FEDERAL WAY TRUCK
ACCIDENT LAWYER

As a city with nearly 100,000 people, Federal Way depends on large trucks to bring in goods and products for consumer use on a daily basis. Most of these large trucks use major highways, such as I-5 and US Highway 99, where motor vehicle accidents are common. When a truck accident occurs, the effects can be catastrophic, especially when vehicles are traveling at high speeds.

At the law office of the Khan Law Firm PLLC, our Federal Way truck accident lawyers understand the devastating nature of large truck collisions, and are saddened and outraged by the fact that there are thousands of large truck-involved crashes every year in our state, as reported by the Washington State Department of Transportation. If you have been in a large truck accident in Federal Way, our lawyers can help you to fight for your right for compensation. Please call us today to learn more.

How Truck Accidents Happen

Nearly all motor vehicle accidents, truck accidents included, are the result of the negligence of one of the parties involved. However, truck accidents are complicated because of the large number of potentially negligent–and therefore potentially liable–parties involved. To be sure, some of the top causes of truck accidents include:

• Trucking company error. Trucking companies have a duty to perform adequate background checks on drivers, properly train drivers, hold drivers to federal hours of service requirements, maintain and service trucks, and meet other state and federal requirements. When they fail to do so and this failure leads to an accident, the trucking company can be held liable for damages.
• Cargo shifts. Large trucks are typically carrying hundreds of pounds’ worth of cargo. Should this cargo shift while in transit, the distribution in weight could lead to a serious accident. A shipper or loader of cargo, or even the manufacturer of the cargo, may be held liable for an accident caused by a cargo shift.
• Truck driver negligence. Truck drivers have a responsibility to exercise an enhanced duty of care when operating a commercial vehicle. Unfortunately, truck drivers often shirk this duty by engaging in negligence and downright dangerous behavior, such as drinking while driving, distracted driving, speeding, fatigued driving, and more.
• Third-party driver negligence. When a big rig collision happens, it’s not always the driver of the big rig who’s to blame – sometimes, a third-party driver may be responsible. Actions like tailgating, driving in a trucker’s blind spots, cutting off a large truck, and passing on the right can all contribute to the risk of a large truck accident.

After your truck accident, our law firm will open a thorough investigation into the crash to determine what happened, who’s to blame, and against whom a claim should be filed.

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Truck Accidents Cause Serious Injuries

Large trucks weigh thousands of pounds more than do passenger cars, which means that there is a significantly greater amount of force that is involved in a truck accident collision. When more force is involved in a crash (which is determined by vehicle mass and speed at the time of impact), the greater the damages. If the occupant of a smaller vehicle survives a Federal Way truck accident, they may be left with long-term, disabling, and painful injuries. These injury types include, but are not limited to:

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What to Do After a Truck Accident in Federal Way

Knowing what steps to take after a truck accident in Federal Way can help to preserve your right to compensation. Here’s an overview of what to do after a Federal Way truck accident–

• File a police report – Be sure to file a police report and request a copy of the report. Do not admit fault when talking to the police; just stick to the facts.
• Get medical care – If you have been in a truck accident, chances are that you will require emergency medical care. Be sure to document all care received and follow your doctor’s orders (acting outside of what your doctor recommends could adversely affect the value of your claim).
• Start the evidence-gathering process – It’s important that you start the process of collecting evidence as soon as possible, including sending spoliation of evidence letters to appropriate parties. If you are unable to collect evidence due to your injuries, call a lawyer – a truck accident lawyer will understand what types of evidence are important to a claim and how to collect it.
• Notify your insurer – Even if you’ll be filing a claim against the truck driver or trucking company (or another party), you still need to provide your own car insurance company with notice of the accident within a reasonable amount of time, preferably immediately following the accident.

Protect Your Right to Recovery by Acting within the Statute of Limitations

Ideally, you will be able to settle your claim out of court. However, should you need to file a lawsuit in order to recover a judgment, you must do so within three years from the date of your car accident. For this reason, our lawyers recommend starting the claim process as soon as possible; being barred from recovery as a breach of the statute of limitations is the last thing you want to deal with.

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Call Our Truck Accident Lawyers in Federal Way Today

Being involved in an accident can be a traumatic and devastating experience, especially if you suffer serious injuries as a result of the accident. At the Khan Law Firm PLLC, our Federal Way truck accident lawyers are prepared to provide competent representation if you or a loved one has been injured in a truck accident. Please request a free consultation with our lawyers today by sending us a message or calling our firm directly.