Trucking Accident Lawyer Blog

A trucking-related wreck can be a frightening event, especially for the occupants of smaller vehicles caught up in the crash. A semi tractor-trailer hauling heavy cargo can do significant damage to smaller and lighter passenger vehicles. Even sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks are no match against a fully-loaded big rig.

As a Maryland injury lawyer and trucking accident attorney, I know that the size of these vehicles and the cargo they carry can cause serious harm to the drivers and passengers of multiple vehicles. One of the most dangerous types of truck-related crashes involve tankers carrying flammable liquids such as heating oil, diesel fuel, kerosene or gasoline.

A tanker crash can release thousands of gallons of combustible liquids, which can engulf and burn out of control for hours. Any motorist caught up in a tanker truck crash must have luck on his side to make it through. This kind of traffic accident occurred not long ago on Montross Road above Interstate 270 in Montgomery County, MD.

According to news articles, a fuel tanker carrying 8,900 gallons of gasoline overturned shortly before 5am near I-270 ramp in Rockville setting off a fire that blocked several key arteries in the area just before the morning rush hour. Based on reports, the tanker driver was charged with negligent driving in the accident.

Michael A. Gongola, 45, of Frederick, MD, reportedly said that his rig began to drift to the left side of the highway “for unknown reasons," according to the Montgomery County police. Police say that Gongola tried to correct the drifting condition, which then caused the tanker to overturn on Montrose Road, spilling its contents onto the roadway and then catching fire.

Debris from the truck struck a second vehicle, but fortunately the occupant of the car and the truck driver were not injured. However, had this accident happened at the peak of the rush hour, there could have been some serious injuries and potentially a fatality from the ensuing truck fire.

Overturned fuel tanker fire closes Montrose Road, WashingtonPost.com, January 15, 2010

Repairs underway on stretch of Montrose Road damaged in fire, WashingtonPost.com, January 14, 2010

Based on recent news stories the state of Maryland has been named in a $7 million wrongful death suit in regard to a fatal car-truck accident that occurred on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge in August 2008. Dozens of people are killed or injured every year in tractor-trailer accidents across Maryland; some of these victims are actually semi drivers themselves who have been killed or critically injured due to another person's negligence.

As trucking accident attorneys, the legal professionals at Lebowitz & Mzhen, LLC have the knowledge and experience to represent victims and their families in cases not unlike the one reported here. This time, according to news articles, the state of Maryland has been named as one of the defendants in a lawsuit growing out of a deadly traffic accident.

According to reports, a trucker died during the accident in question, which was allegedly caused by a 19-year-old woman who fell asleep while driving across the Bay Bridge. News articles at the time said that Candy Baldwin had been to a wedding earlier and apparently fell asleep while passing across the bridge. This caused a truck driver to swerve his rig to avoid crashing into the young woman’s car.

The family of the deceased truck driver, 57-year-old John Short of Willards, MD, to crash into a concrete barrier on the bridge. However the barrier could not stop the truck from leaving the bridge’s roadway and falling into the water where Short reportedly died.

The lawsuit, which was originally filed last June naming Baldwin as the responsible party, was amended earlier in December to add the state and the Maryland Transportation Authority. The suit cites deficiencies in the maintenance and the inspection of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge as significant factors in the death of Short.

According to news accounts, Baldwin was only charged with traffic violations; police determined the teen's blood alcohol level as 0.03 percent, which is below the legal limit in Maryland, however that measurement was taken hours after the crash, according to the civil suit against the teen. The trucker's family claims the young woman was drunk.

The suit also claims two-way traffic on the bridge at the time of the crash was inherently dangerous and had already led to numerous other fatalities. Since the accident, the state has reportedly spent $3 million inspecting and making repairs to the sidewalls of the bridge.

Md. Named In Fatal Bay Bridge Crash Suit Reporting, WJZ.com, December 12, 2009

Family Names State In Md. Bay Bridge Crash, HometownAnnapolis.com, December 12, 2009

As Maryland truck accident attorneys, over the years my colleagues and I have represented numerous trucking crash victims and their families. Trucking collisions don’t only injure pedestrians and drivers of other cars and SUVs, these kinds of tractor-trailer and delivery truck accidents also cause injury to the truck drivers operating them. A recent article illustrates this one type of truck crash that resulted in the untimely death of a teenage driver and the severe injury of the other passenger of that vehicle.

