Articles Posted in Fatal Trucking Accidents

Often, we are reminded that life teaches us to expect the unexpected—and nothing can be a more painful reminder of that than an unexpected car accident that results in injury, property damage, or in extreme cases, death. Although no one ever plans for or is able to be fully prepared when these incidents take place, understanding what potential next steps are available for you or for someone you know or love when they run into these accidents can make a huge difference in your road to recovery and compensation.

According to a recent local news report, a tractor-trailer accident resulted in one individual injured and another dead. Troopers responded to a report of a four-vehicle crash, where a tractor-trailer collided with a Dodge caravan, which pushed it off the road and into the jersey wall. The tractor-trailer then crashed into a Hyundai and sideswiped a Toyota. The driver of the Dodge was transported to a local hospital for treatment, where she later died. In addition, the driver of the Hyundai was also transported to a hospital for treatment of her injuries. The accident remains under investigation by local authorities.

Following a significant accident, you may be considering filing a lawsuit for monetary and compensatory damages, especially if significant injury or property damage was involved. In Maryland, time is of the essence when choosing to move forward with a legal claim. Maryland adheres to a three-year statute of limitations, which means that if your case is not filed before the three-year window closes, it is likely the court will refuse to hear your lawsuit. For claims involving a Maryland government agency, the statute of limitations is one year for a formal claim, and three years for a formal lawsuit.

Maryland drivers are required to call 911 whenever a driver is involved in a Maryland truck accident or any type of automobile accident. Under Maryland’s Transportation Code, a driver who is involved in an accident that results in another person being injured must immediately pull over as close as possible to the scene of the crash and remain at the scene until medical assistance is arranged and information is exchanged. A driver must reasonably assist anyone who is injured and arrange transportation for medical treatment, provide their name, address, and the registration number of the vehicle, and provide their license if requested. Any driver who fails to do stop and stay at the scene is subject to fines up to $10,000 and up to 10 years in jail. However, despite strict laws, hit-and-run accidents still occur.

The death of a family member after a Maryland truck accident is a terrible tragedy and the aftermath can be overwhelming. Nothing can replace a family member, but Maryland law allows certain family members to see financial compensation if any person or entity was at fault. A Maryland wrongful death claim may be filed by a spouse, a parent, or a child of the accident victim. In a case where the victim has no living spouse, parents, or children, another person may file a wrongful death claim if they were substantially dependent upon the victim and are related by blood or marriage. This claim allows qualifying family members to recover financial compensation for the losses that they suffered and to hold wrongful people and entities responsible for the victim’s death. Only one Maryland wrongful death claim may be filed based on a victim’s death.

Bus Driver Drove Wildly to Quiet Teens Before Fatal Crash

According to one news source, a bus driver’s dangerous driving led to a fatal bus rash. The bus driver was apparently trying to keep teen passengers quiet by driving wildly, according to a passenger. The bus was transporting a group of teenagers from a youth group back from a field trip. According to a counselor, the driver was angry that the kids were making a lot of noise and was driving erratically to try to get them to be quiet.

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Interstates and highways are often the scenes of serious truck accidents and, unfortunately, claim many lives each year. At high speeds, trucks can easily cause multi-vehicle crashes when drivers are distracted or fall asleep at the wheel. Losing a loved one in a truck accident is devastating and shocking, and family members often don’t know what their options are or how to pursue them. Under state law, family members can recover damages to help pay for the costly and painful impact of losing a loved one in a Maryland truck accident.

In a recent accident, a careless truck driver was driving one morning when he collided with multiple passing cars, leaving a father and his young son dead, and many others injured. According to a news report, the series of events started when the semi-truck driver rear-ended a car and then continued to drive for at least a mile down the interstate, hitting four more cars and injuring others in the process. The surviving drivers and passengers were taken to nearby hospitals. The driver was taken into police custody soon after the collisions and faces criminal charges in addition to whatever civil claims the victims and their families may file.

A fatal car accident can be a shock and surviving family members may not know where to turn or what to do to get justice for their loved ones. While most people are familiar with criminal charges that reckless drivers may face for causing an accident, they may not know that there are often civil remedies available to them as well that can help recover financially, even though nothing can bring back their loved one.

Trucking accidents often lead to serious or fatal injuries because of the strength and power of the vehicles involved. Victims of Maryland trucking accidents may be dealing with debilitating injuries, the loss of employment, and even the loss of a loved one. If another individual or entity is responsible for injuries arising from a Maryland trucking accident, victims can file claims against those responsible to recover damages for their losses.

