Posted on December 05, 2023 in Truck Accidents

A car accident can turn your life inside out. Depending on the severity of the impact, a car crash can leave you with significant damage to property, emotional trauma and life-altering injuries. If you were involved in a car crash that is not your fault, you deserve justice.

Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon for a car crash lawsuit filing to be rejected in one way or another. Of course, this can be devastating, to say the least. If this happens, you deserve to know what went wrong so you can figure out your next course of action. These are some of the reasons why a seemingly legitimate car crash claim might fall through the cracks.

MISSED STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS

Three years is the allotted time to pursue a legal claim in Maryland. If you don’t sue within the statute of limitations, the court might refuse your right to file a civil claim. The only exception to this rule may come into play if you were a minor when the crash happened. In this case, you may have to wait until you are 18 to file a case.

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 Posted on December 05, 2023 in Truck Accidents

It is illegal in every jurisdiction in the United States to drive with an elevated blood alcohol concentration (BAC). For most adult drivers, the legal limit for their BAC is 0.08%. Anyone over that limit is at risk of drunk driving charges.

Those with high alcohol levels also frequently cause crashes. Many fatal collisions in the Washington D.C. area occur because someone has gotten behind the wheel after having too much to drink. Who is liable for a drunk driving crash that causes injury to others or even someone’s death?

THE JURISDICTION DETERMINES THE RULES THAT APPLY

Every state has slightly different rules regarding drunk driving and liability. In general, people can always assume that the impaired motorist is liable for the crash. Anyone who chooses to get behind the wheel after having too much to drink has responsibility for the impact of their decisions.

The other people involved in the crash could file an insurance claim against the drunk driver’s liability insurance policy. When there isn’t enough insurance, they may have grounds for a personal injury lawsuit. Unfortunately, a drunk driver does not necessarily have the resources required to fully compensate the other people involved in a collision. Occasionally, there will be outside parties with some degree of liability. The ability to file a lawsuit against a business after a drunk driving wreck will depend on the location.

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 Posted on November 17, 2023 in Truck Accidents

Many people become victims of distracted driving. Distracted driving happens when a driver looks away from the road or takes their hands off the wheels. When a driver is distracted, they reduce their ability to process dangers and their ability to control their vehicles.

Cell phone use is one of the biggest causes of distracted driving. Drivers can reduce the chances of distracted driving by being proactive and controlling how they interact with their phones while driving. Here’s how:

1. PUT YOUR PHONE AWAY

One way drivers can reduce distractions from their phones is by putting them someplace where the driver can not reach. For example, the driver may put their phone in a purse or bag. One common place people put their phones is in their vehicle’s glove compartment. If a driver is still struggling with distractions from their phone, they could put their phone in their trunk.

2. TURN ON SILENT MODE

Most phones have a setting that can silence calls and texts. Some phones also have settings that set the phone to silent mode when the phone notices a vehicle in motion.

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 Posted on November 12, 2023 in Truck Accidents

Being a bicyclist or pedestrian in Maryland can be dangerous, and any accident involving an automobile and a bicycle or pedestrian is almost always going to leave the latter party the worse for wear. Collisions between vehicles and pedestrians result in a high percentage of auto-related fatalities.

For decades, American drivers have been used to being able to make right turns at red lights. But ending this practice may significantly decrease motor vehicle accidents and make the roads much safer for everyone.

THE HISTORY OF RIGHT TURNS ON RED

Most countries with significant automobile-driving populations don’t permit drivers to turn right at red lights. The US is somewhat unique in this regard. But for many years, the US didn’t allow it either.

In the 1970s, America went through a major energy crisis, and policymakers saw vehicles idling at red lights as a source of waste. As a result, they tied federal funding to states allowing drivers to turn right at red lights. The practice has continued unchanged since then.

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 Posted on October 26, 2023 in Truck Accidents

Motor vehicle accidents are among the leading causes of fatal and non-fatal injuries in Maryland. Although no two accidents are alike, they usually fall into common categories, producing typical injuries suffered by victims.

EIGHT TYPES OF MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS

Although you’ll find no complex category rules for motor vehicle accidents, these collisions exhibit typical patterns. Identifying how accidents happen can help drivers avoid them. These are the eight general categories:

• Single-vehicle
• Multi-vehicle
• Rear impact
• Frontal impact
• Lateral impact or T-bone
• Rotational impact
• Sideswipe
• Rollover collision

Single-vehicle accidents frequently occur when a driver swerves to avoid another vehicle or an animal. They can also occur due to driver drowsiness. Multi-vehicle accidents, sometimes called chain collisions, involve three or more vehicles, with injuries ranging from minor to catastrophic. Rear impact accidents are one of the most common, resulting from driver inattention. While not common, frontal impact accidents frequently result in severe injuries and fatalities. Distracted driving also causes lateral impact accidents, usually occurring at intersections. In rotational impact accidents, vehicles spin around and often hit several others, causing various injuries. Sideswipes happen as initial impacts, frequently leading to head-on collisions. Rollovers happen when a vehicle flips onto its side or roof, sometimes with catastrophic results.

