Greenbelt Truck Accident Attorneys

Lawyers for Injuries in Accidents Involving Commercial Trucks in Greenbelt, MD

The highways that run through Greenbelt are some of the busiest freight corridors on the East Coast. With a constant flow of commercial trucks traveling through the area at all hours of the day and night, people in other vehicles may be at risk of serious injuries in truck accidents. These accidents are often much more damaging than other types of motor vehicle collisions, and the people who are injured may encounter complex legal issues as they determine who was responsible and who will be required to pay compensation for their injuries.

The attorneys at Farmer & Klopfer work with clients who have been seriously injured in collisions with commercial trucks. We can help determine who was at fault for causing an accident, and we will fight to recover compensation that will address the harm that victims have suffered. We can stand up to the legal teams working for large trucking companies and their insurers, and we will not rest until our clients are made whole.

Truck Driver Negligence

The behavior of truck drivers is usually a major factor in truck accidents. Commercial drivers will spend long hours behind the wheel while working under demanding conditions, and even when they have the proper training and experience, they can make mistakes that may have disastrous results. Some of the issues that may lead truck drivers to become involved in accidents include:

Drug and Alcohol Impairment

Impaired driving is dangerous in any vehicle. However, when a person is behind the wheel of a truck that weighs tens of thousands of pounds, the use of intoxicating substances can lead to deadly collisions. Alcohol will affect a truck driver's reaction times, vision, coordination, and other bodily functions, making it nearly impossible to operate a truck safely. Drug use can also be dangerous, leading to erratic behavior, physical impairments, or fatigue.

Driver Fatigue

A person who drives after an extended period without enough sleep will experience impairments that can cause them to lose control of their vehicle. For truck drivers, fatigue can lead to slower reaction times, difficulty paying attention to the road, problems with vision, or even a total loss of consciousness.

Truck driver fatigue can occur because of violations of hours-of-service rules. Some truck drivers may continue driving beyond the number of hours that are allowed under federal law. Others may not get enough rest between driving shifts due to sleep disorders or nighttime activities. Some truck drivers may become fatigued because of the use of certain medications. Any of these issues can create serious risks for others on the road.

Speeding and Reckless Driving

Commercial trucks require much more distance to stop than passenger vehicles. The stopping distance will increase when trucks travel at higher speeds. When a truck driver is speeding, they can put others at risk due to their inability to stop in time to avoid colliding with other vehicles.

Other dangerous driving behaviors can also lead to truck accidents. Truck drivers may make aggressive lane changes that could lead to sideswipe accidents. They may tailgate behind vehicles that are traveling at slower speeds, preventing them from being able to avoid a rear-end collision. Driving too fast in construction zones or rainy or snowy weather may also increase the chances of truck accidents.

Failure to Check Blind Spots

Commercial trucks have large blind spots that may prevent truck drivers from seeing vehicles in lanes next to them or directly in front of or behind their trucks. Truck drivers who make lane changes or merge without looking to make sure the road is clear may collide with other vehicles. They may cause sideswipe accidents or other situations where other vehicles are forced off the road.

Overloaded and Improperly Secured Cargo

The way a commercial truck is loaded can affect a driver's ability to maintain control, and cargo that is not loaded correctly can cause accidents.

The Dangers of Overloading

Weight limits ensure that trucks can be operated safely. When trucks are overloaded, they will be harder to control and will take longer to slow down and stop. At the same time, the stress that will be placed on tires, brakes, axles, and suspension systems could lead parts of a truck to break down. These issues can lead to a loss of control and result in rollover accidents, jackknife accidents, or other types of truck accidents.

Unsecured and Shifting Cargo

Cargo that is not properly secured can shift when a truck accelerates, brakes, and takes turns. Load shifting can destabilize a truck, causing the driver to lose control. Cargo that has not been tied down correctly may completely fall from a truck, causing serious damage to other vehicles.

Maintenance Failures and Mechanical Defects

When a commercial truck has not been maintained correctly, there may be no way to drive it safely. A lack of maintenance or problems with the equipment on a truck may lead to issues such as:

Tire Blowouts

Truck tires that become worn may break down and explode. Tire blowouts can also occur if tires are underinflated, overinflated, or defective. When a tire fails on a large truck, it could roll over, or it could move across other lanes suddenly, leading to sideswipe accidents or head-on collisions.

Brake Failures

Air brake systems on commercial trucks are complex. They may not function correctly if brake pads or drums become worn or because of leaks in air hoses. A truck that cannot stop because of malfunctioning brakes may crash into other vehicles and cause a chain-reaction collision that could affect a large number of people.

Faulty Trailer Couplings

The coupling system that connects a truck's cab to its trailer will need to ensure that the trailer is held in place correctly. When a coupling is defective or has not been maintained correctly, a trailer may separate from a cab while a truck is moving. This may cause a trailer to collide with one or more other vehicles and cause extensive damage.

Contact Our Greenbelt, Maryland Truck Accident Lawyers

Because the injuries that can occur in commercial truck accidents can be so serious, experienced legal help can be crucial for people who have been injured in these situations. At Farmer & Klopfer, our lawyers understand the issues involved in truck accident cases, and we can help our clients obtain the compensation they deserve from the parties who were responsible. Contact our Greenbelt commercial truck crash attorneys at 301-843-3890 to set up a free consultation.