Maryland Trucking Accident Lawyer Blog

Maryland Injury Accident News: Glen Burnie Woman Killed in Highway Collision with 18-Wheeler Semi

November 30, 2012 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Anytime a life is lost it is a true tragedy, but in cases of traffic accidents one must consider that most circumstances likely could have been prevented. Sadly, tens of thousands of innocent people lose their lives in fatal car, truck and motorcycle collisions every year in this country. As Baltimore personal injury lawyers, we more than most understand the pain, anger and resentment felt by the victims’ families at the time of their greatest loss. Nothing can bring back a loved one who has been killed in a senseless roadway accident; and no amount of compensation can make it alright.

Families who have seen a parent, child, sibling or grandparent taken from them by the negligent action of another driver have recourse. Certainly, if the victim was not killed outright, but suffered from his or her injuries, the family is fully within their rights to file a lawsuit to recover medical costs, as well as punitive damages from the responsible party or parties. When a commercial trucker is found to be negligent, both the driver and his employer may be subject to a wrongful death lawsuit as well.

We all can understand that trucking-related accidents, whether they occur here in the Baltimore area, in Annapolis, out in Washington, D.C., or over in Rockville, are something that none of us can stop from happening. Laws are put in place to help protect the motoring public, but laws can only go so far. Physics and fate are sadly the more influential forces in the real world. Short of banning all vehicular traffic everywhere, there is no way that every automobile or commercial trucking accident can be prevented, at least from a practical standpoint.

Port Deposit, MD, Gasoline Tanker Crash Kills Maryland Driver in Roadway Blaze

November 15, 2012 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

As Maryland personal injury lawyers, we know of few more terrifying accidents that driver can find themselves in than a car or truck fire. While pedestrians and motorcycle riders who are hurt in traffic accidents can receive some bad injuries, being trapped in a burning motor vehicle and knowing that one’s fuel tank is filled with the equivalent of many sticks of dynamite can be a horrifying experience, and one that survivors of such events are not soon to forget.

Roadway accidents happen all over the state of Maryland and the Washington, D.C., area. But vehicle fires are not always seen, though they do occur with some frequency. As auto accident attorneys practicing in the Baltimore area, I and my colleagues are ready to assist those victims of car, truck and pedestrian accidents, as well as to assist the families who have lost a loved one following a tragic and untimely death.

A while back we heard of one accident that would likely send chills through drivers everywhere. The roadway crash in question took place on a Friday evening when a commercial tanker truck carrying a load of gasoline crashed and burned in the area of Port Deposit, Maryland. According to news reports, the incident took place around 9pm at the intersection of Main St. and Rte 222 in Cecil County, MD. According to the Maryland State Police, the tanker truck was rounding what officials describe as a “sweeping curve” as it came down a rather steep incline heading westbound from Interstate 95 on the way into Port Deposit.

City Bus Goes Out-of-Control in Baltimore, Injures Seven Maryland Residents in Sidewalk Collision

November 10, 2012 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

While it may be unreasonable to assume we, as pedestrians, are always safe so long as we do not walk blithely into an intersection or across a busy highway without looking, is it beyond reason that we should at least feel moderately safe from being hit by a car or commercial delivery truck when strolling along a public sidewalk or sitting inside a restaurant or other establishment? Our expectations of safety and security undoubtedly must be tempered by the knowledge that accidents do happen in places one would not necessarily expect.

To take it one step further, it is reasonable to assume that a slip-and-fall accident or other personal injury incident might happen in the absence of motor vehicle traffic. But people have been hurt, and some even killed, while minding their own business in a fast-food restaurant, at home or while standing and waiting at a street corner. Obviously, the closer one is to a public or even private roadway, the greater one’s chances of being involved in a car- or truck-pedestrian collision. As Maryland personal injury attorneys, we know these kinds of event can and do happen; the question is many times, when will they occur?

As pedestrians, we are all somewhat at the mercy of fate, unless of course one sequesters oneself at home, far from automobiles and other vehicles. And just as a bicyclist can be killed in a car accident or a motorcycle rider can be injured in traffic wreck, people on-foot should be aware of the ever-present dangers that a modern and mobile society present to those less protected against serious injury.

Baltimore Personal Injury News: At Least Two Maryland Residents Hurt in Separate Commercial Trucking Accidents

November 1, 2012 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

As we have mentioned time and time again, avoiding a traffic collision may not be something motorists actively think about day in and day out, but the fact remains that every day, week or month that any of us is not involved in a car, truck or motorcycle accident is one more day we have each beaten the odds. Naturally, good drivers and those experienced as professionals skew the results for the rest of the driving population by getting through months or years without being caught in a traffic collision.

