Maryland Trucking Accident Lawyer Blog

Baltimore Personal Injury News: Tanker Overturns in Cordova, MD, after Truck Driver Loses Control

July 26, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Being injured in a trucking-related accident is no laughing matter. For those people who have been involved in a traffic accident with a commercial delivery truck or 18-wheeler and can still talk about it, they would probably tell you it was a harrowing experience. Anyone who can walk away from such a truck wreck without a scratch is lucky in deed.

As Baltimore auto accident lawyers and Maryland personal injury attorneys, I and my staff have represented trucking accident victims and their families for years. We understand the potential for serious injury and even death when a heavyweight motor vehicle such as a semi tractor-trailer rig, commercial delivery vehicle, tank truck or commuter bus strikes a smaller and more vulnerable passenger car.

One doesn’t need to be a physics major to comprehend how a motor vehicle ten or twenty times the mass of a small sedan or family minivan can wreck devastation on that smaller car or SUV. (We won’t mention the near fatal effect that a trucking-related collision can have on a relatively unprotected motorcyclist hit by 20-ton commercial vehicle.)

Suffice it to say that bodily injury is a typical result when a car is truck by an 18-wheeler, large box truck, cement mixer or other heavy construction vehicle. Broken arms and legs are common, while severe cuts and contusions are also typical. Some accidents cause the occupants of the passenger car to be trapped in their vehicle until emergency responders can literally cut them out of the twisted wreckage; all the while hoping to get to the hospital for possibly life-saving surgeries or other medical treatment.

Not long ago, a tanker truck carrying milk from local dairies overturned on a local roadway in the course of delivering its cargo. Although this was a single-truck accident, and therefore no other vehicles were involved, the example it makes as to the ever-present danger of commercial vehicle crashes is valid. It is road accidents like this one that should be a warning for any driver who approaches or follows a large commercial motor vehicle on Maryland’s roadways.

Baltimore Personal Injury Update: Points to Remember for Maryland Drivers Hurt in Commercial Truck Accidents

July 15, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

As professionals, commercial truck drivers are responsible for the safe operation of their rigs. However, this in no way should suggest that trucking-related traffic accidents cannot happen. In fact, tractor-trailers and commercial delivery trucks collide with passenger cars, SUVs, minivans and motorcycles with alarming frequency. The reasons are varied, but driver error usually tops the list of suspected causes of 18-wheeler wrecks.

As Maryland personal injury lawyers, I and my legal staff follow news articles and television reports regarding some of the more dangerous and deadly big rig road accidents. Aside from driver error, defective equipment can be a cause of some truck-car collisions. Due to the shear size and mass of a semi tractor-trailer, injuries and property damage resulting from a commercial truck wreck tend to be more severe and extensive than those encountered in passenger car or smaller motor vehicle traffic accidents.

As stated earlier, truck drivers are considered professional drivers and as such these individuals are required to obey specific federal and state commercial vehicle safety laws, including those specified by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR). As part of these regulations, there are a number of requirements that are supposed to limit or reduce instances of driver fatigue, which has proven to be a common cause of trucking-related accidents in the past.

When it comes the vehicles themselves, mechanical inspections mandated by state and federal law can also go a long way toward preventing a large number of traffic accidents involving trucks and other passenger vehicles. Because of their size, commercial vehicles typically have a large number of moving parts and carious safety components which need to work in concert to allow the driver to operate the vehicle safely on public roads.

Numerous cases of equipment failures that caused or contributed in part to serious or fatal trucking collisions have been litigated over the years. Under federal law, trucking operators are required to conduct pre- and post-trip vehicle inspections and also to record the results of those inspections in a log book for future reference. Should a trucker fail to adequately inspect every aspect of a commercial truck’s basic mechanical components for wear or defect, that driver may be guilty of negligence should one of those components fail and cause a serious or fatal roadway accident.

