Maryland Personal Injury Blog

Maryland Van versus Big Rig Accident Results in Lawsuit Filed

By injuheis on June 23, 2009

A fourth lawsuit has been filed against the driver of a van that was involved in a fatal Maryland auto crash in May 2008 as it was taking a group of men in Hagerstown to a seniors softball tournament. According to this news report, the suit filed in Washington County Circuit Court, alleges that the driver, Robin Poffenberger, drove the 2003 Chevy Custom van into the path of a tractor-trailer, failing to yield right-of-way to the big rig at the intersection of Md. 66 and Interstate 70. One man, 72-year-old Clifford J. Rice, died and six other men were taken to area hospitals.

The most recent lawsuit filed by one of the victims, Gary Gruber, seeks $500,000 in damages from Poffenberger mostly for medical costs he incurred as a result of the serious injuries. Gardner L. Stewart, who was also flown to the hospital after the tractor-trailer accident in Maryland, filed a lawsuit earlier this year seeking $3 million from Poffenberger. Stewart said he suffered serious and permanent injuries, severe mental and emotional anguish and continuing and debilitating pain and suffering because of Poffenberger’s carelessness and negligence.

Maryland auto accident victims are eligible to file personal injury claims if their injuries or damages were caused by someone else’s negligence. Typically victims of auto accidents are eligible to receive compensation to cover medical expenses, cost of medication, hospitalization, therapy and other future treatment related to the injuries. Auto accident victims could also receive compensation for loss of wages, past and future pain and suffering, property damage and other associated costs. However, it is not an easy road. It takes an experienced and skilled MD personal injury attorney to fight for your rights every step of the way so you get a fair settlement – whether it’s from an insurance company or the manufacturer of a defective auto product that caused your injury. If you have been seriously injured in a Maryland auto accident, please call Steven H. Heisler for a free consultation today.

Posted in Auto Accidents, Personal Injury, Tractor-Trailer Accidents, Wrongful Death |

Maryland Fatal Big Rig Crash

By injuheis on May 21, 2009

A truck driver was killed in a Maryland auto accident, the Indian Gazette reports in an article. The accident took place as 60-year-old Raymond Joseph Doland Sr., was coming through a curve on Route 75 in Frederick County. Police say Doland’s southbound tractor-trailer rig veered off the road and overturned striking a utility pole, a parked sport utility vehicle and an apartment building. However, no one else was hurt in this truck accident. Doland was hauling a load of powdered cement when the accident occurred.

Maryland tractor-trailer accidents are on the rise, increasing 10 percent over the last decade. Accidents, such as this tractor-trailer crash, are dangerous not only to the truck driver but also other motorists because of the size and weight of these big rigs. Big rig accidents are also legally more complicated to handle because typically, they involve multiple parties such as the driver’s company, the truck owner, and the truck manufacturer. Some of the most common causes for tractor-trailer accidents include driver fatigue, overloading, fuel fires, rollovers, jackknifing and brake malfunctions (could be caused by overloading or poor vehicle maintenance). Because of the size and weight of these trucks, property damage and injuries can be significant or even catastrophic when a trucking accident occurs.

Due to the complex nature of these cases, it is very important that you get in touch with a knowledgeable and experienced Maryland truck accident attorney if you have been seriously injured in a big rig accident. A good big rig accident attorney can help facilitate communication between the different parties involved and help you get the best possible compensation in your case. Maryland personal injury attorney Steven H. Heisler specializes in Maryland truck and tractor-trailer accidents. If you have been serious injured in a tractor trailer accident in Maryland, please call Steven H. Heisler for a free and comprehensive consultation.

Posted in Auto Accidents, Tractor-Trailer Accidents |

Baltimore County Tractor-Trailer Accident Injures Driver

By injuheis on March 19, 2009

The Baltimore News Channel WJZ reported in a story that shortly after 5 pm on March 9, 2009, a tractor-trailer overturned on I-695 in Rosedale, Baltimore County, causing a backup that lasted for hours. The driver of the tractor trailer was taken away in an ambulance to a nearby hospital. No word has yet been released on the cause of the accident, but it is known that no other vehicles were involved in the incident.

Fortunately, this particular accident did not present any fatalities or serious injuries; however, too often incidents involving overturned and jackknifed tractor trailers also involve personal injury in Maryland when passenger vehicles are included in the equation.

Experienced Maryland tractor-trailer accident attorney Steven H. Heisler reminds all drivers to stay safe by driving alert and cautiously, especially on state highways and interstate roads, where tractor trailers tend to dominate.

If you have been a personal injury victim in an incident involving a tractor trailer, it is wise to seek legal counsel to help you navigate the legal course to justice. Mr. Heisler has been helping Maryland personal injury victims for many years and has the experience and resources to help you seek justice after you have been injured in a tractor-trailer accident. For a free consultation with skilled Maryland truck accident lawyer Steven H. Heisler, call him today at   877-228-4878 to get the monetary compensation you deserve for your injuries or loss.

Posted in Personal Injury, Tractor-Trailer Accidents |

TEN SAFETY TIPS TO HELP YOU AVOID DEADLY CAR CRASHES IN SNOWY WEATHER

By Steve Heisler on January 20, 2009

Two people lost their lives and approximately 12 were severely injured as a result of a massive auto and tractor-trailer pileup on Interstate 70 in rural Washington County, Maryland on January 19,2008.

The Maryland auto accident involved 42 vehicles and authorities are in part blaming the incident on the snowy weather conditions.

There is no dispute that driving in snowy and icy conditions is a serious hazard. Here are ten safety tips for driving in snow and ice, courtesy of Mac Demere of Edmunds.com (www.edmunds.com).:

1. If driving on snow, use snow tires! To have sufficient snow traction your tires should have at least 6/32-inch deep tread.
2. Be sure to keep your windows clean. Replace your windshield wipers and make sure the windshield wiper system works and the anti-icing fluid is topped out.
3. Use the air conditioner to remove frost and ice from the windows. The air conditioner can be set to “hot”.
4. Make sure your headlights are functioning properly and free of snow.
5. Be sure to learn how to properly use anti-lock brakes. Think stomp, stay and steer Stomp on the brake “as if you were trying to snap it off”. “Stay hard on the pedal. Steer around the obstacle”, says Demere.
6. Keep an eye out for black ice. Black ice may appear to be a harmless puddle but it can be deadly. Demere says to “…test the traction with a smooth brake application or slight turn of the wheel”.
7. Don’t forget that bridges and intersections tend to ice up. Look for water that runs across the road.
8. If your front tire loses traction due to an icy patch on the road DO NOT continue to turn the steering wheel. The car will turn whichever way the wheels are pointed and you could end up striking a vehicle coming in the opposite direction.
9. Make sure your back tires have as much tread as your front. Select a car with ESC (Electronic Stability Control). ESC will be mandatory on all 2012 vehicles.
10. Don’t be tricked that technology will always save you from an accident. All Wheel Drive and Electronic Stability Control are important but do not guarantee your safety. Drive cautiously in snow and ice.

Should you find yourself involved in a Maryland Tractor-Trailer Accident, feel free to contact me by e-mail (sheisler@injurylawyermd.com) or by phone at 877-228-4878.

Posted in Auto Accidents, Injuries, Tractor-Trailer Accidents |