Were you seriously hurt in a crash in Baltimore, MD, involving a commercial vehicle? Since 1977, WGK Personal Injury Lawyers has represented accident victims in the Baltimore and Washington, D.C. regions. We will put our decades of experience and legal insight to work for you. Call us today at (410) 837-2144 to see how we can help.
Commercial vehicle crashes are often serious and may have left you with life-changing injuries. You may be entitled to compensation. However, these accidents are complex and insurance companies aggressively fight high-value claims.
At WGK Personal Injury Lawyers, we have over 80 years of combined experience. Our team has recovered tens of millions for injured victims of Baltimore truck accident injuries, Baltimore motorcycle injuries, car accident injuries, slip and fall cases, wrongful death claims, and more.
Contact our Baltimore law office for a free consultation with a Baltimore commercial vehicle accident lawyer today.
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How WGK Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Commercial Vehicle Accident in Baltimore
Commercial vehicle accidents are notoriously complicated. These crashes tend to cause very serious injuries and potentially involve multiple victims. They also require time-consuming investigation with multiple parties potentially liable.
Because commercial vehicle accidents usually involve commercial liability insurance policies with high limits, insurance companies work hard to avoid accepting liability. You do not deserve to be blamed for your accident and you should not have to fight an insurance company for the fair settlement you deserve.
At WGK Personal Injury Lawyers, our lawyers have over 80 years of combined experience. We put this expertise to work for you to fight the insurance company on your behalf. Our firm has recovered numerous multi-million-dollar settlements and awards for our clients. We are committed to delivering the compassionate representation you deserve.
When you hire us to represent you in your claim, we will:
- Perform an independent investigation into your accident to gather crucial evidence
- Work with experts across fields to build a strong case based on evidence and expert testimony
- Accurately value your claim and build a persuasive argument for full compensation
- Fight any attempts to blame you
- Handle all administrative tasks involved in your case
- Negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf
We are not afraid to take your case to court If the insurance company treats you unfairly. Call our law firm in Baltimore, Maryland, today to schedule your free consultation and find out how our Baltimore commercial vehicle accident lawyers can help.
How Common Are Commercial Vehicle Accidents in Baltimore, MD?
The Baltimore-Washington metro area is one of the worst regions in the United States for traffic congestion. Drivers spend an average of 102 hours per year in traffic which contributes to traffic accidents. Commuters also share the roads with large commercial vehicles which, despite being just 4% of vehicles on the road, are involved in 13% of fatal crashes.
Large trucks are the most dangerous type of commercial vehicle. When they are involved in a crash with a passenger vehicle, the results can be life-changing and deadly. In these crashes, 96% of all deaths involve occupants of the car, not the truck. Nationwide, 72% of all fatalities involving large trucks were occupants in other vehicles.
In 2019 alone, there were 530 deaths in Maryland in traffic accidents. In 2017, there were 49 large trucks involved in fatal crashes in Maryland. There were many more crashes that resulted in serious injuries.
What Is My Commercial Vehicle Accident Case Worth?
Every accident case is unique. The value of your claim will depend on dozens of factors like the type and severity of your injuries, how clear liability is, and your recovery process and medical treatment. Whether you were disabled, impaired, or disfigured can significantly increase the value of your claim.
Even circumstances of the crash such as gross negligence or egregious behavior, like drunk driving, can affect your claim’s value.
At WGK Personal Injury Lawyers, we will work with experts to accurately value your claim and fight for maximum compensation. This work is crucial to value non-economic damages, future medical needs, and lost earning capacity.
The best way to determine the value of your case is to schedule a free consultation with our commercial vehicle accident lawyers in Baltimore. We will review your case and help you understand what it may be worth.
Note that what you may recover can depend on the insurance policy limits of the liable parties and whether you shared any blame in your crash.
What Kind of Damages Are Available to Accident Victims in Baltimore?
In Maryland, accident victims are entitled to recover damages after a crash from the at-fault parties. These damages are divided into economic (financial) and non-economic damages.
The purpose of your personal injury claim is to make you as whole as possible. Money cannot erase your injuries or long-term pain, suffering, and disability. However, financial compensation is the only option, so these types of damages are assessed and given a financial value.
You may be entitled to damages for:
- Current and future medical bills
- Property damage
- Lost wages
- Disability or reduced/lost earning capacity and employment benefits
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
If your loved one was killed in a commercial vehicle accident, you may be entitled to seek damages through a wrongful death claim. These claims allow you to recover different types of damages for the losses you have suffered.
Can I Recover Compensation if I’m Being Blamed for a Commercial Vehicle Accident in Maryland?
Maryland is one of the few states that uses a pure contributory negligence rule in claims involving negligence. This rule means that injury victims are not entitled to any compensation if a jury finds they contributed to the accident.
If you are found even 1% at fault for your crash, you can be barred from recovering anything. This is true even if the other driver was 99% to blame and overwhelmingly negligent.
This rule makes it absolutely crucial to work with an experienced lawyer to build your case. The insurance company will seek ways to shift any blame onto you so they can avoid all liability for your damages. We will work to gather all evidence necessary to fight these attempts and prove fault beyond a doubt.
