Washington Truck Accident Attorneys » Big Rig Accident

Truck Driver Arrested for Driving While Watching Porn on Laptop

Washington Truck Accident Attorney — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 02:28:26 +0000

A truck accident in New York State has made national news after the truck driver who struck and killed a woman on the Thruway was arrested for driving while watching porn on his laptop. According to a news report, the 45-year-old trucker was driving a tractor-trailer on the Thruway on “just a few hours of sleep.” New York State police say he struck a woman on the roadway who was standing outside her vehicle, which had been disabled after hitting a deer. Her injuries proved to be fatal.

An investigation later revealed that Wallace had been on duty for more than 27 hours with only four hours of sleep. Officials also found him to have been in violation of the federal Transportation Law because he was operating the big rig while keep fictitious log books. He also admitted to investigators that at the time of the fatal collision he had a laptop computer on his lap on which he was watching pornographic movies. The driver has been charged with vehicular manslaughter.

In such cases, the trucking firm can also be held liable for the victim’s wrongful death or injuries for allowing this driver to operate with false log books. An experienced Seattle truck accident attorney, in such cases, will immediately send out a notice to the trucking company to preserve the log books and all the evidence, which may be crucial to the case. Such evidence, if not requested, may be destroyed quickly.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a Washington truck accident, please contact the experienced Washington truck accident lawyers of The Bernard Law Group at 1-800-418-8282 or info@bernardlawgroup.com for a FREE, comprehensive and confidential consultation and case evaluation. We can also send you our FREE brochure, which has useful educational information to help you understand your legal rights and options. Get in touch with Kirk Bernard and his skilled legal team today.

Source:http://www.9wsyr.com/news/local/story/Truck-driver-arrested-for-causing-fatal-Thruway/_bKAqlDmOUCfRghA_6qAKQ.cspx?rss=112

Snohomish County Truck Accident Caused by Jackknifed Big Rig

Washington Truck Accident Attorney — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 21:49:33 +0000

A large truck jackknifed on Highway 2 in Snohomish County, according to a news report in the Seattle Times. The accident occurred when a semi truck hauling an 80,000-pound girder rounded a curve. The load shifted and the truck jackknifed. Washington State Patrol officials said that there were no injuries in this truck accident and that the driver is not expected to receive any citations.

Many Washington truck accidents are caused as a result of unsafe loading of the truck’s trailer. These can result in devastating injuries or even deaths mostly affecting drivers of other vehicles. The most common truck loading problems include overloading; high center of gravity loads leading to rollovers or jackknifing; or improperly restraining loads causing all or part of the load to come off.

It is the duty of the truck driver and the trucking company to make sure that all items are properly loaded on the truck and that the loads are evenly distributed. All loads and trailers should also be properly secured. If an injury or death results as a result of the truck driver’s or trucking company’s negligence in this regard, the injured parties may seek compensation for their injuries and damages. Families of deceased victims may file wrongful death claims in such cases.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a Seattle truck accident, please contact the experienced Seattle personal injury attorneys at The Bernard Law Group at 1-800-418-8282 or info@bernardlawgroup.com for a FREE comprehensive and confidential consultation and case evaluation. We can also send you our FREE informational brochure about Washington truck accident cases with useful educational information that will help you understand your legal rights and options. Please contact Kirk Bernard and his skilled legal team today.

Source:http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010610889_webjackknife27m.html?syndication=rss

Reckless Driving Caused Fatal Truck Accident, Officials Say

Washington Truck Accident Attorney — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 18:56:05 +0000

A number of truck accidents in Washington State and elsewhere in the nation occur because of reckless truck drivers. The recklessness could involve driving under the influence, distracted driving, traveling at an unsafe rate of speed, or driving an improperly maintained vehicle. Whatever the cause of a trucker’s recklessness, it is the occupant of the passenger vehicle who suffers the horrific consequences of a large truck accident. The smaller vehicles are usually unable to withstand the powerful impact of a truck accident. This results in serious injuries or even death.

A recent WKTR news report talks about a fiery truck accident on a highway in which a 24-year-old man, who was a passenger in a 1984 Oldsmobile Cutlass, died after a big rig rear-ended the vehicle. The car caught on fire and the passenger died at the scene. The truck driver, a 54-year-old man, has been charged with reckless driving. Officials say alcohol was not a factor in the crash. The Oldsmobile had just had a flat tire and was moving slowly along the exterior lanes. But the driver of the tractor-trailer was apparently not paying attention and struck the vehicle at 55 mph.

If you have been injured in a Washington truck accident as a result of brake failure that was caused by poor vehicle maintenance then you may be able to file an injury claim against the trucking company for their negligence. In such cases you may be able to seek compensation to cover medical expenses, lost earnings, cost of rehabilitation, hospitalization, therapy and other expenses. In cases where the victim is deceased, family members could file wrongful death claims as well.

Please contact a skilled Seattle personal injury lawyer at The Bernard Law Group at 1-800-418-8282 or info@bernardlawgroup.com for a FREE, comprehensive and confidential consultation and case evaluation. We can also send you our FREE informational brochure about Washington truck accident cases with useful educational information that will help you understand your legal rights and options. Please contact Kirk Bernard and his experienced legal team today.