In March 2019, a fatal Maryland truck accident killed a 65-year-old man and a 7-year-old boy in Hanford County, Maryland. According to the Baltimore Sun, around 7 AM one morning a tractor-trailer truck was traveling south on Route 24 in Bel Air when it crashed through a line of traffic that was stopped at a red light at the intersection with Ring Factory Road. The truck then burst into flames as it came to rest. The crash caused a pinball effect, sending cars into each other, creating some awful wreckage. Many individuals were left with significant injuries. For example, one woman suffered a traumatic brain injury in addition to severing a nerve in her head. And, tragically, the man and the second-grader were killed.

While this Maryland truck accident made serious headlines in 2019, it fell out of the public eye in the ensuing years. But recently, the case was in the news again, as the criminal trial for the truck driver, a 51-year-old man, began. The case highlights the interesting relationship between the criminal and civil law systems in Maryland. When someone drives negligently, or recklessly, and causes the death of others in a serious truck accident such as this one, they may be subject to both criminal and civil liability.

This criminal trial illustrates how one can be held criminally liable. The driver in the case is charged with two counts of gross negligence manslaughter by motor vehicle, two counts of criminal negligence manslaughter by motor vehicle, and four counts of causing serious injury while using a cellphone. Prosecutors are making their case in front of a jury, trying to prove that the defendant was grossly negligent and should be held criminally liable.

Losing a loved one is one of the most painful experiences imaginable. But, unfortunately, many Maryland families find themselves facing this reality each year as the result of a Maryland truck accident. Because of the size of semi-trucks, Maryland truck accidents can have devastating consequences, causing severe bodily injury and even death. Tragically, some individuals may find themselves in an impossibly difficult situation: mourning the death of a loved one while trying to recover physically from injuries suffered in the same accident.

For example, take a recent tragic semi-truck crash. According to a local news report, the crash occurred on Monday afternoon when a woman was driving her two children—a two-year-old daughter and six-month-old son—when she was rear-ended by a semi-truck. Police say the semi-truck driver wrongfully ran through a stoplight and was at fault in the crash. The woman and her daughter were both flown to local hospitals with severe to life-threatening injuries following the crash. Tragically, her two-month-old son did not survive.

The family is now in the devastating situation of mourning their loss while trying to recover themselves. While the mother, fortunately, is doing well, the two-year-old daughter suffered multiple fractures to her skull and had to undergo surgery for a broken femur. She is in stable condition, but injuries of that extent take a long time to heal, and the medical bills can add up quickly. The financial situation can be exacerbated by the funeral and burial costs for the infant, and the lost wages both parents may have incurred by needing to miss work. While the health and safety of those who survived are of course of the utmost importance, the family likely has realized the significant financial toll that truck accidents can cause. Maryland families who find themselves in situations like this should know they do not need to handle it alone.

Inclement weather can cause significant concerns while driving. This past winter has shown how serious these weather concerns can be, causing all sorts of Maryland truck accidents. Even in winter weather, many truck drivers do not have the option of not driving, and so they will continue along the interstate. But slippery conditions, snowbanks, snowplows, and poor visibility can cause significant concerns.

For example, take a recent day with inclement weather. According to a local news article covering the incident, inclement weather at the time caused serious visibility concerns, and several crashes occurred. One notable crash was a 22-vehicle pile-up that left one individual dead and many others injured. That same day, a semi-truck traveling along the Interstate hit a snowplow, causing it to overturn and roll into a ditch. An eyewitness of this truck accident spoke to reporters afterward, saying that the visibility was low and whiteout conditions caused confusion and crashes. He said, “visibility cut and then all of a sudden I was seeing the semi in front of me” and the crash happened out of nowhere. These crashes demonstrate the danger that driving in wintery weather conditions can pose.

While spring is here and the weather is warming up, meaning drivers can expect summer weather to cause fewer Maryland truck accidents than in the winter months, many Maryland families may still be feeling the impact of a winter truck accident. Unfortunately, the damage caused by these accidents can last weeks, months, or even years, depending on the severity of the injuries. Individuals who were injured in the wintry conditions of this past winter may still be suffering, recovering from their injuries and paying off intensive medical bills. Individuals in this situation may be struggling to get by and move past the physical and financial damage that was caused. It is important that they know that they can recover through a Maryland personal injury lawsuit. These lawsuits, filed against the person responsible for causing the accident, can provide plaintiffs with significant monetary damages to cover lost wages, medical bills, physical therapy costs, pain and suffering, and other costs. These damages, depending on the extent of the harm caused, can be calculated in the thousands or even the millions. Most importantly, the damages allow for plaintiffs to take the first step towards serious recovery and to not fall into debt as the result of an accident someone else caused.