Posted on June 05, 2023 in Truck Accidents

In Maryland, car insurance cannot be used to cover motorcycles. Motorcycle insurance is similar to car insurance but is a different product. According to the Maryland Insurance Administration, owners are required to have liability insurance to register the motorcycle and obtain tags. The Transportation Article of the Maryland Code defines a motorcycle as a vehicle with a seat for the rider, traveling on no more than three wheels at speeds exceeding 35 miles per hour.

UNDERSTANDING MOTORCYCLE INSURANCE

Motorcycle insurance is designed to provide liability coverage if the owner’s found to be at fault for an injury or property damages. The insurance is also designed to provide coverage for the damage or loss of the motorcycle. Owners can also purchase additional coverage for customizations, equipment or road assistance. The state requires liability insurance, while lenders used to finance the motorcycle are likely to require collision or comprehensive coverage.

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 Posted on May 19, 2023 in Truck Accidents

Millions of motorists in Maryland may be affected by a recall announced by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Documents published in May 2023 show the NHTSA and manufacturer ARC Automotive locked in a dispute over airbag inflators. The NHTSA began investigating the airbag inflators in July 2015. The investigation was upgraded in August 2016. The NHTSA is demanding the recall of 67 million airbag inflators with a safety defect that poses an unreasonable risk of injury or death.

THE ARC AIRBAG RECALL

ARC Automotive maintains that it has not identified any defect that would require a recall of this size. According to the demand letter sent to ARC by the NHTSA, the airbag inflators create an unreasonable risk of injury or death because they project metal fragments into vehicle occupants rather than properly inflating the airbag. The ARC airbag inflators are used by a dozen vehicle manufacturers in several dozen different models, including BMW, Kia and General Motors, among others.

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 Posted on May 08, 2023 in Truck Accidents

Maryland residents who own motorcycles love the freedom they get from riding. However, accidents are more likely to happen because of the open design and slimness of these vehicles. Below are some of the most common causes of motorcycle accidents.

LEFT-HAND TURNS

Many motorcycle accidents occur when the rider is in the process of making a left-hand turn. When a motorcycle rider shares the road with cars and other larger vehicles and turns left, an accident can happen when the driver fails to see them while proceeding straight. Sometimes, a blind spot is to blame; other times, an accident occurs because the driver fails to yield the right of way or the motorcyclist doesn’t use their turn signal.

LANE SPLITTING

Lane splitting is a common practice among motorcyclists when traffic is heavy. It involves traveling between lanes and between vehicles and can be dangerous in certain situations. For example, some drivers don’t expect a motorcycle to suddenly appear at their driver’s or passenger’s side. This can lead to an accident that can render the motorcycle rider catastrophically injured. Although lane splitting is legal in some states, it’s illegal in Maryland.

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 Posted on April 20, 2023 in Truck Accidents

People in Maryland depend on their automobiles to reach many places, including their jobs. Unfortunately, that situation changes after you get into an automobile accident. A car accident can damage a vehicle while injuring the person or people inside it.

LOST WAGES AND SELF-EMPLOYED INDIVIDUALS

The term “self-employed” is for someone typically working as a freelancer, contractor or a business owner. Someone working on behalf of a company, typically on a part or full-time basis, is an employee. Lost wages can also cover benefits that you lose as a result of a motor vehicle accident.

PROVING LOST WAGES

No matter whether you’re self-employed or work as an employee, you’ll need to provide proof that your accident caused you to lose wages.

Generally, you’ll need to provide documentation showing how much money you earn, typically a 1099 tax form from the previous year. Providing this information from past business-related invoices or receipts might also be useful.

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 Posted on April 06, 2023 in Truck Accidents

Speeding is a common traffic violation that many drivers engage in regularly. However, it’s important to understand that speeding is not just a minor infraction – it’s a dangerous behavior that puts everyone on the road at risk.

Here’s what you should know about why speeding is so dangerous.

REDUCED REACTION TIME

Speeding reduces the time a driver has to react to unexpected situations on the road, such as pedestrians or other vehicles. The faster a driver goes, the less time they have to decide and take action. This can lead to accidents that could have been avoided if the driver had been traveling at a safe speed.

INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCE

Speeding also increases the distance a vehicle needs to stop. When a driver is traveling at high speeds, they need more distance to come to a complete stop. This means that if a driver needs to stop suddenly, they may be unable to do so in time to avoid an accident.

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 Posted on April 05, 2023 in Truck Accidents

Rideshare services provide a convenient way for people to book alternatives to taxi rides while allowing drivers to make money in the gig economy. Rideshare drivers must exercise caution when transporting passengers on Maryland roads. Accidents may happen, leaving victims suffering from injuries. Those victims may wonder who to file a claim against to recover their losses.

