Essex, MD Truck Accident Lawyer

Trucks are very useful for transporting goods from one place to another. Unfortunately, when a semi-truck, 18-wheeler, or other big-rig vehicle gets in an accident, catastrophic damage results. A truck accident can cause life-altering injuries to you and irreparable damage to your motor vehicle. The recovery from physical injuries can often be long and frustrating.

When you get seriously injured in an event like a truck accident, you need experienced legal help. Our truck accident lawyers are experienced in dealing with all aspects of a truck accident lawsuit. We can work with you to gather evidence, interview witnesses, and argue your case in court to give you the best chance we can at a favorable outcome.

Talk to our truck accident lawyers from Rice, Murtha & Psoras at (410) 694-7291 for a free review of your case.

Causes of Truck Accidents in Essex, MD

Truck accidents can be varied in how they play themselves out. Different external factors can have different effects on the truck and lead to different kinds of accidents. More importantly, the specific kind of truck accident that happened to you could shed light on a particular cause of the accident. This information could be crucial to helping our truck accident lawyers build a stronger case for you.

Fishtailing

Fishtailing is when the rear wheels of a vehicle lose traction on the road. As a consequence, the driver often oversteers, and the vehicle swerves widely from side to side. Often, the cause of fishtailing is poor road conditions or overused tires that cannot grip the road properly.

In an 18-wheeler, this problem is made worse since the trailer can pivot on its own around the connection point with the tractor. This makes fishtailing even harder to combat once it starts in a big-rig vehicle.

There are steps a driver can take to stop a vehicle from fishtailing. The main way to counter fishtailing is to turn the tires in the direction of the skid in an attempt to bring the vehicle back to moving in a straight line.

Popped Tires

A popped tire is a common cause of truck accidents. Even though modern tires are more resilient than they have ever been, blowouts still happen and can have severe consequences when they happen.

Popped tires could have several causes. First, if the driver did not properly inflate their tires, the sheer weight of the truck could cause enough pressure to pop them.

Second, if the tire is defective, has poor treading, or has a structural integrity that is weaker than standard, it is more likely to burst. Third, road conditions like potholes or debris strewn about can increase the risk of a popped tire.

Finally, an improperly loaded truck can make the weight distribution in the trailer unsafe and put unnecessary pressure on the tires.

Improper Merging

Improper merging is a bad idea in any vehicle, but it can be hazardous when a commercial truck merges incorrectly. Drivers are supposed to use their mirrors to look and see whether it is clear in the next lane before merging.

If the driver does not do this, they can hit a vehicle driving next to them. If a truck hits an ordinary car while trying to merge, the weight disparity between the two vehicles does not bode well for the car. Pelvic and femur fractures are common injuries from side impacts due to improper merging.

Impaired Driving

Driving while cognitive functions are not at their best is a bad idea. There are two main reasons a truck driver might not be in tip-top shape behind the wheel: drunk driving and fatigue.

Drunk driving is a serious crime in every state, including Maryland. It is criminalized because it is so hazardous to other drivers. While the legal limit for most people is 0.08%, truck drivers have a lower limit because of their commercial driver’s licenses.

Fatigue is a real problem in the trucking industry. Truckers work long hours, and extended time behind the wheel takes its toll. There are limits on how long a trucker can be behind the wheel in one sitting.

Truckers cannot drive more than eight hours in one sitting without a 30-minute break, drive 11 hours in one workday, or work 14 hours since they started driving for that particular delivery.

Drunk driving and fatigue can cause drivers to have diminished reaction time and make worse decisions behind the wheel. This deadly combination of impairments from either cause is dangerous to other motorists.

How Damages are Calculated in an Essex, MD Truck Accident Lawsuit

Damages you could be awarded in court are tallied based on your injuries and other factors. The idea of a civil suit is different from a criminal lawsuit. Criminal trials exist to punish the guilty, but they do not remedy any predicaments you might have.

On the other hand, civil trials are designed to “make you whole.” The goal is to put you in as close a place as possible to where you were before an accident. Damages are calculated to that effect.

Medical Bills

Medical bills are one of the most common factors in calculating damages in truck accidents since truck accidents are so dangerous. Medical expenses to recover from a truck accident can easily balloon into the hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars. Costs of surgeries, hospital stays, and physical therapy can easily add up.

Lost Future Earnings

Some injuries can, unfortunately, make it so you are unable to do the job you did before. If you had to take a less lucrative position or quit working entirely because of your injuries, that could be factored into the damages you might be awarded in court.

Property Damage

While your physical person is one of the most important things when calculating damages, chances are your vehicle is not in great shape after a truck accident. Repair costs for cars can easily balloon out of control as mechanics find more problems. If the vehicle is totaled, you might have to get another car entirely. The costs of a new vehicle might be awarded as damages by courts.

Call an Essex, MD Lawyer Today

Our truck accident lawyers at Rice, Murtha & Psoras can be reached at (410) 694-7291 for a free case review.