Caroline County Truck Accident Attorney

Truck accidents are unlike run-of-the-mill car accidents in Caroline County. Truck accidents are often much more devastating and are more likely to cause catastrophic injuries.

The road to recovery can be challenging, but a skilled Caroline County truck accident attorney can help you pursue compensation. In some cases, the truck driver might be solely responsible for causing an accident. However, trucking companies can often be held liable for their driver’s negligence or their own negligence if it contributed to the accident. It is critical to name all the potentially responsible parties in your lawsuit so that you do not miss out on the damages you are entitled to.

If you were injured in a truck accident, our experienced Caroline County truck accident attorneys can help you get the compensation you deserve. For a free case review, call Rice, Murtha & Psoras at (844) 876-4357.

Common Ways Truck Accidents Happen in Carolina County

Truck accidents can occur in many different ways, often causing severe injuries and sometimes death. However, a few scenarios are more likely to cause a truck accident in Carolina County. How your truck accident injuries were caused will impact the legal strategies employed in your case. Fortunately, our Caroline County truck accident attorneys can help you no matter how your injuries come about.

Traffic Violations

Traffic violations account for many truck accidents in Caroline County. These accidents are often made worse because a truck is a large and dangerous vehicle. Common traffic violations include speeding, failure to use turn signals, and running lights and traffic signs. Truck drivers must also observe state and federal trucking regulations, like maintaining the appropriate weight limits rated for their trucks and conducting inspections before taking them out. Negligent drivers can be sued if they fail to follow all traffic laws in Caroline County.

Driver Fatigue

Given the strenuous delivery schedules that most businesses have today, driver fatigue is a leading factor in trucking accidents. Many truck drivers haul cargo across Maryland or even to other points across the country. Rules and regulations are in place that require truck drivers to make frequent stops at specified times and rest.

Unfortunately, many trucking companies push their drivers to get to their destinations as quickly as possible. If a driver is pushed too long, fatigue can set in, reducing a driver’s focus and reaction time. In the worst cases, a driver might completely fall asleep at the wheel and cause unthinkable damage to others on the road.

Equipment Failures

Equipment failures can also cause devastating accidents if they occur at the wrong time. Some equipment failures can be prevented through routine inspections, which drivers and trucking companies are required to do. For instance, if a truck’s underride bars, which prevent other cars from getting pinned under the truck, are defective or not installed, the problem should be remedied before the truck ever gets on the road.

However, many trucks are filled with sophisticated technology and systems that could malfunction because they were defective in their design or manufacturing. For example, an accident could be caused by a truck’s steering system failing or an airbrake failure.

Poor Cargo Securement

Other truck accidents occur when a driver or other party fails to load or secure the cargo properly. Trucks like tractor-trailers and flatbeds can easily lose control if their cargo is negligently loaded, even causing the truck to jackknife in some situations.

Employers must ensure that their employees are properly trained to store and secure the cargo they routinely handle correctly. When they do not, they could be held liable for any injuries caused by their employees’ failure to load the cargo properly. Our Caroline County truck accident attorneys can help you determine how your truck accident occurred and hold the responsible party accountable.

Who You Can Sue for a Caroline County Truck Accident

Truck accident lawsuits can be complex since several parties could be responsible for your injuries. Truck drivers are often the direct cause of an accident, typically acting negligently in one of the ways mentioned above, such as traffic violations and fatigued driving. However, a truck driver’s employer could also have contributed to an accident they were involved in.

In many cases, trucking companies can be held vicariously liable for the negligence of their drivers under the legal doctrine known as respondent superior. For this doctrine to apply, the accident must have occurred while the truck driver was in furtherance of their job duties for the trucking company. If a trucking company cannot be held vicariously liable for an accident, it could still be sued if they were negligent in the hiring process in some way or failed to maintain its trucks.

Sometimes another driver’s actions will result in a truck accident. for instance, if a driver cuts a trucker off or comes to an abrupt stop, it could cause the driver to swerve into another vehicle. However, the other driver and truck driver will likely both be negligent in causing your injuries.

In rarer cases, the designer or manufacturer of a defective truck part will be responsible for a truck accident. The designer or manufacturer could be held liable if a defective truck part fails and causes a driver to hit another vehicle. Our Caroline County truck accident attorneys can review your case to determine the parties that owe you compensation.

Damages Recoverable in Caroline County Truck Accident Lawsuits

Multiple types of damages can be awarded to a victim in a truck accident lawsuit. These compensatory damages are typically a combination of the economic damages you suffered, as well as the non-economic damages your injuries have caused. The following are the most common types of damages truck accident victims can be awarded in a Caroline County lawsuit:

• Medical expenses
• Lost income
• Property damage
• Out-of-pocket expenses
• Damages for physical pain and emotional suffering

You will need to present evidence of your damages to recover compensation, which can be done with your medical records, pay stubs, and other records relevant to your case. Our Caroline County truck accident attorneys can help you gather the evidence you need to recover compensation for your damages.

Our Caroline County Truck Accident Attorneys Can Help

If you were injured in a truck accident caused by negligence, our Caroline County truck accident attorneys can help you hold the responsible parties accountable. Contact Rice, Murtha & Psoras today at (844) 876-4357 for a free case evaluation.