Edgewood, MD Truck Accident Lawyer

A Truck accident can cause a lot of damage when it happens. The size and weight disparity between a semi truck, 18-wheeler, or other big-rig vehicle and an ordinary car or SUV is such that regular motorists are very likely to suffer grievous injuries when they are involved in a truck accident. These injuries will require extensive medical treatment – and very likely some form of long-term care – which can become incredibly expensive. truck accident victims may not know where to turn after they have been injured.

If you were injured in a truck accident near Edgewood, our lawyers can help. We are experienced attorneys who have represented many truck accident victims in court, and we can put that experience to use in helping you with your case. We can collect evidence, talk to witnesses and other parties, and fight hard for you in court for the financial compensation you need after a truck accident.

Give our truck accident lawyers from Rice, Murtha & Psoras a call at the number (410) 694-7291 to get a free case analysis.

Trucks That Cause Accidents in Edgewood, MD

When people think of the term “truck accident,” often the first image that comes to mind is a large 18-wheeler. However, truck accident lawsuits can cover injuries from a wide range of trucks.

Semi Trucks

The term “semi truck” usually refers to the front cab portion of a tractor-trailer vehicle that can travel on its own. Despite lacking the size and mass of a full tractor-trailer setup, semi trucks can still cause large amounts of damage and serious injuries when they get in accidents.

18-Wheelers

18-wheelers, or tractor-trailer trucks, are probably the type of commercial truck that comes to mind when the term is mentioned. These trucks transport cargo over great distances and, as such, are incredibly large and heavy. An 18-wheeler’s size and weight make it capable of causing extremely serious injuries. It is not especially uncommon for truck accidents involving 18-wheelers to result in fatalities for occupants of other vehicles.

Garbage Trucks

Garbage trucks make frequent stops and starts as they go along their route during the day. If the truck driver is not paying attention to their surroundings on a crowded street, they could damage someone’s vehicle or injure a driver in front or behind them.

Dump Trucks

Dump trucks are usually found going to, from, at, or near a construction site. Accordingly, they often have large amounts of debris in their open-box beds. If too much debris is placed in the back of the truck or it is not secured properly, it could fall out and injure another motorist. Additionally, dump trucks are on the heavier end of trucks, so their mass alone can cause injuries.

Cement Trucks

Cement trucks are also found around construction sites. When a cement truck is on the road and not being used to distribute cement or concrete, the mixer is intended to be turned off. If it is left on, the contents moving about inside the mixer can throw the truck off-balance, causing it to move in unpredictable ways and potentially resulting in an accident.

What Causes Truck Accidents to Happen in Edgewood, MD?

Truck accidents can occur for a variety of reasons. The thing that causes a truck accident is actually very important to our truck accident lawyers in building the argument for your truck accident lawsuit. The law only lets plaintiffs recover damages from defendants who actually caused their injuries. Therefore, it is critical to pin down exactly what cause, or causes, are to blame in a truck accident lawsuit.

Driver Errors

When a truck driver is negligent or does something careless that causes an injury, they pose a danger to other motorists and pedestrians alike. Truckers are just as prone to making mistakes on the road as any other driver. Running a red light, speeding, drunk driving, and making overly wide turns are all ways that a truck driver can cause an accident.

In addition, there are certain rules truckers must follow because their job requires driving for long periods of time. For example, truckers must keep a logbook of how long they drive. This is because truck drivers are not allowed to stay behind the wheel for long periods of time since driving while fatigued or tired is just as deadly as drunk driving. If a trucker stays on the road past the point that they are sleepy and fatigued, an accident can result.

Defects

In other instances, truck accidents are caused by an issue with the truck. These problems are called “defects.” Defects can be in the truck’s design, where the problem will happen even if the truck is built “correctly,” or they can occur during truck manufacture, repair, or general maintenance. An example of a design defect would be a gas tank located somewhere that it is likely to catch fire. A manufacturing defect would be incorrectly installed transmission wiring or faulty brakes.

In cases where a defect is to blame for a truck accident, you should include the party responsible for the manufacture or maintenance of your truck in your lawsuit.

Poor Road Conditions

In some circumstances, truck accidents are caused by poor road conditions, like potholes or uncleared debris. Generally, it is the responsibility of a government entity to keep roads safe and in good working order. However, filing a lawsuit against government entities can be difficult. Therefore, it can be a better idea to focus on filing a lawsuit against other parties that are responsible for your injuries.

Discuss Your Case with Our Edgewood, MD Truck Accident Lawyers

Rice, Murtha & Psoras have truck accident lawyers ready to review your case when you call (410) 694-7291.