Washington Truck Accident Attorneys » seattle personal injury attorney

Poor Brake Maintenance Causes Truck Accident

Washington Truck Accident Attorney — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 19:59:49 +0000

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.

Source:http://hidesertstar.com/articles/2010/01/14/the_desert_trail/breaking_news/doc4b4b52ef2e578431318005.txt

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.

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