If operated incorrectly, garbage trucks can become dangerous weapons. Garbage truck drivers are constantly stopping and starting their vehicles in residential neighborhoods in order to collect trash on their assigned routes. This can make it difficult to predict what a garbage truck driver will do. While sanitation workers provide an invaluable service, their actions behind the wheel can cause severe injuries to other drivers, passengers, cyclists, or pedestrians. If you or a family member was injured in a garbage truck accident in Maryland, you should speak with an experienced Baltimore garbage truck injury lawyer.
Negligent garbage truck drivers can cause catastrophic accidents that can leave you and many others with severe injuries. You should not be responsible for the injuries – or medical bills – caused by a negligent driver. At Bennett & Heyman, P.A., our experienced accident attorneys have handled many cases involving passenger vehicles and commercial vehicles. To schedule a free consultation about your injury, call us at 410-429-7856 or reach us online.
Causes of Garbage Truck Accidents
Garbage truck accidents can be caused for a multitude of reasons. The weight of these vehicles – combined with the added weight from trash collected – almost ensures that a collision with a garbage truck will result in serious or even fatal injuries. Therefore, motorists should use care when approaching or driving near these vehicles.
A common cause of garbage truck accidents is the sheer size of waste collection vehicles, which creates blind spots for drivers. As mentioned above, garbage trucks must frequently stop to collect trash from residential neighborhoods. Stopping in the middle of the road can cause traffic jams and may lead to other drivers attempting to bypass the garbage truck. In situations like this, garbage truck drivers can strike other vehicles if they do not notice them in the truck’s blind spot. If possible, garbage truck drivers should be cautious and stop in areas of the road that allow traffic to pass the truck safely.
Another common reason for garbage truck collisions involves the inexperience of the negligent driver. Garbage trucks often have to maneuver through tight streets in busy areas of Baltimore. If the driver of a garbage truck is inexperienced, they will likely have trouble navigating these routes, increasing the risk of injuring other drivers or pedestrians.
In some circumstances, garbage trucks may not have to follow the same traffic laws as other drivers. This can lead to unpredictable situations where a motorist believes that a garbage truck cannot drive in a certain direction or area of the road. This may surprise a driver or pedestrian and result in a serious injury because they were not aware a garbage truck might follow different traffic rules. Situations can also arise where garbage truck drivers knowingly violate traffic laws in order to complete their work faster.
If you wish to know more about how garbage truck accidents occur, you should speak with an experienced garbage truck injury attorney.
What to Do If You Are Hit by a Garbage Truck
If you are struck by a waste disposal vehicle, one of the first things you should do is seek medical attention for yourself and any other person who was injured. The police should also be called to the scene. If you are able to remain at the scene of the accident despite your injuries, you should begin to collect information concerning the accident. However, be sure to prioritize medical treatment.
You should ask the driver of the garbage truck for necessary information like their driver’s license, address, vehicle insurance, registration, license plate, and the name of their employer. While the driver can be responsible for your injuries if they were acting negligently, the driver’s employer can also have accident liability, depending on the situation.
You should also document the scene thoroughly. This means that you should photograph your injuries and the damages to your vehicle and the garbage truck. If any witnesses are available and are willing to give a statement about how the accident happened, you should ask for their contact information. Be sure to document any adverse weather conditions that were present when the accident happened.
Additionally, once law enforcement arrives to assess the scene, you should request a copy of the police report. This may help you later if you decide to pursue a personal injury case. Your insurance company should also be notified of the accident as soon as possible.
Maryland Garbage Truck Injury Claim Attorneys Serving Baltimore
If you or a family member was the victim of a garbage truck accident, you should speak with an experienced Baltimore personal injury lawyer about filing a claim or lawsuit. The legal team at Bennett & Heyman, P.A. has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars on behalf of our clients and are ready to fight for you. To schedule a free consultation, call us at 410-429-7856 today.
