Yakima Truck Accident Lawyers
One of the most frightening accident scenes to encounter is a highway truck crash involving a large commercial truck, semi-truck, or tractor-trailer. Trucking accidents can be extremely devastating to those involved, resulting in the destruction of smaller vehicles, serious personal injuries such as brain injuries, or in some cases, wrongful death of drivers or passengers.
Each year, about 500,000 large truck accidents occur in the U.S. The sad reality is that truck crashes are increasing and often involve a fatality. According to recent statistics, approximately 86 percent of the time, the fatalities involved in truck crashes were someone other than the truck driver.
Just the sheer size and weight alone of these “big rigs” create the potential for severe injuries and death due to a truck accident. Many of these tractor-trailer trucks can span up to 80 feet and weigh up to 40 tons. That’s 80,000 pounds, the equivalent of about 15 adult African elephants. When you consider that the average passenger car weighs about 5,000 pounds, the potential for serious injury or death if hit by one of these big rigs is obvious.
What are the Common Causes of Truck Accidents?
Big trucks on our highways create the potential for big motor vehicle accidents. With approximately 70% of all deliverable U.S. products arriving via commercial vehicles, it is no surprise that the trucking industry is booming. Semi-trucks pulling long trailers flood our nation’s roadway system during peak times like retail holidays, the summer season, or the pandemic supply shortage caused by COVID-19.
Additionally, increasing consumer demand for goods and services throughout the United States means that truckers are pressured to put in additional hours of service on the road. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), more hours on the road also puts them at risk for driver fatigue and driver error, potentially resulting in catastrophic semi-truck accidents. It’s estimated that 87 percent of truck accidents were due to driver fatigue according to The U.S. Department of Transportation. The increasing use of opioids by truck drivers is also a growing menace to highway safety.
In addition, the size of large trucks and their side-mirror configuration means that blind spots are a common challenge for all big rigs, sometimes preventing commercial truck drivers from seeing passenger cars or motorcycles on either side. This oversight can result in truck accident injuries. Finally, brake problems, traveling too fast for traffic flow, and traveling too fast for weather conditions are all common causes of large truck accidents.
Safety issues are also complicated by the much longer distance it takes a semi-truck to stop than other kinds of vehicles, especially when the road is wet or there’s snow and ice on the road, both of which further increase stopping distances. Big trucks require much longer stopping distances than passenger vehicles, especially when loaded. On average, it takes a semi 40 percent longer to stop than a car.
There was a 47 percent increase in the number of fatalities resulting from bus or large truck accidents between 2009 and 2019 according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. In addition, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the number of bus or large truck crashes increased 13 percent from 2016 to 2019.
While many truck drivers are well trained and experienced, there are also many poorly-trained and inexperienced drivers out there as large trucking companies scramble to fill positions. All you have to do is drive on Interstate 82 or cross-state to Seattle or Spokane on Interstate 90 to see the safety hazards created by poorly-trained truck drivers. Many who frequent busy roadways will come across truck drivers who are traveling 30 miles per hour in the passing lane as they attempt to pass another slow-moving truck going uphill, often switching lanes in front of a faster-moving vehicle causing traffic to slow suddenly.
Another serious safety hazard arises when truck drivers travel faster than the posted speed limit – sometimes much faster. The maximum speed for truckers is 10 miles per hour less than the posted speed for other vehicles. Unfortunately, many truckers attempt to make up for time lost climbing hills by speeding downhill.Big trucks on our highways create the potential for big motor vehicle accidents. With approximately 70% of all deliverable U.S. products arriving via commercial vehicles, it is no surprise that the trucking industry is booming. Semi-trucks pulling long trailers flood our nation’s roadway system during peak times like retail holidays, the summer season, or the pandemic supply shortage caused by COVID-19.
Additionally, increasing consumer demand for goods and services throughout the United States means that truckers are pressured to put in additional hours of service on the road. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), more hours on the road also puts them at risk for driver fatigue and driver error, potentially resulting in catastrophic semi-truck accidents. It’s estimated that 87 percent of truck accidents were due to driver fatigue according to The U.S. Department of Transportation. The increasing use of opioids by truck drivers is also a growing menace to highway safety.
