Maryland Trucking Accident Lawyer Blog

Who Can I Sue After a Maryland Semi-Truck Accident?

April 17, 2022 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Every year across the country, thousands of people are killed in fatal accidents. Truck accidents, however, make up nearly twice the percentage of total fatal accidents. Because trucks are often the largest, heaviest, and most difficult vehicles to navigate on the road, this should be no surprise to even the most experienced of drivers. Following a major truck accident, you may have suffered from significant injuries or property damage. Figuring out what your next steps are and what options you have legally is crucial to recovering the compensation you deserve.

According to a recent news report, an EMT was killed following a devastating accident involving a semi-truck and an ambulance. Local authorities reported that firefighter EMTs were in an ambulance traveling to respond to a 911 call when they attempted to make a left turn. While making the turn, the ambulance crossed into the road’s southbound lanes, where they collided with a semi-truck heading north. Video from the accident showed that the cab of the ambulance was sheared off from the rest of the vehicle and that the semi-truck was hauling dirt or gravel. The accident remains under investigation as local authorities continue to look into who was at fault in the collision.

Who Is Liable in a Maryland Truck Accident?

After Maryland truck accident, it often may not be clear who exactly you can sue to hold liable for compensation. Figuring out who you can sue often depends on the circumstances surrounding how the accident took place. For example, if the truck driver was distracted, speeding, or drowsy, it is more likely that they are liable for the accident. On the other hand, if the driver was an employee of a trucking company forcing them to meet prohibitively tight deadlines or the company failed to keep up with mechanical maintenance of the truck that caused the accident, the trucking company could be liable instead.

Drunk Driver Causes Chain Reaction Accident

March 31, 2022 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Chain reaction accidents refer to a series of consecutive crashes, beginning with a primary crash followed by secondary crashes occurring immediately within a certain distance. Maryland chain reaction accidents, especially those involving a drunk driver, can result in serious and potentially deadly consequences. Chain reaction accidents commonly affect large areas of road space and often cause traffic jams and delays in evacuations. With the growing number of motor vehicle accidents, it is vital for road users to understand the behaviors that increase the likelihood of a serious crash.

Studies identifying the contributing factors determining the severity of consecutive crashes found many geographic, environmental, and behavioral elements that impact these accidents. However, like many other crashes, human error, such as impaired driving, is a crash indicator. For example, a news outlet reported on a semi-truck driver that caused a fatal accident, shutting down a major interstate. According to the report, the semi-truck driver failed to slow down and crashed into a vehicle, causing a series of consecutive accidents. One of the drivers in the accident died, and two others were in critical condition. State patrol stated that the semi-truck driver denied impairment; however, he could not complete the sobriety tests effectively.

Washington D.C.’s drunk driving accidents kill many people every year, causing significant public health concerns for all road users. Securing compensation after a drunk driving accident requires the claimant to establish fault. Liability or fault may extend beyond just the drunk or impaired driver. For instance, in some cases, the employer of a drunk truck driver may be liable for the accident.

Establishing Liability in Maryland Truck Accident Claims

March 25, 2022 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Because of the severity of truck accidents, dealing with the aftermath of a truck-related collision can often be an overwhelming experience. Every year, thousands of people are involved in serious truck accidents. Many of these people are frequently injured or killed because collisions involving passenger vehicles and trucks are often deadly.

Following a major truck accident, the financial impacts of the crash can often be devastating and significant for survivors because of medical bills, property damage, or time taken off from work because of the severity of injuries. This is why Maryland residents should understand what steps to take following a major truck accident and how to recover compensation for their injuries.

According to a recent news report, a local woman died after she crashed her SUV directly into a tractor-trailer truck. Authorities located the 25-year-old woman’s Subaru pointed east and partially pinned under the trailer of an Amazon truck, which had just left a nearby truck stop and was turning west onto the highway. The crash’s impact into the side of the tractor-trailer shaved off the top of the Subaru from the front of the windshield to the middle of the passenger compartment, and the driver was pronounced dead at the scene. Local police confirmed that the accident remains an active investigation.

