March 8, 2010

Maryland Trucking Accident News: Poor Weather Causes Multi-vehicle Accident on Route 113 in Worchester County, MD

As a Baltimore trucking accident attorney and personal injury lawyer, I know the heartache associated with the physical injuries sustained during a bad traffic accident. Most of the people we represent in the course of our work are drivers and passengers of sedans, minivans and pickup trucks. When these smaller vehicles go up against a larger motor vehicle, such as a Peterbilt, Kenworth or International semi tractor-trailer rig, the passenger car and its occupants usually end up losing.

While most Maryland trucking accidents result in minor to severe injuries, occasionally occupants can suffer fatal injury as a consequence of a trucking wreck. The higher the speed, the more seriously people can be hurt. Multiple vehicle crashes involving semi trucks can raise the injury or death toll at an accident scene.

A recent news article reported a multi-vehicle collision involving a tractor-trailer on Route 113 in Worchester County and Ironshire Station Road near Berlin, MD. The incident occurred just after noon during bad weather and poor visibility, which police say were contributing factors to the afternoon crash.

According to reports, a Honda passenger car and a following van both were slowing down because of the poor weather conditions when a semi struck the two vehicles from behind. The tractor-trailer then jack knifed, blocking the southbound portion of the roadway.

A passenger vehicle following the truck slowed down for the first accident and was rear-ended by a other motor vehicle. That impact pushed the vehicle into a third one, causing some minor injuries.

The chain-reaction continued as a second tractor-trailer rig slowed to a stop to avoid the second crash site, which resulted in a sport utility vehicle (SUV) crashing into the second semi. The SUV was subsequently hit from behind by a pickup truck. Several drivers in all were taken to the hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. The drivers of the two semi trucks were not injured.

The three related accidents, which resulted in a total of nine damaged vehicles, caused Route 113 to be closed for nearly two hours while emergency crews cleared the wreckage.


Multi-Vehicle Crash in Worcester County, WBOC.com, February 11, 2010


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January 22, 2010

Maryland Injury News: Baltimore Tractor-trailer Driver Helps Second Driver in Trucking Accident on I-78

Trucking accidents, especially on the interstate, can be horrendous events. Occupants of passenger cars, SUVs and light pickup trucks can be severely injured if their vehicle is hit by a semi truck, such as a Peterbuilt, Kenworth or International long-haul commercial truck. As a Maryland injury law firm, my staff has helped numerous individuals who have been hurt in traffic accidents involving large, big-rig tractor-trailers.

This is not to say that truck drivers themselves do not become injured as well. With a dozen or more tons of cargo on the trailer behind the truck cab, an over-the-road trucker can easily be hurt or killed in a high-speed crash or even medium-speed trucking accidents. A news article highlighted what can happen when two trucks collide on the expressway.

According to news reports, there was a double tractor-trailer crash just north of the Maryland border in mid-December that injured the drivers of both rigs. The accident, which occurred around 2am on I-78 in Delaware County, PA, apparently tied up traffic for hours.

Based on police reports, a truck driven by Baltimore resident Joe Craig was parked along the shoulder of the interstate. Craig had reportedly stopped to look at a map when another semi truck apparently lost control and clipped the front of the Maryland man’s trator-trailer. The out-of-control rig then careened down a 30-foot embankment. In the process, the truck tore off about 200 feet of safety guard rail on the roadside before rolling down the hill. It was unknown if the cause was due to defective vehicle equipment.

Before emergency crews arrived, Craig helped the other driver to safety. He reportedly said that he thought the man had died in the accident, which threw debris all around the crash site. Fortunately, neither of the drivers was seriously injured, although the driver who lost control was taken to a local hospital with reportedly non-life threatening injuries.


Double Tractor Trailer Accident Along Interstate 78 Injures One, Closes Right Lane, Fox43.com, December 15, 2009


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Posted In: Multiple-truck Accidents , Truck Accident News , Trucking-related Injury Accidents

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September 5, 2009

Trucking Accident News: Two Tractor-trailers Crash on Route 50 in Talbot County, Maryland

To the average motorist, there may be nothing quite as frightening as a highway accident involving a tractor-trailer rig. Passenger cars and light trucks are no match for these huge vehicles when things go wrong and a crash is imminent. These days it is not uncommon to be surrounded on the expressway by maybe a half-dozen heavy trucks. As Maryland trucking accident attorneys, we at Lebowitz-Mhzen, LLC have represented individuals injured as a result of a truck driver’s errors. Our hardest task is seeing the heartache of families who have lost a loved one through another person’s negligence.

Recently, a two-truck accident closed a section of Maryland’s Route 50 just before the Labor Day weekend. Fortunately, no one was seriously injured during the tangle between these two tractor-trailers, however, it is only shear luck that the accident occurred in the early morning hours, which meant the roadway was not clogged with holiday travelers.

Had this been during the daylight hours, more than one passenger car would likely have been caught up in the crash. From the perspective of the attorneys here, any truck driver responsible for a serious collision on a public road will more than likely seriously injure or even kill an innocent motorist stuck by that driver’s tractor or semi-trailer. A tractor-trailer's size and weight amplifies the injuries and damage resulting from a traffic accident -- and the higher the speeds, such as on highways, the greater the chance for fatalities.

As professional driver, tractor-trailer operators are required to observe and obey specific federal and state safety laws, including those laws and regulations that are specified by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. Often, driver fatigue can cause a truck driver to crash his vehicle, as was likely the case in this latest crash on Route 50 just south of Wye Mills and Route 404. Another frequent cause of truck accidents is defective equipment, such as faulty or poorly-maintained brakes.

According to police reports, the incident occurred around 2am on Friday morning, but resulted in no injuries. As I mentioned earlier, it was just lucky that this accident happened during a lull in the traffic. Had this happened during rush hour or at peak holiday travel volume, then the story would be quite different I assure you.

Regardless, if you or a loved one is hurt as a result of a tractor-trailer accident, through the negligence of a truck driver who is inattentive or operating his rig while drowsy or under the influence of alcohol, prescription drugs or other substance, you should contact an experienced legal professional to learn about your options.

Continue reading "Trucking Accident News: Two Tractor-trailers Crash on Route 50 in Talbot County, Maryland" »

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Posted In: Multiple-truck Accidents , Truck Accident News

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