In addition, the size of large trucks and their side-mirror configuration means that blind spots are a common challenge for all big rigs, sometimes preventing commercial truck drivers from seeing passenger cars or motorcycles on either side. This oversight can result in truck accident injuries. Finally, brake problems, traveling too fast for traffic flow, and traveling too fast for weather conditions are all common causes of large truck accidents.
Safety issues are also complicated by the much longer distance it takes a semi-truck to stop than other kinds of vehicles, especially when the road is wet or there’s snow and ice on the road, both of which further increase stopping distances. Big trucks require much longer stopping distances than passenger vehicles, especially when loaded. On average, it takes a semi 40 percent longer to stop than a car.
There was a 47 percent increase in the number of fatalities resulting from bus or large truck accidents between 2009 and 2019 according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. In addition, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the number of bus or large truck crashes increased 13 percent from 2016 to 2019.
While many truck drivers are well trained and experienced, there are also many poorly-trained and inexperienced drivers out there as large trucking companies scramble to fill positions. All you have to do is drive on Interstate 82 or cross-state to Seattle or Spokane on Interstate 90 to see the safety hazards created by poorly-trained truck drivers. Many who frequent busy roadways will come across truck drivers who are traveling 30 miles per hour in the passing lane as they attempt to pass another slow-moving truck going uphill, often switching lanes in front of a faster-moving vehicle causing traffic to slow suddenly.
Another serious safety hazard arises when truck drivers travel faster than the posted speed limit – sometimes much faster. The maximum speed for truckers is 10 miles per hour less than the posted speed for other vehicles. Unfortunately, many truckers attempt to make up for time lost climbing hills by speeding downhill.
How Does Abeyta Nelson Injury Law Firm Win Truck Accident Lawsuits?
Every successful truck accident case begins with a thorough investigation at the accident scene. Our experienced personal injury attorneys first determine the extent of any serious injuries sustained by the vehicle drivers or passengers and then assist in ensuring that medical care is immediately provided for those involved. Our personal injury lawyers also help in getting our clients’ immediate medical bills, lost wages and long-term medical expenses paid. Next, our truck accident attorneys determine the extent of damage to the vehicles involved. Critical to a thorough investigation is locating and retaining witnesses who can provide an accurate account of the truck collision. Finally, our expert legal team accesses and analyzes information found in “black box” data installed in all company commercial trucks required by federal regulations. This information offers key elements crucial in winning truck injury lawsuits so we can achieve maximum compensation for our clients.
Abeyta Nelson Recovered $6.25 M for a Trucking Accident Client
We recently recovered $6.25 million for a truck accident victim who suffered life-endangering injuries including a traumatic brain injury and multiple serious injuries from head to toe. The cause of the truck-car accident was the truck driver’s failure to yield the right-of-way as a result of foggy windows due to a malfunctioning defroster. The driver of the tractor-trailer was cited for negligent driving in the second degree. Under Washington law, his employer was legally responsible for the driver’s negligence since he was on the job in the scope of his employment with the trucking company when the tractor-trailer accident occurred.
Hiring a Washington Trucking Accident Lawyer
With offices in Yakima, Ellensburg, and Sunnyside, the Washington truck accident lawyers at Abeyta Nelson Injury Law have more than 100 years combined experience in handling commercial truck accident cases.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a truck accident, contact the dedicated lawyers at Abeyta Nelson Injury Law today for a free case evaluation. Our truck accident claims routinely involve working with multiple insurance companies, helping our clients access the medical care they need, paying medical expenses, recovering past and future lost wages, as well as compensation for pain and suffering, disability and loss of enjoyment of life.
Truck accident law requires dedication and expertise. Abeyta Nelson attorneys put our combined more than 100 years of legal experience into every personal injury case we handle, and we have a long list of client testimonials to support our success. At Abeyta Nelson, we take your truck accident injury claim personally.
Send us a message or give us a phone call at 800-927-2845 to get started now.
