Truck Accidents

Motor Vehicle Collision Lawyers Assisting Victims in Maryland and the District of Columbia

Truck accidents can result in catastrophic injuries and even death. Truck operators must be extremely vigilant behind the wheel due to the potential harm that could occur if they hit a smaller vehicle. If you or someone close to you was injured in a truck accident that was caused by someone else’s careless actions, you should consult the Maryland truck accident lawyers at Burgos & Burgos, LLC. Our firm will work diligently to investigate the sequence of events leading up to your car crash so that we can determine the cause and help you secure the compensation that you are entitled to obtain. We have helped many residents of Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties, as well as people in Washington, D.C., with resolving their motor vehicle collision claims, and we can help you too. Everyone on our staff is fluent in Spanish if you are more comfortable communicating in that language.

Truck Accidents Cause Serious Injuries

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) defines a large truck as a vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000+ pounds. The NHTSA found that in 2021 there were 5,788 people killed in traffic crashes involving large trucks. This was a 17-percent increase from 4,945 in 2020. Seventy-two percent (4,149) of people killed in large-truck traffic crashes in 2021 were occupants of other vehicles. In 2021 there were an estimated 154,993 people injured in traffic crashes involving large trucks—an increase of 9 percent from an estimated 141,613 in 2020. Seventy-one percent (109,981) of people injured in large-truck crashes in 2021 were occupants of other vehicles. Unfortunately, truck accidents in Maryland are also quite common. In 2021, there were 42 large trucks that were involved in fatal crashes in Maryland. These statistics highlight the problem of truck accidents in Maryland and throughout the United States.

Truck drivers must have a Commercial Driver’s License and must obey all traffic rules. Truck drivers and trucking companies also must adhere to strict state and federal regulations. The federal rules are set forth by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), whereas the Code of Maryland Regulations outlines regulations for truckers pertaining to licensing, vehicle inspections, weight limits, and other issues as well. A truck accident attorney can help Maryland residents identify a violation that may have caused their crash.

If you have suffered injuries in a truck accident due to a driver’s negligence, you may be able to recover compensation for your harm. Negligence occurs when a truck driver fails to use reasonable care while operating the truck and ends up causing an accident that results in harm to another individual. To win a negligence case, the plaintiff must establish that the truck driver owed the plaintiff a duty of care, the truck driver breached the duty of care owed to the plaintiff, and the truck driver’s breach was a direct cause of the accident and the plaintiff’s resulting injuries and losses. For instance, truck drivers can work for a maximum of 14 hours per day, out of which they are only allowed to drive for a maximum of 11 hours. It is evidence of negligence if a truck driver causes an accident due to driving in excess of the federally mandated limit.

Maryland, like many other states, follows the doctrine of vicarious liability. Under this rule, employers can be held responsible by a Maryland truck accident attorney for the negligence of their employees. Put another way, a trucking company can be liable for truck accidents that take place because of a truck driver’s carelessness. However, for an employer to be vicariously liable for the actions of the employee, the truck driver must have been working within the course and scope of employment at the time of the accident. We can examine your case and identify all of the potentially liable parties. In some instances, a manufacturer of a truck or one of its components also may bear some responsibility if a malfunction contributed to the crash.

Contact a Dedicated Truck Accident Lawyer in Maryland

If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in a truck accident, you need legal help as soon as possible. At Burgos & Burgos, LLC, our attorneys can look into the facts of your case and determine your legal rights and options. You can rest assured that we will give your situation the close personal attention that it deserves. The law firm that you choose can make all of the difference in your case. We represent people in Gaithersburg, Germantown, Silver Spring, Takoma Park, Wheaton-Glenmont, and Hyattsville, as well as other areas of Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties. For a free consultation, call us at (301) 681-1111 or contact us online. We also represent people who need a premises liability lawyer following a slip and fall or guidance in another personal injury claim.