Maryland Trucking Accident Lawyer Blog

When a Freight Broker Can Be Held Responsible for a Maryland Truck Crash

Lebowitz & Mzhen — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 15:22:29 +0000

Last updated August 21, 2026 · Reviewed by Jack D. Lebowitz

A serious truck crash on I-95 or the Baltimore Beltway often produces a defendant who cannot pay for the harm done. The motor carrier turns out to be a small operation with minimum coverage, and the damages run past those limits within the first month of hospital care. For years, the company that hired that carrier and put it on the road could usually get itself dismissed by pointing to a federal statute.

The Supreme Court removed that defense in May 2026. In Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II, LLC, No. 24–1238, decided May 14, a unanimous Court held that federal law does not bar state-law negligent hiring claims against freight brokers. Justice Barrett wrote that requiring a broker to use ordinary care in choosing a carrier “concerns” motor vehicles, which places such claims inside the safety exception Congress built into the preemption statute.

For a Maryland family, the practical consequence is straightforward. In a Maryland trucking accident claim where the carrier’s policy will not cover the losses, the broker that selected that carrier is now a defendant the case can reach, and Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers has been building these claims around the full chain of hiring decisions rather than the driver alone.

What a Freight Broker Does Before the Truck Ever Moves

A freight broker is a company that arranges transportation for a shipper without hauling anything itself, hiring a motor carrier to move the load and taking a margin on the arrangement.

That arrangement is where the selection happens. Brokers can see a carrier’s federal safety rating, its inspection and crash history, and its record on driver qualification, hours of service, and maintenance. A broker choosing between carriers is choosing which driver and which truck end up on the road, which is why the negligent hiring theory attaches at that point rather than at the moment of impact.

The Preemption Defense the Supreme Court Rejected

The statute at the center of the case is 49 U.S.C. § 14501(c). It bars states from enforcing any law “related to a price, route, or service of any motor carrier,” and brokers had argued for years that a negligent hiring verdict does exactly that by regulating how they choose carriers.

The same subsection carries an exception preserving “the safety regulatory authority of a State with respect to motor vehicles.” The Court read the exception to cover these claims, and the split among the lower courts that had divided over the question for a decade closed with it. Nothing in the ruling creates a new cause of action. It removes the argument that ended these cases before the facts were ever examined.

What a Negligent Hiring Claim Against a Broker Has to Show

The claim is ordinary Maryland negligence law applied to a hiring decision, so the evidence tends to come from the broker’s own files rather than from the crash scene. The records that carry the most weight are these:

Safety rating: the carrier’s federal rating at the time of the load, including any conditional rating
Inspection history: the out-of-service record, which is public and which brokers routinely check
Vetting standards: the broker’s own written criteria, and whether this carrier met them
Prior notice: what the broker knew about earlier crashes, driver qualification failures, or hours-of-service violations

Maryland’s contributory negligence rule applies to these claims as it does to every fault-based case in the state, which means an injured person found even slightly at fault can be barred from recovering at all. Adding a broker does not soften that rule, and it makes early preservation of the driver’s logs, the carrier’s files, and the broker’s load records more important rather than less. If a carrier’s insurer has already told you its limits are exhausted, the broker’s file is usually where your case goes next. The limitations period for most Maryland personal injury claims runs three years from the date the action accrues under Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-101, and where a crash was fatal, a Maryland wrongful death claim carries its own three-year period measured from the death.

Truck cases have always involved more parties than a car crash, and the work of finding every responsible one is what decides whether a family is made whole or left with a judgment against a company with no assets. We send preservation demands early, before logs and telematics data cycle out of a carrier’s system, and we look past the driver to the carrier, the shipper, and now the broker. Our attorneys have handled these multi-defendant cases across Maryland for years, and the ruling described here widens what is available in a real way.

Talk With a Truck Crash Attorney About Who Else Is Liable

Identifying every responsible party takes records a family has no practical way to obtain on its own. Trucking cases across Maryland, including Baltimore City, Prince George’s County, and the I-95 and I-270 corridors, are handled by Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers. A free consultation is available at (800) 654-1949 or through the firm’s contact page. Fees come out of a recovery, and there are none without one.

