Laurel, MD Truck Accident Lawyer

Truck accidents can be devastating for those involved. The injuries that a large, heavy commercial truck can inflict are often permanent and life-changing. Recovering after a truck crash also will likely involve long-term medical treatment and recovery therapies that can reach astronomical financial costs. Many individuals involved in truck accidents are overwhelmed and do not know what to do next.

You should seek  help from a competent legal professional after a truck accident. Our lawyers will fight for the financial compensation you deserve every step of the way and provide the support and professional conduct one would expect when filing a truck accident lawsuit.

Call Rice, Murtha & Psoras’s truck accident lawyers at (410) 694-7291 for free case reviews.

Who Should You Sue in a Laurel, MD Truck Accident Lawsuit

There are multiple parties you may want to file against in your truck accident lawsuit. You might be surprised that our truck accident lawyers may advise you to sue people besides the driver. This is because the truck driver is often only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to who is responsible for a truck accident taking place.

The Driver

The driver will be a very important part of almost all truck accident lawsuits. There are few truck accidents that a truck driver will have absolutely no part in causing to take place.

Truck accidents that are the driver’s fault are generally caused because the driver was negligent. This means that the driver did something careless and, as a result, someone got hurt. For example, going 100 miles per hour on a highway in a massive 18-wheeler is not something a reasonable truck driver would do, so any truck driver who does that can be considered negligent.

Trucking Companies

In addition to suing the trucker, you also may be advised to sue the trucking company that employs them. There is a legal principle called “respondeat superior,” literally “let the master answer,” that lets plaintiffs sue employers for the negligent conduct of their employees.

The catch is that the employee has to be doing a work-related activity when they injured you for the employer to be liable. For example, if a trucker hits you while pulling out of a rest stop on the way to deliver a package, you can likely sue the trucker’s employer because delivering a package is a work activity. The legal term for this type of conduct is a “detour.”

However, if the truck driver hits you while taking their truck to their friend’s house instead of delivering a package, you probably cannot sue the trucker’s employer because going to a friend’s house is not a work-related activity. This is what is called a “frolic.”

The trucker’s employer may not be the company whose name is on the truck they were driving. In many cases, truckers are employed by dedicated trucking or fulfillment companies that deliver for a number of brands. Our lawyers will make sure that you sue the right parties so that you have a chance to recover damages in your truck accident lawsuit.

Manufacturing Companies and Mechanics

If there was an issue with the truck itself that contributed to your truck accident, you may have a claim against whoever worked on the truck. Problems that arise out of a mistake made during the construction or maintenance of the truck are called manufacturing defects.

Accidents caused by manufacturing defects may have happened despite the driver acting as a reasonable driver should have under the circumstances, but often, the driver’s conduct and the defect can both contribute to a truck accident.

Examples of defects that can cause a truck accident include faulty electrical wiring, use of substandard materials in critical components, keeping worn-out tires on the vehicle, or improperly installed brakes.

The Statute of Limitations for Laurel, MD Truck Accident Lawsuits

There is a limited time to file a truck accident lawsuit in Maryland. Each state has a law called the statute of limitations that puts a time limit on how long you have to file a lawsuit.

In Maryland, the statute of limitations for personal injury lawsuits is three years from the time of injury per Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. Art., § 5-101. After that three-year period has passed, courts will not hear your case, and you will not be able to recover any damages.

Three years may seem like a long time, but in reality, it is not. Plaintiffs in truck accidents will spend a great deal of time recovering from their injuries and going through medical treatment.

Additionally, plaintiffs may find it difficult or anxiety-inducing to go through the process of filing a lawsuit at all. Make sure to speak with our truck accident lawyers as soon as possible so that your claim is filed within the statutory period.

Damages in Laurel, MD Truck Accident Lawsuits

Successful plaintiffs are awarded damages for their injuries. Damages are the court’s way of compensating the plaintiff. The whole idea of personal injury lawsuits is to place the plaintiff in the closest position to where they were prior to their injuries.

This might not be literally possible depending on the extent of the plaintiff’s injuries, so financial compensation is used as a substitute.

Damages are awarded for various things, ranging from medical bills and hospital stays to pain and distress from your injuries. Some of these things will have fairly concrete value and be easier to calculate, while other items in damages may be more abstract and require explanation in court as to their value.

Talk to Our Laurel, MD Truck Accident Lawyers About Your Case

Our truck accident lawyers from Rice, Murtha & Psoras can be reached at (410) 694-7291 to discuss your case.