicles. These occurrences can cause large accidents, injuring many people from multiple different vehicles.

A real-life example of one of these multi-vehicle chain-reaction crashes occurred just last week, in an accident involving 13 different vehicles. According to a local news report that covered the accident, the initial crash occurred early on Monday afternoon, when a semi-truck with a trailer driving east did not slow down for a snowplow (in the passing lane) and another semi-truck (in the right lane). The first semi-truck struck the snowplow and then a guardrail, before going into the ditch. The second semi-truck cut across two lanes of traffic to avoid the collision, causing three other vehicles to go up onto the median to avoid hitting the truck, but fortunately, none of these vehicles got into any collisions. However, seven additional vehicles were involved in a secondary crash as they tried to avoid collisions but ended up hitting either other vehicles or the guard rail. These additional vehicles included two pickup trucks, a pickup trailer, two semi-trucks with trailers, a compact car, and a FedEx truck.

Maryland Chain-Reaction Truck Accident Causes One Death, Six More Injured

October 28, 2020 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Last month, a Maryland chain-reaction crash on Interstate 95, in Cecil County, claimed one life and injured six others. The crash was really two crashes, one of which was caused by the other. According to a local news report covering the incident, the first crash occurred early in the morning on I-95 near Perryville. Maryland State Police reported that several vehicles were subsequently stopped because of the first crash when a tractor-trailer failed to slow down whilst approaching them and hit the stopped vehicles. The impact of this second crash caused a chain-reaction crash that killed a 56-year-old woman from Colora, and injured six other people. Several lanes of traffic had to be closed in the aftermath, and both crashes remain under investigation.

This tragic instance shows how quickly lives can be changed, or ended, by a Maryland truck accident. One truck driver’s mistake here—not slowing down for the stopped cars—cost someone their life and left six others with injuries that may take years to recover from. The crash is also an example of how just one small error can cause one crash, leading to another larger crash and several injuries. Maryland drivers are thus encouraged to practice safe driving techniques, obey all traffic laws, and stay vigilant for potential issues while on the road.

In a perfect world, all drivers would drive perfectly safe and there would never again be an accident like the one described above. However, we know that this is not the case, and Maryland truck accidents will tragically continue to occur. If a Maryland resident finds themselves involved in one of these accidents, they should remember that state law provides them an avenue to recover financially in the aftermath. A personal injury lawsuit can be filed in court against the negligent driver who caused the accident, in order to hold them accountable for their negligent actions. These suits can result in significant amounts of money being awarded to the injured victim of the crash to cover medical bills, pain and suffering, and lost wages. While these lawsuits cannot undo the damage that is done in the accident, they can play an important role in the recovery process.

The Dangers of Maryland Chain-Reaction Truck Accidents

June 25, 2020 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

It is generally well-known that Maryland truck accidents are dangerous. A single accident, on its own, can cause severe injuries or even death, drastically impacting those involved. However, one truck accident on the highway may actually lead to more accidents, as distracted drivers crash into the scene of the original incident. These chain-reaction accidents can be extremely hazardous to motorists traveling on the highway, who may not be expecting to encounter a massive pile-up.

According to a local news report, a crash first occurred early in the morning, just before 4:00 a.m., and involved two semi-trucks. A little over an hour later, at 5:11 a.m., another semi-truck was driving by when it slammed into the original crash scene, injuring one highway worker and two state troopers. All three were transported to the hospital.

An hour and a half after that, at about 6:45 a.m., a third crash occurred. A statement from the police indicated that a semi-truck created the chain-reaction crash, which involved at least seven vehicles: two semi-trucks, a dump truck, and four passenger vehicles. An eyewitness quoted in the local news article reported that he was traveling behind the vehicles that got in the crash and that he noticed the truck did not seem to brake at all before the collision. Instead, “he hit the stopped traffic at 70 miles per hour.” That truck driver was among the four individuals killed. The crash also resulted in multiple injuries. Fortunately, bystanders were able to pull two motorists out of a wrecked car before it burst into flames, saving their lives. However, in total, four lives were lost and many more were severely disrupted by the series of accidents and the resulting injuries.