Maryland Commercial Trucking Accident News: Cement Mixer Truck Overturns on I-270; Four People Seriously Injured

July 8, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Big rigs, box trucks, commercial delivery vans and construction vehicles are all large vehicles with enough size and mass to do serious damage to another smaller passenger vehicle should a traffic accident occur. On Maryland’s busy interstates and surface streets, these huge motor vehicles must share the road with family cars, SUVs, mini vans and motorcycles, yet potential catastrophe is only a moment away for some motorists.

As Baltimore auto accident attorneys and Washington, D.C., personal injury lawyers, I and my legal staff are constantly amazed that more people aren’t seriously injured or killed by commercial vehicles, especially in light of the densely populated condition of our cities. So when an 18-wheel tractor-trailer or other large commercial truck is involved in a roadway collision in Rockville, Gaithersburg, Frederick or Bowie, MD, the carnage that results is not all that surprising.

Aside from the “normal” injuries that passenger car occupants can receive in a commercial truck crash, such as cuts, lacerations and heavy bruising, drivers and passengers alike can sustain serious and even life-threatening injuries. Compound fractures of the arms or legs can cause serious blood loss that if untreated can result in death. A person trapped in a severely damaged vehicle must be extricated as soon as possible and taken to a hospital for immediate medical treatment.

Other injuries pose longer term medical complications. Also the result of a car, truck or motorcycle wreck, spinal cord damage and closed-head trauma (also known as traumatic brain injury) can put a person in a wheelchair for the rest of their life, if they even survive those initial injuries.

Not long ago, a concrete mixing truck went out of control on Interstate 270 in Montgomery County, MD. According to news reports, the multiple-vehicle accident happened in Germantown just north of the exit for Father Hurley Boulevard. Police reports indicated that the crash, which took place about half past 2pm on a Monday afternoon, involved three vehicles including the cement truck.

Baltimore Traffic Accident Leaves Several Commuters Injured after Passenger Car Collides with City Bus

June 30, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Never for a moment assume that you are safe riding public transportation. This is a statement that is fast becoming gospel to many people who read the paper, scan the web or watch the evening news. Trains, planes and city buses carry large numbers of passengers daily without incident, but when something does go wrong there can be multiple victims with injuries ranging from minor to life-threatening.

It doesn’t take much to critically injure a person. Consider that most parents these days won’t let their child ride a bicycle without a helmet for fear that their son or daughter may be hit by a car or simply fall off their bike and hit their head. What is the difference between a child falling several feet to the ground and a bus passenger being thrown into a seat back or other hard object in the event of a traffic accident? Actually, very little.

Especially when it comes to bus riders, with no seatbelts and little warning that a crash is imminent injuries such as cuts and bruises are commonplace, with broken bones, internal injuries and head or neck trauma always a possibility.

In fact, being injured as a passenger on a city or charter bus as a result of a traffic collision or other motor vehicle collision is more common than some people would imagine. As Maryland automobile accident attorneys, we know that it’s very easy for the average person to assume public transportation is safe and worry free. Even as personal injury lawyers, we see that most commuters take for granted that bus drivers and train operators are trained professionals who pride themselves on doing their jobs with a high degree of safety, not to mention the wellbeing of passengers as a primary thought.

Although most drivers of public conveyances are thoughtful and dedicated professionals, even the best cannot predict when and where an accident will occur. This is why, as difficult as it may be sometimes, we as passengers must ultimately put our faith in bus and train operators or not travel on public transportation at all.

Baltimore Commercial Trucking Accident News: Man Dies, Others Injured in Work Truck Crash

June 24, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

A commercial work truck carrying several people went out of control in a local neighborhood not long ago fatally injuring the driver and causing serious injury to the vehicle’s two other occupants. As Maryland personal injury attorneys and auto accident lawyers, I and my legal staff know all too well the potential dangers that commercial trucking accidents pose in densely populated areas such as Frederick, Rockville, Gaithersburg and Washington, D.C.

It is the responsibility of every truck owner and driver to maintain the safety of individuals riding inside a motor vehicle, not to mention the safety of any innocent bystanders or other drivers who may be close by. In this particular case, no definitive reason was given at the time of the news report as to the cause of the fatal motor vehicle crash.