While the preliminary police report issued at the time of the news article indicated that the single-vehicle accident was a result of driver error combined with less than optimal road conditions, there could also be a chance of defective equipment, such as worn tires or other mechanical failure.

According to news reports, a 19-year-old driver died several days following a single-truck crash on Route 100 in Anne Arundel County. Police reports showed that Dakota Kelly Alder of Pasadena, MD, died from injuries sustained during a crash four days earlier near the Route 100 and Interstate 97 interchange.

The accident report stated that the driver lost control of the vehicle around 2:30 in the afternoon p.m. and lost control of the truck. The initial police investigation stated that the truck was likely traveling at a higher rate of speed than the wet road conditions would have allowed. The young driver apparently lost control of the vehicle which then struck the guard rail and flipped over.

Rescue crews arriving on the scene administered first aid to both the driver and passenger then transported them to local hospitals. According to police, Alder was taken to the Maryland Shock Trauma Center where he was treated but died several days later. The only passenger, 19-year-old Jordan Joshua Swick, also of Pasadena, was taken in critical condition to the Baltimore Washington Medical Center.

19-year-old driver dies days after Arundel crash, BaltimoreSun.com, November 16, 2009

As personal injury and trucking accident attorneys, we at Lebowitz & Mzhen, LLC know how over-matched a passenger vehicle is when it comes up against a semi tractor-trailer. Over-the-road rigs weigh many times more than even the largest SUV or pickup truck, much less a small family sedan or compact sport utility vehicle. Like it or not, truck drivers hold the lives of the driving public in their hands when operating these heavy-duty vehicles on public roads. A recent trucking-related crash on the Pulaski Expressway near White Marsh, MD, proves this point.

According to news reports, Linda and Charles Buckland of Edgewood, Maryland, were traveling westbound on the Pulaski Expressway around 1:45am on the morning of Sunday, October 11, when their vehicle collided with a Kenworth tractor that was entering the highway from nearby Stevens Road.

Reportedly, the Buckland’s 2003 Chevrolet Tracker, a compact SUV, was severely damaged in the accident, which fatally injured the driver, 57-year-old Mrs. Buckland. Mr. Buckland, 62, who was riding in the passenger seat, was seriously injured in the early morning wreck, according to police.

Emergency medical services (EMS) transported both husband and wife to the Maryland Shock Trauma Center where Linda Buckland was treated by doctors and hospital staff. Charles Buckland was listed as critical condition, however his wife was declared dead by medical personnel later that morning.

The truck driver, Irvin Jones of Dublin, Virginia, was apparently uninjured in the fatal accident. According to reports, Maryland police have pressed charges against Jones for multiple violations in connection with the wreck.

In an accident of this type, with the disparity in size between the individual vehicles, the outcome is not surprising. If you or someone you love has been injured as a result of another driver’s negligence, you should by all means consult with an experienced personal injury lawyer to learn about your options. Medical expenses, lost wages and other financial costs to you or your family may be at stake.

One killed in truck-SUV crash in White Marsh, BaltimoreSun.com, October 12, 2009

A recent semi-truck accident near Baltimore, MD, resulted in a dangerous car fire that could have killed three members of a family whose compact car was hit by the truck on a Saturday afternoon. My firm, Lebowitz & Mzhen, LLC, represents victims of heavy truck crashes not unlike the one that occurred on Interstate 95 in late September. Trucking accidents involving small cars can result in serious injuries and occasionally death. Fortunately, it looks like all three occupants of the small car were rescued and survived the ordeal.

According to new accounts, fire rescue workers from Baltimore City’s fire department rushed to the scene of a truck-car crash on the southbound side of I-95 near I-396 North in the early afternoon of September 26. First responders found a small car enveloped in flames having been struck by a tractor trailer.