What to Do Following a Maryland Truck Accident

March 17, 2022 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Although various types of car accidents can result in significant injury and property damage, collisions involving trucks are often among the most devastating. Because large trucks like 18 wheelers and other large commercial vehicles often dominate the road in size and weight, collisions involving a truck can significantly increase the likelihood of serious injuries, death, and property damage. Following a major truck accident, it is crucial that you remain calm and take the proper steps to recover from the collision.

According to a recent news report, six children were injured and a teenage boy died following a major tractor-trailer accident. Local officials reported that a tractor-trailer crashed into a car, which resulted in serious and minor injuries as well as multiple individuals transferred to local hospitals for treatment. The teenager was in the car with two other adults and several children when it was hit by the truck, and the teen was pronounced dead at the hospital. The truck driver also suffered minor injuries following the accident. The collision remains under investigation by local authorities.

Following a major truck accident, the first thing collision victims should do is ensure that if anyone needs medical attention, an ambulance and local authorities are called. Any subsequent hospital visits, scans, physical therapy, or medical care should be extensively documented so that you have a chance to be compensated for it.

Another Driver’s Failure to Stop at a Stop Sign Could Lead to a Maryland Personal Injury Claim

March 9, 2022 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

When driving, we expect other motorists we share the road with to abide by road signs in a reasonable manner. After all, all drivers share a certain amount of responsibility to each other to operate their vehicles with reasonable safety. Sometimes, however, whether the driver is distracted or simply careless, negligent driving takes place and can result in devastating consequences. When an accident takes place because of the negligence of the at-fault party, it may give rise to a personal injury lawsuit.

According to a recent news report, a woman died after her car was hit by a large truck. Local police pronounced the 55-year-old woman dead at the scene because of injuries she sustained in the accident. The woman was driving her Buick when it was struck by an 18-wheeler log truck at an intersection. According to reports from the highway patrol and other local authorities, the truck driver ignored a stop sign and crashed into the Buick. An autopsy is scheduled for the woman and the local highway patrol is still investigating the circumstances of the accident.

In Maryland, like other states, the state code of transportation establishes certain rules of the road, including laws about stop signs and other yield signs. Drivers are expected to stop at a clearly marked stop line and to do so before entering any crosswalk. Similarly, Maryland has requirements for drivers to stop when approached with yield signs, and to stop at the near side of an intersection if there is no clearly marked stop line.

Understanding School Bus Accidents in Maryland

February 28, 2022 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

When we drop our kids off from the bus stop most mornings, we expect that they will be safe and well taken care of. Although school buses remain one of the best and safest options for transporting our children to and from school when compared to walking, riding a bike, or taking a car, sometimes accidents out of our control take place. When this happens, those who are responsible must be held accountable for any resulting injuries to our children.

According to a recent news report, a school bus was involved in an accident while transporting students during their morning commute. Local authorities reported that the bus was rear-ended, but that there were no serious injuries reported. Emergency medical services transported two students and a bus monitor to the hospital, who were checked out for neck and back pain. Parents were notified following the accident and the circumstances surrounding the crash remain under investigation.

An estimated 471,461 school buses provide transportation services daily in the United States. Approximately 25 million elementary and secondary school children ride school buses to and from school each day. Many communities heavily rely on school buses to safely transport their children to and from school. Because of this, it is crucial that parents and loved ones understand some of the risks that come with school buses and how we can keep our children safe when they are on their own.

The Dangers of Maryland Truck Accidents

February 22, 2022 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Among the various types of accidents, truck collisions are among the most dangerous. After all, there is a reason that smaller vehicles—and vehicles of all sizes—avoid large trucks on the road, especially when traffic is heavy. As a proactive driver, leaving additional space between yourself and large vehicles is important, but sometimes, accidents still take place because of circumstances beyond your control. When truck accidents happen because of negligence or recklessness of the driver, the consequences are often significant and can have serious impacts on everyone involved.

According to a recent news report, a four to seven-month-old baby died after a major tow truck accident. Local authorities reported that a Nissan sedan was at a stoplight facing eastbound when the tow truck collided with the Nissan. The tow truck driver has been charged with vehicular manslaughter and is currently in police custody. The district attorney’s office believes that the tow truck driver was speeding and that there were no signs he attempted to use his brakes before the accident took place. Deputies said the baby was rushed to a local hospital for treatment, where he later died. The accident remains under investigation.

