Personal Injury
Kirk Bernard Addresses Truck Driver Inattention: Washington Tractor Trailer Accident Injures One
One person was injured in a Washington truck accident involving two tractor-trailers on the Interstate 5 near Marysville. According to a news report in the Herald Net, the accident occurred near 88th Street when one truck was slowing down for traffic ahead. The second tractor-trailer then rear-ended the slowing truck. One of the truck drivers was airlifted to a Seattle hospital. The extent of his injuries is not clear.
As a Seattle truck accident attorney, Kirk Bernard is familiar with how a majority of Washington tractor-trailer accidents are caused by truck driver negligence. The negligence usually involves speeding, distraction, inattention, impairment or fatigue. In this particular case, the accident may have involved a distraction, inattention or fatigue. As truck accident and personal injury lawyers, we also notice that these accidents occur because of mechanical failures in the trucks brought about by poor vehicle maintenance. Sometimes, illegal or improper overloading of the trucks can also cause mechanical failure.
In such instances of negligence, not only could the negligent truck driver be held liable for the accident and injuries caused, but the truck driver’s employer could also be held accountable. In this case, the other vehicle involved was also a tractor-trailer. However, most truck accidents involve a large truck and a passenger vehicle. And very often, we see that the occupants of the passenger vehicles are seriously injured or killed because of the size and weight of the large truck.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a Washington tractor-trailer accident, please contact the experienced Seattle personal injury 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.heraldnet.com/article/20100205/NEWS01/302059999/0/rss02
Truck Driver Arrested for Driving While Watching Porn on Laptop
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.
Federal Officials Ban Texting by Truck and Bus Drivers
Federal officials have banned hand-held cell phones and texting by drivers of large commercial trucks and buses. This should serve as an effective way of preventing the dangers of distracted driving. According to a Reuters news report, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has announced that the ban on handheld cell phones and texting while driving will take effect immediately for large truck and bus drivers. The new ban carries fines of up to $2,750. However, federal officials have not yet come up with an enforcement plan, which is key to making sure that the ban actually works.
Distracted driving on U.S. roadways has resulted in thousands of fatalities and many more injuries. The National Safety Council estimates that texting while driving causes approximately 200,000 car accidents each year. At least 24 states have issued handheld cell phone and texting bans and others are in the process of enforcing similar laws. It is absolutely important for commercial trucks that cross state boundaries to be mandated by federal law to follow these safety rules. Distracted driving, especially by a truck driver who has an 80,000-pound vehicle at his control, can be disastrous. Federal officials will hopefully find a way to enforce this law, which will certainly go a long way in keeping our roadways safer. Getting this law passed, however, is a good first step.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a Washington tractor-trailer 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.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2010/01/26/106860.htm
Four Killed in Tractor-Trailer Accident
Four people were killed in a truck accident after a tractor-trailer jackknifed, swerved into oncoming traffic and collided with a small bus transporting disabled passengers. According to an Associated Press news report, the big rig crossed the highway median, struck the bus and another vehicle heading the opposite way. The bus driver was one of four people on the bus who died in the crash. One person remains in critical condition and six have been transported to hospitals for treatment of their injuries.
Tractor-trailer accidents in Washington State have caused devastating injuries and fatalities. In cases where truck accidents result in injuries or deaths, it is important to look into what caused it. Was the truck driver speeding? Was there a mechanical malfunction caused by poor vehicle maintenance? Was the driver of the tractor-trailer under the influence of alcohol or drugs? Did fatigue play a part? If the accident was the truck driver’s fault, both the driver and the trucking firm could be held liable for injuries and damages caused. In cases where victims were fatally injured, families of deceased truck accident victims may be able to file wrongful death claims.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a Washington truck accident, 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, 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.usatoday.com/news/nation/2010-01-07-ohio-bus-crash-disabled_N.htm?csp=34
Poor Brake Maintenance Causes Truck Accident
Brake failure is the most common cause of tractor-trailer accidents in Washington. Brakes on a large truck can fail because of poor vehicle maintenance or as a result of overloading a truck. Whatever the cause, when a large truck weighing 80,000 pounds or more loses its brakes, it can be quite frightening and almost always causes harm to other travelers or passengers in the vehicle. Serious personal injuries or even death are often the result of such negligence.
Recently, the Desert Trail published a news report covering a truck accident in which the truck driver tried to stop his truck to avoid hitting another vehicle. As a result, the tractor-trailer jackknifed. Authorities who investigated the truck accident said when the driver applied the brakes, the vehicle entered into a skid, possibly because the rear brakes on the trailer were not properly adjusted. Thankfully, no one was injured in this accident. The Washington truck accident lawyers have represented numerous injured clients who have been catastrophically injured or have lost loved ones in similar truck accidents.
In such cases, the trucking company could be held liable for injuries caused to innocent motorists. Injured victims could seek compensation for medical expenses, loss of wages, cost of hospitalization, therapy and long-term care. If you or a loved one has been injured in a Washington big rig accident, please contact the experienced Seattle personal injury 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 informational 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.
