The shipping and freight industries make commercial trucking a critical component of the nation’s supply chain. We rely on the goods and services brought into and outside of Washington for our essential living supplies like food, clothing, gasoline, and building materials, as well as for imports and luxury items. But sharing the roads with fully loaded commercial trucks leaves motorists at risk of serious injuries in an accident with a large, looming vehicle that outweighs a passenger car by as much as 76,000 pounds. If you were involved in an accident, please contact a truck accident lawyer in Marysville for legal guidance.
Who Regulates Trucking Companies to Prevent Negligence?
Because commercial trucks cross state lines and national borders, the trucking industry falls under federal laws, including in Washington State. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulates the trucking industry in Washington and elsewhere across the United States, with the goal of minimizing accidents and injuries. All of the multiple components necessary for keeping safe trucks on the road driven by qualified drivers must adhere to FMCSA regulations and practice due diligence. Most of these obligations fall to the trucking companies. Failure to take all reasonable actions to prevent causing injuries is negligence that can cause great harm and leave the at-fault party liable for damages.
What Types of Negligence Cause Commercial Truck Accidents in Washington?
Under FMCSA laws, trucking companies must hire fully qualified drivers, keep trucks well-maintained, and practice precise record-keeping and logging of driving hours and truck maintenance. Failing to adhere to regulations or failing to take reasonable care is negligence. Common examples of negligent trucking company actions include the following:
- A truck company hires an unqualified or inexperienced driver
- A trucking company sets unrealistic driving goals and fails to properly monitor a driver’s driving hours or asks a driver to make fraudulent entries on their driving log
- A trucking company fails to properly repair and maintain a truck
- A trucking company fails to perform random drug tests
- A trucking company fails to monitor drivers to ensure they perform adequate daily inspections
Improperly maintained or overloaded trucks and unqualified drivers are serious safety hazards to others on the roadways in Washington.
Types of Truck Accidents Resulting From Trucking Company Negligence
When a trucking company puts an unsafe truck, overloaded trailer, or unqualified driver on the road, the results can be deadly. About 70% of truck accident injuries and fatalities occur to motorists in other vehicles involved in collisions rather than to the truck driver due to the size and weight differences of trucks vs. cars. Common types of truck accidents in Washington include the following:
- Rear-end collisions
- T-bone accidents
- Sideswipes
- Head-on collisions
- Truck rollover accidents
- Tire blowout accidents
- Jackknife truck accidents
- Underride accidents
- Override accidents
- Cargo spills
Trucking Company Liability in Washington Truck Accidents
Proving a trucking company liable for an accident victim’s damages requires a thorough investigation into the cause of the accident, the negligence that led to the accident, and the correct liable party. For example, if the truck driver is an independent contractor, they may be liable for the damages, but if they are a direct employee of the trucking company, the company is typically liable for damages. Depending on the circumstances, other potentially liable parties include truck maintenance companies, negligent freight loading companies, or the manufacturer of a defective part or tire.
Call the Truck Accident Lawyers at Wells Trumbull
It takes an experienced personal injury attorney in Marysville to carefully navigate a truck accident claim with a thorough investigation to identify the negligence that caused the accident, the liable party and the appropriate insurance policy to file a claim against. Some truck accident claims require litigation in court through a lawsuit.
If you or a loved one had an accident caused by a commercial truck, contact Wells Trumbull for skilled legal counsel to maximize your chances of recovering full compensation for damages.