Truck Accidents

Pregnant Maryland Woman and Her Baby Sustain Fatal Injuries in Tractor-Trailer Accident

May 27, 2008 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

In Anne Arundel County, Maria J. Lizama-Sanchez, 31, died last week after the minivan she was riding in was struck by a tractor-trailer. Lizama-Sanchez, was about 7 months pregnant, and doctors at Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore had to deliver the baby because of the seriousness of her injuries.

The child died soon after delivery. Doctors say the injuries from the multi-vehicle tractor-trailer crash were the baby’s cause of death. Lizama-Sanchez died about 90 minutes later from her catastrophic injuries.

The accident occurred near Glen Burnie. Maryland State Police say that traffic had slowed on southbound Interstate 97 so that a funeral procession could move through. An approaching tractor-trailer failed to stop, and the truck hit the Dodge minivan that Lizama-Sanchez was a passenger in.

Four other motor vehicles were struck in the collision. Lizama-Sanchez’s husband Walter was driving the van, and he also sustained injuries from the tractor-trailer accident. Five other people were injured in the crash, which involved six-vehicles, as one motor vehicle slammed into another.

The investigation is ongoing. Maryland State Police say that the funeral procession that shut down the roads onto Interstate 97 was for the father of an Anne Arundel County police officer.

Anne Arundel County police say that shutting off roads for funeral processions is a common practice but that the department would review its policies to make sure the shutdown on Friday was performed safely.

If you or someone you love was the victim of a car collision caused by another party’s negligence, contact our Maryland motor vehicle accident law firm immediately. You may be entitled to personal injury or wrongful death compensation, including medical costs, lost wages, funeral or cremation or burial expenses, and other damages.

Procession was for police officer’s father, Baltimore Sun, May 27, 2008
Pregnant Woman, Baby Fatally Injured When Truck Hits Van, Washington Post, May 24, 2008

Related Web Resource:

Summary of State Wrongful Death and Intestacy Statutes (PDF)

Truck Carriers and Manufacturers Go to Washington DC to Push for Larger Trucks

May 16, 2008 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

About 30 truck carriers, manufacturers, and shippers are in Washington D.C. this week. They are trying to persuade the US Congress to adopt a “Demonstration Project” that would allow larger trucks to operate in certain U.S. states.

The coalition of truck companies believes that the US is at a competitive disadvantage because larger trucks are allowed in Mexico and Canada. They want to give certain ports in the US the option of handling larger truck containers. They claim that allowing larger trucks weighing as much as 100,000 pounds to operate on US roads would decrease the number of trucks because less vehicles would be able to haul more freight.

On Wednesday, truck crash victims, a number of US Congress members, and several truck safety groups, including the Parents Against Tired Truckers, the Truck Safety Coalition, Public Citizen, and Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety held a press conference to speak out against allowing larger trucks on any US roads.

Speaking at the conference, Public Citizen President Joan Claybrook pointed to evidence that the larger the trucks have become, the more dangerous they’ve become to motorists and pedestrians.

2006 Statistics:

• 5,000 people died in truck accidents
• 106,000 others were injured
• 98% of truck-related deaths involve occupants of other vehicles.
• Large trucks wreak far more damage to roads and bridges than regular vehicles

She also pointed out that every time the federal government has allowed larger trucks onto US roads, the number of trucks have not decreased.

If you or someone you love was seriously injured in a truck crash in Maryland or Washington D.C., contact our trucking accident law firm today.

Trucking-shipper group lobbies for larger trucks, Todaystruckingcompany.com, May 15, 2008
Larger Trucks Will Lead to More Deaths, Damage to Roads, Bridges; Risks, Costs Far Outweigh Claimed Productivity, Common Dreams, May 14, 2008

Related Web Resources:

New National Poll Shows Americans Dislike Larger, Heavier Trucks on U.S. Highways, Common Dreams, May 14, 2008

Truck Safety Advocates’ Lawsuit Wants to Limit the Number of Hours Truckers Can Work

December 27, 2007 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

In Washington D.C. on Thursday, truck safety advocates asked a federal court to block a ruling by the Transportation Department that lets commercial truckers work longer hours.