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 Posted on October 11, 2023 in Truck Accidents

Losing a loved one in Maryland because of a wrongful death is a traumatic experience. You might feel grief, hopelessness or several different emotions following the event. There’s no way to erase the pain, but there are ways to overcome the trauma caused by a sudden death.

WHAT IS THE LEGAL DEFINITION OF WRONGFUL DEATH?

The wrongful death statute in Maryland defines wrongful death as a death that occurs due to negligence or a criminal act of another person. It doesn’t matter if the actions were intentional or accidental.

Md. Courts and Judicial Proceedings § 3-904(a)(1) makes it legal for spouses, parents and children of the deceased to bring a sudden death lawsuit against those accountable for the death. There are also ways for the survivors to deal with the emotional aftermath of a wrongful death.

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 Posted on October 01, 2023 in Truck Accidents

The average driver passes through dozens of intersections on their daily commute to work or their trip to drop children off at school. Each of those intersections slightly increases the possibility of a collision.

Although crashes can occur anywhere, locations where motorists cross paths with one another are higher-risk than areas where they simply share the road. Intersection collisions can occur for a variety of different reasons, but there are certain noticeable trends. For example, the following three mistakes play a role in a large percentage of intersection collisions each year.

INADEQUATE SURVEILLANCE

A careful review of intersection collisions will quickly show that people aren’t careful enough when approaching intersections. They may fail to look carefully around their vehicles, possibly because they are very familiar with that area. Other times, distraction is what causes inadequate surveillance. Someone engaged in a discussion with a passenger or looking down at their phone may not check their surroundings as carefully as they should. Failing to properly check road conditions before proceeding through the intersection is one of the top reasons for crashes occurring.

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 Posted on September 27, 2023 in Truck Accidents

A car crash is one of the most common causes of concussions and other head injuries. If you are hurt while traveling on a Maryland road, it’s important to seek treatment right away. Doing so may help to minimize the scope of your injury as well as provide a paper trail to use during settlement talks or a personal injury trial.

SIGNS OF A CONCUSSION

A few common signs of a concussion include headaches, difficulty standing and short-term memory loss. You may also have sensitivity to sounds such as people talking or bright lights such as the sun shining through a bedroom window. Therefore, your doctor may advise you to rest in a dark and quiet room as your brain heals from the trauma it has endured. Finally, neck pain and speech issues may also be caused by a concussion.

TREATING A CONCUSSION

In addition to resting in a dark room, you may be advised to avoid any activities that are mentally or physically draining. Therefore, you may not be able to play games on your computer or engage in relatively mundane tasks such as feeding your animals. Furthermore, you will likely be given medication to ease your symptoms for a period of days or weeks after your motor vehicle accident occurred.

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 Posted on September 13, 2023 in Truck Accidents

Fall is just around the corner, which means crisp, pleasant weather and lovely colors as the leaves turn in Maryland. However, with the new season comes a slew of fall driving hazards. These are some of the most common.

EARLIER DARKNESS

By the time fall comes, the days begin to get shorter, and thus it gets darker earlier. This can pose visibility risks for many drivers and lead to more motor vehicle accidents. Ensuring that your headlights are clean, properly aligned and well-lit can help. Be aware of pedestrians and animals on the road after darkness to avoid an accident.

FALLEN LEAVES

Leaves fall off the trees during the fall in preparation for colder weather. Often, they can collect on the road, causing slippery conditions. This is a hazard that can cause traction issues with your vehicle on the road. A big enough pile may also conceal another danger such as a large puddle after rainfall. Slowing down when you notice leaves in the street can help you safely move past them.

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 Posted on August 28, 2023 in Truck Accidents

Maryland car accident victims should refrain from posting images of themselves on social media if their injuries are not quite as serious as they claim. That was the advice a personal injury attorney gave during an insurance industry conference in California. The attorney told attendees about a married couple who posted pictures of themselves having fun in a back yard swimming pool. The images were damaging to the couple because they had claimed in a lawsuit that they both suffered serious spinal cord injuries in a car accident.

SOCK PUPPET ACCOUNTS

Attorneys and insurance companies have traditionally hired private investigators to observe motor vehicle accident victims who they suspect may be exaggerating the severity of their injuries, but they are now more likely to search for the evidence they seek on social media platforms like Facebook or Instagram. To prevent their targets from becoming suspicious, attorneys and insurance companies may set up “sock puppet” accounts rather than logging in with their own credentials.

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