September 2009 Archives

Truck accidents stand out from other types of automobile accidents because of the increased likelihood of fatality.  Truck accidents are generally more harmful to the parties involved than standard car accidents because of the size disparity between the vehicles and the potentially dangerous cargo commonly carried by trucks.  Currently in the U.S., one person dies every 16 minutes as the result of a truck accident.  Though truck accidents constitute just 3% of all injury accidents and 5% of all property-damage-only accidents, 8% of the vehicles in fatal accidents are large trucks.  In 2008 alone, there were 4,006 fatalities directly attributed to accidents involving large trucks.  Of these fatalities, 98% of the people killed in truck accidents are occupants of the non-truck vehicle. 

A number of factors exist that are potential causes of truck accidents.  Chief among these factors are the demanding schedules and deadlines that are imposed on many truck operators.  High demand schedules can cause the truck operator to speed or drive aggressively, to drive tired or be fatigued due to extended work shifts, or even to consume narcotics that impair the operator's ability to drive.  The amount of hours that a truck driver has operated their truck is often a relevant fact in truck accident cases, as federal law specifically restricts how many hours a truck driver may log over a fixed period of time. 

Learning that a newborn child has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy is one of the greatest fears of expecting parents.  A diagnosis of cerebral palsy often means that a child could suffer from a number of potentially crippling disabilities, including muscular deformity, involuntary movement, seizures, speech disorders and mental retardation for the rest of their lives.  Although a specific cause of cerebral palsy has not been pinpointed, the general consensus is that cerebral palsy is brought on by some form of injury to the brain of the infant before, during, or shortly after birth.  Fortunately for those that suffer from cerebral palsy and their parents, awards in cerebral palsy cases are usually substantial because of the long term effect of the condition and the high cost of medical care associated with the disorder. 

Dog bite cases can often be very lucrative because of the potential to name multiple defendants.  In many cases where a dog owner is renting their home or apartment, successful claims can be made against both the landlord and tenant.

For example, a Baltimore City woman was recently able to obtain a verdict of over $325,000 for injuries she suffered as a result of a dog bite.  In this case, the Plaintiff was walking her dog down a public street when another dog broke free from a nearby apartment.  The loose dog then attacked the Plaintiff, causing a flesh wound that would later require 25 stitches to repair.  The Plaintiff subsequently filed suit against both the dog owner and the landlord of the dog owner's property. 

In her suit, the Plaintiff claimed that the dog owner was liable for not adequately securing his dog, and that the landlord was vicariously liable because the property being rented to the dog's owner was not sufficient to house a large dog (the dog in this case was a rottweiler).  Only the landlord presented a defense at trial, claiming that he was not liable for the actions of the dog involved in the attack.  A Baltimore City jury took just 1 hour to return a verdict against the dog owner in the amount of $175,025, and against the landlord in the amount of $150,025.  The amount rendered for the pain and suffering of the Plaintiff was not provided by the Court.