The post When a Freight Broker Can Be Held Responsible for a Maryland Truck Crash appeared first on Maryland Trucking Accident Lawyer Blog.

When Recalled Brakes Cause a Truck Crash

Lebowitz & Mzhen — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 17:11:03 +0000

Last updated July 13, 2026 · Reviewed by the attorneys at Lebowitz & Mzhen

Brakes are the one system on a heavy truck that everyone on the road is depending on, whether they realize it or not. In July 2026, Work Truck Online reported two recalls that drove the point home. Mack recalled model-year 2026 Granite trucks built with incorrect drive-axle brake drums that can overload the axle and raise the risk of a crash. Around the same time, Peterbilt trucks were recalled over rear brake piping that lacked proper clearance, a defect that can lead to a loss of service brakes or anti-lock function. Recalls like these are a warning about what happens when the equipment meant to stop tens of thousands of pounds does not work as designed.

What a Brake Defect Does to a Loaded Truck

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Who Is Responsible When a Truck Is Left Stopped in Traffic on I-95?

Lebowitz & Mzhen — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 14:41:56 +0000

A medevac helicopter setting down on the lanes of Interstate 95 is the kind of sight that stops traffic for miles. That is what happened in Howard County on the morning of June 5, 2026, after a box truck slammed into the back of a tractor-trailer. One person was flown to a hospital, several lanes shut down for hours, and another Maryland commute turned into a trauma scene.

A Pattern Maryland Drivers Keep Seeing on I-95

The June crash was not the first of its kind on this stretch of highway in 2026. Earlier in the year, another Howard County crash on I-95 killed a driver when a truck struck the rear of a tractor-trailer stopped on the shoulder. Collisions involving a stopped, disabled, or slow-moving commercial vehicle repeat on Maryland interstates for predictable reasons. Heavy trucks accelerate and stop slowly, they sometimes pull onto narrow shoulders that leave part of the rig close to live lanes, and a driver coming up behind at 65 miles per hour has only seconds to react to a wall of steel that is barely moving.

The Underride Danger in Truck Rear-End Crashes

The height mismatch between a passenger vehicle and a trailer creates the danger of underride, where a car slides beneath the body of the truck and the trailer enters the passenger compartment. Underride crashes rank among the most lethal on the road because they bypass the bumper, hood, and crumple zones that protect occupants in an ordinary collision. Even when a larger vehicle like a box truck is involved, striking the rear of a tractor-trailer concentrates enormous force on the cab and the people inside, and survivors often face head and spine injuries, broken bones, and a long road back.

The Questions That Decide Who Is at Fault

Liability in these crashes is rarely as simple as blaming the driver who hit the truck. Several questions shape the outcome:

Was the tractor-trailer stopped in a lawful, visible place, with hazard lights, reflective triangles, or other warnings that Maryland and federal rules may require?
Did the truck break down, and if so, did poor maintenance by the carrier contribute?
Was the following driver fatigued, distracted, or driving too fast for conditions?
Did the trucking company push its drivers to keep operating past the point of safe driving?

A serious truck crash can involve the driver, the motor carrier, a maintenance contractor, and more than one insurance policy. Untangling those relationships, and preserving the truck’s logs and electronic data before they disappear, is part of building a claim that holds the right parties accountable.

At Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers, our attorneys understand how differently a truck case unfolds compared with an ordinary car crash. Commercial carriers and their insurers move quickly to control the story, and the evidence that matters, from driver logs to maintenance records to the truck’s onboard data, can vanish if no one acts. We have helped injured Marylanders and their families confront trucking companies and demand answers about what went wrong on the road. Our focus stays where it belongs, on the person who was hurt and what they need to rebuild.

Injured in a Maryland Truck Crash on I-95 or Another Highway?

Crashes involving large trucks leave victims with serious injuries and a complicated fight over who is responsible. Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers will review your case at no cost and explain how Maryland law applies to what happened to you. Call (800) 654-1949 or send us a message through our online contact form, and we will move fast to protect the evidence and the rights that matter to your recovery.

