Elkton Truck Accident Lawyer

When trucks crash into other vehicles, the results are often devastating. The sheer size and weight of large trucks like 18-wheelers can easily overpower the safety features of most cars, leading to severe injuries for victims of these accidents. In fact, many truck accident injuries are “life-altering” and will never truly heal. Worse still, paying for treatment of these injuries is often incredibly expensive, which can be incredibly distressing for people who just suffered very severe injuries in an accident.

If you are dealing with the fallout of a truck crash, there are options you have. You can take those responsible for your injuries to court and fight for both justice and financial compensation.

Get a totally free case review from our truck accident attorneys from Rice, Murtha & Psoras by calling (410) 694-7291.

Who Can You Sue in Elkton Truck Accidents

There are multiple parties you may want to sue in an Elkton truck accident case. Some may be obvious, while others may require our truck accident lawyers to do some digging into your claim.

Truck Drivers

It is almost guaranteed that the truck driver who hit you will be a defendant in your claim. Truckers can be negligent for all the same reasons that other drivers can be negligent. This includes things like speeding, driving drunk, and acting unreasonably. Additionally, there are special rules that truckers must follow in order to act like reasonable truck drivers. For example, the FMCSA promulgates rules dictating how long truckers are allowed to drive in one sitting before they must take a break. If truckers break these rules and drive beyond when they should and get in an accident, they are negligent, and you can take them to court.

Other Drivers

Other drivers besides the trucker may also have a hand in causing a truck crash. For example, if a car crashes into a truck and then that truck crashes into you, you may want to sue the other driver as well.

Trucking Companies

You also can often sue trucking companies that employ the trucker who injured you. A legal principle called “respondeat superior” lets you hold employers liable for the negligent actions of their employees. The requirement for liability to attach is that the employee was doing something related to their job at the time they injured you. For example, if a trucker is on their way to deliver a package and hits you, they are doing something related to their job, and you can sue their employer. However, if that same truck was on its way to their friend’s house to skip work, you cannot sue their employer because that activity is not related to their job of being a trucker.

Truck Designers and manufacturers

Sometimes, truck accidents happen because there is something wrong with the vehicle. In those cases, the truck is defective, and you can sue the party that caused the defect. Who you sue will largely depend on what kind of defect is present in the truck. Design defects – problems that are inherent in the truck itself – make the truck designer liable, whereas manufacturing defects – which generally pop up because of a mistake somewhere along the line – make entities like mechanics liable for the defect.

Government Entities

Under certain circumstances, you may be able to sue government entities for your injuries. One of the more common reasons for this is poor road conditions. There may be some special rules our lawyers need to follow for suing the government, so you should bring up the prospect of doing so early on in your claim.

How Long Do I Have to File Truck Accident Claims in Elkton, MD

There is a legal limit on the amount of time you have to file a truck accident claim in Maryland. Per Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. Art., § 5-101, plaintiffs must file their claim within three years of their accident taking place, or they cannot have their case heard in court or collect damages. This may seem unfair, but it ensures that cases are brought in a timely manner when the facts are all still fresh in the minds of the parties involved.

The time between when you are hurt and when you file your case is going to be spent preparing your claim and recovering from your injuries, so it is best to get in touch with our lawyers as soon as you can to ensure your case is filed in a timely fashion.

What Compensation Can I Get in Elkton Truck Accident Lawsuits?

When you prove that the defendant caused your injuries, the court awards you damages. The goal of a damages award is to undo the effects of the accident for the plaintiff and get them to a similar position to where they were prior to the accident taking place.

When you seek damages, you have to specify what they are for. Some things you may look to obtain damages for in your claim include:

Medical Expenses

It can be tough to afford medical treatment for injuries you got in a truck accident, even when you have helpful insurance policies. Accordingly, you can get financial compensation based on the cost of treating your injuries.

Pain and Suffering

While some injuries, like medical expenses, can be shown through bills, others will need their value proven. You can get damages for the physical pain and mental distress brought on by a truck accident, but you will have to show their value to the court through means other than a paper trail.

Talk to Our Elkton Truck Accident Attorneys Now

Rice, Murtha & Psoras’s truck accident attorneys can review your case for free when you contact our office at (410) 694-7291.