After suppressing much of the flames, fire department personnel worked to free three trapped family members from the wrecked and smoldering vehicle. Names were not released at the time of the incident, however police reports show that one adult male, an adult pregnant woman and male child were all caught inside the burning vehicle.

The child who was found trapped in the rear of the car apparently suffered serious second and third degree burns to his torso, neck and face along with other injuries. Rescuers determined that the boy still had had vital life signs. He was rapidly extricated from the car, treated with advanced trauma life support procedures and quickly transported to Johns Hopkins Children's Center for further assessments and treatment.

According to the report, the driver of the tractor trailer reportedly suffered minor injuries and was transported to an area hospital. Police officers from the Maryland Transportation Authority could not immediately determine what caused the accident. An investigation was ongoing at the time of the report.

Family Rescued After Crash with Tractor Trailer, ABC2News.com, September 26, 2009

As Maryland trucking accident lawyers, we understand the seriousness of any highway traffic accident involving semi-tractor trailers. Every year, hundreds and even thousands of heavy trucks are involved in multi-vehicle accidents, usually resulting in serious injuries to the smaller cars caught up in the collision; some wrecks are fatal to the occupants of these passenger cars. This is an unfortunate fact when it comes to these big rigs.

What’s worse is that statistics show that large trucks are more likely to be involved in serious multiple-vehicle collisions than sedans, coupes or other smaller passenger cars. These statistics also indicate that time and time again injuries resulting from truck accidents can be much more serious and many times fatal. Common injuries include spinal cord damage, severe brain trauma, broken bones and other serious and permanent bodily harm.

Because heavy trucks such as Macks, Kenworths, Peterbuilts, Freightliners and other makes are important to the commerce of this country, the volume and frequency of these large vehicles on public roads will always be significant, especially during weekdays. Busy metropolitan areas get their fair share of truck traffic, both on expressways and surface streets near industrial parks.

As drivers of smaller, family vehicles and passenger cars, we must all deal with the presence of these larger more massive trucks on a daily basis. When fully loaded, a semi-tractor and trailer can weight up to 80,000 pounds -- this is roughly equivalent to more than 20 times the average weight of a typical passenger car, minivan, SUV or pickup truck. In a crash, a fully-loaded semi can literally crush another smaller car as well as its occupants.

From research performed over the years, we know that many trucking accidents could have been avoided. Although most trucking companies are responsible enough to ensure that their trucks and drivers are safe, some are not. Cargo overloading is more common than one would expect and can cause operational problems for the driver of these big rigs. In an accident situation, and overloaded truck takes longer to stop and can more easily lose control, depending on the road conditions.

Truck drivers themselves will occasionally take risks on the road, even though such actions could jeopardize the safety of other motorists. While most truck drivers observe truck and traffic safety laws, some do not. Instances of exceeding the legal on-road driving time -- for example to meet a deadline -- are common in the newspaper headlines where a tragic accident resulted from the truck driver falling asleep at the wheel. Others may drive too fast or making unsafe passing maneuvers and turns. In a small number of cases, trucking accidents have been drunk driving accidents.

If you or someone you love have been injured in a trucking-related traffic accident, Lebowitz & Mzhen, LLC advise you to contact a qualified legal profession to discuss your situation and determine if you have grounds for a lawsuit to recover medical costs, lost wages or other compensation for your pain and suffering.

Shannon Brown is a very lucky woman. Not because she recently received just over $1 million in a trucking accident lawsuit, but mainly because she is alive to talk about it. As a Maryland trucking accident and personal injury attorney, I have represented people like Shannon who have been injured in heavy truck and tractor-trailer crashes as a result of another person’s negligence. These types of truck-car collisions happen quite frequently in the Baltimore area and in other cities and towns across the state. Many times the outcome is quite tragic.

Trucking accidents can result at the very least in cuts and bruises. At worst passenger vehicle occupants can many times suffer compound fractures, concussions and traumatic brain injuries, and spinal damage. Fatalities are common. Occupants of passenger cars are at much higher risk of injury or death when it comes to being hit by a large over-the-road truck than by another car. Such was the case back in 2006 when Shannon and her little baby boy became victims of another driver’s carelessness.

