Washington Truck Accident Attorneys » Kirk Bernard

Kirk Bernard Addresses Truck Driver Inattention: Washington Tractor Trailer Accident Injures One

Washington Truck Accident Attorney — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 23:09:31 +0000

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

Semi-Truck Drops Tarp on Roadway Seriously Injuring Driver

Washington Truck Accident Attorney — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 15:00:05 +0000

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

Source:http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/theblotter/2010660309_the_washington_state_patrol_is.html?syndication=rss

Sleepy Truck Driver Causes Accident

Washington Truck Accident Attorney — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 18:10:52 +0000

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

Driver’s Medical Condition Causes Washington Truck Accident

Washington Truck Accident Attorney — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 14:00:53 +0000

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

Truck Driver Charged with DUI in Fatal Auto Accident

Washington Truck Accident Attorney — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 19:47:52 +0000

Driving under the influence is one of the reasons for devastating Washington truck accidents. Recent studies have shown that a number of trucking companies around the nation do not perform background checks on their truck drivers and often times do not even perform drug screening for drivers. It is frightening to imagine a drunk or impaired driver at the wheel of a big rig, which could weigh up to 80,000 pounds.

A recent news report talks about a deadly tractor-trailer accident where the truck driver, who officials say was under the influence, rear-ended a car causing one death and three injuries. The truck driver fled the scene of the crash. He was apprehended a short distance away from the scene of the crash and charged with four counts of DUI causing injury and a DUI involving a commercial vehicle.

A recent study by the Insurance Institute for Traffic Safety of interstate tractor-trailer drivers found that 15 percent of all drivers had marijuana, 12 percent had non-prescription stimulants, 5 percent had prescription stimulants, 2 percent had cocaine, and less than 1 percent had alcohol in their systems. There is no question that drugs – recreational or prescription – as well as alcohol, impair a driver’s judgment and reflexes on the road. This devastating accident is an example of the damages and injuries drunk truck drivers can cause. If you have been injured by an impaired or negligent truck driver, that negligent driver and his employer, the trucking company, can be held liable for those injuries.

If you are the victim of a Washington 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 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://www.wvgazette.com/News/200911250593

Seattle Truck Accident at Dangerous Intersection Kills Teenager

Washington Truck Accident Attorney — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 14:00:33 +0000

A 17-year-old boy was killed in a Seattle car accident after the car he was a passenger in crashed into a big rig near Mossyrock. According to KIRO TV news report, the teen was riding in a car driven by another 17-year-old, and traveling north on Williams Road at State Route 12. Their car apparently stopped at a stop sign and continued north when a logging truck struck the vehicle on the passenger’s side. The teen passenger was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver was taken to an area hospital with critical injuries. The driver of the large logging truck was uninjured.

The teen’s family states that a dangerous condition at that intersection may have caused or contributed to this deadly truck accident. The boy’s friends and family members believed that a stop light at that intersection may have prevented this horrible tragedy. Washington State Department of Transportation officials apparently also met with the teen’s family, friends and community members to discuss how to make that dangerous intersection safer. Officials have promised a thorough investigation into the safety of this intersection and have promised to take action.

It would be interesting to find out how many accidents have taken place at the intersection over the last five years and whether community members have already complained to officials and asked for a traffic light at that location. In cases where a dangerous intersection or roadway caused an accident and the governmental agency in charge of maintaining the roadway knew about those dangers, the accident victims have a basis to file an injury claim.

In cases where a victim dies, his or her family could file a wrongful death claim against the city or governmental agency responsible for maintaining that roadway. Such claims against governmental agencies have time limits. It would be in the best interests of these victims and their families to promptly contact a Seattle personal injury lawyer and find out more about their legal rights and options.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a Washington auto accident, please contact the skilled Washington 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, which has useful, educational information that will help you understand your legal rights and options. Get in touch with Kirk Bernard and his experienced legal team today.

Source:http://www.kirotv.com/news/21911834/detail.html

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.

Truck Accident Proves Fatal for Vehicle Occupant

Washington Truck Accident Attorney — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 14:00:39 +0000

A number of Washington truck accidents occur because drivers of big rigs are not paying attention to the traffic or their surroundings. When big rig drivers make a mistake – even a small split second error – it can result in devastating consequences, especially for the occupants of the passenger car that has been hit. This is because of the sheer size and weight of the truck compared to a car. A loaded semi truck can weigh up to 80,000 pounds and is usually more than ten times the weight of a passenger sedan. And when such a large vehicle hits a car, one can only imagine the destruction that ensues.

According to a news report in the Sacramento Bee, local police are investigating a fatal truck accident involving a big rig and a car. The accident occurred when a big rig was pulling out of a parking lot. A Toyota Camry struck the center of the truck and became stuck underneath it. The car burst into flames and a person was trapped in the burning vehicle and died.

In this particular case, it also seems that a “truck underride” occurred. What this means is that the car went under the truck following the collision. This can cause significant injuries including severe head injuries. In this case, the vehicle caught fire when it got stuck under the truck. This also occurs frequently in underride accidents. Underride accidents could take place because the trucking company failed to install rear guards that adhere to federal truck safety standards. If the truck driver’s or the trucking company’s negligence caused or contributed to the accident and serious injuries, then the trucking firm could be held liable.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a Seattle truck accident, please consult with the skilled Seattle personal injury lawyers at The Bernard Law Firm. Please contact us 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.sacbee.com/ourregion/story/2384793.html

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

Truck Driver Cited in Washington Injury Accident

Washington Truck Accident Attorney — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 14:00:30 +0000

Officials in Ellensburg, Washington, are faulting the driver of a semi-truck for causing an injury car accident on the Interstate 82. According to a news report in the Yakima Herald, two people were injured in the accident, which occurred after the 58-year-old truck driver made an unsafe lane change forcing a Mitsubishi Lancer on to the shoulder. The car then struck a guardrail before re-entering the roadway and hitting the semi’s trailer, Washington State Patrol officials said. The Lancer’s driver suffered a head contusion and a sore chest. His passenger was hospitalized with a neck injury. Officials say drugs or alcohol were not involved. The truck driver was cited for making an unsafe lane change.

This accident is an example of how large trucks can overwhelm and intimidate other motorists on our roadways. In trucking accidents, if the truck driver is found to be at fault for the collision, his employer (the trucking company) can also be held liable for the injuries and damages caused to victims.

If you have been involved in a Washington truck accident, please call The Bernard Law Firm. We can get our accident reconstruction experts on the scene immediately so that important evidence is not lost. Trucking companies send their insurance adjusters to the scene within moments of the accident in order to protect their interests. As a victim, you need someone on your side, fighting for your rights, protecting your best interests and holding the negligent parties accountable.

Contact the knowledgeable Seattle personal injury lawyers at the Bernard Law Firm. Email us at info@bernardlawgroup.com or call 1-800-418-8282 to receive a FREE comprehensive and confidential consultation that we will provide at no cost to you. We will also send you a FREE informational brochure that has useful and educational information that will help you understand your legal rights to their entirety. Contact Kirk Bernard and his experienced legal team today.

Source:http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2009/12/02/two-men-injured-in-collision-with-semi-on-i-82