Truck accidents are generally some of the worst accidents. Trucks weigh far more than the average car and are extremely powerful vehicles. If you are injured in a truck accident, there is a good chance you are severely injured. If you believe you are entitled to recover compensation, it is important you contact an experienced attorney today. Here are some questions you may have regarding truck accidents in Maryland:
What are the different types of truck accidents?
- Head-on collisions: Oftentimes the most severe type of accident, these usually occur when one party is driving in the wrong lane. Because the weight of the truck is so disproportionate to your car, there is a good chance you will suffer far worse injuries than the truck driver.
- Jackknife accidents: These occur when the trailer is swinging independently of the cab with both sections of the tractor-trailer moving in different directions. If you are a nearby driver, you may suddenly face a massive obstruction that you cannot avoid. These are usually due to either the truck driver’s negligence or the loading crew failing to properly balance and secure the load before the truck’s departure.
- Rollover crashes: Usually due to equipment malfunction or the trucking company’s failure to follow the federal inspection regulations.
- Fatigued driving: Truckers are often driving all day and night, so they only naturally get tired. If a truck driver falls asleep at the wheel, one could imagine the potential disaster awaiting.
How do I prove another party’s negligence?
It is a little more difficult to prove a truck driver’s negligence in a personal injury claim because the truck driving companies will do whatever they can to make you lose your claim. While most trucks today have an Event Data Recorder to document the truck’s speed leading up to and at the time of the crash, trucking and insurance companies will typically employ a team of legal experts to destroy this data and fight these claims. This is why you must hire an experienced attorney who will write the trucking company a spoliation letter, demanding they preserve the data. If the data is destroyed after they receive the letter, your attorney will be able to say that the data was spoiled by the defense to hide evidence of fault.
What is contributory negligence?
Essentially, in Maryland, your entitlement to compensation is a percentage that relates to your degree of fault. If you are found to be 30% at-fault for an accident, you will be entitled to a smaller amount of compensation than those who are 0% at fault. If you are over 50% at-fault, then you are not only denied all compensation, but you are also completely barred from any entitlement to damages whatsoever.
Contact our Maryland firm
The legal team at Markey & Orsi has proudly represented clients who have been injured throughout the state of Maryland due to the negligence of another party for nearly 30 years. If you require strong legal representation, contact Markey & Orsi today to schedule a consultation.