Remember, however, that on average, anyone reading this right now has an even chance of being involved in a roadway collision at some point in their lifetime. As Maryland personal injury attorneys, I and my colleagues are more than certain that those individuals who are involved in traffic accident here in Maryland, or over in Washington, D.C., will have a much higher chance of being seriously injured or killed if that crash includes a large commercial truck.

This is because the massive size and overall weight of 18-wheel tractor-trailers, large box trucks, flatbed trailer trucks, construction dump trucks, and fuel tankers can only exacerbate the injuries associated with any highway accident. When a trucking-related collision does happen, it is an almost certainty that the injuries sustained by those in smaller passenger cars, motorcyclists, pedestrians and other bystanders will be more severe than a “typical” car-to-car crash.

Injuries Reported in Commercial Truck Crash after Semi Loses Tire in Frederick County

October 31, 2012 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Hard as it may be to reconcile at time, we all put our lives on the line each and every time we step out of homes and into a motor vehicle to travel to work, school or even to the grocery store. It’s not a pleasant thought, to be sure, but it is a reality: People are killed and injured every day across the state of Maryland, and throughout the U.S., doing simple day-to-day activities that none of us would think twice about. As Maryland personal injury lawyers, we have to concur that operating a motor vehicle can be intrinsically life-threatening, if only from a statistical standpoint.

Of all the many and varied causes of traffic collisions, a percentage of these are the result of a failure in some safety- or control-related vehicle component or system. Be it a fractured steering shaft, poorly cast suspension arm, improperly torqued bolt or other fastener, even a faulty safety belt, each of these items can result in a serious accident. Depending on the part, the vehicle’s speed at the time of the failure, and other factors, it’s not a stretch to say that a fatality or multiple fatalities could be in the cards as well.

As automobile, trucking and motorcycle accident attorneys, we understand that these are not uplifting subjects. But the fact remains, at least for experienced legal professionals like ourselves, the existence of a faulty or poorly designed vehicle part or component can be grounds for a products liability suit, especially if a person is hurt or killed as a result of the failure.

Baltimore Highway Accident News: Entire Maryland Family Dies in Fatal Semi Tractor-Trailer Collision

October 29, 2012 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Heart-breaking human tragedies happen all too often here in Maryland, not to mention throughout the nation and the world, so there is little sense railing against the nature of fate and unexpected events. Yet, this is just the problem with traffic-related injuries and deaths; so much about car, truck and motorcycle accidents would seem to be preventable, if not mostly avoidable. When a car or trucking accident takes the life of someone, anyone, we all suffer to some extent.

Families suffer through the loss of a loved one; a spouse, a sibling, a parent or a child killed in a tragic traffic accident. Society suffers in some way as well, with the loss of a fellow human being and, in the case of children or young adults, a young life that may have been full of promise, now gone forever. Never mind the financial costs to the family or the community, especially if the victim was a major contributor to the well-being of the local economy or a supporter of charities and other benevolent organizations.

In short, fatal highway wrecks in no way improve the human condition; at best they can only point up deficiencies in the safety of certain vehicles, poor design in particular roads, or lack of care on the part of another, possibly negligent driver. As Maryland injury attorneys practicing in the Baltimore area, as well as Washington, D.C., we understand how a family can be ripped asunder by a senseless and preventable death caused by a highway collision.

“Bad News Bears” Remake Actress Dies following Car Crash with Tractor-Trailer; Police Suspect DWI

October 17, 2012 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

As children we have little choice but to place our lives in the hands of others. Parents and grandparents are constantly responsible for the safety of their young charges, and in choosing a suitable adult with whom they have faith will look after the best interests of their child during car trips, play dates and other activities away from immediate relatives. This is why any injury to a minor or young child hits families hard when a caretaker or other responsible adult falls down on the job of watching over their young ones.

As we get older and move into adulthood, the responsibility shifts to us when we have choices to make that could have a permanent or long-term effect on our health and livelihood. While most people probably don’t dwell much on these matters, it isn’t at all farfetched to consider that every ride with a friend, relative or loved one could be a potential opportunity for disaster. At the risk of sounding morbid, I and my colleagues know that every time someone ventures out on the roadway these days there is always a chance of being involved in a serious traffic accident.