Firetruck Causes Nine-Vehicle Crash, Illustrating the Importance of the Maryland Tort Claims Act

April 7, 2020 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Typically, individuals are grateful when they see fire trucks on the roads, responding to emergencies and saving lives. Maryland firefighters are first responders to many emergencies and perform an essential governmental function. However, there may be tragic instances when fire trucks, speeding to get to a burning building, cause more harm than good and cause an accident.

A recent incident illustrates this point. Last month, a fire truck was responding to a call at around 8:15 in the evening when it hit a car. According to a local news report, this led to a multi-vehicle crash involving seven other vehicles and significant injuries. Two individuals were trapped inside of a car and had to be extracted, and six people were taken to local hospitals, two as trauma alerts. The nine-vehicle crash was so significant that all lanes of the road were closed in the aftermath. While the condition of those injured is still unknown, there are likely to be long-term severe injuries and medical bills as a result of this tragic accident.

While nothing can undo the damage that was done that evening, those who were injured in the incident may have a route to financial recovery. Under the Maryland Tort Claims Act, the state government, including the fire department, may be sued in personal injury lawsuits. If it was found that the firefighters driving the truck were acting negligently in some way that led to the accident, the injured victims might be able to recover for their injuries, pain and suffering, lost wages, and medical bills, each up to $400,000. However, successfully filing a personal injury suit against a government entity is difficult to do, with more procedural requirements and regulations than typical lawsuits against other civilians or private businesses.

What Happens When a Maryland Resident Is Injured in a Truck Accident in Another State?

January 21, 2020 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Anytime someone is injured in a Maryland truck accident, they have the ability to file a civil suit against the person or party responsible for the crash. However, there may sometimes be confusion about where they can bring that suit when the crash happened in a different state than the one where the victim resides. Maryland residents traveling for work or pleasure might be injured while in other states. When this happens, they may mistakenly believe they cannot ever bring suit in Maryland because the crash occurred elsewhere. This is not true. While the laws regarding personal jurisdiction—where someone can be sued—are complicated, there are many times where a Maryland victim can sue in Maryland, even if the crash happened in another state.

This is especially important to remember when crashes occur on a highway, because many of the victims may not be residents of the state in which the crash occurred. For example, a bus, three semi-trailers, and a car were all recently involved in a massive multi-vehicle crash in Pennsylvania. According to a local news report covering the tragic accident, the incident occurred early on Sunday morning on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. A tour bus was traveling downhill on a curve when it hit an embankment. Then, a UPS truck, the two FedEx trucks, and the passenger car, all of which were behind the tour bus, hit it from behind and caused it to topple on its side, causing the massive multi-vehicle crash.

The magnitude of the crash was reflected in the tragic fatalities and injuries—at least five people were killed, including a 9-year-old boy, and 60 others were taken to local hospitals with injuries. First responders called the accident a “mass casualty incident.” In the aftermath, 86 miles of the Pennsylvania Turnpike was closed in all directions for several hours.

Contributory Negligence in Maryland Truck Accident Cases

January 15, 2020 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

When there is an accident involving many vehicles and people, it often means that the legal case will involve many parties. More than one party may be to blame for the plaintiff’s injuries—including the plaintiff. If a plaintiff is alleged to be even partially at fault, Maryland truck accident victims must understand the effect of the doctrine of contributory negligence.

The doctrine of contributory negligence applies in Maryland accident cases. Under this doctrine, if a plaintiff is found to be at fault for their own damages, even partially, the plaintiff is barred from recovering from any other party for their damages. Each party has a duty to exercise reasonable care under the circumstances presented. Every driver must exercise the degree of care that a person of ordinary prudence would exercise under the circumstances, including in emergency situations. Maryland accident victims often have to work hard to defend their lack of fault in injury claims in addition to proving the defendant’s fault.

