Need an Injury Attorney for Your Washington Trucking Accident?
In 2016, 3,940 accidents involving large commercial trucks occurred throughout the state of Washington. Trucking accidents happen in every state across the U.S., with thousands upon thousands happening that lead to severe injuries as well as take lives. In these cases of negligence, you usually find factors such as high speeds and violent collisions. If you have been involved in a serious trucking accident, you may have questions for us about your case. If serious injuries are involved, you will want to speak with an experienced attorney as soon as possible.
Why Do Truck Accidents Occur in Washington?
These devastating accidents happen for a variety of reasons on our roadways all throughout Washington. When these accidents occur, they almost always cause some type of serious injury due to the nature of them as well as the sheer size of trucks in comparison to motor vehicles. The difference between trucks and their motor vehicle counterparts are tens of thousands of pounds. Here are some of the most common reasons for truck accidents:
Equipment Failure: When a truck enters the roadways, many operating systems happen all at once. This means that, when one part of the truck breaks down, it could lead to devastating results on a large scale. Thousands of other people are on the roadways at any given time, which means that many people could be involved in these serious accidents that can take out tons of cars all at once. When equipment fails, it could lead to devastating results. For instance, brakes failing could lead to a truck driver running into the back of another vehicle, which could lead to a hefty pile-up involving many different people. Even though a truck driver is most likely to be at fault for your accident, you could also name other parties in these claims, such as the manufacturers that used a defective product on a truck.
Driving Errors: Truck accidents take place every year due to the negligence of another party. There are many reasons why these accidents occur, from hours of service violations that cause a driver to fall asleep at the wheel and drive into another line of traffic, to drivers who have not been equipped with the necessary skills to drive and don’t know how to operate their vehicle as with an employee who has been doing it for many years. There are also cases of distracted driving, which takes a driver’s attention away from the roads, or drinking and driving, which can cause a driver to misinterpret what is in front of them.
You could very well see many parties be liable for these accidents, from a truck driver to a truck company or manufacturer. Companies must abide by rules set in place by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), who dictate what should and should not happen on our roadways across the country. This means that drivers should always be tested on road skills before they are placed on our roadways, must abide by hours of service regulations, and must always have background checks conducted before hiring.
Damages Available to You
There may be many damages available to you in a truck accident case. You could experience vast financial losses when you are part of a truck accident, which is why you should always have an attorney on your side to help you recover. There are many different damages that you may be entitled to, from medical bill payments to lost wages when you are unable to return to work, or damages related to PTSD if you are still suffering every day due to your accident. It is not uncommon to see negligent parties pay out large amounts in these accidents. Call an attorney you can trust with your truck accident case and start working toward the compensation you deserve.