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A New Trailer Recall Puts the Spotlight Back on Dangerous Underride Crashes

Lebowitz & Mzhen — Thu, 28 May 2026 16:26:19 +0000

You have probably driven behind a tractor-trailer hundreds of times without thinking about the steel bar hanging off the back. It has a formal name — a rear impact guard, sometimes called an underride guard — and its only job is to stop a car from sliding underneath the trailer in a rear-end crash. When it works, it can save your life. When it fails, the consequences are among the most horrifying things that can happen on a highway.

That is why a recent federal action matters. In a round of commercial-vehicle safety recalls issued in early May, regulators flagged a batch of trailers built over several model years because their rear impact guards were missing welds, which reduced the guards’ structural strength. According to the recall, a guard with inadequate strength may not protect the vehicle behind it and increases the risk of injury in a rear-end crash.

It helps to picture what an underride crash actually looks like, because most drivers never have. Your car’s safety systems — its crumple zones, airbags, and reinforced cabin — are designed to absorb a frontal impact at bumper height. But when you rear-end a high-riding trailer and the guard gives way, your car keeps moving forward and slides beneath the trailer. The trailer’s edge passes over your hood and into the passenger compartment. The very safety features that should protect you in a normal collision never get the chance to do their job.

If you drive in Maryland, you share the road with heavy trucks every day. I-95, I-70, the Beltway, and the routes feeding the Port of Baltimore are packed with tractor-trailers. The mix of heavy traffic, sudden slowdowns, and miles of highway means rear-end encounters with trailers happen, especially at night or in bad weather when a slow-moving trailer is hard to judge.

A defect like missing welds also changes how fault is examined after a crash. When an underride guard fails, the questions reach beyond just the truck driver:

Was the trailer built and maintained in compliance with federal safety standards?
Did the manufacturer or the trucking company know, or should it have known, about a structural weakness?
Had the guard already been damaged, corroded, or improperly repaired and left in service anyway?

These are not questions you should have to answer on your own while you are recovering or grieving. They require preserving the trailer before it disappears, getting maintenance and inspection records, and working with people who understand how these guards are supposed to perform. Recalls like this one are a reminder that the equipment behind a serious truck crash can be just as important as the driving.

If you lost a loved one in a Maryland truck crash, or if you are facing devastating injuries yourself, the truck, the trailer, and the company that put them on the road all deserve a hard look. The sooner that look begins, the better the evidence holds up.

About Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers

Truck cases are not just bigger car cases, and the attorneys at Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers have built our practice around understanding the difference. We know how to move quickly to preserve a trailer before it disappears into a repair yard, how to read federal safety standards, and how to hold manufacturers and motor carriers accountable when their equipment fails the people around it. Maryland families facing the aftermath of a catastrophic truck collision should not have to take on a trucking company and its insurers alone. We bring the resources and the resolve those fights demand.

Have You or a Loved One Been Injured in a Maryland Truck Crash?

A collision with a tractor-trailer can change everything in an instant, and the evidence that explains what happened can vanish just as fast. At Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers, we investigate the driver, the trailer, and the company behind both. If you or a loved one was injured in a truck crash anywhere in Maryland, call (800) 654-1949 or use our online contact form for a free consultation. We will help you understand what happened and stand with you every step of the way.

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Who Is Liable After a Tractor-Trailer Fire Like the I-270 Express Lane Crash?

Lebowitz & Mzhen — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 08:46:59 +0000

Around 1:54 a.m. on April 15, 2026, the Maryland State Highway Administration confirmed that the I-270 express lanes near the MD 927 Montrose Road exit in Montgomery County were closed in both directions. Officials reported that a tractor-trailer collided with several vehicles on southbound I-270 between Route 28 and Montrose Road, caught fire, and spilled fuel onto the roadway. Four people were taken to area hospitals. HazMat personnel responded alongside the State Highway Administration and Maryland State Police.

For drivers in the region, the closure was disruptive. For the people in those four ambulances, and for whoever loved them, it was something else entirely.

Truck crashes that involve fire and fuel are among the most complicated injury cases that come out of Maryland’s highway system. Burns, smoke inhalation, secondary impacts as nearby vehicles try to avoid the scene, and the destruction of physical evidence by the flames themselves all change how a claim has to be built. Below are some of the questions that come up most often after a crash like this one.