As Baltimore auto, truck and motorcycle accident attorneys, it is our job to dwell on the downside to every choice. But it is also our duty to identify when another person may have taken the faith and trust of another individual for granted, though thoughtless actions or deeds, and altered forever that person’s life. One should not have to suffer from another person’s poor choices. Sadly, people die every day through the negligent actions of a stranger; yet many Americans are killed or seriously injured by the actions of someone they know and trust.

Commercial Propane Tanker Truck Hits Cecil County Condos, Driver Injured in Wreck

October 9, 2012 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Whether you live or work in Maryland or over in the District of Columbia, if you are a driver you no doubt commute in the company of many different types of commercial vehicles, such as the smaller panel vans and contractor utility trucks all the way up to large box trucks, tanker vehicles and big rig 18-wheelers. As any motorist knows, at least innately, it’s that they never want to get into an accident with one of these larger motor vehicles for fear of the possibly extreme injuries and potential fatal consequences that a highway collision can entail.

As Maryland personal injury lawyers, I and my legal staff know the feeling of being “cornered” by a large commercial vehicle. While many passenger car accidents can leave the victims in very bad condition (with weeks, if not months of recovery ahead of them), tangling with a semi tractor-trailer can raise the odds of being critically injured or killed many times over. Add to that the possibility that the truck involved is carrying a flammable load or other dangerous cargo, well, the possible scenarios can be downright scary to even imagine.

Receiving severe injuries, such as head trauma, spinal damage, or complex internal injuries is nothing compared to being caught in a burning car with immobilizing injuries limiting one’s ability to escape. In such cases, all a person can do is hope for a Good Samaritan to put themself at risk or that emergency responders will arrive before it’s too late. Frankly, the thought of a car fire is too terrifying for most people to even consider. Throw into that mix a car carrying a family with young children and it could be an unfathomable tragedy beyond words.

Truck-to-Truck Collision in Talbot County Sends Maryland Driver to Baltimore Trauma Center

September 30, 2012 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Trucking-related accidents can be fatal to those people traveling in passenger cars who are unlucky enough to be involved in a crash with these heavy-weight motor vehicles. But as Baltimore auto injury lawyers, the legal staff at y firm knows that other commercial truck drivers are just as at risk as many other drivers of car, truck and motorcycles caught in a collision with a semi tractor-trailer, tank truck, municipal bus, or box truck. This is why we always advise caution when passing or driving near large commercial vehicles, especially at higher speeds on the expressway.

It’s a common problem that trucking accidents are frequently caused by driver fatigue. In fact, drowsiness on the part of truckers is one of the primary contributing factors linked to commercial trucking accidents. As motorists, we tend all to rely on the fact that truck drivers are professionals, and as such they are required by law to follow various state and federal safety regulations specifically written to protect the rest of us. Sadly, not every trucker or trucking company obeys the laws laid out for them.

Thousands of innocent people, mostly drivers and passengers in private automobiles, sport utility vehicles and minivans are hurt in collisions caused in full or in part by the driver of a tractor-trailer or commercial delivery vehicle. Whether the negligent trucker is operating a car hauler, tanker truck, flatbed tractor-trailer, commercial dump truck, box trucks or any of the numerous other commercial motor vehicles plying our state’s highways and city streets, the potential for personal injury is high.

Commercial Lumber Truck Crashes near Baltimore, Igniting Fire and Killing Driver on Interstate 95

September 25, 2012 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

We’ve said it before, but trucking accidents are an unfortunate part of the automotive landscape here in Maryland. With the tens of thousands of passenger cars, truck and motorcycles all sharing the road with each other, it’s amazing that more accidents do not happen on a regular basis. But when it comes to collisions involving commercial vehicles, we are all in greater danger as occupants of much smaller and less massive passenger cars.

As Baltimore auto accident attorneys, I and my colleagues see just a fraction of the thousands of innocent people who are injured every year across the United States as a result of being caught up in a collision with a tractor-trailer, 18-wheeler, tanker truck, of large commercial delivery vehicle. Obviously, the sheer size and mass of these motor vehicles — approaching 20-times the weight of an average sport utility vehicle or family minivan — makes these trucks intrinsically more dangerous than other cars and trucks on the roadways.

As motorists ourselves, we have each at one time or another driven slowly past the site of a commercial vehicle accident on the expressway or country road. The destruction that such a large and heavy vehicle can cause to cars, light trucks and motorcycles is sobering to say the least. Weighing in at upward of 80,000 pounds, a commercial vehicle whose driver has lost control, for whatever reason, can easily wreck serious havoc on other passenger vehicles and bystanders. Serious and fatal injuries are not uncommon in these instances.