Related Links Work Zone Safety: Avoiding a Potentially Fatal Maryland Truck Crash Know Your Rights in Maryland Accident Involving Construction Equipment |
“Do not follow trucks into work area.” Work zones are a high-risk area, and not just for construction workers. Any driver attempting to maneuver past a crowded work zone along a well-used highway will quickly realize just how busy these road construction sites can be. Easily half a dozen large machines can be in motion all at once, some driving straight, others working their way up a slanted mountain of dirt, and still others traveling in reverse.
Construction workers are trained in proper handling of such equipment, but mistakes still occur. Perhaps a bulldozer driver failed to see you approaching the area and backed into your car while digging a pipe location at an intersection. Maybe a dump truck driver cut you off as he was attempting to leave the work zone with a full truckload of dirt. You deserve compensation if you’ve been hurt in a Maryland truck collision with any one of these common pieces of construction equipment:
- Bulldozer
- Excavator
- Loader
- Dump truck
- Cement truck
- Roller
- Water truck
Similar to other commercial vehicles, construction machines are big, hard to see around, and slow to stop. Maryland truck accidents involving construction equipment typically end in serious injury or death to the victim. Approximately 700 people died in 2012 in work zone crashes, and thousands more were injured.
Most work zone accidents involve two or more passenger cars attempting to get through the work zone site safely. However, accidents involving the construction equipment can occur when:
- Any large truck is exiting or entering the work zone. Common examples include a dump truck, cement truck, or an 18-wheeler carrying pipes or other equipment to the work site.
- A piece of heavy construction equipment is situated especially close to where traffic is moving.
- An excavator or bulldozer is moving within the line of traffic to get to a particular spot on the work site.
- A construction equipment operator fails to heed a flagger’s traffic directions.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a Maryland truck crash near a work zone, you will likely need help getting the compensation you deserve. Truck accident lawsuits are notoriously complex and difficult to win, but our experienced Maryland truck accident attorneys can lend their skills to your case. To request a free consultation, call Nickelsporn and Lundin at 800-875-9700.