Harford County Truck Accident Lawyer

After an accident with a commercial vehicle, such as a tractor-trailer or delivery truck, you will need legal help. Our law office will serve as a mediator between you and the various insurance companies and prepare a personal injury lawsuit. While you tend to your injuries, we will tirelessly work towards securing the best settlement possible.

If you or a loved one was injured in a crash involving a commercial vehicle, contact our Harford County, MD truck accident lawyer immediately. Call Rice, Murtha & Psoras at (410) 694-7291 to review your case.

Common Trucking Accident Roads in Harford County, Maryland

Some of the most commonly traveled roads in Harford County include Interstate 95, US 1, US 40, MD 7, MD 22, MD 23, MD 24, MD 136, MD 138, MD 146, MD 147, MD 152, MD 155, MD 156, MD 159, MD 161, MD 165, MD 439, MD 440, MD 462, MD 543, MD 623, MD 624, MD 715, and MD 924. A large number of accidents occur on each of these roads.

Not only is there a large amount of traffic in the Harford County area, drivers are also often under pressure to perform their jobs quickly. Due how they are paid, truck drivers are often under great stress to delivers packages as quickly as possible which frequently involves traveling a great distance to deliver loads in a short amount of time. Many truck drivers, however, end up becoming involved in dangerous accidents on or around Baltimore because they are under stress to deliver packages. When truck accidents do occur, victims often find it essential to obtain the services of a Harford County truck accident attorney.

Common Causes of Truck Accidents in Harford County

Any accident that occurs along Maryland’s roads and highways can be serious. However, when an accident involves a large commercial truck, the resulting injuries could be devastating. Our attorneys have handled complicated personal injury lawsuits arising from numerous types of truck accidents.

Distracted Driving

Whether a person is driving a car, a truck, or operating a motorcycle, distracted driving is a leading cause of accidents. Truck drivers are on the road for long stretches and might turn to their cell phones to talk or text with another person. Additionally, many drivers rely on a GPS to indicate the route they should be following. Any action that diverts a truck driver’s eyes from the road, for even a split second, could cause a catastrophic accident.

Driving While Fatigued

As stated above, truck drivers are often operating their vehicles for extended periods. When a driver becomes fatigued, they are likely to make an error in judgment or fail to react in time to avoid an unforeseen situation. Even though the time a truck driver can drive is regulated, many will ignore the restrictions to complete a delivery faster.

Aggressive or Reckless Driving

Getting a delivery completed quickly is a way to increase profits. To finish a route faster, a truck driver might operate their commercial vehicle at an unsafe speed or aggressively weave through slower traffic. Because of their size, trucks are difficult to maneuver and to quickly stop if required. This reckless and negligent driving increases the risk of an accident and endangers every other motorist on the road.

Driving Under the Influence of Drugs or Alcohol

Any drunk driver is a danger to others on the road. This negligent behavior is not limited to those who drive cars. When a truck driver is driving drunk, their physical and mental capabilities are severely compromised. Perhaps, what occurs more frequently, is a truck driver will use drugs to stave off sleep. While amphetamines might keep a person awake, they impair their abilities to operate their massive vehicle safely.

Poor Training

Driving a huge tractor-trailer is not a simple task. Safely operating large commercial vehicles requires proper training. If a trucking company hires a driver without training or fails to train its drivers adequately, it could be held liable if the driver causes an accident due to their insufficient skills.

Unsecured Cargo

Large tractor-trailers are difficult enough to control normally; however, when their cargo is unstable or too heavy, commercial trucks become unreasonably dangerous. If the cargo is negligently loaded or not thoroughly inspected, it could lead to a devastating or fatal accident. In these situations, the company that loaded the truck or the driver that failed to check the cargo could be held accountable for any injuries or damage.

Other Dangerous Commercial Trucks on Harford County Roads

When you think about a truck accident, you might picture a large tractor-trailer on its side, crushing several smaller cars and vehicles under its mass. While these types of trucks do cause catastrophic accidents, there are many other types of commercial vehicles that injure other motorists and pedestrians.