The accident occurred on July 13, 2006, when a tanker truck ran a red light and hit Brown’s car. Although she survived the crash, the impact was so severe that her right leg was crushed. Fortunately, her tiny baby who was riding in the car was not even injured in the accident. Brown had two undergo two surgeries for her fractured leg, with doctors placing 18 screws and a plate in the leg to restore it to a usable state.

According to reports, the plaintiffs and defendants had disagreed over who was at fault in causing the collision. In the end, the jury decided that an 11-year-old witness was the most credible. That individual testified that Brown was the one with the green light, not the driver of the tanker truck. The jury also found the truck driver liable for causing the traffic crash.

The Baltimore jury awarded Brown $1,063,807.37 on August 11, 2009, of which $1 million was for Brown’s pain and suffering. However, under the Maryland’s damages cap rules, Brown’s non-economic damage award will be reduced to just under $729,000.

The state’s damages cap places a limit on the amount of compensation a jury may award for non-economic damages like pain and suffering in a Maryland personal injury lawsuit. At the time of Brown’s accident, the Maryland statute capped a plaintiff’s non-economic damages at $665,000.

Traffic violations, such as running a red light, not stopping at a red light, failing to signal, and failing to obey the speed limit, can lead to catastrophic consequences if the driver’s truck ends up hitting another, usually smaller vehicle.

It is important to note that just two weeks before going to trial, Eastern Petroleum, one of the defendants in the suit, attempted to offer Brown a settlement in the amount of $25,000. This is just one example of why retaining a personal injury lawyer is imperative in matters of serious injury or fatal accidents.

Maryland truck accident litigators recently read about a truck accident on Davis Drive in Apex, North Carolina that could be repeated on some of Maryland’s smaller roads.

Earlier this week, a dump truck driving down a narrow two lane road that lacked a shoulder, overturned and landed on top of a Honda Civic. The driver of the Civic, Kara Walden Benton, was seriously injured and was flown from the scene to an area hospital. The passenger, Mrs. Benton’s husband, 26 year-old Chad Benton, was less seriously injured.

The driver of the dump truck told investigators that another driver forced the dump truck off the road and onto the grass. According the dump truck driver, his truck overturned when he attempted to get back onto the solid roadway. Other drivers and area residents believe that the lack of a shoulder on Davis Drive poses a safety concern and was the likely cause of this accident. The two lane road is lined by grassy ditches on both sides and if a vehicle’s wheel leaves the roadway, the driver may lose tire traction and be unable to control the automobile. According to residents in the area, this is not the first time the narrow nature of the road has caused accidents. Wake County officials, however, have no plans to widen the road to provide a better shoulder.

Maryland, particularly in rural areas, has a number of narrow roads similar to Davis Drive. Drivers, particularly those in large trucks, have little or no room for error while traveling on these narrow roads and could easily cause similar accidents. Maryland truck accident attorneys suggest that our readers pay close attention when driving near large vehicles on narrow roads particularly in poor weather conditions. A truck whose tire leaves a solid roadway and hit softer earth is susceptible to losing control, and due to its high center of gravity, may overturn, putting drivers near it at risk for serious injury.

External Links

WTVD ABC 11 News Story

Continue reading "In Maryland: Narrow Roads May Put Drivers at Increased Risk for Truck Accidents" »

In a prior post, we reported how many truck companies attempt to rush people injured in Maryland big rig accidents to accept low settlements. Recently, a potential client came into my office and explained that she had been involved in a Maryland truck accident while traveling on Interstate 95 in Howard County, Maryland. This lady explained that she had sustained what she considered “serious, but not life threatening injuries.”

This individual went on to describe how the insurance company for the truck company had called her a week after the accident, one thing led to another, and she agreed to settle her case for an amount that she now realizes was far too law. She wanted to know if she had any legal rights to go back and undo her mistake. She does.

In Maryland, if a person settles her case within 30 days after a truck accident (evidenced by the signing of a legal release within 30 days of the incident), without being represented by a lawyer and without the advice of an attorney, the victim may void the release within 60 days after the date the release was signed. The voiding of the release must be done in writing, and it must be accompanied by the return of the money paid in settlement.

