Riverside, MD Truck Accident Lawyer

Crashes and collisions on the highway are always a scary experience, but accidents with trucks and semi-trailers are frightening on an entirely other level. Truck accidents tend to be large and affect numerous other drivers on the road. The injuries and damages are often severe, and your attorney might be able to help you get significant financial compensation to help you cover your numerous costs.

Your lawyer can first help you determine who is responsible for the crash. Is it the trucker? Maybe the truck company should be involved. Maybe other entities played some role in the crash. Your attorney can not only assist you in making such determinations, but they can also help you assess the damages in your case so you understand the full value of your claims. To support your claims for these damages, we must have hard evidence. The more evidence we have, the stronger your case may be, and the more likely you will get the compensation you rightly deserve.

Speak to our Belcamp truck accident attorneys to get a free, private case assessment by calling Rice Law at (410) 694-7291.

Deciding Who Should Be Held Responsible in a Riverside, MD Truck Crash Case

Truck accidents are usually large events affecting numerous vehicles, drivers, and passengers. As such, truck accident scenes can be chaotic, confusing, and hectic. It is normal for injured victims to not fully understand who caused the crash or who should be held accountable for it. This is where our truck accident attorneys come in handy. We can follow up with law enforcement and other investigating authorities to figure out who is at fault and whether they can be brought to justice.

In many cases, truckers are directly responsible for causing accidents. This is somewhat typical, as truckers are behind the wheel of these monstrous vehicles and are responsible for maintaining safety standards on the road. Trucker negligence is a common cause of accidents and may include distractions behind the wheel, driver fatigue from driving long hours with no breaks, speeding, and ordinary traffic violations.

If we can sue the trucker for negligence, we should explore the possibility of also suing their employer. Under the legal theory known as respondeat superior, plaintiffs may sue the employer of an employee who caused injuries through negligence committed within the normal scope of their duties. This means we might be able to sue the trucking company that employed the negligent trucker.

Damages You May Recover in Riverside, MD Truck Accident Cases

Injuries and damages in truck accident cases are usually quite substantial. Injuries tend to be severe, including serious spinal cord injuries, brain injuries, and other injuries that often leave victims with long-term complications or disabilities. Unsurprisingly, injured victims often claim very high damages and are frequently entitled to significant financial compensation.

The economic costs of your accident should include medical bills, property damage, lost income, and other expenses you might have incurred. Medical treatment is almost always expensive, and treatment for severe injuries from truck accidents might be extremely expensive. For many, their injuries prevent them from returning to work for a while. Some people are never able to return to full-time employment. In these cases, plaintiffs can claim lost income as part of their damages. Finally, if you lost any sort of property, particularly your car, its value should be factored into your damages calculations.

Non-economic injuries may be just as valuable as economic damages, or even more valuable in some cases. However, they can be difficult to assess because they are usually unrelated to monetary costs and tend to be highly subjective. Non-economic damages may include but are not limited to, emotional suffering, physical pain, depression, anxiety, psychological damage, embarrassment, and the overall reduction of the quality of your life. Considering the subjective nature of these damages, the jury often decides their value.

While non-economic damages may represent a large financial compensation award, they are not unlimited. According to Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. Art., § 11-108(b), non-economic damages are capped at $935,000. However, this limit is increased annually by $15,000. As of October 1, 2024, the cap will be increased to $920,000.

Determining What Caused Your Truck Accident in Riverside, MD

All sorts of mishaps and mistakes could cause a truck accident. These accidents tend to be very chaotic, so injured victims are often unsure of exactly what happened or how. Your lawyer can work with the police to determine what caused the accident and which people or parties should be held liable.

Trucks hauling large trailers risk toppling over if the cargo is not loaded correctly. Cargo, especially very heavy cargo, must be loaded into the trailer in a way that keeps the trailer balanced. If the trailer is unbalanced, one tight turn could cause the entire rig to capsize right there on the highway.

Some accidents come down to inexperienced drivers who should not have been allowed behind the wheel of a truck. Truck drivers must be properly licensed and clock a certain number of hours of training before they can start driving on their own. If a trucker is put on the road too soon or employers cut corners with training, they might be liable for the accident.

Speed is perhaps one of the most dangerous factors in a truck accident case. High rates of speed tend to make almost any vehicle crash more dangerous, but truck accidents at high rates of speed can be downright catastrophic. Trucks are far too large and heavy to stop on a dime. If truckers do not allow themselves adequate time to slow down or they have to hit the brakes suddenly, an accident is more likely.

Contact Our Riverside, MD Truck Accident Lawyers for Legal Support

Speak to our truck accident attorneys to get a free, private case assessment by calling Rice Law at (410) 694-7291.