Burn Injuries Sustained in Maryland Tanker Truck Collisions

As Baltimore personal injury lawyers experienced in handling traffic-related injury cases, the attorneys at Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers, know that any kind of bodily injury received in a traffic accident could likely have been prevented were it not for the negligent actions of another individual. Furthermore, any fatality that results from carelessness or outright reckless behavior is unacceptable and the victim’s family should be allowed to recover damages from the loss of their loved one. In either instance -- severe bodily injury or death – Maryland’s legal statutes provide victims and their families with recourse.

Of course, nobody disputes that physical injury, regardless of how it comes about, is never a welcome event. When someone is badly hurt in a car or trucking-related traffic wreck there is little that can be done to go back and change the course of events, however, a qualified personal injury attorney can help victims recover the cost of medical treatment and other related expenses.

It goes without saying that being involved in any kind of severe traffic collision is hardly a pleasant experience. When one passenger vehicle strikes another one, the energy dissipated into the passenger cabin can be significant; in fact, it can be enough to break bones, cause internal injuries, and even result in a fatal blow to the head or neck. When a passenger car is struck by a 50,000-pound commercial truck, the outcome can most certainly be worse.

As Maryland trucking accident lawyers, the professionals at the law offices of Lebowitz & Mzhen are constantly fielding questions from potential clients regarding the legal aspects of filing a personal injury lawsuit. For those victims of fatal commercial vehicle crashes, the families of those deceased individuals often have questions regarding the legal implications of suing the responsible parties for damages, which can include medical expenses prior to death, as well as related damages such as the victim’s pain and suffering and the family’s loss of comfort and companionship.

As auto and trucking accident attorneys, we know that some of the most serious injuries that a person can receive as a result of a bad roadway collision are burns resulting from fire or caustic chemicals. When burn injuries take place due to negligence on the part of a commercial trucker, victims may have very good grounds to consider a personal injury lawsuit. One way in which this can be done is to contact a qualified Maryland trucking injury lawyer to learn more about one’s rights to compensation.

Although many people correlate the cause of a burn injury with extreme heat or fire, there are other equally serious and potentially fatal types of burns. The fact of the matter is that a burn injury can result from any number of causes; and not the usual kind of burn that results from exposure to a flame, hot steam and boiling liquids. Chemical burns, which can often be a danger in tanker truck crashes, can occur when a person’s skin is exposed to a caustic substance, such as acids and bases. Other kinds of burn injuries can result from contact with high voltage or high current electrical sources.

During and following a commercial traffic accident, there can be one or more potential burn risks to which victims may be exposed. These risks may arise from the commercial motor vehicle (CMV) that hit the victim’s car, or from the victim’s vehicle itself. Spilled gasoline or diesel fuel are certainly a course of potential burns if that fuel is ignited. Gasoline and diesel fires can be some of the most deadly sources of burn injuries for the occupants of a passenger car or the truck driver himself. Although motor vehicle manufacturers make an effort to design safer fuel tanks, the opportunity for a gasoline- or diesel-fueled fire at the scene of a bad traffic collision is always a concern.

As commercial trucking accident attorneys, the legal staff at Lebowitz & Mzhen knows that burn victims may not always survive a serious car or trucking wreck. Not only can the impact from a collision with a large 18-wheeler or box-type delivery van cause serious or fatal injuries, but extensive burns from a diesel or gasoline fire can cause death days or weeks later. Even if a victim of a car-truck crash survives his or her initial burn injuries, the risk of infection can place a person in a perilous medical state.

When a commercial trucking accident is caused by the careless or negligent actions of a professional truck driver, the costs for any resulting medical treatment, rehab, or long-term nursing care should be the responsibility of the driver and perhaps his employer, depending on the circumstances. As personal injury lawyers, we know that burn injuries can result in significant scarring of the victim’s skin, as well as possible disfigurement and damage to the nerves beneath the skin. There are many cases of lost arms or legs due to extensive and irreparable burn damage.

The injuries due to burns are not all physical, either. Many victims can suffer from extreme depression as a result of their injuries. The American Burn Association states that more than one million burn injuries take place annually in the United States. Of those numerous cases, several thousand typically require hospitalization, of which a rather large percentage of the victims die as a result of their injuries.

As personal injury lawyers with experience in handling trucking-related accident cases, Lebowitz & Mzhen consider every aspect of a victim’s injuries, from the physical harm that a chemical burn or high-temperature liquid can cause, to the psychological trauma that may follow in the wake of a serious trucking accident. We understand that severe burns resulting from automobile and commercial trucking wrecks can be some of the most painful and long-lasting injuries a person can experience.

If you or a loved one has been badly injured in a burn-related accident, the law offices of Lebowitz & Mzhen is prepared to assist in filing a personal injury claim on your behalf. We have the training and litigation skills necessary to represent clients who have suffered severe burns, including those who have received permanent disfigurement in a commercial trucking collision. If negligence was involved, you may be able to collect damages from the responsible party(s). Please contact us for a free, no-obligation consultation with one of our skilled attorneys. You may call us, toll-free at (800) 654-1949 or e-mail either Jack Lebowitz or Vadim Mzhen in order to arrange a meeting to discuss your commercial trucking accident lawsuit.