It should be noted that an insurance company may not obtain a settlement, or try to negotiate a settlement, within 15 days of an automobile or truck accident, if the person injured is confined to a hospital.

These protections for Maryland accident victims became law in 2007. The law reinforces my view that individuals need protection from insurance companies, and others, who aggressively pursue a quick settlement (and almost always a low settlement) before the victim knows what hit them.

Due to this weekend’s snow storm in Maryland, our Maryland truck accident attorneys have spoken to many potential clients regarding accidents caused when the driver of a motor vehicle, or in one case, the driver of a tractor trailer, hit a patch of ice, or compacted snow, lost control of the vehicle driven, and caused an accident. After a snow storm, potential clients call us and ask a question like this, “Do I have a case: I was injured when another driver lost control of his vehicle on ice and slammed into the front of my car?”

In Maryland, a driver of a motor vehicle must control his or her vehicle in all weather conditions. The Maryland Transportation Article, Section 21-801 states that:

“At all times, the driver of a vehicle on a highway shall control the speed of the vehicle as necessary to avoid colliding with any person or any vehicle or other conveyance.”

In short, the failure to control a vehicle due to snow or ice does not excuse the act of losing control of a tractor trailer, an SUV, or an automobile. A driver is responsible for injuries or damages caused when his or her motor vehicle goes out of control and strikes another driver, even if the accident was caused by ice or snow on the roadway.

Continue reading "All Maryland Drivers Must Maintain Control of Their Vehicles, Even When Driving on Snow and Ice" »

The attorneys at Lebowitz & Mzhen, LLC have developed the following list of things to do directly after an accident with a commercial vehicle. We suggest that our readers print out this list and place it in their glove compartment. We also suggest that you store a camera in your glove box in order to take photographs if you are involved in an accident.

1. STOP your car, no matter how minor the accident.
2. CALL THE POLICE to investigate the accident.
3. DO NOT DISCUSS THE ACCIDENT with anyone except the police officer on the scene.
4. GET INFORMATION ABOUT THE OTHER DRIVER AND THE TRACTOR TRAILER before leaving the scene of the accident. Make sure that you have the following information: (a) full name of the driver, (b) name of the trucking company, (c) Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) license number from the side of the cab of the commercial vehicle, (d) telephone number of the trucking company, (e) insurance company and policy number for the tractor trailer, and (f) license plate number of the tractor trailer.
5. GET NAMES, ADDRESSES AND TELEPHONE NUMBERS OF ALL WITNESSES.
6. DRAW A DIAGRAM of the accident.
7. TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS of the damage to your vehicle and, if possible, the tractor trailer, and any skid marks left on the roadway. Additionally, take photographs of your injuries if they are visible.
8. NOTIFY YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY.
9. DO NOT DISCUSS THE ACCIDENT WITH ANY INSURANCE COMPANY until you have talked to your lawyer.
10. IF YOU ARE INJURED, contact a doctor or go to the nearest emergency room as soon as possible.

Continue reading "Maryland Truck Accident Victim: Immediate Actions to Take" »

As the temperature drops and the nights grow longer, Maryland drivers prepare to travel to holiday celebrations around the state and around the country. Remembering holiday seasons past, drivers on Maryland highways should be prepared to confront a sea of tail lights and slow moving bumpers this year as well. However, while the kids play license plate bingo, Maryland personal injury lawyers urge our readers to drive safely so that they can enjoy holiday celebrations.

Lebowitz & Mzhen would like to take this time to offer some safe driving tips to make sure that all of you are able to have a very happy holiday surrounded by family and friends.
• Plan your route based on traffic information
• Always appoint a designated driver if you plan to drink alcohol
• Leave early and allow yourself extra time to reach your destination
• Do not follow too closely—the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration recommends a three second interval between you and the car in front of you
• Know the location of Maryland roadwork protects that may delay your travel
• Spot and protect yourself from aggressive drivers frustrated by heavy traffic
• After indulging in the requisite large holiday meals, never driver drowsy

Additional web resources
Maryland State Highway Administration
Maryland Department of Motor Vehicles Safety Programs

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, 20% of Marylanders killed in truck accidents in 2006 were between the ages of 16 and 25, and speed or failure of the young driver to stay in their proper lane caused nearly 53% of these fatalities. According to the NTSB, young drivers represent less than 7% of this country’s driving population, but make up 13% of drivers involved in fatal car accidents. 66% of passengers killed when teens are behind the wheel are between the ages of 15 and 19 years old. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety young drivers need 500 hours of practice in order to be considered safe drivers.

