Maryland Trucking Accident Lawyer Blog

Maryland Trucking Accident News: Backhoe Rolls Off Trailer, Hits Minivan Causing Fatal Traffic Accident

October 30, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

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.

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

October 23, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

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.

Bowie, MD, Trucking Accident News: Two Maryland Men Injured after Car was Hit by Dump Truck

October 12, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Taking into account the number and variety of commercial vehicles on the road today, it makes one wonder if there aren’t more large trucks than passenger cars out there. With a variety of delivery vehicles — including UPS, FedEx, U.S. Postal vans and large cross-country 18-wheelers, plus numerous box trucks carrying anything from car parts and home goods to soft drinks and floral arrangements — Maryland motorists are in constant proximity to these larger commercial trucks.

As Baltimore automobile, truck and motorcycle accident attorneys, as well as Washington, D.C., personal injury lawyers, we can only hope that professional drivers (those carrying a commercial driver’s license) are always vigilant and aware of other, smaller vehicles on the road. Of course, as much as anyone wishes that car and truck accidents would not occur, they do happen with great frequency, sometimes with fatal results.

Because of the size and weight disparity between passenger cars and commercial trucks, accidents between these two groups of vehicles can be more severe — at least for the occupants of the smaller vehicle — than in accidents between two sedans, minivans or sport utility vehicles (SUVs).

Even more diminutive commercial trucks can pose a real danger to drivers and passengers of light vehicles. Though not as large as a semi tractor-trailer rig, a commercial dump truck when fully loaded can have a substantial weight advantage over a smaller motor vehicle. In the case of a collision, a dump truck can sometimes crush a sedan or economy car, depending of course on the speed, road conditions and other accident-related factors.

Baltimore Trucking Accident News: Baby Dies in Car Fire after Maryland Trucker Hits Passenger Car

September 30, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

When a child dies there are no words of consolation for the victim’s family. And so it goes without saying that when a baby — a young infant — passes away as a result of a traffic collision, the sadness and grief felt by all concerned is sometimes too much to bear. As Maryland personal injury lawyers, representing the parents of a minor child killed as a result of another person’s negligence is both humbling and heartrending.

Any accident that causes a death, by its very nature, is a tragedy; but automobile wrecks that take lives and injure people are especially deadly and many times preventable. The fact that car, truck and motorcycle collisions can typically be prevented, or the effects lessened, makes any serious injury or fatality that much more distressing to everyone involved.

Children, of all people, are the most innocent among us. To most any reasonable individual, it is a sad and tragic event when a young child is critically injured or killed in a passenger car or commercial trucking accident. For the parents, siblings and other relative, losing a young family member is horrible beyond words.

And, while no amount of money or compensation can bring back that young life or relieve the personal torment and anguish, parents and/or guardians who have lost a child to the negligent actions of another individual have a right to recover damages for the loss of that child. This includes the loss of their child’s affection or love.

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

September 29, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

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.

Baltimore Commercial Truck Accident News: Snowplow Driver Pleads Guilty to Hitting Pedestrian on Roadway

September 26, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

It goes without saying that commercial trucks can cause horrendous injuries in the event of a traffic accident with a passenger vehicle such as a sedan, minivan, SUV or pickup truck. But just consider the effect that a similar crash — involving a delivery truck, 18-wheel semi or dump truck — might have on a pedestrian or motorcyclist involved in traffic collision.

Considering that the relatively protected occupants of these smaller motor vehicles can still receive terrible injuries or even be killed outright in a commercial trucking accident, imagine how small the chances for survival would be for a person on foot, riding a bicycle or traveling on a moped, scooter or full-size motorcycle involved in a similar roadway collision.

As Baltimore automobile accident attorneys and Washington, D.C., personal injury lawyers, we represent numerous clients from around the state of Maryland and the District. We understand all too well the deadly force that a 20-ton tractor-trailer can impart to a much smaller, 3,000-pound passenger vehicle

Commercial drivers have much the same responsibilities as other non-professional drivers on the road. But they also have the duty to maintain and operate their vehicles per federal regulations, all of which have been designed to help keep the public safe from injury or death due to negligence or other careless actions.

While it is common to see news stories about 18-wheel tractor-trailer rigs — such as Peterbilts and Freightliners — that go out of control on the interstate and causing untold misery, other commercial vehicles can cause injury or untimely death when not driven correctly or with the public welfare in mind.

A recent news item caught our attention in regard to the latter of these scenarios. According to reports, a resident of Pasadena, MD, came forward and admitted to police that it was his vehicle that struck and fatally injured 77-year-old Richard Oles last January. Based on police reports, the hit-and-run traffic accident took place in the early morning hours of January 27, at which time Oles was hit by the Ford F-350 fitted with a snow plow and driven by 21-year-old Maximilian Bode.

Baltimore Commercial Trucking Accident News: Police Charge Maryland Tractor-trailer Driver in Multi-vehicle Crash

September 14, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

It seems that every time we turn around, there’s another large highway accident caused by a commercial truck driver. This is, of course, not an indictment of all professional truckers out there, many of whom are conscientious drivers who understand the enormity of their personal responsibility to handle these big rigs with care and safety. But, on the other hand, there is a percentage of 18-wheeler, box truck and commercial delivery truck operators who lack either the training or the concern for others on the roadways.

As Maryland commercial trucking accident attorneys and personal injury lawyers, it’s our job to help victims of highway traffic accidents and their families recover from severe and sometimes fatal car, truck and motorcycle wrecks. Nothing can shock a family to its core like a serious injury accident that sends a father or mother to the hospital.