While driver error may have played a part, there always remains the question of faulty safety equipment, such as the brakes or steering components, or perhaps poor maintenance procedures. Defective equipment or poorly followed maintenance procedures can in some cases lead to a third party being named in a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit.

According to police reports, this recent truck wreck occurred just before noon on a Wednesday in Baltimore County around the Lutherville-Timonium area. According to police, patrolmen responded to reports of a Ford F-350 work truck that had crashed into a tree near Meadowcroft Ct. and Dulaney Valley Rd.

Maryland Commercial Truck Accident Report: Washington County Motorist Injured in I-81 Traffic Collision

June 18, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Car, truck and motorcycle accidents happen for a variety of reasons, but not every traffic collision is caused by just one person or a single event. While a commercial truck or car crash can result in one person being charged with negligent driving, some traffic mishaps can precipitate from a mechanical problem, badly located traffic signage, or poorly maintained roadway.

Occasionally, a third party can be named in a civil suit when there is evidence that actions by that person or entity may have resulted in injury or death of an individual as a result of a traffic accident. As Maryland personal injury lawyers and automobile accident attorneys, I and my colleagues investigate the possible causes of car and commercial truck crashes in an effort to determine fault.

Defective vehicle equipment is one area that holds potential for injury and even death of vehicle occupants. Poorly designed or incorrectly manufactured parts, such as brake components, steering systems, tires and airbags, can have a contributory effect on a motor vehicle accident. Similarly, badly maintained or poorly designed intersections and highway ramps can even play a role in a severe or deadly road accidents.

Not long ago, a Washington County, MD, man was critically injured on a stretch of Interstate 81 where it crosses over the Potomac River. News reports indicate that emergency pothole repairs on a bridge span may have been a factor in the accident that sent a 45-year-old Funkstown resident to the hospital with potentially life-threatening injuries.

According to news reports, Thomas McDonald, Jr., was driving a Kia Rio southbound along I-81 near Cearfoss Pike when traffic ahead apparently came to an abrupt halt due to pothole repairs on that side of the roadway. Police reports showed that the Kia hit the back end of a semi tractor-trailer rig that was stopped in the right-hand lane of the interstate. According to police, traffic was also stopped in the fast lane when the crash occurred; just after 4:30pm.

Maryland Personal Injury News: Tanker Truck Driver Charged with Reckless Driving following I-495 Accident

June 7, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

As motorists we all hope that commercial truck drivers take the necessary care and caution when traveling on Maryland’s interstates and surface streets. Unfortunately, as they say, one bad apple can spoil the rest, and numerous trucking-related accidents make for bad press. The trouble is, tractor-trailers and other large commercial vehicles can and do kill and maim hundreds of people every year in this county.

As Baltimore automobile accident attorneys and Maryland personal injury lawyers, I and my staff are dedicated to representing traffic accident victims and their families. We understand that a collision between a passenger car and an 18-wheel big rig can result in serious and life-changing injuries. Sadly, many of these wrecks are fatal and leave no chance for families to see their loved ones again.

The reasons for trucking accidents are as varied as the types of trucks on the road. Box trucks, delivery vans, tow trucks and snow plows, gasoline tankers and auto haulers; each has potential for destroying a smaller less massive vehicle, such as a passenger car or motorcycle. Victims have ben know to lose limbs, sustain disfiguring burn injuries and even suffer from debilitating closed-head trauma and spinal cord damage, all because of another individual’s negligence.

Maryland Injury Accident News: Local HS Coach Seriously Hurt in Head-on Crash with Dump Truck

May 31, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Statewide, communities gain so much from those dedicated and involved individuals that contribute much of their time and energy to the growth and development of our young people. Unfortunately, when we lose one of these leaders the entire community grieves. When someone who has played a part in so many lives is injured, our hearts go out to them, their family and their community.

