Personal Injury

Only minor injuries were reported in a Washington truck accident on the Interstate 82 in Kittitas County after a semi-truck and another vehicle crashed nine miles south of the Interstate 90 junction. According to a news report in the Yakima Herald, Washington State Patrol officials said victims suffered minor injuries in the accident. Fog had reduced visibility on the highway and could have played a part in this injury big rig crash.

There are many reasons why Washington truck accidents occur. In some cases, the accident is caused due to the negligence of the other driver. But there have been many instances where the truck driver’s negligence or disregard for traffic rules, cause these tragic accidents. In this particular case, the injuries were reportedly minor. However, in most Washington truck accidents, victims, especially the occupants of the passenger vehicles, suffer catastrophic injuries or death.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a truck accident caused by the negligence of a truck driver, you may be able to seek compensation for medical expenses, loss of wages, cost of hospitalization, rehabilitation, therapy and even long-term care. You need the services of an experienced and knowledgeable Seattle personal injury attorney who can help hold the negligent parties accountable and help you secure just compensation for your injuries, damages and loss.

Please contact the skilled Washington truck accident lawyers 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 useful information to help you understand your legal rights and options. Get in touch with Kirk Bernard and his aggressive legal team today.

Source:http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2009/12/18/possible-delays-on-interstate-82-outside-ellensburg

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

Seattle personal injury lawyers have become increasingly concerned about commercial truck drivers and trucking companies that are violating federal laws that prohibit sick or disabled truck drivers from operating large commercial trucks. An Associated Press investigation recently showed that thousands of tractor trailer and bus drivers in the United States who are licensed to drive commercial vehicles continue to drive in spite of suffering serious health conditions and qualifying for full federal disability. Some truck drivers, for example, continue to operate big rigs despite suffering serious health conditions such as seizures, heart attacks and sudden loss of consciousness or “blacking out.”

Obviously, this is a disaster waiting to happen. According to a news report, a recent truck accident in Sumner, Washington, was caused by a truck driver who suffered a medical condition while he was driving. Washington State troopers say the driver lost control of the tanker truck, went up an embankment off State Route 167 and into the bottom of the overpass. The driver was seriously injured. It was indeed fortunate that innocent motorists were not killed in this truck accident.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, 5,300 people died in accidents involving large commercial trucks or buses in 2006 and about 126,000 were injured. It is extremely important for trucking companies to monitor whom they hire. Unfit or sick truckers have caused devastating accidents across the country resulting in catastrophic injuries and deaths. In such cases, it is the trucking companies that should be held liable for the injuries, damages and losses suffered by innocent victims.

If you are the victim of a Washington truck accident, please contact the skilled Washington truck accident 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 knowledgeable legal team today.

Source:http://www.nwcn.com/news/Tanker-truck-torn-open-on-SR-167-79367767.html

Injuries were reported in a big rig accident in Shelton, Washington, involving a dump truck pulling a trailer loaded with logs. According to a King5 news report, the truck pulling the logs rolled over on the southbound Highway 101. Two passenger cars were reportedly struck by the logs. Another passenger car also rolled over. Based on this report, it’s not very clear how serious the injuries were to the occupants of the two passenger cars that were involved in this truck accident.

Big rig accidents can be devastating, especially to the occupants of smaller passenger vehicles because of the size and weight of these large trucks. They can cause quite a bit of damage and serious, if not catastrophic, injuries to the occupants of the smaller vehicles. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), the federal agency that oversees trucking safety in the United States, trucks make up for less than 4 percent of all passenger vehicles on our nation’s roads. However, they are involved in 12 percent of all auto accident fatalities. That number alone tells us that fatality rates are significantly higher in truck accidents.

There are many causes for truck accidents. However, when these truckers and trucking companies violate federal safety standards to make a quick buck and cause a serious accident in the process of doing so, they must be held liable. Trucking companies are negligent when they allow their drivers to remain on-the-job for longer hours than they are supposed to work. This causes truck drivers to become fatigued and cause accidents. In some cases, truck accidents occur when trucking companies overload their big rigs. This can cause brake failure and cause a truck to go out of control on the roadway. Finally, a trucking company can be negligent when it fails to maintain its vehicles properly and that leads to a crash.

Whatever the reason, if you have been seriously injured in a Washington truck accident, please call the Seattle personal injury attorneys at The Bernard Law Group for a free evaluation of your claim. In the past, we have settled with negligent trucking companies’ insurance carriers on behalf of our injured clients. As a truck accident victim, you can seek compensation for medical costs, loss of wages and other related damages. Call Kirk Bernard today for a free consultation.

Source:http://www.king5.com/news/Crash-blocks-Hwy-101-south-of-Shelton-69791792.html