Medical costs alone are difficult enough to manage these days, what with many people being out of work or just hanging on. Throw in the loss of wages due to a terrible car, or truck collision and you have a perfect storm of hospital bills and no, or greatly reduced family income to help pay for them.

While a number of trucking accidents can be attributed to mechanical problems, such as defective safety equipment, poorly maintained brakes, or badly worn tires, a greater percentage of tractor-trailer crashes stem from driver error. It’s not uncommon these days for even a professional truck driver to be distracted by his cellphone or some other device in the truck cab.

Whatever the reason, the carnage wrought by an out-of-control 18-wheeler can be widespread and deadly for occupants of nearby passenger cars. Broken bones, internal injuries, head and neck trauma, as well as other serious injuries can be life-threatening if the victim is not attended to in time.

Maryland Trucking Injury News: Woman Dies in Fatal Highway Accident between Semi and Tow Truck

August 31, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

For many drivers and occupants of passenger cars, light trucks, SUVs and motorcycles, there is nothing quite as frightening as a traffic accident involving a 50,000-pound semi tractor-trailer rig. With 15-times the curb weight of an average sport utility vehicle, these large commercial vehicles can literally crush a passenger car during a high-speed highway collision.

Here in Baltimore, it’s not uncommon to see these huge vehicles mixing with motor vehicles of all sizes, not to mention scooters, bicycles and pedestrians on foot. The opportunity for a serious accident involving a commercial delivery truck, box truck or the aforementioned 18-wheel semi is ever-present. As Maryland personal injury attorneys, we fully understand how people become injured in trucking wrecks.

And, because of the shear size and mass of these large vehicles, we often read of fatal accidents involving Kenworths, Peterbilts, and Mack trucks. Being auto accident lawyers serving Maryland and Washington, D.C., residents, we have the training and legal skills to represent clients who have been injured in trucking accidents or have lost a loved one in such a highway wreck.

Earlier this month, a woman who was co-driving an 18-wheeler was tragically killed when the vehicle she was working on was hit by a commercial towing truck along a stretch of Interstate 70 near the Frederick County line. The crash occurred around noontime on a Monday, after the semi on which she worked pulled over on the shoulder of the interstate due to an overheating problem.

According to police reports, the female co-driver got out of the truck’s cab to make some adjustment on the outside of the vehicle as it was parked alongside I-70. Moments later, the semi was struck from behind by the flat-bed tow truck; the force of the crash reportedly threw the victim into a nearby guardrail.

Baltimore Personal Injury Update: Commercial Trucking Accidents Don’t Always Result in Charges against the Driver

August 29, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

It’s a bit trite to say that nobody ever expects to get into a traffic accident, but the fact remains that most people who are involved in a car, truck or motorcycle wreck did not see it coming until the last moment. We’ve said it here before, but fate is not particular when it comes to injury accidents. Men, women and children can all be hurt in a roadway crash, whether it’s a single-vehicle accident or a multi-car pileup.

Of course, some of the most deadly wrecks are collisions involving commercial trucks, such as semi tractor-trailers, heavy construction vehicles such as gravel haulers and cement mixers, and even commercial box trucks. All of these motor vehicles are many times more massive than any passenger car on the road today. When a commercial vehicle strikes a family sedan, minivan or SUV, the odds of occupant injury jump significantly.

As Baltimore auto accident attorneys and Maryland personal injury lawyers, our firm has the skills and knowledge to represent victims of traffic collisions caused by negligent individuals. Whether that person is a commercial trucker, a school bus driver, or delivery truck operator, these people are professionals and as such are expected to handle their vehicles correctly and obey all applicable laws and rules of the road.

While most commercial truck drivers are good at what they do, there is a certain number that, from time to time, give the trucking industry a very bad name. Negligent driving, poor vehicle maintenance procedures, illegal overloading of trailers and tampering with vehicle safety equipment are all potential areas that these bad apples are sometimes accused of doing prior to a serious highway crash.

Maryland Trucking Accident News: Wind causes UPS Semi Tractor-trailer to Tip Over on US-301

August 17, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

It doesn’t take much to cause a trucking-related accident, and weather conditions can wreck havoc on semi tractor-trailers, which have high centers of gravity and can tip over one the interstate more easily than smaller vehicles and a lot more often than some people can imagine. With this year’s constant barrage of bad weather all across the country, Maryland has had its share of weather-related traffic accidents.

Although many highway and rural road accidents can be attributable to bad weather and/or poor road conditions, professional drivers are trained to recognize inclement weather conditions that could cause a dangerous reduction in safe vehicle operation. Being able to control a commercial truck, such as a semi tractor-trailer, is the primary job of a commercial truck driver.

While occasionally an 18-wheeler may crash as a result of faulty vehicle equipment, such as poorly designed or maintained braking system components or steering parts, the driver is also a key element in the safety equation. Numerous people have been maimed or killed while riding in a passenger sedan, minivan or sport utility vehicle if only because the vehicle they rode in was hit by a much larger vehicle, such as a Peterbilt, Kenworth, or International truck.

Those passengers and driver of smaller motor vehicles that are struck by semis or other large commercial trucks may escape death, but they can also sustain serious and life-changing physical injuries as a result. Medical complications or simply the typically extensive bodily injuries can be costly in terms of a family’s finances due to high doctor and hospital bills, as well as lost wages if the victim was a primary breadwinner.