Truck accidents are widely considered to be more dangerous than regular car accidents for a number of reasons. First, trucks are typically much larger and significantly heavier than the average passenger vehicle. This, coupled with additional factors such as a truck driver’s dexterity, driving abilities, and the vehicle’s maintenance could also contribute to a significant collision.

Women Killed by Garbage Truck While Taking Out the Trash

February 15, 2022 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Most people who live in the city and don’t venture out onto the highway rarely encounter large trucks on the road. For the most part, semi-truck, tractor-trailers, and other big trucks don’t have the need to travel into neighborhoods. However, the one type of truck that almost everyone comes across is a garbage truck. Garbage trucks are just as dangerous as other large commercial vehicles, and in some ways, can be even more dangerous. Recently, a pedestrian accident involving a garbage truck claimed a woman’s life.

According to a local news report, the accident occurred just before 8 a.m. on garbage day. Evidently, the victim – a 69-year-old woman – was taking out the trash when she stepped onto the curb and into the truck’s blind spot. The truck driver did not notice the woman in the road, striking her. She was later pronounced dead.

The driver, who worked for a privately-owned company that provides trash and recycling pick-up services on behalf of the city—remained on the scene, and police officers do not suspect that they were intoxicated. Police officers are currently investigating the accident to determine its potential causes.

How Maryland Pedestrians Can Remain Safe When Traveling on Foot

February 8, 2022 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Everyone knows that before crossing a street, especially when you are at a busy intersection, checking left, then right, and then left again is the best practice to maximize your safety as a pedestrian. What happens, however, when a driver is speeding, does not see you, or runs a red light? Pedestrians are particularly vulnerable when crossing the street but can be particularly powerless when drivers are negligent or reckless. Thus, it is important for Maryland pedestrians to understand what common causes of pedestrian accidents are so that they can remain vigilant and avoid them the best they can.

According to a recent news report, a county bus crashed into a woman while she was crossing the street. As investigators still work to piece together what happened during the collision, initial reports say that the woman was walking in the crosswalk as the bus was making a left-hand turn. The woman was then struck by the bus and was pronounced dead on the scene. Local authorities have been unable to identify if the woman works or lives in the area and are working to get in contact with coworkers or family members of the woman. As the accident remains under investigation, police are urging drivers and pedestrians to pay more attention to their surroundings. Authorities plan to analyze surveillance cameras to determine what led to the collision and to identify who in fact had the right of way in this accident.

Although pedestrian accidents can take place for a number of reasons that may not always mean that the driver is at fault, many times they happen because of negligent or reckless maneuvers executed by drivers. Left-hand turns, distracted driving involving talking on a cell phone or texting, impaired driving, speeding, rolling stops, and inexperienced drivers are all common reasons why accidents involving pedestrians take place.

Understanding the Consequences of Abandoned Vehicles on Public Roads in Maryland

January 31, 2022 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Sometimes, even the most careful and safe drivers experience unavoidable risks while on the road. After all, there is only so much a safe driver can do if others are negligent when operating their vehicles. Although negligence from other drivers can take on many forms, one of the most dangerous is when a driver’s negligence leaves obstacles or hazards on the road that are not immediately clear to drivers in oncoming traffic. Because this negligence can lead to often fatal accidents and consequences, those who are responsible must be held accountable.

According to a recent news report, a fatal tow truck accident left a mother of four dead and several others severely injured. Local authorities reported that the driver of a flatbed tow truck experienced a mechanical issue and stopped in the right lane of the interstate. The tow truck driver ended up getting a ride from someone else and abandoned his vehicle where it had stopped. Officials also reported that the tow truck driver, at the time that he was driving, was operating his vehicle on a suspended license. Later, a separate driver crashed into the abandoned tow truck, which killed his wife and severely injured both his 14 and nine-year-old daughters. Following the crash, both vehicles came to rest in a ditch. The accident remains under investigation.

Although unexpected emergencies can take place without warning, safety officials recommend that drivers pull onto the shoulder when their vehicle comes to a stop. Rather than simply stopping in a lane with active traffic when your vehicle experiences low gas, a flat tire, or other mechanical issues, it is best to get off the active road to keep yourself and others safe.