seattle personal injury attorneys
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
Driver’s Medical Condition Causes Washington Truck Accident
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 Accident Proves Fatal for Vehicle Occupant
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.
Washington Big Rig Accident Caused by Sleepy Truck Driver
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.