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When Trailer Brake Problems Create Avoidable Dangers

Lebowitz & Mzhen — Sat, 28 Mar 2026 11:56:41 +0000

A February 2026 recall report filed with NHTSA states that certain 2025 and 2026 Ram vehicles equipped with a trailer tow module may experience a loss of trailer lighting and trailer brakes. The recall affects a large group of Ram and related vehicles, and the defect creates an obvious crash risk because following drivers may not get proper visual warning while the trailer itself may not brake as expected.

This is an important reminder that not every serious towing collision starts with reckless driving. Some begin with a piece of equipment that should have worked but did not. When a pickup, work truck, or heavy-duty vehicle loses trailer brake function, the danger is not abstract. Stopping distances change, control can be reduced, and a driver behind the rig may have no idea that a turn or slowdown is happening until it is too late.

In Maryland, that kind of problem matters on highways, contractor routes, and job-related travel where trucks tow equipment, utility trailers, and commercial loads every day. A crash involving a trailer is often treated as a basic traffic event at first. It may actually require a much deeper look at the vehicle, the trailer connection, the braking system, recall history, and whether the owner or operator continued towing after a known safety issue emerged.

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Truck Accident in Prince George’s County: Liability, Damages, and Your Legal Options

Lebowitz & Mzhen — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 18:05:05 +0000

A collision with a commercial truck on the Capital Beltway or the Baltimore-Washington Parkway can cause catastrophic injuries that a typical car accident never would. The size and weight difference between an 80,000-pound tractor-trailer and a passenger vehicle means truck accident victims in Prince George’s County frequently suffer traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, multiple fractures, and fatal injuries. Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers represents truck accident victims throughout Prince George’s County, including crashes in Upper Marlboro, Bowie, Hyattsville, College Park, and Largo, and has recovered over $90 million for injured clients across Maryland.

Who Is Liable for a Truck Accident in Maryland?

Truck accident liability in Maryland frequently extends beyond the driver. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations and Maryland law allow injured victims to pursue claims against multiple parties, depending on what caused the crash.

The post Truck Accident in Prince George’s County: Liability, Damages, and Your Legal Options appeared first on Maryland Trucking Accident Lawyer Blog.

School Bus Crash Sends Bus Into A Creek

Lebowitz & Mzhen — Sat, 31 Jan 2026 23:01:58 +0000

A school bus crash can scare a whole community, even when the students are physically okay. On February 2, 2026, a school bus with students inside went off Raley Boulevard in Sacramento and ended up in a creek, according to reports. The update said the students were accounted for and not injured, while the driver went to the hospital with a complaint of pain.

Stories like this also hit close to home for Maryland families, since school-day crashes raise the same practical questions anywhere: who might be responsible, which insurance pays first, and what happens if injuries show up later.

What The Reported Details Suggest About How These Crashes Happen

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When A Truck Hits A Disabled Vehicle What Liability Can Look Like In Maryland And D.C.

Lebowitz & Mzhen — Mon, 22 Dec 2025 19:42:56 +0000

A recent interstate crash involving a tractor-trailer and a disabled vehicle shows how quickly a routine breakdown can turn into a life-changing event. When a commercial truck strikes a stopped or disabled car, families usually want the same answers right away: who may be responsible, how insurance works, and what steps actually help. Those questions come up in Maryland and Washington, D.C. truck cases as often as they do anywhere else, because the core issues stay the same.

In many of these collisions, the disabled vehicle becomes the center of the story. That detail matters, yet it does not automatically shift blame away from the truck driver or the trucking company. Fault typically turns on what the driver saw or should have seen, how they reacted, and whether company practices created avoidable risk.

Why Disabled Vehicle Crashes Are So Dangerous With Commercial Trucks

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Maryland Truck Accidents After Recent Box Truck Fatalities On Route 13

Lebowitz & Mzhen — Fri, 28 Nov 2025 18:41:29 +0000

Recent Maryland news reports describe a fatal box truck crash in Somerset County, where a southbound Freightliner on Route 13 left the roadway and struck a tree near Peggy Neck Road. The driver did not survive. Incidents like this highlight how quickly a truck trip can turn deadly, even without another vehicle directly involved. For families, the key question is what legal options exist when a commercial truck driver dies or suffers serious injuries in a single-vehicle crash.