Many people have criticized the contributory negligence doctrine because it can result in extremely harsh consequences. Most states have adopted the doctrine of comparative negligence instead. Under that doctrine, a plaintiff can normally still recover even if the plaintiff is partly to blame. The doctrine has been the law in Maryland since 1847 and the state has rejected adopting comparative negligence.

Maryland Multi-Vehicle Accidents Involving Large Commercial Vehicles

May 13, 2019 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

After a Maryland truck accident, anyone injured in the accident can pursue a claim for compensation against any party they believe was responsible for causing their injuries. In many truck accident cases, both the truck driver as well as the driver’s employer can be named as a defendant.

To establish liability against a trucking company, the plaintiff must be able to show that the truck driver was acting within the scope of his employment at the time of the accident. Naming a truck driver’s employer as a defendant can be critical to an injury victim’s ability to fully recover for their injuries because the damages sustained in a serious Maryland truck accident may exceed the personal insurance limits of an individual truck driver.

Under Maryland law, when a plaintiff names multiple defendants in a lawsuit, the jury will first determine the total damages suffered by the plaintiff. Then, the jury will be asked to assign a percentage of fault to each party, including the plaintiff.

Maryland Weather-Related Truck Accidents Increase in Winter Months

March 27, 2019 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

For a relatively small state, Maryland has a dense network of highways connecting several major cities on the eastern seaboard. As a result, Maryland gets a significant amount of semi-truck traffic throughout the year.

At the same time, it is not unusual for Maryland to receive snow for five months out of the year. And while many motorists may decide to stay home when road conditions become compromised due to the weather conditions, semi-truck drivers have added pressure to get to where they are going. It is no surprise, then, that during the winter months, there is a noticeable increase in the number of Maryland truck accidents.

It’s true that semi-truck drivers face pressure from employers to deliver goods as quickly as possible. In most cases, truck drivers are financially incentivized to complete their route quickly. However, this pressure often results in truck drivers deciding to drive during storms or when road conditions are unsafe. It is this same pressure that is also the root cause of many Maryland drowsy driving truck accidents.

Maryland Chain-Reaction Truck Accidents

August 14, 2018 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Any time an accident occurs on the highway, there is a chance that the vehicles approaching the collision will not be able to see the collision until it is too late for them to safely avoid it. While the possibility of a Maryland truck accident involving a chain reaction is always present, certain factors make these accidents much more likely.For example, the weather and road conditions may result in motorists having decreased visibility. When this occurs, it is up to motorists to adjust their speed accordingly to ensure that they are driving at a safe speed for the conditions. The type of vehicle being operated also factors into the likelihood that a driver will be able to stop in time to avoid an upcoming collision.

Large trucks and buses literally weigh a ton – up to 40 tons, to be exact. Such an immense amount of weight – especially when traveling at high speeds – puts a major burden on a vehicle’s brakes. In fact, a fully loaded semi-truck traveling at just 55 miles per hour takes about 100 yards to come to a complete stop. A truck traveling at 65 miles per hour takes almost twice that distance to come to a stop.

Determining Liability in Multi-Vehicle Maryland Truck Accidents

April 11, 2018 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

While some Maryland truck accidents involve only the truck and another vehicle, it is not uncommon for an accident to involve several vehicles. This is because most truck accidents happen on the highway, which means these accidents often occur in close quarters and involve fast speeds. Often, inattentive motorists will not have sufficient time to react to avoid a collision and may end up causing a chain-reaction accident.

In these multi-vehicle accidents, determining which parties are legally responsible to the victims can be a difficult and complex task. For example, the obvious defendant is the driver who caused the initial accident. Establishing this driver’s liability is no different than if there were only two vehicles involved. However, there may be additional parties that bear responsibility.

If a motorist is traveling too fast for the conditions or is distracted at the time, they may not realize that traffic has slowed in front of them until it is too late. The result is often a chain-reaction accident. In these situations, the speeding or distracted motorist may also be named as a defendant.