Getting fair compensation in truck accidents is challenging, to say the least. One of the reasons is that there are a number of entities involved as there are multi-tier lease agreements and a variety of insurance coverage issues. This is why you need an experienced Pinder Annapolis truck accident lawyer to represent you and to help you get the compensation you deserve for your injuries.
Did you know around 72% of the fatalities in truck accidents are the riders in passenger vehicles? In 2017, almost 6.2% of the fatal accidents in the state of Maryland involved trucks. 49 people lost their lives in 2017 in truck accidents. Out of these, 9 were non-vehicular fatalities including bicyclists and pedestrians, and 29 fatalities were people in other vehicles.
In short, truck accidents often result in catastrophic injuries as trucks are huge and can weigh more than 80,000 pounds. If you or one of your loved ones has been injured in a truck accident, you have the legal right to get fair compensation for your injuries arising as a result of the accident.
Contact our Annapolis personal injury attorneys today to schedule a Free Case Review.
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What Should You Do After A Truck Accident?
The steps you take after being involved in a truck accident will have a serious impact on your case. Here’s a list of the things you should do after a truck accident:
The first thing you should try to do is get medical attention if you’re injured. If you’re relatively fine, you should try to get the truck and other vehicles in the accident to the side of the road and turn on their hazard lights.
Call 911
You should call the police as soon as possible. They will prepare an accident report based on interviews of the truck driver, passengers of other vehicles, and any others involved in the accident. They will also take statements from witnesses. Don’t make the mistake of leaving the accident scene without filing an accident report. It will go a long way in proving your case.
Help Others
You should also try to help others who are injured. If someone has a serious injury, do not lift them. You should wait for the paramedics to arrive.
Exchange Information
It is important to exchange information with the other parties involved in the crash including the driver’s license number, names, contact information as well as insurance information.
Medical Attention
If you have visible injuries, it’s important to seek medical attention as quickly as possible. Even if you do not have any visible injuries, it is important to seek medical attention as serious injuries are not always evident in such accidents. One of the most common injuries is a traumatic brain injury and that doesn’t always present immediately.
Document the Scene
While there will be a lot of information in the police report but it is also important for you to document the scene of the accident. Take your phone and take photos and videos of the accident site. Take photos of the vehicles involved in the accident, roads leading to the accident scene, and any other relevant information including information from witnesses.
Contact an Experienced Truck Accident Lawyer
Truck accidents are extremely complex due to a variety of reasons. This is why you should always hire the services of an experienced truck accident lawyer before you speak to an insurance adjuster. It is also important that you do not admit any liability without first speaking with an experienced truck accident lawyer.
What Are the Laws Regarding Truck Accident Liability in Maryland?
It’s not easy to establish liability in truck accidents in Maryland. Things can get extremely complex in accidents involving large trucks but an experienced Annapolis truck accident lawyer can investigate the accident to determine the parties responsible for the accident as well as the factors that caused the accident. A number of parties might be found liable for the accident. These may include trucking companies, truck drivers, leasing agents, receivers, shippers, truck manufacturers, parts manufacturers as well as maintenance companies, among others.
Respondeat Superior is the legal doctrine that has been adopted by the state of Maryland. In simple terms, it means that employers are responsible for the negligent actions of their employees which means the trucking company along with the truck driver bears the legal responsibility for a truck accident.
How Can A Truck Accident Lawyer Help?
Here are some of the ways an experienced truck accident lawyer can help you with your truck accident case:
Investigation
An experienced lawyer will examine the medical records, police reports as well as other documents related to the accident. They will also conduct interviews with the witnesses to find relevant evidence.
Paperwork
When you need to file a claim, there is a lot of paperwork involved. If the paperwork is late or isn’t filled out properly, it could seriously affect the amount of financial compensation you can recover. An experienced attorney can help make sure that all the paperwork is filed on time and is filled out correctly.
Filing a Claim
An attorney will help you file a claim for damages. You need an experienced attorney who is aware of the legal issues involving truck accidents in order to ensure the correct filing of the claim.
Negotiations
In most truck accident cases, it is the insurance carrier who is responsible for paying damages to the victims and they will try everything to pay as little as possible. This is where the skills of a seasoned truck accident attorney can be of great help. They have the necessary experience and knowledge to deal with big insurance companies and help you get fair compensation for your injuries.
Litigation
Sometimes, insurance carriers don’t want to settle or their settlement offer is far below a fair offer. In such cases, you need to go to court, and an experienced truck accident will help in building a strong case to explain your situation in clear words to the jury.
What Types of Compensation Can I Receive?
Types of compensation that can be recovered in a Maryland truck accident case can be grouped into 2 main categories including economic and non-economic damages.
Economic Damages: These are the damages that can be easily quantified. Some of the common examples include loss of wages, medical expenses, and other out-of-pocket expenses.
Noneconomic Damages: These are difficult to quantify and include mental anguish and suffering, physical pain-and-suffering, scarring or disfigurement, emotional distress, permanent impairment, depression, anxiety, PTSD as well as various other psychological injuries.
Punitive Damages: These damages are meant to punish the negligent party and are awarded rarely. There is no cap on punitive damages in the state of Maryland.
How Much Is My Truck Accident Claim Worth?
There is no standard answer to this question as every case is different. The amount of compensation that can be recovered depends on a lot of factors including the parties responsible for the accident. Give us a call at (410) 216-5873 to schedule a free consultation and to know more about your legal rights in a truck accident case.
Is There a Deadline for Filing a Claim in the State of Maryland?
The statute of limitations in Maryland in case of truck accidents is 3 years from the date of injury. In simple terms, you have up to 3 years from the date of the accident to file a case.
How Is Fault in a Truck Accident Determined in Maryland?
Maryland is an at-fault state that follows the pure contributory negligence doctrine. It simply means that if the other party is able to prove that you contributed to the severity of the accident, you may not receive any compensation. This is why you need to have an experienced attorney by your side to prove that the at-fault driver was completely responsible for the accident.
Can a Lawyer Prove the Truck Driver Was Negligent?
It is difficult to prove the negligence of the truck driver. In order to prove negligence, it needs to be shown that the truck driver had a duty of care and their failure directly resulted in the accident, and the injuries happened as a result of the accident. All this needs to be demonstrated in order to prove the truck driver’s negligence.
Who Can Be Held Liable in a Truck Accident Case in Maryland?
A truck accident case is complex as several parties might be involved in the process. A number of parties can be held liable in a truck accident case including:
Trucking company
The driver of the truck
The company responsible for loading the truck
Vehicle manufacturer
Vehicle parts manufacturers
What Are the Common Causes of Truck Accidents?
Truck accidents are caused due to a number of reasons. Here’s a list of some of the most common causes of truck accidents:
Improperly secured freight
Drug use by drivers
Distracted or reckless driving
Driver fatigue
Inexperienced or poorly trained drivers
Malfunctioning equipment
Truck not being maintained properly
Poor road conditions
Contact an Annapolis Truck Accident Lawyer at Pinder Plotkin for a Free Consultation
Proving a truck driver’s negligence is essential to getting fair compensation in a truck accident case. However, it is extremely difficult and this is why you need to hire an experienced truck accident at Pinder Plotkin.
Here at Pinder Plotkin, our legal team has helped many of our clients to recover fair compensation in truck accident cases. We will help determine the parties to pursue a claim against and we will also negotiate with big insurance companies, on your behalf, to help you get the compensation you deserve. Give us a call today at (410) 216-5873 to schedule a completely free consultation.
