If you become a victim in a trucking accident, it is easy to assign blame to the truck driver and look no further into the matter – but you may be doing your cause an injustice if you ignore other liable parties.
In many cases, the trucking company is also at fault for not providing the necessary training and oversight that could have prevented such an accident.
It is considerably more difficult to prove employer negligence, which is why many personal injury firms are willing to ignore it. However, this not only lets a guilty party off the hook to commit such dangerous behavior again, but it often leaves compensation on the table that should rightly be in your pocket.
If you hire the Gilbert Law Firm of Spokane, Washington, you can be sure that our truck accident attorneys will pursue every avenue of recovery so that justice is fully served and you receive every penny that you deserve.
The Leading Causes of Truck Accidents in Spokane, Washington
Despite the popular misconception that alcohol and drugs are the leading causes of truck accidents, the actual top causes include:
- Mechanical defects, especially tire issues
- Unfamiliar routes
- Driver fatigue
In all of these issues, truck companies play an important role. If a truck is improperly maintained, major safety issues like worn tires or failing brakes could easily be overlooked.
Another leading issue in truck accidents is the weight of the truck. While most passenger vehicles weigh only about 2.5 tons, a fully loaded large truck can weigh more than 40 tons. This means that most large trucks need much more time and distance to stop. If there are unnoticed mechanical issues with the tires or brakes, this added weight could very easily cause a serious truck accident.
Finally, driver fatigue is a major issue in many truck accidents because despite stringent federal and state laws governing the number of hours a truck driver can operate their vehicle, many trucking companies fail to properly monitor their drivers.
This is becoming increasingly more prevalent with companies like Amazon, whose ambitious delivery promises often require drivers to push themselves to the limit to meet important deadlines.
Most Common Types of Employer Negligence in the Pacific Northwest
There are typically three areas in which employer negligence is most likely to appear throughout the Pacific Northwest:
- Hiring—There is a critical shortage of capable truck drivers in the United States, so many trucking companies are willing to hire sub-par drivers to fill empty positions. This may mean hiring drivers with a history of substance abuse, involvement in serious accidents or a willingness to skirt state and federal limits on driving hours.
- Training and oversight—Although most truck drivers have the skills to operate a large rig, they may not possess all of the knowledge and technical competence to operate some of the peripheral equipment like the driving hours monitors, i.e. black box. This could leave fatigued drivers out on the road for too long.
- Improper maintenance—Because trucking operators make money only when their trucks are out on the road, many try to avoid any downtime for these vehicles—even if it is necessary for safety.
Without experience in trucking company negligence, an inexperienced personal injury attorney could easily overlook these issues. Not only would this leave compensation that you deserve on the table, but it would leave an unsafe trucking operator on the road, ultimately threatening the wellbeing of other drivers.
Truck Accident Lawyers in Spokane, Washington
Seeking support from an experienced truck accident lawyer in Spokane, Washington is critical to your case, as they will understand all the pertinent laws and be familiar with the latest technologies used to track truck drivers.
The Gilbert Law Firm has years of experience in truck accident claims and a proven track record in successfully pursuing such claims in Washington and throughout the Pacific Northwest. Though we can’t promise a certain result, we can promise that we will fight tooth and nail to get you the best outcome possible.
If you or a loved one have been involved in a trucking accident, contact us today online or by calling (509) 321-0750 to get in touch with our attorneys.
Disclaimer: The blog published by the Gilbert Law Firm marketing team for informational purposes only and is not considered legal advice or a substitute for legal advice. There is no attorney-client relationship between the reader and the blog publisher. Readers are urged to consult their own legal counsel on any specific legal questions concerning a specific situation.