Garbage trucks are a necessity for disposing of waste and trash throughout the county. One thinks of these vehicles as moving slowly down the street, collecting trash. However, the driver has limited visibility, and accidents occur – from sideswiping a parked vehicle to striking an unseen pedestrian walking too close to the truck.

Additionally, delivery trucks and vans often stop quickly and rush to their next destination. If a driver is reckless or undertrained, they can easily cause an accident when they are distracted by the thought of completing their next delivery. Rice, Murtha & Psoras represents victims of any type of truck accident.

Steps to Take After A Truck Accident in Howard County

If you are struck by a commercial vehicle, it is common to feel uncertain about how to proceed. There are some steps, however, that you can take to make sure you obtain the compensation you deserve. Some of these steps include the following:

Obtain a Medical Evaluation

Most vehicular accidents involve serious and fatalities. Commercial vehicles often weigh over 50,000 pounds, which means that they are much larger and deadlier than smaller vehicles on the road. Even low speed crashes involving trucks have the potential to result in serious injuries. As a result, if you are injured in a truck accident, it is important to immediately be seen by an experienced medical provider. Even if you are not immediately aware that you have been injured in an accident, it is still a wise idea to be seen by a medical professionals because not all injuries are immediately apparent like broken bones or spinal damage.

Collect Evidence After Your Truck Accident

After accidents, it is important to obtain the  compensation that you deserve. Some of the evidence should be included are photographs of the scene of the accident. Photographs should capture the truck involved in the accident, your vehicle, and any marks of the accident. Accident victims should also contact law enforcement, which will create a police report documenting how the accident occurred. Police reports can later be used to establish how an accident occurred. A Harford County truck accident attorney can be particularly helpful in making sure that you collect the strongest evidence possible.

Damages and Injuries from Large Truck Accidents in Harford County, MD

When two cars collide at high speeds, the carnage and injuries can be devastating or fatal. Now imagine the same type of accident but with a massive commercial vehicle. A fully loaded tractor-trailer can weigh as much as 80,000 pounds. A truck of this size and weight needs a substantial amount of distance to stop entirely and cannot quickly turn to avoid another vehicle.

Because of these inherent dangers, truck drivers and trucking companies are subject to state and federal regulations. the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration limits the number of hours a truck driver can operate their vehicle. For their own safety and the safety of others on the road, a truck driver is prohibited from driving more than eight hours without a thirty-minute break. Maryland State Troopers have the authority to conduct safety inspections at weigh stations in Harford County and throughout the state. Truck drivers are also required to carry a medical certificate to indicate they are free from any condition that would pose a danger to their ability to operate their vehicle.

If an accident occurs because a truck driver violated a rule or regulation, it could be strong evidence of negligence, and they could be held liable for any injuries or damage that occurred.

When to Contact an Attorney After a Truck Accident in Harford County

You should contact a truck accident attorney immediately a truck collision occurs. Legal counsel can immediately begin to review your case and determine your available legal options. Our law firm can also deploy an accident investigation team that can begin to gather evidence to establish exactly how your accident occurred. You will likely be required to interact with the other party’s insurance company, which will likely be hesitant to award any compensation without the representation of strong legal representation.

Some insurance companies might offer an accident victim a quick settlement, but these amounts are often only just a small portion of the actual damages associated with the claim. If you accept a settlement from a trucking company, you are then unable to later ask the trucking company for a large amount. Due to these situations, it is often helpful to obtain the assistance of a skilled Harford County truck accident lawyer who can help you determine how to best proceed.

Call Our Harford County, MD Truck Accident Attorney for a Free Consultation

Trucking companies take great effort including retaining large insurance policies to protect against truck drivers who might cause accidents. Trucking companies also fight very hard to make sure that they pay out as little as possible if a driver is responsible for an accident. As a result, the victims of car accidents frequently find it essential to obtain the assistance of a Harford County truck accident attorney who can help you obtain the compensation you deserve.

The injuries sustained in a truck accident could be life-altering or deadly. If you suffered any harm in a collision with a commercial vehicle, contact our Harford County, MD truck accident lawyer and Maryland personal injury lawyers immediately. Call Rice, Murtha & Psoras at (410) 694-7291 to schedule a free consultation to review your legal options.