The Bush Administration had upped the number of hours that truck drivers could work without going on a break to 11 hours (prior to this rule, truck drivers were required to stop and rest after 10 hours). They are also allowed to drive up to 70 hours a week.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Web site lists the Hours-Of-Service Rules for Truck Drivers:

• Commercial Motor Vehicle Drivers can only drive 11 hours maximum after 10 hours off duty.
• CMV Drivers cannot drive after the 14th hour on duty.
• CMV Drivers cannot drive after 60/70 hours on duty within 7/8 workdays in a row.

• CMV drivers with a berth in their truck have to take 10 hours off. They can split the time in the berth in two, although both times must not last less than two hours.

Truck safety advocates convinced a federal court to block the implementation of this rule. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, however, was still able to implement an interim rule, which places the maximum number of hours a day that a trucker can drive at 11 hours. Advocates now want a federal court to block this rule.

Driver fatigue is a primary cause of truck accidents that can lead to serious injuries and the wrongful death of innocent motorists, motorcyclists, passengers, and pedestrians.

Lawsuit seeks to limit truckers’ hours, CNN.com, December 21, 2007
Hours-of-Service Regulations, FMCSA

Related Web Resource:

Truck Safety Coalition

Runaway Trailers Cause Catastrophic Injuries and Accidents in the United States

December 20, 2007 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

The Los Angeles Times says that there have been some 540 serious motor vehicle accidents involving runaway trailers in the United States since 2000. Hundreds of people have sustained injuries in these crashes, which usually involve at least one helpless victim getting caught in the wake of an out-of-control trailer. At least 164 fatalities have occurred in runaway trailer crashes in the last seven years—although statistics may be higher because news sources don’t always report these types of accidents.

The Times reviewed runaway trailer accidents involving trailers for transporting boats, gardening tools, horses, cars, and household goods. Many of these trailers were medium- or light-duty in size and owned by businesses or individuals.

Causes of runaway trailer crashes included failure to properly secure the trailer or follow other safety precautions due to ignorance, negligence, or carelessness.

Recent tragic trailer accidents include:

• In September, a motorist died in Florida when a runaway trailer struck her car.
• A Montana man was killed in August when a runaway trailer hit his pickup in a head-on crash.

• In 2006, Spencer Morgan and two of his 4-year-old triplets died when a 3-ton wood-chipper on wheels crashed into his mini-van. The third triplet, Ethan, survived his injuries, including a fractured skull.

The Federal Highway Administration says that there were 15.9 million light-duty trailers on U.S. roads in 2005. The Times says that the United States does little to prevent runaway trailer accidents from happening. A driver’s license is all that is required to tow a small or medium-sized trailer. No special training is required.

Accidents involving any kind of truck or trailer can lead to catastrophic injuries. The size and weight of a truck or trailer and the speed that it is going at the time of the collision can result in spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, massive internal injuries, and wrongful death. Drivers whose carelessness or negligence caused a trailer to come loose are liable for any injuries caused to other motorists, car passengers, bicyclists, or pedestrians.

Runaway trailers leave random victims, Los Angeles Times, December 9, 2007

Related Web Resources:

Personal Injury in Maryland
Questions To Ask A Personal Injury Lawyer During Your Consultationw, Buzzle.com

Maryland Woman Dies in “Freak” Tractor-Trailer Crash in Montgomery County

December 10, 2007 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Silver Spring resident Norma Almeraya-Soria, 35, died on November 21 after she was hit by a tractor-trailer in Montgomery County, Maryland. Almeraya-Soria was on the curb near the sidewalk at the intersection of Columbia Pike and Stewart Lane in Silver Spring when the axle of a tractor-trailer trying to make a turn broke.

Almeraya-Soria ended up under the trailer and died at the accident scene. Her body remained under the truck for a number of hours before it could be recovered. Police in Maryland are investigating whether a mechanical failure was responsible for the freak accident. The tractor-trailer, owned by Pet Valu, a Canadian pet store with branches in Maryland, was carrying pet supplies.

