Overturned Tractor Trailer in Baltimore County Catches Fire, Injures Driver

            Last night, a tractor trailer overturned on northbound Interstate 83 in the Parkton area of Baltimore County.  The large truck started to leak gasoline onto the roadway and caught fire.  The driver of the truck suffered serious injuries in the wreck and was taken to Shock Trauma.  Doctors do not believe his injuries to be life threatening.  As a result of crash, I-83 north was closed for several hours while crews removed the tractor trailer and cleaned up the fuel.

            

            As we often blog about, accidents involving tractor trailers are some of the worst and most serious accidents on the road.  The large size of tractor trailer trucks and the amount of power that they have contribute to the severity of injuries when they are involved in accidents.  Semi-trucks and tractor trailers can cause extensive property damage, catastrophic injuries, and death when not properly maintained or driven by negligent drivers.  The most common cause of truck accidents is driver fatigue.  Oftentimes, truck drivers are forced to drive long shifts to meet a deadline and will not take a break to rest because they want to get to the destination on time.  Another common cause for truck accidents is the size of the truck making it next to impossible for the driver to be able to see cars in its blind spot.

            

            Injuries resulting from truck accidents can be devastating.  However, many times injured victims are unable to recover enough money to cover the damages.  It is obvious to look to the negligence of the truck driver and motor carrier as the cause of the accident, but the shipper of the load cannot be forgotten as another possible liable party.  One way to impose liability against a shipper is for negligent selection, which means that an employer can be subject to liability for its failure to exercise reasonable care in selecting a competent and careful contractor.  Motor carriers of nonhazardous materials are required to carry only $750,000 in single limit coverage, however, many times injuries sustained in a truck accident far exceed that amount.  Therefore, it is important to seek recovery from all who are involved including the truck driver, the motor carrier, and the shipper of the load.  Keep in mind though, that the shipper will not always be liable in a truck accident, but should always be considered.

If you or a family member have been injured or killed in a truck accident and would like to consult an experienced Maryland personal injury attorney for free, contact our office at (301) 854-9000 to schedule an appointment at one of our office locations in Baltimore or throughout Maryland or visit us online at http://www.portnerandshure.com/Auto-Accidents/Truck-Accidents/