Maryland law still allows a careful investigation into maintenance practices, cargo loading, employer oversight, and roadway conditions. Even when no other driver appears to share fault, trucking companies and others may face liability if their conduct contributed to the crash.

How Single-Vehicle Maryland Truck Crashes Still Raise Legal Issues

A truck leaving the roadway often appears to be “driver error” at first glance. Fatigue, distraction, or speeding certainly cause many crashes. However, commercial trucking involves multiple players whose decisions affect safety, including dispatchers, mechanics, and freight loaders. A single-vehicle crash can stem from:

Defective brakes or tires that should have been inspected;
Improper cargo loading that shifts weight and destabilizes the box truck;
Unreasonable delivery schedules that encourage speeding or drowsy driving; or
Poor roadway design or inadequate warnings in construction zones

For injured drivers, passengers, or grieving families, a thorough investigation into these factors may reveal negligence that supports a personal injury or wrongful death claim.

How Does Maryland Law Treat Truck Driver Negligence And Employer Responsibility

Maryland uses a strict contributory negligence rule, which means that if an injured person shares any fault for a crash, recovery can be barred. That standard makes truck cases challenging when an insurer tries to place all blame on the driver. At the same time, employers often bear responsibility for negligent acts committed within the scope of employment.

If a fatigued driver caused the crash while rushing to meet an unrealistic carrier-imposed schedule, the liability analysis should address both the driver’s conduct and the company’s policies. When defective equipment or poor maintenance are at issue, claims may extend to the trucking company or maintenance provider rather than focusing solely on the driver.

How Evidence From The Scene Shapes a Truck Accident Claim

In a serious truck crash, law enforcement, reconstruction teams, and sometimes federal investigators collect data. Critical evidence can include:

Electronic control module (black box) data showing speed, braking, and throttle position;
Inspection and maintenance logs documenting recent repairs and known defects;
Bills of lading and loading records showing how cargo weight was distributed; and
Photographs or video of skid marks, gouge marks, and final vehicle positions.

Prompt legal action helps preserve this information before it disappears or gets overwritten. In some cases, expert witnesses interpret data to show that equipment failure or improper loading, rather than simple inattention, caused the truck to leave the road.

How Families Can Protect Their Rights After a Fatal Truck Crash

Losing a family member in a box truck crash leaves you dealing with grief, funeral costs, and sudden income loss. There is often pressure to accept quick settlement offers that do not reflect the full value of the claim. Careful steps in the weeks after the crash can make a difference:

Request a copy of the police report and any reconstruction summaries.
Gather employment records, pay stubs, and benefit information for the person who died.
Avoid giving recorded statements to insurance adjusters without advice.
Keep track of all expenses related to the death, including funeral and counseling costs.

Those actions help lay the groundwork for a wrongful death or survival claim that accounts for both financial losses and the emotional fallout from the crash.

How Maryland Truck Cases Differ From Ordinary Car Claims

Truck cases involve larger vehicles, heavier federal and state regulations, and often multiple insurance policies. A carrier may carry separate coverage for the tractor, the trailer, and general liability. Brokers or shippers sometimes sit behind the scenes but influence safety through contracts and schedules.

A Maryland truck crash, therefore, tends to require more extensive investigation than a typical car accident. That complexity can work in your favor when a careful review uncovers additional responsible parties, higher coverage limits, or regulatory violations that strengthen your case.

When To Speak With A Maryland Truck Accident Lawyer

Deadlines apply to wrongful death and personal injury lawsuits, and crucial evidence can disappear quickly. Early legal guidance helps ensure that black-box data, maintenance records, and witness accounts are preserved rather than lost. It also helps families avoid common mistakes, such as signing releases that cut off future claims or posting public comments on social media that insurers might distort.

If a Maryland truck crash killed a family member or left you with serious injuries, taking time to understand your rights before making decisions provides real protection.

Talk With A Maryland Truck Accident Lawyer About Your Options

If you face the aftermath of a serious truck crash in Maryland and need clear guidance about fault, insurance coverage, and next steps, you can contact Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers at (800) 654-1949 for a free consultation. The firm can review the facts, coordinate investigation efforts, and help you pursue compensation from all responsible parties.

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