Ilchester, MD Truck Accident Lawyer

Truck accidents can lead to incredibly devastating injuries. Large commercial trucks can weigh nearly 100,000 pounds, so they are much more dangerous to drivers and pedestrians than sedans, SUVs, and other motor vehicles commonly seen on the road. The process of recovering from a truck accident can easily rack up gigantic medical bills, and your injuries might permanently change how you live your life.

With so much going on after you are in a truck accident, you need competent legal representation in your corner. We can take insurance companies, trucking companies, and other parties to task in court so that you are fairly compensated for your injuries.

Get in touch with our truck accident lawyers from Rice, Murtha & Psoras at (410) 694-7291 for a free analysis of your case.

Types of Truck Accidents We Can Represent You for in Ilchester, MD

Depending on road conditions, the type of truck involved in your accident, and other external factors, truck accidents can happen in different ways. For our truck accident lawyers, the particulars of your truck accident are especially important because they form the basis of the argument you take to court.

Head-On Collisions

These kinds of accidents happen when a truck strikes an oncoming vehicle in another lane. These types of accidents usually happen when a trucker is not paying attention to what is happening on the road in front of them. This could be because the driver is fatigued, under the influence of drugs/alcohol, or simply having a lapse in concentration. Alternatively, head-on collisions can occur when a trucker tries to pass another vehicle and goes too fast for them to maintain control of the truck.

Jackknife Accidents

A jackknife accident is a type of truck accident particularly common in 18-wheelers or other kinds of trucks that have a linking mechanism between the cargo-holding area and the tractor. Jackknife accidents involve the trailer pivoting around the linking mechanism to the cab, resulting in the vehicle folding like a pocketknife. This can be incredibly dangerous to both the truck driver and any other vehicles in the area. Beyond the initial crash and impact, jackknife accidents pose a danger to other motorists since the crashed truck will take up a large portion of the roadway and cause other drivers to take evasive action.

Jackknife accidents generally occur when the tractor comes to a stop but the trailer does not. This can be caused by bad road conditions, but it is much more likely to be the result of a mistake on the part of the truck driver. Improper braking, speeding, or turning a large, heavy truck too quickly can all lead to a jackknife accident.

Underride Accidents

Underride accidents occur when a motor vehicle behind the truck collides with the rear portion of the commercial truck. On most modern trucks, there are guardrails at the bottom of the trailer to prevent the rear vehicle from sliding underneath. However, older trucks or trucks that are defective may not have this safety feature. When a rear-end collision happens in those cases, the other car can slide underneath the trailer of the truck at the midsection. Often, the entire top half of a vehicle involved in this kind of accident is wholly crushed or ripped away. These kinds of accidents are nearly always fatal without safety features like guardrails on truck trailers.

Wide Turn Accidents

Since trucks are so large, trucks must take care when turning that they have enough room to make the turn as well as not hit anyone else driving next to or behind them. This can be very hard to do in a big, lumbering 18-wheeler. If a driver is not careful, they can sideswipe a motorist who is next to them and seriously damage them and their vehicle. Moreover, if a truck is overloaded or improperly loaded so that one side is heavier than the other, the truck can roll over onto its side during a turn that is too wide, too fast, or both.

Causes of Truck Accidents in Ilchester, MD

Truck accidents can happen for a number of reasons. Often, the truck driver is not the only party at fault when you are suing for injuries sustained in a truck accident.

The specific cause of your truck accident is very important to our lawyers because damages can only be recovered from people who injured you. To know who caused your injuries, you need to know what caused your truck accident. We will go over some common causes of truck accidents below.

Driver Negligence

The most obvious cause of a truck accident is generally an error on the driver’s part. When truck drivers act careless, people tend to get injured. Truckers are just as prone to error as ordinary drivers by speeding or running red lights. However, truckers also have additional responsibilities, like making sure they do not continue to drive their vehicle when tired and fatigued.

Improper Loading

A truck that is loaded up with too much cargo is more top-heavy and prone to rolling over, sideswiping another vehicle, or maneuvering in ways that the driver does not expect. Many trucking companies have their drivers load their vehicles, but if someone else improperly loaded the truck, you could have a claim against both the driver and the loader.

Product Defects

Sometimes, problems with the truck itself cause accidents. Popped tires not up to specifications, use of substandard materials in critical components, or improperly installed airbags can all make a truck not behave as it should and cause an accident.

Our Ilchester, MD Truck Accident Lawyers Give Free Case Reviews

The truck accident lawyers from Rice, Murtha & Psoras can be reached at (410) 694-7291 for an initial analysis of your case.