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Maryland Truck Accident Lawyer

Maryland truck accidents may be governed by Maryland or federal law, depending on whether the truck was involved in intrastate or interstate transport. Listed below are some Maryland laws that affect truck accidents. For a more comprehensive list of truck laws, click here.


Large trucking companies and their insurance companies work quickly to protect themselves when one of their trucks is involved in an accident, often sending investigators directly to the scene.

To protect your rights, it's imperative to have knowledgeable legal council to begin investigating immediately, preserve evidence, and help you get the best possible result in pursuing your claim against the trucking company. E.J. Leizerman and Associates is a Law Firm that accepts semi truck accident cases across the country. In Maryland, we work with the Karp Frosh Law Firm, a firm that handles tractor-trailer accidents throughout the state.


Ron Karp, the firm's managing partner, is the immediate past president of the Washington D.C. chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates, a nationwide organization of experienced (plaintiff and defense) trial lawyers committed to improving the ethical and technical standards of advocacy. Ron is a former president of the Trial Lawyers Association of Metropolitan Washington, D.C. and former president of the George Washington Inns of Court. He is a recipient of the Trial Lawyer of the Year Award and was selected to appear in Best Lawyers in America (a publication that is based on interviews with other lawyers and lists less than 1% of the lawyers in the United States). Ron currently appears in the new Millennium Edition of Who's Who in American Law, and is listed in Who's Who in America. He is a frequent lecturer at trial lawyer seminars, and has appeared on numerous television and radio programs. Ron has been lead counsel in a number of recent high profile cases which have been referenced in The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Times of London, People Magazine and various network television programs, including his representation of former Montgomery County Police Chief Charles Moose in his successful First Amendment battle to publish his book, "Three Weeks in October." Last year Ron concluded a successful sexual harassment trial against a Fortune 500 Company. Most recently, Ron chaired a seminar at the American University Law School in Washington, D.C. on representing victims of terrorism.
Other members of the firm also have experience successfully handling catastrophic semi truck accidents.
E.J. Leizerman & Associates and the Karp Frosh Law Firm are familiar with exceptions to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (title 49, Parts 350-399) that affect trucks operating only in Maryland, as there are some situations where a tractor-trailer or other commercial motor vehicles are involved in only intrastate travel. For example, an appliance store in Silver Spring may own a truck that only makes in-state deliveries.
The Maryland Department of Public Safety has adopted Title 49, Parts 382-384 and 390-399 of the federal regulations with a few notable provisions, including:


Maryland:


The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (Title 49, Parts 350-399) govern all vehicles engaged in interstate traffic.
There are some situations where a tractor-trailer or other commercial motor vehicle is involved in only intrastate travel. For example, an appliance store in Bethesda may own a truck that only makes in-state deliveries.
The Maryland Department of Public Safety has adopted Title 49, Parts 382-384 and 390-399 of the federal regulations.


The following provisions are an overview of Maryland laws that affect trucks
operating only in Maryland:

Driver Qualification:

Maryland has adopted Part 391 of the Federal Regulations with some modifications. Part 391 does not apply to a farmer in the transportation of supplies or farm products within 150 air miles of the farm.

A driver not meeting the physical qualification requirements may qualify for a waiver. Contact the Motor Vehicle Administration for specifics regarding a waiver possibility.

Parts and Accessories:

Maryland has adopted Part 393 of the Federal Regulations. Factory installed pollution control devices must be maintained in constant operation. It is illegal to disconnect or otherwise interrupt their operation.

Loads:

Maryland has adopted part 393 of the Federal Regulations, including regulations dealing with projecting and shifting or falling loads. All vehicles must be constructed or loaded in a way that prevents any of the load from dropping, sifting, leaking, or otherwise escaping from the vehicle.

Crash reports are available from:

Maryland State Police
Security Annex Central Records Division
1711 Belmont Ave.
Baltimore, MD 21244
(410) 298-3390


If you have been involved in a truck accident in Maryland, contact one of our Maryland lawyers or attorneys to help you with more information or to answer any questions you have.

In the event this material is not deemed to fully comply with the provisions of the rules of professional conduct of any particular state, this firm will not accept clients or representation that derive from the distribution of this material within those jurisdictions.

"Extracting data from the ECM often answers critical questions regarding vehicle speed and the driver's actions leading up to, during, and after a vehicle accident."

Learn more about State and Federal Trucking Laws