If you were injured in a tractor-trailer crash caused by another party’s negligence or carelessness or if someone you love died in a motor vehicle accident that was someone else’s fault, you should contact a Maryland or Washington D.C. truck collision lawyer right away to find out of you have grounds for filing a truck accident or wrongful death claim or lawsuit.

Mechanical failures and defective truck parts are among the most common causes of accidents involving large trucks. It is important to hire an experienced truck accident lawyer who knows how to determine whether a personal injury or wrongful death accident occurred because the breaks, the steering wheel, a tire, the engine, or another vehicle part was defective.

The owner of the truck is liable for making sure that the vehicle is properly maintained and operational before taking it out on the road.

A mechanical failure may be the fault of the truck driver, the truck owner, the maintenance shop, or the manufacturer. There may be more than one party that can be held liable for the truck accident injury or death.

2006 Truck Accident Statistics:

• 4,732 large trucks were involved in deadly accidents.
• 4,995 people died in accidents involving large trucks.
• There were 57,213 big trucks involved in injury accidents.

• 85,984 people were injured in accidents involving huge trucks.

Woman Hit, Killed In ‘Freak’ Tractor-Trailer Accident, MSNBC.com, November 22, 2007
2006 National Crash Facts, Ai.volpe.dot.gov

Related Web Resource:

Trucking Industry Statistics and Causes of Truck Accidents, Road Safe America.org

At Least 10 People Injured and 3 People Killed in Fiery Multi-Truck Collision in California Tunnel

October 15, 2007 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

A multi-truck collision in a Southern California freeway tunnel left at least 10 people dead and 3 people (two men and a baby) injured. The collision pile up started when two trucks crashed into each other and caused a multi-truck collision in one of I-5S’s freeway tunnels. The wreckage stretched as long as half a mile. 30 commercial vehicles and one passenger car have been pulled from the tunnel. Many of the trucks had been burnt down to skeletal frames and molten debris.

The huge fire, rising as high as 100 feet, shut down a major connection between San Francisco and Los Angeles until early Monday. The tunnel is currently being inspected to review the extent of damage. Parts of the concrete wall have reportedly peeled away. Visible steel reinforcement bars appear askew. Twenty people were able to leave the fiery tunnel on foot.

Trucks have long considered the 550-footlong tunnel as a dangerous area because of its dim lights, which can make visibility challenging—especially when there is rain on the roads. There is also reportedly a blind curve in the tunnel.

If you are a truck driver who was injured in a truck collision because of another negligent driver, a truck defect, or because of a faulty or defective bridge or tunnel, you should also contact an experienced personal injury attorney who can determine whether you have grounds to file a personal injury or premises liability claim or lawsuit against the party responsible for your accident.

U.S. shippers are being warned about trying to squeeze too much cargo on trucks, which can increase the chances of collisions or falling objects onto roads.

If you are a truck driver who was injured in a truck collision because of another negligent driver, a truck defect, or because of a faulty or defective bridge or tunnel, you should also contact an experienced personal injury attorney who can determine whether you have grounds to file a personal injury or premises liability claim or lawsuit against the party responsible for your accident.

Large trucks, 18-wheelers, and semi-trucks are massive in size and can be very dangerous to collide with on a road or freeway. Many trucks have blind spots, which makes it difficult for a truck driver to see smaller cars and motorcycles nearby. Truck drivers need more room to stop and turn. Common causes of truck collisions include driver fatigue, drunk driving, failure to inspect or properly maintain a truck, cell phone use while driving, and speeding.

If you or someone you love has been injured in a truck crash because of a negligent truck driver in Maryland or Washington D.C., you should contact an experienced personal injury attorney right away.

Interstate 5 is back in business, LA Times, October 15, 2007
At Least 3 Dead, 10 Injured After Massive Tunnel Fire on California Freeway, Fox News, October 14, 2007

Passenger Safety, Big Rigs and Sharing the Road

Center for National Truck and Bus Statistics-CNTBS, UMTRI

Maryland Swimmer Seriously Injured in 2004 Car-Truck Collision Will Compete in 2007 Ironman World Championship

October 11, 2007 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Brian Boyle, a Maryland swimmer who was critically injured when his car was struck by a speeding dump truck three years ago is continuing his remarkable recovery from his catastrophic injuries. The 21-year-old will be competing in this weekend’s Ironman World Championship in Hawaii.

