Baltimore Truck Accident Lawyers: When Motorcycles and Trucks Collide

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Motorcyclists encounter many types of hazards on roads and highways. But few represent so potent a danger as large commercial trucks. A fully loaded tractor trailer can weigh as much as 100 times that of an average motorcycle. When the driver of one of these massive vehicles fails to share the road responsibly with motorcycles and other passenger vehicles, the result can be deadly.

According to the most recent data provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, motorcyclists are about 26 times more likely than passenger car occupants to be fatally injured in a wreck per vehicle mile traveled, and five times more likely to be injured. As fatality rates for victims of commercial trucking accidents are already higher than other crash types, one can imagine how dangerous a collision between a truck and a motorcycle can be for the rider.

The FMCSA’s Large Truck Crash Causation Study investigated 967 truck accidents involving at least one fatality or injury over a two-year period. The study revealed that driver error is behind 88% of all truck crashes. Specifically, more than 35% of wrecks were caused by the truck driver’s failure to recognize the smaller vehicle – either because they were distracted or because they failed to adequately observe their surroundings. This is particularly relevant for motorcycle riders because of their reduced visibility on the roadway.

Speed is another all-too-common factor in motorcycle crashes. Unfortunately, when speed is involved in a crash between a motorcycle and a large 18-wheeler, the injuries to the biker can be catastrophic, if not fatal. Common motorcycle injuries include:

  • Head injuries – including skull fracture, concussion and traumatic brain injury
  • Neck and back injuries – traumatic spinal cord injuries can result in lower body paralysis (paraplegia), or paralysis of all the limbs and pelvic organs (tetraplegia or quadriplegia)
  • Broken or crushed bones – especially common in legs and feet
  • Permanent scarring and disfigurement
  • Loss of limbs
  • Severe skin abrasions – also called “road rash”
  • Injury to internal organs
  • Death

Commercial truck drivers have a legal duty to share the road responsibly with other motorists. Truck drivers who choose to ignore this responsibility put others at risk of suffering devastating physical and emotional trauma – not to mention life-changing financial losses. When this is the case, victims and their families have a right to seek the legal guidance of a skilled Maryland truck accident lawyer for assistance in recovering compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, loss of future earning potential, loss of consortium, funeral costs and other damages.

Baltimore Truck Accident Lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton Hold Negligent Truck Drivers Accountable for the Harm They Have Caused

If you or someone you love has suffered a severe injury caused by the reckless or negligent acts of a commercial truck driver, we can help. At LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton, our Maryland trucking accident lawyers have more than 100 years of combined experience representing injured accident victims. We settle for nothing less than maximum compensation for our clients. For a free case review with one of our dedicated and highly seasoned Baltimore truck accident lawyers, call 800-547-4LAW (4529) today. Because we know that accidents can happen at any time, someone is available to take your call and offer immediate assistance 24 hours a day or you can contact us online.

Our offices are located in Baltimore, Columbia, Glen Burnie and Towson, allowing us to represent truck accident victims and their families throughout Maryland, including those in Anne Arundel County, Carroll County, Harford County, Howard County, Montgomery County, Maryland’s Western Counties, Southern Maryland and the Eastern Shore, as well as the communities of Catonsville, Essex, Halethorpe, Middle River, Rosedale, Gwynn Oak, Brooklandville, Dundalk, Pikesville, Parkville, Nottingham, Windsor Mill, Lutherville, Timonium, Sparrows Point, Ridgewood and Elkridge.