RIDESHARE ACCIDENTS AND NEGLIGENCE

Ultimately, the injured victim would seek compensation from the person or persons responsible for the accident. Negligence always factors into a personal injury case, and liability claims center on who is liable. If a rideshare driver goes through a red light and hits another vehicle, the injured parties might sue the rideshare driver and, possibly, the rideshare driver’s employer for harm suffered.

Now, the rideshare driver might do nothing wrong and get hit by a drunk driver. The rideshare driver and passenger could sue the drunk driver for compensation and punitive damages.

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 Posted on March 26, 2023 in Truck Accidents

Traffic collisions can be a life-threatening experience for Maryland motorists; unfortunately, they are all too common. Understanding the different types of traffic collisions can help drivers stay safe on the road and know how to react in the event of an accident and how to prevent them.

REAR-END COLLISION

This type of collision occurs when one vehicle hits another from behind. Rear-end collisions are often caused by tailgating or distracted driving, such as texting. These accidents can range from minor fender benders to more serious accidents with injuries.

HEAD-ON COLLISION

This is one of the most dangerous types of motor vehicle accidents. It occurs when two vehicles traveling in opposite directions collide front-end to front-end. Head-on collisions often occur due to speeding or reckless driving and can result in fatalities.

T-BONE COLLISION

T-bone collisions happen when one vehicle hits another vehicle broadside, forming a “T” shape. T-bone collisions often occur when one vehicle runs a red light or stop sign at intersections. These accidents can be especially dangerous for the vehicle’s occupants on the side that is hit.

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 Posted on March 09, 2023 in Truck Accidents

Car accidents occurring in Maryland often result in victims sustaining severe harm. If you were involved in such a harrowing situation, you can file a personal injury claim to recover damages. One common damage from car accidents is pain and suffering. This is how to be compensated for it.

UNDERSTANDING PAIN AND SUFFERING

Many victims of motor vehicle accidents suffer pain and suffering. It refers to the physical pain from the injuries that have been sustained and the mental anguish that accompanies it. These are general damages in personal injury claims; although they cannot be seen, doctors can observe them during medical exams. For example, whiplash can cause limited range of motion in the neck, indicating pain.

RECOVERING A SETTLEMENT FOR PAIN AND SUFFERING

Maryland is a fault state when it comes to motor vehicle accidents, which means that injured victims can recover a settlement for pain and suffering and other damages through the at-fault driver’s insurance policy. However, because the state also has a contributory negligence law, the injured party must not be found to be at all responsible for the accident. Even being found 1% at fault could bar you from being able to recover compensation for your damages.

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 Posted on February 23, 2023 in Truck Accidents

Truck accidents usually occur on Maryland roads when they’re least expected. Although these situations are always dangerous, they can also be hazardous. Improperly loaded cargo can result in catastrophic injuries and even death in certain situations.

RULES FOR CARGO ON TRUCKS

Per the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, there are certain rules and regulations that the trucking industry must strictly follow. Cargo is heavily regulated in order to ensure safety. It must be properly loaded on a truck, be securely held in place by the proper tie-downs and cannot exceed a certain weight limit. Any system used to secure cargo cannot be damaged or weak. Loaders are required to use edge protection if the cargo can potentially cut a tie-down.

Any violation of these rules and requirements can lead to a truck accident. Issues affecting the cargo load can make for a deadly situation no matter what the circumstances.

WAYS THAT CARGO COULD BE IMPROPERLY LOADED

Imbalanced cargo is problematic because the weight distribution is uneven, which can cause a truck to have a rollover accident. It could also lead to parts of the truck such as the brakes failing. This can be deadly when the trucker is unable to properly handle the truck or stop.

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 Posted on February 10, 2023 in Truck Accidents

When some accidents occur in Maryland, injuries to vehicle occupants are readily apparent, but when minor ones happen, everyone may seem okay at first. Although you may feel like you’re okay after a motor vehicle accident, even minor ones can bring about changes in your body that are not initially apparent. Injuries can appear slowly.

INJURIES THAT CAN DEVELOP OVER TIME

Motor vehicle accidents can transfer significant forces throughout your body. These are the five most common areas for injuries to appear after minor accidents slowly:

• Neck
• Brain
• Back
• Soft tissues
• Internal Organs

When left untreated, many slowly developing injuries can become chronic problems with debilitating results. Whiplash is the most common accident injury, and because it’s complex, symptoms and treatments can vary. It can also cause a concussion, which is a traumatic brain injury. Concussion symptoms include headache, confusion, nausea, dizziness, fatigue, memory problems, and tinnitus. Spinal injuries can cause numbness or paralysis that develops gradually. Back pain resulting from strained muscles can also occur. Soft tissue injuries to feet, ankles, knees and sometimes the joints of the arms can also develop. You may not even associate the pain in those areas with the accident. Finally, internal bleeding is often not immediately obvious, but as the condition progresses, it can become life-threatening.

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