In 2003, Boyle had been returning to his home in Welcome, Maryland after swimming practice when the devastating traffic collision occurred. The impact of the crash caused his heart to be knocked across his chest. He also shattered his pelvis and broke his clavicle and several ribs. Boyle also sustained head injuries and nerve damage to one of his shoulders. His kidney and liver failed, and his lungs collapsed. He experienced 60% blood loss and lost his gall bladder and spleen.

Boyle was placed in a chemically induced coma. He underwent 14 surgeries, 13 plasma treatmentsm, 36 blood transfusions. He lost 100 pounds.

Doctors said Boyle would never function normally again. Through hard work and proper medical and recovery care, however, Boyle has regained his ability to walk and talk. One year after the accident, Boyle enrolled in St. Mary’s College in Maryland where he is an honors student and a swim team member.

Now, Boyle is also getting ready to compete in the Ironman Triathlon World Championship, which is a 140.6-mile race that involves riding a bicycle, swimming, and running. He has already completed a half-Ironman race ( 70.3-mile triathlon).

Catastrophic Injuries

Catastrophic injuries are injuries that occur unexpectedly. They are categorized as catastrophic because when they happen the ramifications on a person’s life are catastrophic.

Common kinds of catastrophic injuries include:

• Traumatic brain injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Serious burns
• Accidental amputation
• Serious eye injuries
• Neurological problems
• Multiple fractures
• Multiple broken bones

If you or someone you love is suffering from catastrophic injuries because of an accident that was caused by someone else’s carelessness or recklessness in Maryland or Washington D.C., you should contact an experienced personal injury lawyer right away.

A person who has sustained catastrophic injuries can increase his or her chances of recovery with the proper medical care and rehabilitation treatment. Costs for this type of care and recovery can be very expensive—possibly even unaffordable—without additional financial resources. A family whose primary financial caretaker has become incapacitated because of a catastrophic injury could find themselves in dire straits without help.

A good personal injury attorney will know how to assess your injuries so that he or she can determine how much recovery you and your family will need. Additional reconstructive surgery, ongoing prescription medication, and other special considerations will also have to be taken into consideration. A personal injury lawyer can work with the negligent party’s insurance company to reach a settlement agreement or, if necessary, file a personal injury lawsuit to recovery damages.

Boyle meeting another goal in recovery from near-fatal accident, USA Today.com, October 11, 2007

Related Web Resources:

Brian’s Story; Miracles Do Happen proving “Anything Is Possible”, Cannondale.com, October 6, 2007
2007 Ironman World Championship

Two People are Killed and One Person is Injured in Queen Anne’s County During Multi-Vehicle Crash Involving Dump Truck

September 5, 2007 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Ellicott City residents David Destino and his 13-year-old son Michael died on Friday in a traffic collision involving a dump truck and three cars. David’s wife, Mary, was taken to Baltimore Shock Trauma where she was checked in under reportedly critical condition.

Mary was among four people that suffered personal injuries when the dump truck rear-ended the Destino family’s Ford Explorer on route 404 close to intersection 309. She was in the passenger seat while their son rode in the back.

The impact of the collision pushed the SUV’s backseat into the front of the car. The Explorer then stuck a Jetta and a Road Ranger. A Baltimore couple and their one-year-old baby had been riding the Jetta and they sustained minor injuries in the truck accident.

Prior to the accident, other motor vehicle drivers reportedly had contacted Maryland State Police to complain that the dump truck was driving on the road erratically. At least 9 people died in traffic accidents in Maryland between Wednesday and Friday of last week.

Statistics show that a dump truck is involved in one out of every nine motor vehicle accidents. 94% of these accidents result in the other parties that were not in the dump truck being seriously injured or dying.