Source:http://www.wtkr.com/news/dp-now-fatal-wreck.d18,0,7835439.story?track=rss

A Number of Big Rig Accidents Caused by Brake Failure

Washington Truck Accident Attorney — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 14:00:14 +0000

As Seattle personal injury attorneys who have represented injured victims for nearly 25 years, we are aware that a number of large truck accidents are caused as a result of brake failure. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2004, 416,000 large trucks were involved in traffic accidents in the United States. That year, 5,190 people died and 116,000 were injured in those crashes. In other words, truck accidents accounted for 12 percent of all traffic accident deaths in the country and one out of eight traffic fatalities in 2004 involved a large truck.

Defective equipment and lack of proper maintenance cause many of these tragic accidents. A study also shows that brake defects are quite common and were found in 56 percent of tractor trailers involved in accidents. In a recent Large Truck Crash Causation study sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation, it was concluded that at least 29.4 percent of truck accidents involve brake failure, brakes that are out of adjustment or other brake-related issues. It is also well-known that overloading trucks can also cause the brakes to fail and result in devastating accidents.

If you have been injured in a Washington truck accident as a result of brake failure that was caused by poor vehicle maintenance, then you may be able to file an injury claim against the trucking company for their negligence. Please contact the experienced Washington personal injury attorneys of The Bernard Law Group at 1-800-418-8282 or info@bernardlawgroup.com for a FREE comprehensive and confidential consultation and case evaluation. We can also send you our FREE informational brochure about Washington truck accident cases with useful educational information that will help you understand your legal rights and options. Please contact Kirk Bernard and his skilled legal team today.

Jackknifed Truck Collides Head-On With Vehicle Causing Major Injuries

Washington Truck Accident Attorney — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 14:00:58 +0000

The driver of a pickup truck sustained major injuries after a big rig jackknifed and struck him head-on, according to a report in the News Sentinel. A Cherokee Freight Lines big rig was heading east on a two-lane highway when the traffic suddenly slowed. The truck’s driver slammed on his brakes to avoid rear-ending the traffic, but instead the rear trailer jackknifed. The out-of-control big rig crossed into the opposing lane colliding head-on with a Nissan pickup. The smaller vehicle’s driver was trapped in the wreckage and had to be extricated by emergency personnel. The big rig’s driver sustained minor injuries. Officials believe that the big rig driver will be found at fault for driving at an unsafe speed.

When a truck is said to have “jackknifed” it means that the back end of the big rig whips around toward the truck cab and the driver loses control of the truck. Basically, the big rig becomes this huge steel projectile traveling down the road at highway speeds taking down everything in its path. Needless to say, these types of accidents have the potential to cause serious personal injuries and fatalities to other commuters. As officials have said in this case, this injury accident could have been avoided had the truck driver been driving at a safe speed. In such accidents, the truck driver and the trucking firm could be held liable for injuries caused to victims. In cases that result in fatalities, families of deceased victims can also file wrongful death claims against the trucking companies.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a Washington truck accident, please contact the experienced Seattle personal injury attorneys at The Bernard Law Group at 1-800-418-8282 or info@bernardlawgroup.com for a FREE comprehensive and confidential consultation and case evaluation. We can also send you our FREE informational brochure about big rig accident cases, which offers useful, educational information that will help you understand your legal rights and options. Please contact Kirk Bernard and his skilled legal team today to discuss your Seattle truck accident case.

Source:http://www.lodinews.com/articles/2009/12/11/news/1_wreck_091211.txt

Washington Big Rig Accident Caused by Sleepy Truck Driver

Washington Truck Accident Attorney — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 14:00:02 +0000

As a skilled Washington injury attorney, Kirk Bernard knows that a number of Washington truck accidents occur because truck drivers are extremely fatigued. Why does this occur? Very often they end up driving longer hours than they are supposed to under the law. Truck drivers are mandated by law not to go over a certain number of hours. The drivers are also required to keep a log of the number of hours they drive and the number of hours they rest. Unfortunately, trucking companies, which impose unrealistic deadlines, turn a blind eye when their drivers break these rules or even falsify their logs. This often has catastrophic consequences. Fatigued truck drivers end up falling asleep at the wheel and causing deadly accidents, which can result in major injuries or death to the truck drivers themselves or the occupants of smaller vehicles that are involved in the accident.

A recent big rig accident in Marysville, Washington, is a perfect example of how this can happen. According to a KOMO news report, the semi-trailer driven by a sleepy truck driver went off the right side of the northbound Interstate 5 and crashed into a tree. The crash destroyed the truck’s cab and tore apart the box trailer. The driver, fortunately, survived with minor injuries, but Washington State Patrol troopers say the trucker was extremely lucky to be alive. Traffic investigators believe that the truck driver was either sleepy or fell asleep behind the wheel.

It is even more fortunate that there were no other smaller vehicles in the path of this big rig that day. Had this driver crashed into another passenger vehicle, this could have led to devastating personal injuries and even fatalities. In cases where a truck driver’s negligence results in injuries or death, the driver and the trucking company could be held liable. If you have been injured in a Washington truck accident, please contact the experienced Seattle personal injury attorneys with The Bernard Law Group. Our team of skilled, aggressive accident lawyers will investigate your case, determine whether there was any negligence involved and hold the negligent parties responsible for their actions. Call us today for a free consultation and evaluation of your Washington truck accident claim.

Source:http://www.komonews.com/news/74915697.html