Continue reading "Younger Maryland Drivers are at a Higher Risk for Serious Automobile Accidents" »

A 78-year-old woman was killed and her 74-year-old husband sustained serious injuries when they were hit by a dump truck in Germantown last Thursday. The deadly Maryland motor vehicle crash occurred around 12:50pm on Route 118 in an area of the road that was under construction.

The dump truck struck the elderly pedestrians as it was backing up. Yushu Li died at the accident scene. Her husband, Xiufeng Wang was admitted to Suburban Hospital in serious but stable condition.

According to police, who are conducting the investigation, the backup alarm on the truck was working and the truck doesn’t appear to have any code violations. Dump truck driver Jack Bowers did not sustain injures.

A backhoe operator who saw the couple walking prior to the accident stopped his equipment because he believed the two of them were too close to the debris.

Common kinds of truck accidents that can lead to injuries and deaths include:

• Trucks striking pedestrians
• A collision between a truck and car, motorcycle, or another vehicle
• A truck striking a nonmoving object

Trucks that have been involved in traffic accidents include:

• Dump trucks
• 18-wheeler trucks
• Tractor-trailers
• Van trucks
• Garbage trucks
• Logging trucks
• Livestock vehicles
• Cement mixers
• Bobtail units

Senior Pedestrians Facts
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, senior pedestrians made up 16% of the 4,654 pedestrians that died and the 6% percent of the 70,000 pedestrians that were injured in traffic crashes in 2007.

Woman Killed After Dump Truck Strikes Her, WJZ.com, October 10, 2008

Woman Dies in Truck Accident, WashingtonPost.com, October 10, 2008

Pedestrians Hit by Dump Truck in Germantown , MyFox, October 9, 2008

Related Web Resources:

Pedestrian Traffic Safety Fact Sheet, NHTSA

Continue reading "Dump Truck Accident in Germantown Kills One Elderly Pedestrian and Seriously Injures Her Husband" »

Four people sustained injuries in Harford County, Maryland, after a tractor-trailer hit a pickup truck, turned over, and spilled a flammable chemical onto Interstate 95 (southbound). The crash occurred past the Aberdeen exit close to the Maryland House Travel Center.

Maryland State Police say the trucking accident occurred soon after 2am soon after Juan Moyorga, a pickup truck driver slowed down his vehicle in the wake of the crash scene from an earlier collision. He was rear-ended by a tractor-trailer, which then turned over onto the center median’s guardrail.

Investigators say that fluid began leaking from the semi-truck onto the ground. They have identified the flammable chemical as acetone.

A part of the highway was shut down for eight hours, while firefighters managed to contain the acetone leak. The Maryland Department of the Environment says about five gallons had leaked out.

Edgewood resident Deanna Moyorga, a passenger in the pickup, was transported by air to Maryland Shock Trauma Center with critical injuries. Juan Moyorga and another passenger, Andreas Juarez, suffered serious injures and were also taken to the center.

Baltimore tractor-trailer driver Carroll Quarles suffered non fatal injuries and was transported to Harford Memorial Hospital.

Chemical Spills
Trucking accidents resulting in chemical spills can be a potential hazard not just to the motor vehicle crash victims but to other people in the area—depending on the type of chemical that is leaked and the injuries that can result.

4 hurt, chemical spilled in I-95 crash in Harford, BaltimoreSun.com, October 5, 2008

Interstate 95 Reopens After Hazmat Spill, WBALTV.com, October 4, 2008

Related Web Resource:

Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry, CDC.gov

Maryland Department of the Environment

Continue reading "Four People Injured in Maryland After Tractor-Trailer Strikes Another Vehicle, Causing Chemical Spill in Harford County" »

Following its findings that the cause of a 2005 semi-trailer– bus crash in Wisconsin that claimed five lives and injured over 30 people happened because the truck driver had fallen asleep while driving, the National Transportation Safety Board is recommending that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration implement new technology to fight trucker fatigue.

