Yost Law Legal Blog

Baltimore, Maryland

The Yost Legal Group in Baltimore, Maryland is a multi – service personal injury law firm focusing on serious personal injury and wrongful death cases.

Archive for August, 2010

Dangerous Cargo

Thursday, August 19th, 2010

Truck Accidents

Each year truck accidents account for about 5,000 deaths and 150,000 more injuries. Even though there are laws in place to ensure that truck drivers are highly qualified and also laws to make commercial transport as safe as possible, truck accidents remain one of the most fatal vehicular collisions on the road. There are more risk factors in commercial truck driving which put them at higher risk for accidents such as; driving for long periods of time, driving a larger, heavier vehicle, unsafe vehicles, less visibility, less ability to stop, and hauling dangerous materials.

Dangerous Cargo

One of the most dangerous times to collide with a truck is when it is hauling hazardous materials. If a truck is hauling hazardous materials it puts both the driver and the passengers of the other vehicle in more danger than just that of impact. Not only do hazardous materials create the risk of respiratory injuries, in the case of flammable materials, they also create the risk of burn. Another risk of extensive injuries caused by truck accidents is shifting loads. Sometimes when a truck is hauling cargo that could become loose on impact, it creates more of a risk of injury to other vehicles.

If you or someone you know is suffering from a truck accident where dangerous cargo has caused more severe injuries and are in need of a Maryland Truck Accident lawyer please contact one of our truck accident attorneys today to schedule a free initial consultation with The Yost Legal Group.

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Unsafe Trucks

Wednesday, August 18th, 2010

The Effects of Unsafe Truck Driving

Commercial truck driving is a necessary part of the American economy and has many positive aspects to society. However, in many cases unsafe driving conditions make commercial truck driving a dangerous threat to the safety on United States’ highways. According to the American Trucking Association there are over 3,000,000 commercial truck drivers in the United States. Although most of these commercial carriers are safe, there are some companies that allow unsafe truck conditions which can result in injury, or even wrongful death. Truck accidents cause more than nineteen billion dollars in damage each year. Truck accidents are also responsible for more than 5,000 deaths and 150,000 injuries every year.

The Effects of Unsafe Trucks

Although there are many laws in place to prevent unsafe commercial truck driving conditions, there are several companies that create unsafe conditions on United States’ highways such as unrealistic schedules, forcing truck drivers to drive more consecutive hours than laws permit, unqualified drivers, these include drivers who have fraud commercial drivers licenses, and lack of maintenance, vehicles that do not comply with the Commercial Vehicle Safety Guidelines. There are safety guidelines and inspections in place to make sure that Commercial Vehicles comply with safety regulations, however there is no way possible to inspect every truck and trucking company thoroughly which leaves unsafe trucks on the road.

If you or someone you know is suffering from injuries caused by an unsafe truck please contact one of our Baltimore truck accident Lawyers today to schedule a free initial consultation with The Yost Legal Group.

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UNQUALIFIED TRUCK DRIVERS

Tuesday, August 17th, 2010

Truck Accidents

Each year truck accidents are one of the leading causes of accidents resulting in death. One out of every four vehicle collisions involves a large truck. Approximately 5,000 people die and 150,000 people are injured as a result of a large truck accident every year. Although there are many laws in place to ensure safety on the road for both large trucks and for smaller vehicles, there are still several risk factors involved in the commercial truck driving industry. None od those risk factors is bigger than the actions of the truck driver.

Federal Regulations

There are many regulations to ensure that truck drivers are highly qualified and safe to operate over the road semi trucks. However, all too often, trucking companies cut corners and put unsafe drivers on the road. First, drivers must have a commercial driver’s license to meet the minimum legal requirements to operate a truck. However, trucking companies must determine if more training is required. Also they must check each driver’s previous employment history to make certain that the driver is not disqualified for other reasons. Some of the reasons truck drivers are not legally qualified could be too many accidents, alcohol violation, or too many tickets. Trucking companies often do not have adequate hiring, screening and training practices. These offenders allow unqualified patrons to operate commercial vehicles weighing up to 80,000 pounds or more. These types of issues are frequently overlooked by accident lawyers who do not understand trucking law.

If you or someone you know was injured from a truck accident it is important to seek a Maryland Truck Accident attorney please contact one of our truck accident attorneys at The Yost Legal Group today to schedule a free initial consultation.

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Truck Driver Fatigue and Truck Accidents

Monday, August 16th, 2010

The Effects of Truck Accidents

Every year, truck accidents kill more than 5,000 people and injure approximately 150,000 more. These types of accidents remain one of the highest leading causes of vehicle death where one out of every four vehicle accidents includes a large truck. Trucks are twice as likely to be involved in a multi-car accident. In addition, approximately 800 truckers die in accidents per year.

The Effects of Truck Driver Fatigue

Although there are laws in place to make sure truck drivers do not become fatigued such as laws stating how long truck drivers can drive consecutively and how long in between shifts they must rest consecutively, truck driver’s have deadlines and therefore sometimes a driver might speed or stretch the limit on the number of consecutive hours he or she can drive. This makes it difficult to pay close enough attention to driving conditions or surroundings which can cause injury or death to others in traffic. If a trucker is suffering from fatigue as a result of ignoring these rules, our Baltimore Truck Accident Attorneys can help victims recover damages from the driver or the trucking company to compensate for any injuries caused.

If you or someone you know is suffering from injuries caused by trucker fatigue please contact one of our Baltimore Truck Accident Attorneys today to schedule a free initial consultation. The Yost Legal Group serves clients in and around Baltimore, Maryland.

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