We’ll Fight to Recover Compensation for All of Your Commercial Vehicle Accident Injuries
Commercial vehicle accidents have a higher rate of injury and death than “regular” car accidents. While they are involved in fewer accidents, large trucks and commercial vehicles account for a disproportionate share of traffic accident injuries and deaths due to their size and weight.
At WGK Personal Injury Lawyers, we will not rest in seeking full compensation for all of the injuries you sustained in your crash including:
- Brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries including paralysis
- Back injuries including spinal fractures, herniated discs, and lacerations
- Neck injuries including whiplash and disc injuries
- Burns
- Internal injuries such as organ damage
- Seat belt injuries
- Fractures
- Amputation
- Disfiguring scars and facial injuries
- Knee injuries and other joint injuries
- Foot injuries
- Lacerations, bruises, and road rash
- Crush injuries
- Soft tissue injuries
We understand that not all of your injuries are obvious or physical. We will also fight for compensation for the psychological and emotional injuries you suffer such as post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.
What Causes Most Commercial Vehicle Accidents in Baltimore, Maryland?
Commercial vehicle accidents in Baltimore can involve all types of vehicles, not just large trucks. At WGK Personal Injury Lawyers, we represent victims injured in accidents involving:
- Big rigs, 18-wheelers, semi-trucks, and tractor-trailers
- Box trucks and delivery trucks
- Cargo vans
- Passenger buses
- Dump trucks and garbage trucks
- Tow trucks
- Heavy haulers
- Tanker trucks
- Flatbed trucks
- Tire trucks and ambulances, which do not require CDL licenses or serve a commercial purpose but may be considered commercial vehicles in a crash
Accidents involving these commercial vehicles happen for many reasons. However, the Large Truck Crash Causation Study found that 87% of truck accidents are caused by human error. Another 10% of crashes are caused by an issue with the vehicle such as bad or defective brakes.
These crashes are often also related to negligence. Only 3% of commercial accidents are primarily caused by the environment such as icy roads, but these factors can certainly contribute.
The study also identified several factors considered critical reasons for crashes. Most commercial vehicle accidents are attributed to one or more of the following:
- Speeding, one of the most common factors in all traffic accidents
- Distracted driving such as texting while driving
- Drunk driving
- Fatigued driving. FMCSA has hours-of-service rules for truck drivers, but these rules are often broken by truckers and trucking companies rushing to stay on strict timelines.
- Reckless driving such as unsafe lane changes or weaving in and out of traffic
- Brake problems
- Unfamiliarity with the road
Many factors may have contributed to your crash and multiple parties may share some blame. However, chances are high that someone was negligent and can be held responsible for the damages.
How Do I Prove Negligence After a Commercial Vehicle Accident in Maryland?
Commercial vehicle accidents are extremely complex. Crashes that involve large vehicles may be complicated for several reasons such as:
- Multiple parties may be injured, especially crashes involving buses or pile-up accidents
- One or many parties may be negligent including one or more drivers, the trucking company, the company that maintains the truck, manufacturers of defective parts, and more
- These accidents may require a time-consuming and exhaustive investigation to determine causation and liability
- A government entity may be involved when certain commercial vehicles like garbage trucks are involved
- Multiple insurance companies may be involved, which can lead to blame shifting and attempts to avoid liability
These complexities make it crucial to work with an experienced Baltimore commercial vehicle accident lawyer as soon as possible. At WGK Personal Injury Lawyers, we will work tirelessly to investigate your crash and build the strongest case for negligence.
We work with top experts to gather and analyze evidence such as:
- The commercial vehicle’s black box recorder and onboard data
- The company’s internal records, training procedures, supervision of drivers, hiring practices, history of complaints, and more
- Maintenance and inspection records for the vehicle
- Truck driver logs for hours-of-service and other relevant information
- Known or suspected issues with potentially defective vehicle parts
- Footage from dash cams, traffic cameras, and surveillance cameras
- Physical damage to vehicles
- Alcohol and drug screening results, if available, for the commercial truck driver
- Results of investigations conducted by law enforcement and the NTSB
- Police reports and accident reports
- Any citations, arrests, or disciplinary action taken
- Cell phone records for suspected distracted drivers
- Witness statements
While commercial vehicle crashes are complex to investigate with complex liability issues, WGK Personal Injury Lawyers has 40 years of experience proving negligence. We will pursue every avenue available to support your claim.
How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit After a Commercial Vehicle Accident in Maryland?
You have a limited amount of time to file a personal injury lawsuit in Baltimore. There is a statute of limitations in Maryland of three years from the date of your injury for traffic accidents. This is your deadline to file a lawsuit or you will lose your legal right to recover compensation for your injuries.
It’s crucial to be aware that your statute of limitations may be shorter if your commercial vehicle accident involves a claim against a city or state government. In this case, you have just one year to file a claim. You are also required to give notice within 180 days for claims filed against a government entity like the City of Baltimore.
Contact a Car Wreck Lawyer in Baltimore for a Free Consultation
You do not deserve the financial, emotional, and physical toll a serious accident can have on your life when someone else caused your crash. At WGK Personal Injury Lawyers, we will fight to hold the responsible party accountable and seek the full damages you deserve to recover and move on from your accident.
Contact our law office today to schedule your free consultation with a Baltimore commercial vehicle accident lawyer. We work on a contingency-fee basis; you pay nothing out of pocket and no attorney’s fees unless we win your case.