Drunken Truck Driver Causes Crash
A dump truck that was hauling sawdust ran off the road after rounding a curve and overturned, according to a news report. The driver of the dump truck and his passenger sustained injuries. The 45-year-old dump truck driver was speeding and under the influence of alcohol. Officials apparently found containers of beer in the truck’s cab. The man’s commercial driver’s license will be automatically suspended after the results of his blood alcohol test are processed. He was issued citations for driving while impaired, careless and reckless driving, exceeding a safe speed, and having alcoholic beverages in a commercial motor vehicle.
The State of Washington prohibits the operation of a motor vehicle by a driver who has a 0.08 percent or higher blood alcohol concentration (BAC). The 0.08 percent limit is the standard used across the United States for the “impaired” driver. The State of Washington has lower BAC limits defined for commercial drivers (0.04). The Washington State DUI law also prohibits the operation of a motor vehicle by a driver that in under the influence of a controlled substance such as marijuana, cocaine, inhalants, and other intoxicants. That, of course, applies to drivers of commercial vehicles as well.
If you have been injured in Washington State by a truck driver operating under the influence of alcohol or drugs, you may file a personal injury claim against the trucking company. Victims in such cases could seek compensation for medical expenses, cost of hospitalization, physical therapy, rehabilitation, and even the cost of long-term care if the injuries are catastrophic.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a Washington big rig accident, please contact the experienced personal injury Seattle 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 informational 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.gastongazette.com/news/people-42308-truck-bessemer.html
Snohomish County Truck Accident Caused by Jackknifed Big Rig
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
Semi-Truck Drops Tarp on Roadway Seriously Injuring Driver
A driver has been seriously injured in a car accident in Preston, Washington, after he swerved to avoid a large tarp apparently dropped by a semi-truck on the roadway. According to a news report in the Seattle Times, the gray 2007 Ford Focus was heading west in the center lane on the Interstate 90 when the 37-year-old driver swerved to avoid the tarp and lost control of the vehicle. The Ford then rolled over in the center median. Washington State Patrol officials are asking that anyone who saw the tarp fall out of a vehicle, most likely a semi-truck towing a flatbed trailer, call police at 425-401-7746. The driver was taken to a Seattle hospital with serious injuries.
Under Washington law, it is a gross misdemeanor for anyone to drop an unsecured load on the roadway. If it causes injury or death, the negligent party faces one year in jail and a $5,000 fine. The law, also known as “Maria’s Law,” was named for Maria Federici, a Renton woman who was blinded when a piece of particle board flew off a trailer shattering her windshield and causing facial injuries as she drove on the 405. Maria’s Law took effect in 2005, approximately a year after Federici’s accident.
If a truck driver or trucking company fail to properly secure a load, which causes serious injuries to other drivers or vehicle occupants, they could also be held civilly liable for their negligence. Victims could seek compensation to cover medical expenses, loss of wages, cost of hospitalization and other related damages.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a Washington truck accident, please contact an experienced Seattle personal injury attorney with 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, 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
Sleepy Truck Driver Causes Accident
Every day, truck drivers fall asleep in their cabs because they work too long with too little rest, causing catastrophic accidents. Very often, truck companies allow this to happen and even encourage their drivers to falsify logs because they want to increase their profits by delivering more goods within a shorter period of time. Unrealistic schedules and truckers’ extremely long work hours create a risky combination, often resulting in tragedies for the driving public.
In a recent incident, a truck driver escaped with minor injuries after he fell asleep at the wheel and struck another tractor-trailer parked along the roadway. The driver hit the other truck and then went through a guard rail and rolled down an embankment. He was cited for failing to stay in his lane. Thankfully, the other truck driver was not injured.
If you have been injured in a Washington truck accident as a result of truck driver fatigue 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 the experienced Seattle personal injury attorneys with 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 educational information to help you understand your legal rights and options. Please contact Kirk Bernard and his skilled legal team today.
Source:http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2009/12/maryland_truck_driver_fell_asl.html
Brake Failure Causes Injury Truck Accident
A number of truck accidents in Washington State and elsewhere in the nation occur because of the lack of vehicle maintenance on the part of the trucking company. The most common type of mechanical malfunction that occurs in big rig accidents is brake failure. This can occur either as a result of poor vehicle maintenance or as a result of overloading the truck. Both of these circumstances may amount to negligence on the part of the truck driver and the trucking company.
According to a recent news report, two men have suffered injuries after a flatbed truck crashed into a bus stop. The truck’s brakes failed and it hit the corner of the bus stop where the two men were standing, shattered a trash can and came to rest against a sandwich shop. Both men sustained serious injuries, but they were not life-threatening, officials said.
These types of truck accidents do have the potential to cause catastrophic injuries or death. When a large big rig weighing 80,000 pounds or more goes out of control, it can result in a deadly accident. If a truck accident is caused by brake failure that was the result of poor vehicle maintenance or overloading, the trucking firm can be held liable for the accident and resulting injuries. Victims may seek compensation to cover medical expenses, lost earnings and other related damages. Those who have lost loved ones in such tragic truck accidents may also file wrongful death claims against the negligent trucking firm.
If you have been injured in a truck accident, please contact the experienced Seattle personal injury attorneys with 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 educational information to help you understand your legal rights and options. Please contact Kirk Bernard and his dedicated legal team today.