Common reasons for dump truck accidents where the truck driver is responsible:

• Negligence by the dump truck driver
• A faulty or defective dump truck or dump truck part
• Mechanical failure
• Driver fatigue
• Carrying a load that is too heavy
• Speeding

Dumptrucksguide.com offers the following safety tips for dump truck drivers:

• Check and oil bushings and pins regularly.
• Check erect cylinders daily. Damaged cylinders should not be exchanged with cylinders charged at inferior operating pressure or smaller cylinders.
• Examine the pressure of the tires regularly. The pressure of the tires should be same on each dump truck’s side.
• Necessary tools should always be kept in the dump truck for safety.
• Check deferral systems under load to make sure that they are working properly or not and offer suspension. Fragile suspension should be exchanged instantly.

• Safety should also be provided on the construction sites while loading and dumping of materials.

Dump truck drivers are upheld to more rigorous safety standards on the road than the drivers of cars and motorcycles. Failure to uphold these safety standards could result in serious personal injuries and wrongful deaths of drivers and passengers of other vehicles and pedestrians.

2 dead, 4 hurt in Queen Anne’s crash, Hometownannapolis.com, September 1, 2007
Dump Truck Accidents, Dumptrucksguide.com

Related Web Resources:

Maryland Commercial Vehicle Safety Regulations

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations

Maryland State Police Arrest Truck Driver After Deadly Collision

June 20, 2007 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Anthony Rice, a tow-truck driver has been arrested following the deadly collision on June 12 that killed MetroAccess driver Emmanuel Toshe, 50.

Toshe, a Silver Springs resident, died when his vehicle crashed into Rice’s tow-truck, which Rice had just made an illegally turn with on Interstate 495’s inner loop in Glenarden.

Rice then fled the accident scene, but police found him after his damaged truck was discovered at a tow lot in Capitol Heights.

Rice is being charged with leaving a fatal accident scene, making an illegal U-turn, and other offenses.

If you have been hurt in an accident involving a tow-truck, big rig, semi-truck, or tractor-trailer, you may want to speak with a personal injury lawyer.

Truck accident claims tend to be more complicated than car accident claims. Injury victims may have to deal with the truck company, the truck driver’s insurance company, and other parties that may be held liable for the accident.

A good truck accident lawyer can also refer you to the proper medical experts that you may need to treat your injuries.

Beltway Trucker Involved In Fatal Collision That Killed One Man And Injured Two Others Had Multiple Traffic Citations In Maryland And Six Other States

April 9, 2007 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Roger Scofield, Jr., the man involved in a March 19 accident in Prince George’s County that injured two people and killed one man apparently had traffic citations in Virginia, Maryland, New York, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Delaware. Citations included speeding, inattentive driving, careless driving, driving on a suspended license, and driving with defective breaks. He also had at least two convictions and was driving with a suspended license at the time of the March 19 accident.

A $20 million wrongful death suit has already been filed against Scofield and his employer. Scofield also faces charges of driving with a suspended license and reckless driving—and possibly, vehicular homicide. According to police, Scofield’s tractor-trailer struck a 1995 Honda Accord and then hit two other cars that were in front of the Honda. One of those two vehicles was being driven by Jose Marcos Portillo Villalta, who died at the accident scene. The drivers of the other two vehicles were injured.

According to an executive from B.K. Trucking, the company that hired Scofield to deliver bananas to Virginia on March 19, the truck driver did not know that his license was suspended and that the accident had more to do with being at a bad place at a bad time than his driving record.

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, truck companies are obligated to check the driving record of all truck drivers before hiring them.

Because tractor-trailers are large in size, anyone involved in an accident with a tractor-trailer or any other kind of truck stands a good chance of being seriously injured. Truck drivers tend to have limited visibility when driving trucks and commercial truck drivers are required by law to drive only for a certain amount of hours before stopping to rest. Many accidents on the road have occurred because a truck driver was tired. In personal injury lawsuits involving a commercial truck driver, the truck company that hired the truck driver may also be found liable.

Because of this, truck companies are well-equipped to handle personal injury claims and combat them. This is way it is important if you have been injured in an accident involving a truck driver that you hire an experienced personal injury attorney right away. A skilled personal injury lawyer can make sure that all avenues of recovery are explored and all parties that can be held responsible for your accident are held liable so you don’t have to pay for your recovery.