Log Truck Accidents
There are several types of commercial trucks traveling the roads of the United States and all of them are significantly heavier and larger than the average passenger vehicle. A fully loaded log truck can weigh around 80,000 pounds.
Log truck accidents frequently result in catastrophic injuries and personal losses, as well as fatalities. Truck accident lawyers at Quick Law Group, PLLC, in Bellevue, WA, are prepared to assist log truck accident victims in going after liable parties for all related accident damages.
Causes of Log Truck Accidents
Just as with other commercial truck drivers, log truck operators are often under a lot of pressure to deliver materials in a timely manner. Although there are safety regulations in place to minimize the risk of commercial truck accidents, drivers may be pushed to ignore regulations to meet deadlines and deliver more materials. As a result, some of the most common causes of log truck accidents are driver-related, such as:
- Driving while fatigued
- Speeding
- Distracted driving
- Failing to adhere to posted traffic signs and signals
- Driving with an overloaded or improperly loaded trailer
Trucking and logging companies may also cut corners when it comes to hiring and training practices and truck maintenance. Types of negligence from a trucking or logging company that can lead to truck accidents include:
- Hiring drivers who lack proper qualifications
- Insufficient driver training
- Ignoring hours of service regulations
- Neglecting truck maintenance
Log Truck Accident Risks
Any vehicle collision is likely to cause damage, but log truck accidents can be especially dangerous. Some of the greatest risks of log truck accidents include:
- Severe accident impact due to the weight/size of the log truck
- Loose cargo (logs) or flying debris that act as projectiles or go into the road, causing further accident damage
- Increased risk of a rollover due to the top-heavy design of the log truck
- Increased risk of jackknifing, which can lead to a multi-vehicle collision
Log Truck Accident Damages
Because of the risks associated with log truck accidents, these types of collisions tend to result in catastrophic damages. Injuries and fatalities are a major concern, and Bellevue accident victims are likely to experience a number of other economic and non-economic losses as well. Common areas of damage following a log truck accident include:
- Cost of medical treatment (including any necessary future medical care)
- Pain and suffering
- Lost wages or a loss of wage earning potential
- Wrongful death damages (funeral and burial expenses, lost income/benefits, loss of consortium)
Liability for Log Truck Accidents
There are a number of people and parties that may be responsible for a log truck accident, which is why it is important for accident victims to work with a knowledgeable truck accident lawyer. Our Bellevue legal team works alongside field experts to determine what caused a log truck accident, and who is at-fault. Depending on the details of the collision, liability may fall on one of more of these parties:
- The log truck driver
- The trucking company
- The logging company and/or landowner who hired the truck driver
- The truck mechanic
- A vehicle or parts manufacturer
Contact Us
The damages of a log truck accident can be physically and financially debilitating, but the truck accident lawyers at Quick Law Group, PLLC, are prepared to help you collect the compensation you are due for your losses. To discuss your accident with our legal team, send us a message online, or call (425) 576-8150 at your earliest convenience.