As personal injury attorneys, I and my colleagues can appreciate the sincere sadness that a car or trucking-related accident can bring to a family whose loved one is seriously injured in a car crash for no apparent reason. While a traffic accident can tragically ruin the life of a single individual, families must go on and try their lives as best they can. Communities, too, must also bear with the incident, trying to deal with the emotional scars and hoping to see that individual back on a path to better health.

A while back, a track coach from Francis Scott Key High School was injured in an unfortunate trucking-related crash. According to news reports, the vehicle that Timothy Walsh was driving was hit almost head-on by a dump truck during the early morning rush hour in Carroll County.

Anne Arundel Injury News: Maryland Man Dies in Fatal Commercial Truck Accident on Bay Bridge

May 26, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Traffic collisions can occur in a myriad of ways. And as varied as car, truck and motorcycle accidents are, the injuries sustained in these wrecks range from minor to severe. How people are injured, or killed, can also be affected by numerous factors, including being hit by debris thrown through the windshield, striking a hard surface within the vehicle upon impact, being tossed about (usually when a seatbelt has failed or not been used), being ejected from the vehicle during a rollover accident.

As Baltimore trucking accident attorneys and personal injury lawyers, our job is to help victims of automobile, truck and pedestrian accidents recover medical expenses, lost wages and other costs associated with a highway wreck or urban traffic collision. In some cases, when the victim has died as a result of the crash and is no longer able to speak from himself, we assist the victim’s family in recovering damages due to wrongful death.

Not long ago, an 70-year-old retired gentleman lost his life following a traffic accident along the Chesapeake Bay Bridge in Anne Arundel County. According to news reports, the victim was former sportswriter, Harry Blauvelt, who had worked for numerous news agencies over the years. Sadly, the history of the Bay Bridge caught up with this individual as it has with others before him.

Based on reports, Blauvelt was apparently returning home to Kent Island on Monday morning around 10:30am when his Honda experienced some kind of mechanical problem along the center span. There is no breakdown lane, which makes for an extremely dangerous situation whenever a car or truck becomes disabled on the two-lane bridge.

Just as Blauvelt was getting out of his stalled vehicle to investigate the trouble, a 2003 International commercial truck slammed into the rear of the man’s car and threw him over an adjacent barrier wall into the water 50 feet below the roadway.

Baltimore Traffic Safety News: Maryland Transit Authority Buses “Speak” to Help Pedestrians Avoid Potential Injury

May 16, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

As reported not long ago, pedestrians in Maryland’s urban areas are apparently some of the most at-risk groups in the nation. This is not a distinction that many would be proud of, but it is a fact that persons on foot and riding bicycles here in Baltimore, or over in Annapolis, Rockville or Washington, D.C., have a high likelihood of being struck by a car, SUV, pickup or commercial deliver truck than pedestrians in other states.

As Maryland personal injury lawyers, we can understand the pain and suffering that can occur following an pedestrian-automobile collision, much less a crash involving a bicycle and commercial truck, or city bus. And apparently the MTA (Maryland Transit Authority) also understands the risks.

No long ago, news articles reported that 10 so-called talking buses were being put into service here in Baltimore with the intent to reduce the chances of tragic pedestrian accidents. According to reports, the MTA is running tests of this talking bus technology, which is designed to warn people that one of these large vehicles is bearing down on them.

The idea is to alert individuals who might otherwise be distracted and not aware of the presence of a city bus amidst all the noise and activity in a metropolitan area. While the concept may seem a little silly to some, it’s no joke that many people have been seriously injured or even killed by commuter buses in the past.

According to the news reports, the “voice” of these buses is female and announces to everyone within earshot a repeating message of, “Pedestrians, bus is turning.” Bus drivers have apparently noticed a distinct difference in that way that people on foot react to the rather authoritative warning. The test buses are equipped with one of two different systems during the trial period.

Out of the 100-plus fatal pedestrian accidents in Maryland, the percentage of city bus-related pedestrian deaths in Maryland are rather small, however the MTA’s actions speak volumes. Back in February, publicity from the death of a spokeswoman for the state medical examiner’s office shined the spotlight again on the MTA.