Maryland Truck Accident Attorneys

Aggressively representing victims injured by tractor trailers and other commercial trucks

Over ten percent of all vehicular accidents involve large trucks, and when an 80,000 pound eighteen-wheeler collides with a 3,000 pound passenger vehicle, the resulting impact is often horrifying. Making matters worse for commuters sustaining significant injuries in such accidents, is that truck drivers, trucking companies, and their insurers have the resources to quickly move in after an accident and take measures intended solely to minimize any costs resulting from that accident, even when evidence of their negligence seems overwhelming. Often, this includes contacting victims and their families and pressuring them into not retaining an attorney and into accepting what is often an inadequate settlement agreement

Don’t do it. At the law offices of Karp, Norwind, Gold & Karp, P.A., our skilled Maryland truck accident attorneys have over 150 years of combined experience helping clients rebuild their lives following these devastating accidents. By leveraging our exceptional skills and resources, we hold negligent truck drivers and trucking companies accountable for the destruction they cause and the victims they harm due to negligence. We help injured truck accident victims in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C.

What causes truck accidents?

While truck drivers have the same duty as other drivers to prevent accidents and avoid any unsafe driving behavior, they are subject to an entirely separate set of state and federal laws regulating the trucking industry. These safety standards are specifically intended to prevent trucking accidents which can be caused by any of the following:

• Driving while fatigued—Federal guidelines specifically set forth the maximum amount of continuous driving time a commercial truck driver is permitted to accumulate, as well as mandatory rest periods of a minimum duration.
• Driving while intoxicated or under the influence of narcotics—Commercial drivers must stay within a far lower blood-alcohol concentration than other drivers.
• Reckless driving, including speeding—Truck drivers must often observe tight delivery deadlines, and may make unsafe driving decisions in order to stay on schedule.
• Improperly loading or securing a truck’s payload—An overloaded truck is prone to tire blowouts, brake failure, or rollover accidents; poorly secured cargo can fall into the roadway or onto other vehicles, while shifting cargo can cause a driver to lose control and a trailer to jackknife.
• Failure to inspect or maintain the truck—Drivers must conduct ongoing vehicle inspections (and document them) and any necessary repairs must be made immediately and effectively.
• Inadequate truck driver training or hiring policies—Drivers transporting particularly hazardous payloads are subject to even stricter qualification requirements, and trucking companies can be found negligent for not observing these federal standards

Any evidence indicating that a driver, trucking company, or other party failed to comply with these and other federal safety guidelines can be used as evidence of that party’s negligence.

Why is it important to find an attorney specializing in truck accidents?

Again—as the commercial trucking industry is subject to a completely separate set of state and federal laws, pursuing a claim after a truck accident follows a much different set of procedures. A knowledgeable Maryland truck accident attorney is able to:

• Navigate the complicated web of state and federal trucking industry guidelines, and understand how they may (or may not) be applicable to a particular accident
• Deflect persistent accident investigators attempting to engage in tactics solely intended to coerce victims and their families into accepting unfavorable settlements during emotionally-vulnerable times
• Take quick action to preserve all physical and documentary evidence relating to the accident. Even though the statute of limitations in personal injury cases is two years in Virginia, and three years in Maryland and Washington, D.C., the trucking industry is permitted to dispose of certain potentially significant evidence such as driver logs and “black box” engine data much sooner than that.
• Reconstruct the accident, using a network of experts who analyze the evidence and provide key testimony establishing a scientific basis showing negligence by the defendant
• Accurately calculate the accident’s true cost to victims and their families, in terms of medical expenses, lost wages and income, and other losses both economic and non-economic, such as pain and suffering—enabling injury victims to obtain damage awards covering all of their long-term needs.

Trust our experienced truck accident attorneys to help you get back on your feet after a tractor trailer accident

The most effective way to hold the trucking industry accountable for their negligence is by choosing an experienced Maryland truck accident attorney. At the law firm of Karp, Norwind, Gold & Karp, P.A., we are experienced in pursuing negligent truck drivers and trucking companies, knowledgeable in gathering, analyzing, and presenting complicated scientific evidence, and we have exclusive access to an extensive network of trucking industry experts and other resources. Our commitment to changing lives, and our passion for aggressive representation of our clients, has made justice a reality for countless clients. For a free initial consultation, we urge you to contact one of our offices today at (800) 229-7026, or contact us online. If you cannot come to us, we will visit you at home or in the hospital.