The deadly crash occurred when a bus carrying a high school band rammed into Kozlowski’s overturned large truck. The agency says that Kozlowski failed to get enough sleep during his off-time and nodded off right before his truck jackknifed.

While the jury for Kozlowski’s criminal trial acquitted the trucker of 12 felony and 21 misdemeanor charges and placed blame on the 78-year-old bus driver for not wearing his glasses, the agency’s findings conclude that even if he had worn his glasses, the motorcoach operator would have had a hard time seeing the truck in the dark.

The NTSB is recommending that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration:

• Put together a plan to install anti-fatigue technology in commercial carriers.
• Create a methodology to evaluate how well a motor carrier’s fatigue management strategy is working.

The NTSB is recommending that the National Highway Traffic Administration figure out whether it makes sense to install active braking and electronic stability control systems in commercial trucks. It also wants trucking companies to more closely monitor truck log books and make sure that their drivers are getting enough sleep in between their driving shifts.

If you or someone you love was injured in a Maryland truck crash, this is not the kind of case that you want to handle without an experienced truck crash attorney by your side.

Truck Driver Fell Asleep, NTSB Says, School Transportation News

Truck accidents justify crackdown on fatal link to drivers' fatigue, DelawareOnline.com, September 19, 2008

Related Web Resources:

Hours-of-Service Regulations, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

National Transportation Safety Board

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Continue reading "NTSB Calls on FMCSA to Do More to FIght Trucker Fatigue and Prevent Deadly Truck Crashes" »

A Maryland woman who was going to get married on September 20 died a week before her wedding when the limousine that she and her friends were riding in on the night of her bachelorette party was struck by a tractor-trailer around 4:30 in the morning. Sunshine Royston, 28, suffered fatal injuries from the truck crash.

According to Baltimore police, a Freightliner tractor-trailer turned into the left side of the limousine, causing the limo to get knocked onto its side. Royston was later pronounced dead at Johns Hopkins Hospital and the other girls that had been in the vehicle with her were also treated for injuries. A Baltimore police spokesman says that preliminary reports indicate that the tractor-trailer driver appears to have failed to yield to the right of way but that the investigation into the crash continues.

According to family members, the girls rented the limousine for the party because they did not want to drink and drive. Royston leaves behind her finance and three children.

According to the Large Truck Crash Causation Study (a summary can be found on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Web site), associated factors for truck crashes include:

• Exhaustion
• Brake difficulties
• Use of prescription drugs or over-the-counter medication
• Road problems
• Driving too fast for current road conditions
• Interruptions to traffic flow
• Improper surveillance
• Work pressures
• Illegal maneuvering
• Driver distraction or inattention
• Jackknifing
• Illness
• Drunk driving
• Driving under the influence of drugs

Bride-to-be dies when tractor-trailer hits limousine, BaltimoreSun.com, September 14, 2008

Viewing Held For Bride-To-Be Killed In Accident, WJZ.com, September 16, 2008

Related Web Resource:

Large Truck Crash Causation Study, FMCSA

Continue reading "Baltimore Bride-To-Be Dies in Maryland Tractor-Trailer Accident " »

The NHTSA is reporting a decline in overall traffic fatalities in the US between 2007 and 2006. According to its 2007 Annual Assessment of Motor Vehicle Traffic Crash Fatalities and People Injured, the drop in total deaths from 42,708 deaths in 2006 to 41,059 fatalities in 2007 to was a 3.9% decrease. The report also reported a decline in the number of motor vehicle injury victims, from 2,575,000 injuries in 2006 to 2,491,000 injury victims in 2007.

Other 2007 US Traffic Accident Statistics:

• 28,933 passenger vehicle deaths.
• 2,221,000 passenger vehicle injuries.

• 802 large trucker deaths.
• 23,000 large trucker injuries (The same number of reported large truck injuries as in 2006).
• 4,808 killed in large truck accidents.
•
• 5,154 motorcycle deaths—an increase from the 4,837 motorcycle fatalities in 2006.
• 103,000 motorcycle injuries—an increase from the 88,000 motorcycle injuries in 2006.

