Auto Injury News: Maryland Driver Hurt as Pickup Collides with Tractor-trailer Rig along U.S. 50

Injury accidents happen all of the time here in Maryland; and there is likely no chance that they will ever completely cease. Save for a complete cessation of driving, which is highly unlikely here in Baltimore or anywhere else around the country, it’s a fair bet that people will continue to be hurt or killed on a fairly regular basis. As Maryland personal injury lawyers, we know how badly a serious traffic accident can impact a household, or entire extended family.

Every day, either in Annapolis or Rockville, Hagerstown or Washington, D.C., individuals receive bodily injuries as a result of car, truck and motorcycle accidents. Some of those injured may not make it to the hospital alive; others may be admitted to the hospital, yet medical treatment may still not be able to save their lives.

It’s a cruel fact of life that good people die in car and trucking-related traffic wrecks. Another rule, not one anybody would be find of, is that doctors can’t always change that main fact. However, we can all make inroads to reducing the chances of becoming just another statistic; but everyone must play an active role if it is to become even close to reality.

One common misconception is that if one drives a large passenger vehicle — such as an SUV or pickup truck — that any accident one gets into will result in minor injuries. This is likely a way of thinking based on the shear size of these vehicles. This might be a somewhat sound assumption if it wasn’t for the fact that larger, more massive motor vehicle ply the streets and expressways as well; vehicles many times more massive than any light-duty pickup or even the largest sport utility vehicle.

And so lies the lesson. The best defense, accident-wise, is a strong offense. What this means is that every motorist should always be aware of his or her surroundings. Know who is behind him and what’s coming toward him. Keep one’s mind on the task at hand, stay off the cell phone and never, ever drink and drive.

Now, recently we heard of a traffic accident that initially sounded as if a commercial 18-wheeler had run into a passenger car along a stretch of U.S. 50; but which the reverse was actually true — although the police investigation was still underway at the time of the news article in question.

According to reports, the collision between pickup and semi occurred in the morning hours on a Friday in the western part of Frederick County. Based on police reports, a Dodge Dakota operated by 40-year-old Rodney Llewellyn was headed westbound on U.S. 50 apparently crossed over the centerline and struck an oncoming Volvo tractor-trailer rig a little after 10am.

Based on information from the Frederick County sheriff’s department, a Maryland State Police helicopter transported the injured pickup driver to Winchester Medical Center following the wreck. However, not long after arriving at that hospital, the man was reportedly taken to Inova Fairfax for treatment of his reportedly extensive injuries.

The tractor-trailer driver, 41-year-old Deborah Nash, was reportedly uninjured as a result of the collision; police stated that the woman was wearing her safety belt at the time. While a cause had yet to be determined by police investigators, eye witnesses reportedly told police that the pickup truck “abruptly” turned into the path of the oncoming tractor-trailer, which was carrying more than 20 tons of paper.

There was no mention of whether the pickup truck may have had some kind of mechanical failure that caused the driver to lose control of the vehicle. If that were the situation, it would not be beyond the realm of possibility to see a product liability suit against the manufacturer of the faulty part(s). Time will tell once the police investigation is completed.

Man injured when pickup, semi collide; NVDaily.com, February 11, 2012

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