Areas of Practice
Maryland Tractor Trailer Truck Accident Lawyers
Trucking and tractor-trailer accidents are on the rise, increasing ten percent over the last decade. Not only are these accidents extremely dangerous due to the size of the vehicles involved, but they are more legally complex and may involve multiple parties, including the driver's company, truck owner, truck manufacturer and others.
Some of the potential causes of tractor-trailer and truck accidents include driver fatigue, fuel fires, rollovers, jackknifing, and brake malfunctions. The causes can range anywhere from faulty or poorly-designed equipment on the truck to a driver who is unfit to drive or under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Due to the size of a tractor-trailer or truck, property damage and injuries can be significant, even catastrophic, when a trucking accident occurs.
The legalities of trucking accidents vary from state to state, but truckers in general are held to a higher standard of care while on the road. Most truckers are required to obtain a commercial license before driving cargo and must complete courses and training at a trucking school before taking to the road. The availability and expectation of specialized training for truckers tends to protect trucking companies from liability when trucking accidents occur. However, it is a double-edged sword, since the availability of trained truckers means that it is unacceptable for a trucking company to put an inexperienced or untrained trucker on the road. Accidents caused by a poorly-trained, insufficiently licensed or otherwise unfit trucker may push liability for negligence onto the trucking company itself.
Due to the multiple parties, difficulty determining negligence and liability, and costly injuries and property damage associated with tractor-trailer and truck accidents, it is advised that parties involved in a trucking accident seek the services of an attorney who has experience with trucking laws. A good trucking lawyer can help facilitate communication between the driver’s company, manufacturers, insurance companies, and related parties and help injury victims obtain compensation for their trucking accident injuries.
Steven H. Heisler specializes in obtaining justice for the victims of personal injury, including those hurt in trucking and trailer-truck accidents. Interested in a no-cost, no-obligation consultation to find out whether you might qualify for compensation for injuries incurred in a trucking accident? Help is just a phone call away.