• 4,654 pedestrian deaths
• 70,000 pedestrian injuries

• 698 pedalcyclist deaths
• 43,000 pedalcyclist injuries

• 12,998 Drunk driving-related deaths

Motor vehicle accidents can lead to catastrophic injuries for the victims as well as cause a great deal of pain, suffering, and loss for family members. For many auto accident victims, it can be difficult to determine what action to take next to take care of yourself after a crash. Do NOT reach a settlement agreement with the negligent parties without exploring your legal options.

Continue reading "NHTSA Reports 41,057 Motor Vehicle Deaths in 2007" »

Preliminary statistics for the number of injuries resulting from truck accidents in the United States in 2007 have been published on the US Department of Transportation Web site.

According to the data source Motor Carrier Management Information System (MCMIS), in 2007 there were:

• 54,961 injury crashes involving large trucks resulting in 80,752 injuries.
• 6,709 bus accidents resulting in 15,297 injuries.

These figure indicate an increase in truck accident injuries compared to the year prior. According to the MCMIS 2006 truck accident injury statistics, there were:

• 60,058 large truck collisions resulting in 90,087 injuries.
• 6,811 bus accidents resulting in 16,044 injuries.

The Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) says that: in 2006:

• 4,995 people died in 4,732 large truck accidents.
• 331 people died in 299 bus accidents.
• In 2007, large truck accidents resulted in 4,808 fatalities.

Pursuing an injury claim resulting in a truck accident requires the knowledge of an experienced Maryland truck crash lawyer. Injuries sustained in accidents involving tractor-trailers, garbage trucks, semi-trucks, and 18-wheeler trucks can be catastrophic--even fatal. It is important that your attorney is familiar with both state and federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulations and knows the way truck companies and their insurers handle injury cases in order to successfully pursue your personal injury claim or lawsuit.

2007 Preliminary Crash Facts

US Department of Transportation

Continue reading "FMCSA Web Site Publishes 2007 Preliminary Truck and Bus Crash Facts" »

Officials in Maryland have confirmed reports that the car that sideswiped the tractor-trailer that fell off the Chesapeake Bay Bridge on August 10 was driven by a 19-year-old woman that fell asleep at the wheel. The driver, Candy Lynn Baldwin, was also injured in the catastrophic auto crash, which killed truck driver John Short. The Maryland medical examiner’s office cited drowning and multiple injuries as the trucker’s cause of death.

Baldwin has undergone several surgeries since the accident and will likely undergo more. According to NBC4.com, she also faces a wrongful death lawsuit from the accident.

Baldwin’s Chevrolet Camaro struck the large truck after crossing the center line. The impact of the collision caused the 40,000 pound tractor-trailer to crash through the jersey wall and drop into the Chesapeake Bay. The accident happened at around 4am and when traffic moving in both directions were sharing the bridge’s eastbound span.

Meantime, the Maryland Transportation Authority is continuing to investigate the accident. Just last week inspectors were examining the bridge. According to Maryland Transportation Authority chief engineer Geoffrey Kolberg, “We have no doubt about the safety of the bridge, but we will do as thorough a job as possible.”

If you believe that you were injured in a motor vehicle accident because another party was negligent, you should speak with an experienced Baltimore personal injury lawyer right away. There may be more than one party that is liable for your injury accident, and our car crash lawyers can explore all avenues of recovery for you.

If someone you love has died in a truck crash, car collision, motorcycle accident, or bus crash that you believe occurred because someone was reckless, negligent, or careless, a Maryland wrongful death lawyer can speak with you.

Bay Bridge Lane Closes; State Inspection Follows Fatal Crash, BaltimoreSun.com, August 19, 2008

Woman Faces Civil Lawsuit In Fatal Bay Bridge Crash, NBC4.com, August 21, 2008

Related Web Resources:

Bay Bridge, Maryland Transportation Authority

Truck Driver Dies In Bay Bridge Crash, WashingtonPost.com, August 10, 2008