Parkville, MD Truck Accident Lawyer

In a truck crash, the victim is often the driver or passengers in the other car.  Truckers often walk away from these accidents with no serious injuries, and the occupants of the other cars could be left with permanent or long-term injuries.

If your accident kept you in the hospital, kept you from returning to work, and left you with extensive pain and suffering, you could be entitled to a lawsuit to recover compensation.  For help with this case, it is important to work with a lawyer who has your best interests in mind instead of trusting insurance companies to compensate you in full.

Contact Rice, Murtha & Psoras’ truck accident lawyers at (410) 694-7291 for a free review of your potential case.

Truck Accident Injuries and Damages in Parkville, MD

Truck accident victims often face serious damages from these crashes.  Their cars can be absolutely destroyed in a crash after impacting a truck that weighs up to 80,000 pounds.  The force and momentum of a crash can also seriously injure the occupants, potentially leaving them with broken bones, head trauma, back and neck injuries, and other serious injuries.

In many cases, the damages you face will result in long-term medical expenses, exceptional pain and suffering, and lost time at work.  Getting compensation for all of these damages can often be more expensive than insurance companies are willing to pay for.  As such, you may need to get help from a truck accident lawyer and take the case to court in order to get full compensation.

How Insurance Claims and Lawsuits Work in Truck Accident Cases in Parkville, MD

Whether your state is an “at-fault” or “no-fault” state when it comes to car insurance will play a big part in your injury case.  If you are from Maryland and have Maryland driver’s insurance, then you should have some degree of Personal Injury Protection insurance that will provide some benefits to you without asking about who is at fault in the crash.  However, most of your damages will be paid by the at-fault driver in the crash, making Maryland an at-fault or “tort” state.

This means that your right to sue after a crash is not usually restricted in any way.  Contrast this with drivers who have out-of-state insurance from a no-fault state.  In those cases, their insurance might block them from being able to sue for injuries unless they meet certain standards of “serious” injuries.  Even if you were injured in Maryland while traveling from out of state, you should be able to sue for your injuries in Maryland.

Suing Truck Drivers and Trucking Companies for Crashes in Parkville, MD

Even though the driver was the one actually behind the wheel at the time of the accident, the trucking company they work for might be a defendant in your truck accident case as well.  In many cases, truck drivers are everyday people who do not have the funds to cover the serious damages they could cause with a massive truck, but their insurance and the company they work for should be able to cover these damages.

Truck drivers could be held directly liable, in which case their insurance should cover the case.  In cases where the trucker who hit you is an owner-operator or an independent contractor, this might be the sum of the compensation available for your injuries.  However, if they were working for a trucking company as an employee when they caused the crash, the trucking company might be on the hook instead.

Trucking companies may be held liable for the negligence of an employee who causes an accident while working.  This means that any time the truck driver was on duty – even if they were pulling into a rest stop or gas station for a mandatory driving break – the trucking company could be liable for their actions.  However, the trucking company would not usually be liable if the trucker was taking an excursion or doing a personal errand when the accident happened.

Sometimes, trucking companies attempt to dodge blame by saying their drivers were violating company policy by speeding or violating traffic laws, but our attorneys can fight these kinds of defenses.

Our lawyers might also be able to hold the trucking company directly liable for its own mistakes when it comes to accidents caused by maintenance issues with trucks, negligent retention of trucking employees the company should have fired for past accidents or violations, and other mistakes and regulatory violations.

Damages Available for Injured Trucking Victims in Parkville, MD

If you were hurt in an accident with an 18-wheeler, you could be left with substantial injuries.  The resulting economic and non-economic damages can often be claimed in an insurance claim or lawsuit.

Economic Damages

The monetary expenses you face because of an injury can be compensated separately from the injury itself.  For example, if you broke your leg in a truck accident and needed surgery, a cast, crutches, and 6 weeks off from work, then you could be entitled to claim compensation for those medical costs, the cost of medical supplies, and the money you lost because you were unable to work.

These and other economic costs – like the cost of vehicle repair – can be claimed in your case.

Non-Economic Damages

The injuries themselves, plus the pain and suffering of an injury, can be compensated in their own right as well.  These damages do not have receipts or financial statements or bills attached to them, but you can nonetheless claim monetary damages for mental and emotional distress, physical pain, and other non-economic damages.

Call Our Truck Accident Attorneys Today at Rice, Murtha & Psoras

Contact Rice, Murtha & Psoras at (410) 694-7291 for a free case review with our truck accident attorneys.